Surprise is a young filly just trying to make friends. However her looks and the fact that strange things happen wherever she is makes it hard.
The birth of a draconequus is a very rare event. It only happens when there is to much order in the world. But what happens if one that was just born is stripped of her energy and sent to another dimension. Read to find out.
It was the middle of the night as a pony in a black cloak rushed through the overgrowth of a dark and forbidding forest. They had a covered wicker basket setting on their back. Whimpering could be heard coming from the basket as the pony took a sharp right to avoid the fireball that came out of the darkness at them.
“Damn almost had her.” A voice said from the darkness followed by the sound of flesh being hit with wood. “Oww. What was that for?”
“Use your head, you idiot. We are in the middle of a forest which has lots of flammable stuff and you decide to use a fire type spell? What were you thinking you could've set the whole forest on fire.” A different voice chided the first. “Besides the boss said not to hurt the dame. Says she is under the influence of chaos magic. So no spells that can harm her.”
“But then how does he expect us to get her?” The first voice asked.
“ I have a spell that puts a ponies limbs to sleep making them unable to move them effectively for five minutes. I’ll use that then you put on the nullification collar on her.” Having heard enough the cloaked pony rushed away while the two were distracted.
The pony took several more sharp turns and teleported across a crevice in the ground. Five minutes of more running through the forest, the pony arrived at the entrance of a cave. Upon entering the cave the pony was greeted with the sight of a huge crimson colored crystal tree. The pony trotted up to the tree and a violet aura enveloped the basket and lifted it off the pony’s back. The basket floated to just in front of the tree and then was lowered onto the ground. The pony then sat on their hunches and lowered the hood of their cloak revealing a azure colored unicorn mare with a crimson mane and violet eyes. The mare removed the cover off the basket and looked down at the baby draconequus laying in the basket. The draconequus had the same azure colored fur as the mare and a golden mane. The draconequus was sleeping, though whimpering occasionally and moving her tiny lion paw as if to fend of an attack. The mare reached out her hoof and gently rocked the basket back and forth. After a couple of minutes the foal quieted down. “Don't worry my little Surprise, mommy won't let that monster get you.” The mare then turned her attention to the tree,she then lit her horn up and sent a pulse of magic into the tree. “Oh great Amorfos, keeper of the dimensional scales and god of balance, heed my summons and answer me in my time of need.” She chanted as her horn grew brighter. After about three minutes a deep voice answered her in her head.
“It has been some time since any being has summoned me to this realm. What do you desire of me?” The voice asked.
“I ask that you send my foal somewhere safe and far away from here so the monster looking to harm her can never do so.” The mare answered.
“I can send the child to another dimension safely, but she is destined to be the balancing force of chaos in this one. If I am to send her away, I need you to take the foal’s destiny upon yourself and balance the scales of order and chaos. This is the price I demand to grant your wish.”The voice informed the mare.
The mare took the information in stride and as she was about to answer a loud roar came from outside of the cave.
“Come on out Azure Spark! Bring me the chaos tainted tartarus spawn. If you do I promise no harm will come to you. We must sacrifice it before it can grow up to become a threat to order!” A commanding voice barked out from the cave’s entrance.
Azure looked at her baby and then back at the tree. “I will take on my foal’s destiny Lord Amorfos, please hurry and get her to safety!” She begged the entity.
“A bargain has been agreed to and balance will be kept. Your wish will be granted.” The voice of Amorfos said as a red light surrounded the mare and the baby in the basket. At that time an older looking black colored unicorn entered the cave.
“What is happening?” The unicorn asked. He looked on as Azure’s body started changing before his eyes. “No it is already corrupting you! I must stop this.” He exclaimed as he charged his horn and shot a fireball at the basket.
Just before it hit a snapping sound was heard followed by a flash of light. When the light cleared the basket was nowhere to be found. The unicorn then looked at where Azure was only to recoil. The pony that had once been Azure had been replaced by a azure furred draconequus with a crimson mane. “Azure what have you done?” The stallion asked in disbelief of what he saw.
“What have I done father? I have done nothing more than protect my foal. You on the other hoof have killed my husband and tried to do the same to your grand foal. All on the word of a power crazed night loving alicorn.” The newly made draconequus stated in a venomous voice. “Oh and don't call me Azure Spark anymore, that name no longer fits. From now on I am Misfortune the spirit of chaos. I will bring the tyranny of order to it’s knees.” The voice once belonging to Azure said. She then looked at the old unicorn with a creepy smile. “ It’s too bad you decided to chase me here, well too bad for you that is. I on the other hoof am now in need of a new practice dummy to try out my new powers. Thanks for volunteering.” Misfortune said as she snapped a couple of her digits on her lion's paw together. A bright azure light flashed and the the cave was empty of everything but the crimson crystalline tree.
A blue furred purple maned pegasus mare and a white furred red maned unicorn stallion were walking away from ponyville general hospital both looking quite distraught. “What are we going to do Hasty? We've been to every expert and they all same the same thing, there is no magic or procedure that can fix our problem. I will remain barren and unable to give you any foals. You should divorce me and find somepony who can give you offspring.” The mare all but sobbed out. The stallion then put his foreleg around the mare and pulled her into a hug.
“I would never leave you just because you can't give me any foals, Morning Mist. I knew that there might be a problem with compatibility when when you revealed that you were a changeling but that didn't stop me from proposing to you. I married you because I love you and nothing will change that.” Hasty said trying to cheer Morning Mist up. Mist felt all of his love flow into her making her feel loved. She then snuggled into her husband's embrace and the two stayed that way for a couple of minutes. “ You feel better?” Hasty asked to which Mist nodded her head.
The couple then continued on their way back home. After about fifteen minutes of walking through Ponyville they came up to their house. The building had a sign hanging over the door that read Mortar and Pestle. However ,there was a basket in front of the door with a note attached. The unicorn and changeling looked at each other then back at the basket. Hasty then levitated the note towards him and proceeded to read it out loud.
Hello my name is Surprise. My mom is no longer able to care me so she left me here in hope that I will have a better life. Please take me in!
While he was reading Mist lifted the cover of the basket and gasped. Inside sat an azure furred gold maned pegasus foal. But instead of both wings being feathered one of them was bat like. The cover being removed exposed the foal to the cold waking her up. She opened her eyes revealing mismatched eyes, one being gold the other silver. Upon seeing Mist the foal babbled happily. Mist felt a lot of love coming from the foal directed at her.
“Let's keep her.” Mist said as she picked up the basket in her mouth.
“Are you sure?” Hasty asked Mist as he opened the door to their house. Mist just nodded her head and trotted in the house. Hasty then followed her in then closed the door.
Hasty Mix sat behind the counter of his shop/home the Mortar and Pestle. There were potions, poultices, and all kinds of ingredients needed to make them arranged neatly on the counter and surrounding shelves. It was turning out to be a slow day for the shop what with the flu and cold season being over. Hasty let out a yawn and looked at the clock on the wall. ‘One p.m. Mist should be just about done getting the guest room setup. Maybe I should close up early and see if she wants help.’ He thought as he got up and started moving towards the door only for the door to open letting in a yellow furred pony with muti-colored translucent butterfly wings and a pink colored mane covering half her face. “Ah, Welcome to Mortar and Pestle, Miss Fluttershy. How may I help you today?” He asked her as he trotted back behind the counter.
The yellow flutter pony smiled at Hasty Mix. “Well, you see Angel Bunny has a sore throat. I was hoping you might have something to make him feel better.” She said quietly.
Hasty thought for a moment then nodded his head. "I think I have just the thing." He said as he turned around and turned back to the shelves behind him. He browsed through the various items on the shelves before finding what he was looking for. He then turned back around levitating a small vial filled with a blue colored liquid over to the counter. " Now you need to soak some lettuce in this liquid until all of it is absorbed. Then have Angel Bunny eat the lettuce. If he ingests all of it he should be feeling better by tonight."
Fluttershy looked relieved to hear that. "Oh thank you very much. How much do I owe you?" She asked as she pulled out her bit bag and put it on the counter. She then looked around the shop and noticed that it was more quiet than usual. "Oh by the way where is your daughter? She usually pops out by now to say hi." She then felt a light tapping on the back of her head. She turned her head to look at her back and was greeted by the sight of an azure colored filly on her back.
The filly then reached out with her left hoof and touched Fluttershy’s nose. “Surprise boop!” She exclaimed as Fluttershy eeped and scrunched her nose. The filly started to laugh when a red colored aura enveloped her and lifted her off of her perch on Fluttershy’s back.
“Surprise Dawn Mix! What have I told you about doing that to customers?” Hasty started to berate his daughter as she floated in front of his face held aloft in his magic.
“Wait until I have permission and don’t startle them.” Surprise answered in a chipper tone despite the scolding she was receiving. She started flapping both her pegasus and her bat wing while swinging her front hooves back and forth. It wasn't long before she started spinning around in her father's magic. “Whee.” She said as she gained some speed.
“Um, I really don't mind she just startled me,” Fluttershy said in her quiet voice.
Hasty shook his head and set Surprise down on the counter. "What am I going to do with you?" He muttered to himself. "Now back upstairs with you. You are supposed to be helping your mother get the guest room ready for your aunt."
At this reminder, Surprise let out a gasp as she remembered why she came downstairs in the first place. "Oh, mommy said to tell you that the room is all set and to remind you that we are meeting aunty at the train station at three." She told her father in a serious voice and straight face. She managed to keep that look for all of two minutes before a smile broke upon her face and she rushed forward and hugged her dad. " Surprise hug!" She exclaimed as she jumped off the counter and rushed back upstairs.
Hasty shooked his head once again and turned back to Fluttershy. " I'm sorry for that." He said in apology. "Don't know why but you are the only other pony beside me, my wife, and Pinkie Pie that she is comfortable enough with to do that to."
“It's okay. I really don't mind.” Fluttershy reassured Hasty as she looked out at him from behind her long pink hair. “ Oh isn't it her birthday soon?” She asked the potion maker.
"Well, it is more a celebration of when we adopted her since we don't know her actual birthday but yes." He replied. " Now where were we?" He asked himself. "Ah yes, we were discussing how much you owe me."
An hour later saw the family leaving their home after locking it up. Surprise was riding on her mother's back. As the family made their way to the train station Hasty noticed that the sky was full of rainbow-colored trails. "Looks like Rainbow Dash overslept again." He said as they came into the center of town. The sight that greeted them there was the blue colored pegasus talking to a lavender colored unicorn whose mane looked like she was just in a windstorm and a little purple dragon with green spines.
"Who do you think that is? She looks familiar like I've seen her before but I can't recall from where." Morning Mist asked in confusion.
"I'm not sure but we need to hurry if we want to be there before the train arrives," Hasty answered back and then looked to his wife and noticed that their daughter was no longer on her back. "Honey, Where is Surprise?" He asked her in worry. Mist looked at her empty back and started to panic.
"How did you make your wings see through?" they heard their daughter's voice ask from the direction of the lavender unicorn. Sure enough, when they looked over at her there was Surprise sitting in front of the unicorn with her head cocked to the side looking up at her. The unicorn for her part didn't know what to make of the filly. Before she could form a response a red aura enveloped the filly and floated her back to her parents.
"Sorry about that Miss. She is usually much more well behaved than that." Hasty apologized to the unicorn as he set Surprise on his back. "Now what do we say?" He asked his daughter as he looked back at her.
"I'm sorry." Surprise said in the most apologetic tone she could manage her ears drooping slightly.
"That is okay." The unicorn said in response still slightly confused.
"Well it was nice to meet you but we have to get going as we have to meet up with somepony at the train station," Hasty said as he and Mist took their leave of the lavender unicorn while Surprise waved goodbye to the unicorn and dragon as they left.
The unicorn just shook her head and turned to look at her dragon companion who was standing there with a shocked look on his face. “What's the matter, Spike?” She asked him.
Spike stuttered for a bit before he got anything coherent to come out of his mouth. “That filly saw through your illusion spell Twilight.”
Twilight looked at her side and thought about it for a couple of seconds. She then replayed the question that the filly had asked her over in her mind. Twilight got an inquisitive look on her face and turned in the direction that the family had left in. “How?” Was the only thing that the alicorn in disguise could get out of her mouth.
Meanwhile, Surprise and her parents had just arrived at the train station just as the train pulled up. The train doors opened up to let out a sea of colorful ponies. As the crowd thinned out and it became easier to pick out individual ponies Hasty spotted his elder sister. “Zecora over here.” He called out loudly to a zebra trying to get her attention over the noise of the crowd.
At hearing her name the zebra turned her head in the direction of Hasty's voice. Seeing her brother she quickly trotted over and pulled him into a hug. "Brother, how have you been? I have been worried over you like a hen." She asked him before she took notice of the little filly with gold and silver eyes staring at her from her brother's back. She backed up from Hasty and looked at him with a raised brow. "I know I have been away for many a year, but when did you get this little dear?" She asked her brother in confusion to which the filly in question took offense to.
"Hey, I am not a deer. I'm a pegasus." Surprise said as she puffed out her cheeks and flapped both her wings for emphasis. Zecora noticed that Surprise had one bat wing which sent several alarms in her head off. She looked back and forth at the ponies around them and not seeing anypony paying close attention to them she got close to her brother's ear and whispered something to him causing his eyes to widen.
Hasty instantly looked back at his daughter and then to his wife. "You are right sister we should continue this conversation back home. With that, he turned around and walked back to the Mortar and Pestle followed closely by Zecora and his wife.
Hasty Mix headed back to his home, the Mortar, and Pestle. Following behind him were his wife Morning Mist and his sister Zecora. His daughter Surprise Mix was on his back facing Zecora and peppering her with questions at a rapid pace. “How come you are a Zebra if dad is a unicorn? What does your cutie mark mean? Why do you speak in rhymes?”
“Now Surprise slow down and ask one question at a time and give Zecora time to answer.” Morning Mist said to her daughter. Zecora gave an appreciative look to Mist then turned back to Surprise.
“I will answer all your questions when all is said and done. But please for now make do with one.” Zecora replied. Surprise sat quietly for a second with a thoughtful look on her face.
“Why do you always speak in rhyme? Is it a zebra thing?” Surprise asked again. She tilted her head when the zebra laughed.
“No, not all Zebras rhyme, though it was so at one time. Where once every zebra rhymed in bygone days, Now only shamans practice the old ways.” Zecora answered. Surprise giggled at her aunt. The family was just passing by a building built like a carousel as a familiar lavender unicorn rushed out of it. She was quickly followed by the small purple and green dragon who was floating a couple of feet off the ground surrounded in a raspberry-colored aura. Soon a white-colored kirin mare came out of the building holding a bag in one of her clawed forehooves. The kirin had her purple-colored mane done in a bun that sat just behind her branchlike red horn as was usual when she was working. She then spotted the family and smiled as she made her way over.
“Well hello darlings, how are you today?” She asked in a posh sounding voice. At the sound of her voice Surprise let out an eep and jumped off her dad's back, then hid behind his back legs.
“Doing just fine Miss Belle just coming back from picking up my sister at the train station. Speaking of which.” Hasty greeted the mare then gestured to Zecora. “ Rarity this is my sister Zecora. Zecora, this is Miss Rarity Belle one of the most generous mares in Ponyville. I wouldn't have been able to start my shop if not for her.”
“Oh hush, I just like giving back to the community.” Rarity said as she blushed at the compliment. She then looked at Zecora. “Greetings Zecora it is a pleasure to meet you.”
“It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Rarity Belle. May I ask, is this magnificent building where you dwell?” Zecora asked as she examined the unique building in interest.
“Why yes, this is my home as well as my store the Carousel Boutique. As you can see by the mannequins in the windows I make clothes for all creatures.” Rarity said as she waved a forehoof towards her home were just as she said there were mannequins of all different shapes and sizes dressed up in clothes in the windows. She then turned to Morning Mist. “So are you still available to watch over Sweetie Belle next weekend? I need to make a trip to get more gems and the area has become infested with diamond dogs and while I will have some paid help I fear that it just isn't safe to take her with me anymore,” she asked.
“Yes I am still available, just bring her over before you leave.” Mist replied in a chipper tone. “Besides I think our little Surprise is warming up to your daughter.”
“That is wonderful news darling. Now if you will excuse me I must track down a lavender unicorn that left before I could give her this outfit.” Rarity excused herself and headed off in the direction that the lavender unicorn fled in. Hasty turned to his daughter and picked her up in his magic. “ It's okay Surprise, she is gone,” he said as he put her back on his back. “Though I have told you that there is no reason to be scared of her.”
Surprise shook her head. “I am not scared. I just don't want her to put me in a dress again, last time I had to stand still for a whole hour,” she said to the bemusement of her parents. The family made their way back to the Mortar and Pestle but just as they were going ready to enter the building a pink unicorn mare came trotting up. Her pink fluffy mane and tail bouncing with every step. “Hello Hasty, Mist, Surprise, and zebra I never met before.”
“Aunt Pinkie!” Surprise yelled excitedly as she jumped off her father's back and using her wings hovered over to the mare. Once there Pinkie grabbed Surprise out of the air and pulled her into a hug.
“And how is my favorite apprentice doing today?” Pinkie asked with a big smile causing a Hasty grumble.
“I thought I made it clear that there will be no apprenticeships until she gets her cutie mark just like everypony else,” Hasty said sternly. If Pinkie was discouraged by this she didn't show it.
“Ah you say that now but I just know that she was born to be a party pony!” Pinkie said enthusiastically as she let Surprise out of the hug. “But that is not why I am here. I came by to invite you to a party that I am throwing for a new pony in town.” She said as she gave Hasty an invitation. “It is in the library in two hours.” Pinkie then looked over at Zecora. “Though now it looks like I will have to make the party for one more,” she said to herself then looked at Surprise then got an even bigger smile on her face as an idea came to her. She then leaned down and whispered into Surprise’s ear. Surprise got excited and turned to her father.
“ Hey dad can I go with aunt Pinkie please!” Surprise asked while giving him the biggest puppy eyes she could manage. Hasty looked between his daughter and the pink unicorn a couple of times trying to come up with a reason to deny the request when he felt a hoof on his shoulder.
“Honey, I think we should let Surprise go with her ‘aunt’.” Mist said to her husband. “It will give us time to talk alone with your sister.” Hasty let out a sigh as he knew that his wife had a point.
“Fine,” he said reluctantly which had both Surprise and Pinkie letting out a cheer. Before he could say anything else Pinkie grabbed Surprise in her hooves and then teleported away in a flash of pink light. With that Hasty opened the door to his house and let his wife and sister in. He then closed the door after entering, then followed the other two upstairs. Once all three were settled down on the couches in the living room he turned to his sister. “So what do you mean by saying that our daughter could be a Chaos born?”
Zecora looked gravely at her brother. "I read a warning that was written in a time of mourning." She said in a grim voice. "Betold is a time of reality grim, that is bent to one's whim. When order holds too much sway, Chaos soon be on its way. Beware a foal of mismatched limbs. They are a sign of Chaos's whims."
After Zecora got done reciting the warning silence filled the room as both parents did not know how to react to what Zecora had said.
Meanwhile, in the cave under Sugarcube Corner, a green light flashed as Pinkie and Surprise appeared in the middle of the cave. Surprise shook her head to clear it of dizziness caused by the sudden teleport. Once she was no longer dizzy she looked at her surroundings. The cave was lit up in a soft pink light that seemed to come from equally pink colored stones that lined the walls of the cave as if they were veins in a living creature's skin. One of the walls was lined with filing cabinets and containers of all shapes and sizes. On the opposite wall was a single desk, it was to this desk that Pinkie went to. “Okay let's see so we now have a zebra to add to the plans for the surprise party,” Pinkie muttered to herself as she took out a piece of paper and a quill in her pink magic and started to write down plans on the paper. She spent six minutes writing furiously, then stopped and put the quill down and read over the plans three times before deciding that they would work. “Okay Surprise are you ready to help make this the best welcome party ever?” she asked as she turned around only to see that Surprise had made her way to one of the containers and opened the lid.
“Why is this full of gummy worms?” Surprise asked as she looked closer in curiosity. She then let out a yelp and fell back onto her haunches in surprise as two reptilian eyes looked out at her from within the pile of gummies. Pinkie hopped over to the container and then looked inside.
“Gummy, what did I tell you about getting into your food stash?” Pinkie asked sternly as she levitated a small toothless alligator out of the container and held it in front of her face. The alligator just stared unblinkingly at Pinkie. Pinkie for her part kept on staring at the alligator until it blinked. “Don't give me that tone mister!” She said seriously. “Now go to your room and think about what you did.” With that, she then used her magic to teleport the alligator away. She turned her attention back to Surprise. “Now are you ready to make this the most special and most fun welcome party ever and maybe get your cutie mark in the process?”
“YES YES YES YES YES YES!” Surprise exclaimed in excitement as she hopped circles around Pinkie at the thought of getting her cutie mark.
“Then let's get this party started.” Pinkie said then pulled Surprise over to her with her magic so she could go over the plans with her.