Return of Harmony Part 2

Ponies Log Number 202: Even when it seems all hope is lost and you wanna give up, you learn just how powerful the magic of friendship can be when you fight for it...

(As I mentioned in the first season, I don't do the "previously on My Little Pony segments)

(theme song)

Discord just continued to laugh at Twilight and the rest of her group. Twilight just looks rather devastated until Pinkie took offense to Discord's laughter.

"And what are you laughing at!?" Pinkie snapped.

"Oh, you ponies are just the most fun I've had in eons," he replied, wiping the tears from his eyes from all his chuckles. It was then Pinkie got right into his face.

"Well, quit it!" said Pinkie angrily, "You'd better think before you laugh at the Pink...ie Pie!" Pinkie just made a pouty face as Discord just smirked.

"Oh yeah?" Fluttershy remarked, "Well ha, ha."

"Quit it!" Pinkie demanded.

"No, ha, ha," Fluttershy replied, laughing again.

"Quit it!" Pinkie screamed with her fore-hooves on her head.

"No, ha ha-ha ha ha," said Fluttershy. As they were going at it, AJ just casually walked from behind Rarity's so called "diamond".

"Uh...Rarity?" Applejack said casually, "This here diamond of yours. Twilight said we should split it six ways since we, uh, found it together." Applejack then gasped silently as she was suddenly karate kicked away from the "diamond".

"HI YAH!" Rarity shouted standing on her hind legs, "Try it punk. He's mine. All mine! Ya! Ya! Ya!" Rarity then continued to try karate kicking and punching at Applejack, who simply backed away nervously. Twilight just watched the ruckus unfold.

"Girls, why are you all acting like this?" Twilight demanded but received no answer.

"Quit it!" Pinkie shouted at Fluttershy, "Stop it!"

"We need to stick together!" Twilight told them.

"Ha, ha," Fluttershy responded to Pinkie's rants. It was then Discord reappeared as he sat on a sofa with a box of popcorn laughing at them all.

"It's just too entertaining," he said aloud and then summoned Mario to sit with him on the sofa to enjoy the show, though by the look on his face, Mario clearly didn't want to.

"Stop it, Discord," Twilight scolded, "You're not playing fair." Discord raised an eyebrow as he munched on the popcorn.

"You hear that Mario?" said Discord, "She's complaining this isn't fair!" Mario growled his teeth and teleported to her.

"FAIR!?" Mario barked as he got into her face, "I'll tell you what's not fair. Spending a lifetime trying to get a little love and attention from the one pony you were closest to and getting NOTHING in return!"

"Mario you can't seriously say you want Discord to win!" Twilight retorted as she got another icy glare from him.

"I don't care if he wins or loses," Mario retorted sternly, "All I care about is making you pay for what you did! If you can't find a way to defeat Discord, that is nopony's business but yours! Now if you'll excuse me..." Mario then made a black helmet appear on his head and teleported to Applejack, who had managed to get Rarity to stop karate chopping at her.

"Applejack," said Mario, the helmet emphasizing his breathing and making his voice deeper, "Granny never told you what happened to your father." Applejack's eyes shrunk before she looked indignant.

"Granny Smith told me everything about my pa," said Applejack, "Past and present."

"No Applejack," said Mario slowly, "I. Am, Your father." Applejack eyes shrunk again and her lips quivered.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Applejack screamed loudly as she threw her head back in devastation. She was soon whimpering to herself as she rocked back and forth on her back holding her hind legs with her fore-hooves. Discord was laying on the couch laughing himself crazy.

"That's...that's rich! Oh, oh! That was too rich!" he laughed heartily, "Who knew Mister Sunshine still had a sense of humor?" Pinkie glared as Fluttershy rolled her eyes.

"See! I told you he was gonna start doing that!" Pinkie told them.

"Ha ha," Fluttershy replied.

"STOP IT!" Pinkie bellowed.

"Anyways, getting back to the subject at hand," said Discord as he got out of his sofa and walked up to Twilight, "I'm not playing fair? Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony. Hello." Discord didn't resist getting right into Twilight's face.

"How are we supposed to find the Elements of Harmony when you took away the labyrinth before we could get to the end?" Twilight demanded. Discord just looks at her.

"Oh, wait, did you..." Discord began to laugh once again, "How funny! You thought the Elements were in the labyrinth?" Twilight was left stunned as Discord transported her back to when he was talking to them through the stained glass in the castle hallway.

"Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began." Twilight just listened as Discord just smirked deviously at her from the side before returning them both to the present.

"I never said they were in the labyrinth," said Discord.

"Looks like Miss Detail forgot to use her brain," Mario remarked with a smirk. Twilight was still too dumbfounded that she had misunderstood the riddle.

"But...but..."

"Keep trying, Twilight Sparkle," Discord interrupted in a mocking tone, "Maybe the magic of friendship can help you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some chaos to wreak." Discord took a few steps away before snapping his fingers to disappear.

"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you," said Mario darkly, his helmet now removed, "I'd wish you luck...but I won't." Mario then teleported away. Twilight just stood there stunned as a large collection of cotton candy clouds filled the sky. With a clash of thunder, the clouds poured down their chocolate rain on the ponies.

"Chocolate milk?" Pinkie exclaimed, "I hate chocolate milk!" Twilight just looked annoyed, now wet as she grunts in frustration.

"Think, Twilight, think!" Twilight told herself as she tapped her forehead, ""Find the Elements back where you began". Back where you began." As Twilight continued to think, Applejack had decided to jump on top of Rarity's "diamond" as she was crying to carry it away.

"Don't touch my gem!" Rarity shouted.

"I'm touching your gem, Rarity," said Fluttershy as she tapped her hoof on it, "Ha, ha."

"What'chu laughin' at?" Pinkie snapped.

"Ugh, I just wanna go home...," said Twilight before lowering her head in exasperation, but then something clicked, "...wait a minute...Home! "Back where you began!" The Elements must be in...Ponyville!" Within a few minutes, the five ponies had made their way towards Ponyville, which has now been altered to fit the king of chaos and disharmony. Several trees and buildings are hovering in the air, chocolate milk is continuing to rain in random places, even town hall is floating by itself upside down.

"Come on, girls," said Twilight excitedly as she lead the four grumbling ponies down the path to Ponyville, "I'm certain this is what Discord's riddle meant. If we get back to the library, I have a book that I just know can give us a clue. Ah!" Twilight was then taken by surprise when Angel and a collection of his bunny-deer friends stampeded right over Twilight, leaving her dizzy with a messy mane and hoof-marks on her back.

"Good boy Angel," said Fluttershy with sinister smirk, "Mama's so proud." Then the sun instantly set and the moon rose, turning day into night.

"Wow, I can see so much better now," said Applejack sarcastically when suddenly the road was coated in soap, "Whoa!" Applejack slid forward as she crashed through the three other corrupted ponies, knocking them over before she came to a stop before Twilight.

"I meant to do that," said Applejack.

"Wah! Ahh! Whoa!" Twilight exclaimed as she struggled to stand up before she tumbling onto her stomach with a plop, "Discord's turned our dirt roads into soap!" The sun then rose back into the sky, as Discord skates by.

"Beautiful isn't it?" said Discord as he stood before the altered Ponyville, "This is the new and improved Ponyville, and these are only my first changes." Twilight just looked as Pinkie slid on the soap behind her.

"This may look like fun," Pinkie remarked, "but it's not."

"Ugh," Twilight groaned before Discord reappeared and scooped Twilight up so she could get a better look at the town.

"Picture it," said Discord, "The chaos capital of the world." It was then day turned back into night again.

"I can't picture anything," said Twilight indignantly, "It's too dark." Discord then lets Twilight go so she drops into the soap on her back.

"Well, wait a few minutes and you'll see it in the beautiful light of day," said Discord, "or not." He then made a ballerina style posed as he disappeared.

"Ponyville, the chaos capital of the world," said Twilight before narrowing her eyes in determination, "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Don't worry," said Fluttershy as she skated by, "You won't." Fluttershy just laughed at her as Twilight just groaned to herself.

After what ended up being a long walk, night turned back into day again as they arrived just outside the Grand Oaks Library. It should be noted that the grounds and hills now had a checker pattern design on them.

"Okay, we're here," said Twilight, slightly pleading, "Everyone please, please, please, just go inside, please?"

"I absolutely refuse," said Applejack but headed inside anyway.

"With pleasure," said Fluttershy as she entered next.

"I hate libraries!" Pinkie fumed. As each pony made their way inside, the coloring of their coats, manes, and tails became complete shades of grey and now void of any color. Twilight just moaned to herself. Rarity was still grunting as she tried to carry her "diamond" inside.

"Pleeease, we gotta hurry!" said Twilight as she got behind Rarity.

"Forget it, Twilight," Rarity retorted, "I know what you're up to. The second I go in, you'll have your little minion Spike come and take Tom!"

"Tom?" said Twilight indignantly. It was one thing to be greedy but to actually name the "diamond" was just taking that greed to a whole new level.

"Well, it's not going to work," Rarity retorted as she rubbed a fore-hoof on her "diamond". As she did so, her coloring went completely grey as well. Twilight was more annoyed at Rarity to really take much notice.

"You're not going in without him, are you?" Twilight realized in a blunt tone.

"Mm-mm," Rarity answered.

"Fine!" Twilight growls angrily and scoops up "Tom" into her back and carries it inside. It was then Mario landed nearby with a plop on his stomach. He had been teleported to the Library against his will.

"Discord!" he sneered, "I said I've seen enough. I don't..." He then caught sight of something in window.

"Oh this should be fun..." he said with a devious smirk on his face as he looked in the window. Inside, Spike had fallen asleep trying to mop the floor of the Library and was snoozing with the mop in his hands. It was then a pair of hooves grabbed the bucket that was still full of water and dumped it into Spike.

SLOOSH!

"Ah! Brrr!" said Spike as he woke up with a start and shakes himself off like a dog when he see Fluttershy smirking. Mario was even laughing sinisterly, finding the cruel joke funny himself.

"What did you do that for, Fluttershy?" Spike asked, surprised she had done such a prank.

"'Cause you looked so peaceful," Fluttershy answered in a sweet tone that was anything but friendly.

"I...uh...huh?" Spike stuttered as he wrung out his tail, puzzled by Fluttershy's behavior when there was a crash behind him. Twilight had ended up creating a hole on the area where her front door was trying to get "Tom" inside.

"Careful, Twilight!" Rarity retorted, "You'll ruin his beautiful finish."

"Oh, for the love of..."

"Twilight," said Spike, cutting of her remark as he walked up to her, "what's going on? Why does everyone look so...gray?" Spike was given death glares from all the gray colored ponies as Twilight just glared back at them.

"Don't ask," Twilight answered bluntly, "I need you to help me find something."

"Hey, Twilight, what's soaking wet and clueless?" Fluttershy asked.

"Fluttershy, I've had just about enough-"

SPLASH!

"Your face!" Fluttershy called out as she dumped water on Twilight, soaking her and then slammed the bucket on her head with a CLANG. Mario was now on his back laughing.

"You so got that right!" Mario remarked as he continued to laugh at Twilight.

"What's happen to everypony?" Spike asked in confusion.

"I guess you just bring out the worst in us Spike," said Applejack coldly as she walked by from behind.

"Ugh, no time to explain," said Twilight, now dry and the bucket removed, feeling her patience thinning out quickly, "We've got to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony before somepony does something she'll regret!" Twilight gave the four ponies a death glare, but the others weren't paying attention. AJ was just tuning her out, Pinkie looked bored, and Rarity was just giving Fluttershy the stink eye while holding "Tom" as the pegasus was taunting and sticking her tongue out at Rarity. Outside, Mario just smirked from his window.

"Hopefully, someone will," he remarked.

"The Elements of Harmony?" said Spike as he made his way up a tall ladder to find the book Twilight was looking for, "Oh, I know exactly where that book is." He then grabbed the book from the shelf.

"Found it!" said Spike, only for Fluttershy to tear it right of his hands.

"Fluttershy, you'd better give me that book!" Twilight demanded.

"Keep away!" Fluttershy sing-sang before tossing the book to Applejack.

"Hey! Applejack give me that book!" Twilight retorted as she tried to intercept it, but as soon as the book landed on AJ's back, the gray country pony bucked it away.

"I don't have any book," Applejack said right after. The book headed towards, Pinkie, who used her back end to send it flying back to Fluttershy.

"Pinkie! You guys! Stop it right now!" Twilight yelled as the book traveled in the same pattern two more times, Mario was just watching everything with a smirk in his face, enjoying Twilight's misery. Then when the book headed to Fluttershy...

"Ugh," Spike grunted as he tackled Fluttershy, causing the Pegasus to miss catching the book and it landed on the floor. Twilight went over to pick it up with her magic when...

"Mine!" Rarity screamed as she used her magic to intercept it and ran off.

"Hey, do you even know what you just stole?" Twilight retorted angrily.

"No, but if you want it, I want it!" Rarity replied as Twilight gave chase. Twilight dives at Rarity, but misses and hit her head hard as a result. After a strained groan, Twilight's patience has hit its breaking point.

"GIVE ME THAT BOOK!" Twilight screamed loudly as she tried to chase after Rarity again. Rarity attempts to trip up Twilight by knocking down an object from the middle table, but Twilight jumps over it. Fluttershy then swoops in lift Rarity in the air so Twilight runs smack into "Tom". It doesn't take long before Twilight recovers. Pinkie just keeps glaring as Applejack looks indifferent.

"Where is she?" Twilight demands, "Where's Rarity?"

"Beat me," Applejack replied before Twilight dives at her.

"LIES!" Twilight exploded as she attacks her and the others soon join the dust cloud as well. A cat yowl and plenty of fighting noises can be heard before Twilight finally dives out of the fighting cloud with the book. Fluttershy and Pinkie growl as they try to approach the purple pony as Twilight hugged the book like a stuffed animal. Spike held up a scroll in his hand to guard her...or maybe even act as a shield to protect the purple pony.

"Get back! All of you!" Twilight yelled, "This is my book, and I'm going to READ IT!" Spike managed to keep the other ponies at bay while Twilight opened the book. Mario was disappointed.

"Will somepony do something?" Mario shouted from the window, "I was having fun! HEY!" Mario felt somepony teleport him away and he found that he was now inside the library trapped in the air by a magical glow that he couldn't break out of. And he tried too!

"Did you think I couldn't hear you out there!" Twilight barked as she continued to search her book, "Maybe you can finally be useful!"

"Get me out of this you pathetic excuse for a unicorn!" Mario demanded angrily, trying harder to break out of the glow, "I ain't helping even if you were the last pony on Earth!" Twilight ignored him when she gasped at what she saw inside the book.

"The Elements," Twilight exclaimed as she saw all seven pieces of jewelry with their respective gems in them.

"The Elements!" Twilight repeated again, "There were here all along!"

"Took you long enough," Mario remarked, "even I knew that."

"Well, why didn't you...oh never mind..." Twilight remarked, not feeling it worth asking why Mario didn't help.

"Yeah, just tune me out like always do you good for nothing!" Mario snapped, "You sicken me!" Twilight felt a light ache in her heart hearing that when Spike knelt beside her.

"This is great!" said Spike, reminding her of the Elements, "Now you guys can defeat Discord and put everything back to normal!"

"See, you guys?" said Twilight, feeling much better about things, "We did it! We found the Elements of Harmony! Together!" The others, including Mario, just looked rather bored as Applejack just yawned to herself. Fluttershy was just messing up Pinkie's mane to entertain herself.

"You don't even care, do you?" Twilight remarked, seeing the moment was gone.

"No!" they all answered.

"All you're gonna do is just go out there and make a fool of yourself," Mario remarked in his cold tone. Twilight just sighed.

"I never thought it would happen," said Twilight sadly, "my friends..." She then lifted her head, looking furious.

"...have turned into complete JERKS!" Twilight snapped. Mario laughed.

"Right, you keep telling yourself that," said Mario, knowing the real reason for the other ponies' behavior. Twilight just growled as she used her magic to lift all the Elements.

"Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Headband! And...big crown thingy!" Twilight called out angrily as she slapped on everyone's elements.

"It's called a tiara, princess!" Mario sneered.

"Come on, everypony, let's go!" said Twilight as she ventured forward, keeping Mario trapped in her magic so he couldn't leave.

"But Twilight," Spike protested, "aren't you missing somepony?"

"Nope, we've got the liar, the grump, the hoarder, the brute, and Darth Hater," said Twilight as each pony was shown as she said their new nicknames. Spike looked a little bored at the last one.

"Did Mario seriously put on a dark helmet and say "I'm your father" to somepony?" he asked wearily.

"DADDY!" Applejack exclaimed, ready to cry, until she noticed everypony looking at her before saying bluntly, "uh...that wasn't me." Applejack just looked away snootily. Mario snickered.

"All too easy," Mario remarked as the others just rolled their eyes at them.

"Oh brother," said Spike, "but what about Rainbow Dash?" He was soon given an answer when Twilight put on the necklace with the loyalty element on Spike's neck.

"Congratulations, Spike, you're the new Rainbow Dash!" Twilight answered sternly, "Now let's go!"

"Me?" Spike exclaimed with a gasp, "B-b-but what if she finds out I've been impersonating her?" Spike moaned as his body shuttered nervously.

"That won't end well..." Spike added fearfully.

"Too bad, you're Rainbow Dash," Twilight retorted sternly, "Now let's go defeat Discord so we don't ever have to talk to each other again!"

"Yeah! Woo-hoo! Finally!" said all the other ponies as made their way out of the Library (Twilight dragged Mario out) as they ran right over Spike, except for Rarity, who was trying to, once again, move "Tom". This time, Twilight was in no mood to negotiate.

"Move!" Twilight snapped before calling out, "Look out, here comes Tom!"

"I thought it was Jonny?" Mario remarked as he hovered helplessly outside, "GAH!" Mario yelped as "Tom" came barreling out of Twilight's upper balcony door and landed with a THUD outside, just missing Pinkie and nearly smacking into Mario as "he" came out.

"Watch where you toss that thing!" Mario yelled as Twilight and Rarity poked their heads outside. Discord is just a few feet away, waiting for them.

"Well, well, well," he remarked, "I see you've found the Elements of Harmony. How terrifying!" Applejack and Pinkie just look at each other fearfully, but Twilight just stands before him bravely.

"Discord!" she said boldly, "I've figured out your lame riddle! You're in for it now!"

"I certainly am," said Discord, not showing any real fear or concern, "You've clearly out-dueled me, and now it's time to meet my fate." Discord them put on some sun shades.

"I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies..." Discord remarked.

"HEY!" Mario barked angrily.

"...and extra," Discord continued as he created a red and white target on his stomach, "Fire when ready."

"Formation, now!" Twilight commended.

"Eh," all the other ponies replied as Twilight finally let Mario go behind her.

""Rainbow Dash", get over here," Twilight commanded. Spike gulped as he stood where Rainbow would have been.

"All right, let's get this over with," said Twilight.

"Please do," said Mario bluntly, "someone of us have lives to get back to." Twilight just glared before closing her eyes in order to tap into the power of her Element, making her body rise into the air and her eyes were now glowing white as she opened them. All the other elements minus Mario's began to activate and made them all rise into the air. Discord looks intrigued as a bright light surrounds the six floating ponies, even lowering his shades with worry. But then, the bright light faded and they all fell...right on top of a bored looking Mario.

"I'm always the fall guy," Mario groaned.

"What's going on?" Twilight asked when the Element power faded out.

"Mine's workin'," said Applejack, "There must be somethin' wrong with yours."

"I HATE the Elements of Harmony!" Pinkie snapped.

"Hmph! Garbage!" said Fluttershy as she tossed her to the ground.

"MINE!" said Rarity as she grabbed it for herself. Mario then took his off.

"Rarity, want the gem? want the gem?" said Mario, taunting her like a puppy as he held its favorite toy in his hoof, making Rarity hunch over and wag her tail, "FETCH!" Mario then tossed his headband away and Rarity took off after it.

"MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!" Rarity screamed excitedly as she ran after the tossed headband and out of sight.

"Sorry Twilight," said Spike as he set Rainbow's element on the ground, "I guess I'd better get back upstairs and clean up the library. Good luck with all this-whoa!" Spike had just turned to leave when Fluttershy use her tail to trip him up so he fell on his face.

"Oops, sorry, Rainbow Crash," Fluttershy said mockingly and then chuckled to herself.

"Bravo, ponies, bravo!" said Discord as he applauded them and made some random noises, "Harmony in Equestria is officially dead! Discord rules, Celestia drools." He began to laugh as Twilight growls, flashing her teeth angrily at him before Discord skates away on another soapy road.

"It's your fault it didn't work!" Pinkie shouted.

"Who are you talking to?" Twilight asked puzzled.

"Any of you! ALL OF YOU!" Pinkie snapped, "I'm outta here!" Pinkie stomped away.

"I better go, too," said Applejack as she walked off in another direction, "I've got new better friends waiting for me at the farm.

"Yeah! I'm sick of you losers," Fluttershy added as she flew away.

"FINE! Leave!" Twilight yelled to all of them, "See if I care! I don't need you guys either! With friends like you, who...needs...enemies?" Twilight felt very sad.

"Finally figured that out slowpoke?" Mario taunted as he turned to leave himself. Twilight could feel her temper flare as she looked at him walking away.

"How could you?!" Twilight screamed, "How could you let this happen to us!?" Mario froze as he made his way over to Twilight as she glared at him. Mario glared back.

"Since you can't figure it out," said Mario darkly, "I'll simply it for you in words that a magic kindergartner can understand." It was then Mario dealt...his final blow.

"I...hate you."

Twilight's stern demeanor crumbled instantly as her eyes widened and she lowered her head in defeat. Mario smirked.

Yes my dear Twilight! Now you know what it feels like to have your heart broken just like you broke my own heart! How does it feel? How...how...

Mario then felt his icy glare soften as Twilight's purple coat, mane, and tail, turned gray.

Wait...she's...corrupted?! But...but...that wasn't supposed to happen?! No! She was just supposed to suffer! Feel the pain I've been feeling!

He then noticed a small tear fall from her eyes, creating the shape of a heart that had been broken into two. She turned and walked away slowly. The coldness in his heart was soon replaced by something far more painful...guilt and shame. That feeling it was soon evident on his face.

No! I...I broke her spirit! I broke Twilight's spirit!

No...

What...

What have I done?

"What have I done?" Mario croaked, his voice now normal, as he could feel the tears building up fast in his eyes. It was then he heard some clapping behind him.

"Well done Mario! Well done!" said Discord, "as if her friends all abandoning her wouldn't have broken her, your words simply did the trick!" Mario felt his bottom lip quiver.

"It looks like you got just what you wanted, my boy," Discord added, "Sweet Revenge. How does it feel to know you destroyed Twilight Sparkle?" Mario's eyes became glossy as the pain inside his heart became unbearable.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Mario gave the loudest and most sorrowful wail his lungs could muster as he began to weep loudly. Discord was taken aback a bit before giving the sobbing pony an eye roll.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Discord retorted indignantly, "What's with the water works? This is what you wanted! For Twilight to pay for hurting you?" Mario just continued to cry loudly as Discord grunted in irritation.

"Will you get over it?" Discord remarked, "It's not like she ever loved or appreciated you anyway! She had this coming!" Mario just kept crying loudly.

"Oh fine, if you're going to act a like a baby, then I'll treat you like one!" Discord remarked as he snapped his fingers and put Mario, now looking like a baby foal with a diaper and baby bonnet, also still wearing his black cloak, just kept wailing inside a distorted baby crib. Discord then shoved a plushie of himself and a bottle of chocolate milk into his fore-hooves.

"There! That outta keep your quiet," he told Mario, who just stopped crying as he looked at the two items before squirting the bottle of milk in his face and throwing the doll at his head before crying even louder.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Discord snapped, losing his patience, "You know what fine! Whatever! Just remember Mario, you brought this on yourself! Go cry me a new road or something! I'm a ruler of chaos! Not a babysitter!" With a snap of his fingers, he returned Mario to normal and walked away, but Mario was still sobbing too loudly for the draconequus to get back to enjoying himself.

"Oh curse that infernal noise!" Discord shouted before pulling off his antlers, which he apparently used as his ears, before teleporting away, leaving Mario feeling broken, guilty, and alone.

Meanwhile, poor Twilight was just slowly walking about Ponyville as a cotton candy cloud just hovered above raining chocolate milk on her. Some distorted music could he heard as Twilight walked by, some more bunny-deer trotted by, followed by some buffalo dancing in some ballerina leotards, then a pony walks by upside down and starts walking downward and out of sight. Just as a few random pies float into the air like rising platforms, another pony floats by with cross eyes and battling her lips (it wasn't Muffins, sorry pony fans). Discord, having figured to simply put Mario in a soundproof bubble, was now back to laughing and enjoying his new kingdom.

"Oh my stomach!" Discord laughed as he floated beside Twilight, "Twilight, you've got to see what I just did." He then showed Berryshine underneath a giant pepper shaker. He then made it pepper fall on Berryshine's nose, making her sneeze.

"It's priceless," said Discord with a laugh, but then noticed that Twilight wasn't laughing or even looking at him.

"Come now, Twilight Sparkle," Discord continued with a cone in his hand as he took a cotton candy cloud to eat it, "You've got to get into the spirit of things. After all, this is your new home." Twilight just looked behind at all the chaos nearby.

"Not anymore..." she said bluntly before walking away.

"YES!" said Discord, giving himself a fist pump as he laughed triumphantly. As Twilight reached the Library, day turned into night...again, she closed the door and headed straight for her bedroom.

"Pack your things, Spike," said Twilight sternly, "we're leaving." Spike said nothing as he was just groaning as he lay on the floor with his back against her.

"Don't ask where we're going," said Twilight as she laid a suitcase on her bed, "'cause I don't know just yet. Just not here." She uses her magic to bring two books to her while removing her Element and dumping it into a waste basket.

"Can't...move," Spike groaned, looking rather sick with a huge collection of scrolls behind him, "The princess...has been sending these...since I came back upstairs..."

BURP!

"...Make it stop!" Spike pleaded. Twilight walked over and open up one of the scrolls.

"These are all the letters I've written to the Princess since I moved to Ponyville," Twilight pointed out, "But why would she send them back?" Spike just groaned in reply before belching out another scroll. It was then Twilight began to read the letters. As she reads them, visions of past memories begin to appear behind her, such as having fun at the spa with Zecora, carrying away all those gems from the diamond dogs, the seven of them sharing a group hug. She also noticed that with each letter she read, they were always signed with both her name...and Mario's.

"Real friends don't care what your cover is."

"Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing."

"And like the path cut through the orchard, there will always be a way through."

"The best thing to do is stay true to yourself."

"Everypony has a special magical connection with her friends. Maybe even before she's meet them."

As Twilight read these letters, her coloring was restored, then Twilight read something that tugged her heart more than anything.

"You should never be afraid to share your true feelings with a good friend."

It was then Twilight had a major epiphany.

"Spike! Spike, it's all so clear!" said Twilight excitedly as she picked up Spike with her magic and nuzzled his cheek, "Can't you see? Discord's trying to distract us from what's important. He knows how powerful our friendships are, and he's trying to keep us from seeing it. Do you remember what I said the first day we arrived in Ponyville? I told you that the future of Equestria didn't rest on me making friends." As she spoke, she began to hop around and twirl him about. Poor Spike thought he was gonna be even sicker until Twilight stop and sent him flying away.

"But the opposite is true!" Twilight continued, "The friendships I've made since we've been here, even the one I've had since I was a little filly, are what helped save Equestria from Nightmare Moon. And now they need to save it from Discord!" While Spike might have been seen to go flying off, Twilight had actually set him into his basket. Spike just moaned in reply.

"You're right, Spike," said Twilight, "I've got to fight for my friendships. For them. For me. For Equestria." Spike just moaned again.

"I know I need to speak to Mario, like I should've done a while ago," said Twilight, "it's my fault Discord was able to get to him first...and...why he hates me now..." Twilight could feel her eyes water, but she was now determined to sets things right between them so this never happens again. Twilight finally took a good look at Spike and saw how bad he looked as he moaned again.

"Oh...uh...why don't you just stay here and rest?" Twilight proposed as she was headed towards the stairs, "I'll take care of the whole fighting for friendship thing myself." Twilight then made her exit as she heard Spike moan and give another loud belch. She then felt rather worried.

"I really hope Mario can forgive me..." Twilight said to herself as she headed into the Library to come up with a spell the restore her friends of their corruption. Once Twilight figured out what to do, she headed outside. She didn't need to look long before she noticed a magic dome nearby with somepony inside wearing a black cloak. Twilight just hummed to herself as she used her magic to blast the shied apart.

"AAH!" Mario yelped as he stayed low to the ground, trembling a bit when he glanced at the side and saw Twilight standing nearby, giving him a serious look.

"We need to talk," said Twilight firmly, but then softened when she saw Mario turn his head to look at her. Despite the gray color in his eyes, his eyes were red and his cheeks stained with un-wiped tears. He just sniffled as he looked at her and said nothing. There was no anger or coldness in his eyes either. He just looked...empty.

"What happened?" Twilight asked. Mario just looked at the ground before saying in a soft but broken tone.

"I hate myself," he responded. Twilight just looked at him sympathetically.

Guess I don't need to lecture him over how he was acting, Twilight thought, "it's so sad seeing him look to guilty..and empty too...but I know how to fix that. Twilight walked over and leaned her horn to tap it on his head, when he suddenly scooted away.

"No!" Mario said sadly, "Don't waste your time with me! I...don't deserve it...not after what I've done..." Mario just sobbed tearlessly in a quiet, but sorrowful tone. Twilight just looked at him sympathetically.

"Mario, I won't leave you behind," said Twilight in a firm but gentle tone as she approached. Mario shook his head as he felt Twilight pull him up.

"I'm not worth it," Mario protested, "I'm not...MMMPH?"

Before Mario could repeat himself...

Twilight kissed him...on the lips!

The kiss itself only lasted about two seconds, but when she did, she tapped her horn against Mario's forehead, restoring his coloring. The black rose clip that was holding his cloak also broke, allowing the cloak to fly off into the wind, never to be heard of again. While Twilight's spell had removed the hate and coldness from his heart, he still felt rather guilty...and confused.

"I...I don't get it..." Mario whimpered, "After I said such awful things, left you to Discord's mercy, you still find me...worth saving?" Twilight just smiled.

"Friendship isn't always a pleasant experience," said Twilight, "when things are at their worst, you have to fight so that those friendship aren't destroyed forever, which is something I should have done after what happened to us at the Gala. Mario, I'm so sorry for hurting you like that. The others told me how you felt and I felt so awful, especially since I didn't think apologizing wasn't enough. But that doesn't excuse the fact I drove you away, right into Discord. I know if I had just spoken up, he would have never taken advantage of the fact you were hurting. And made you hate us all." Mario just sniffled.

"I don't hate you or anypony," Mario whimpered, "I love my friends and I still love you, Twilight. I never stopped. The instant I said that, it was like the love that was lost inside of me..."

"...was too strong for you to truly hate anypony," said Twilight, "because true, pure, and sincere love is always more powerful than hate. And...it proves that your love for me, and our friends, is sincere." Mario just nodded, but wasn't feeling that much better.

"Look, Mario, I don't know how I feel exactly about your feelings for me," said Twilight, "But I do know one thing for sure."

"What's that?" Mario asked quietly.

"You're my best friend," said Twilight, "And that alone is enough for me to say, with full confidence: I love you Mario." Mario smiled, find new tears falling from his eyes.

"Oh, Twilight!" Mario croaked as he hugged her.

"It's going to be okay, Mario," said Twilight softly as she held him back, "Just know that I forgive you...for everything." Twilight held Mario until he released the very last of his tears, which didn't take very long. Then He pulled away and wiped his eyes. Twilight had to do the same since she had shed a few tears as well.

"I'm glad we're best friends again," said Mario with a smile, "and that you do appreciate me." Twilight giggled.

"Me too," Twilight answered, "So best friend, think you can help me fight for the rest of our friendships?" Mario paused for a moment before giving her a determined smile.

"You bet I will," said Mario, "As long as I'm around, Discord is never going to take away those I love ever again." Twilight smiled excitedly as Mario did a back flip and stood on his hind legs.

"Oh yea, Mario is back and he's ready for action!" Mario shouted, making a pose.

"Yeah!" said Twilight, raising both her fore-hooves into the air, "First stop: Sweet Apple Acres!"

"Easier said than done," said Mario, "Despite my...corruption...I've been surveying the new Ponyville and the adjacent lands. It's no longer a straight line to the Apple Farm and back and even trying long distance teleportation doesn't work."

"Do you know another path there?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, we just need to find...over there!" Mario pointed a hoof towards a green pipe that had an apple on it, "That's the way to Sweet Apple acres. Come on!" Mario and Twilight then made their way to the pipe when Twilight noticed something.

"What's with the number 10 on it?" she asked. Mario let out a long breath.

"It means we'll be visiting some short but dangerous random areas that require platforming and parkour to get through," said Mario, "Once we start moving, we won't be able to stop our hooves until we get to the flagpole at the end of each area. Think you're up for it?" Twilight just smiled.

"I'm in if you are," she replied. Mario nodded before they headed down the pipe.

(Cue "Remix 10" music)

The first area was a grassy area with a few ledges up ahead and some bits that were floating in the sky. Mario and Twilight easily made their way up the top of the ledges, collecting some of the bits before making a leap into a lone standing flagpole.

"That was easy," said Twilight.

"Oh, I bet they get more complicated further down," said Mario.

"I'm ready for anything," said Twilight with a smirk. Mario just smiled as they headed down another pipe. The next area was an underground area with a slide and a spot that required the two ponies to wall jump. Mario was concerned for Twilight but was then taken away when Twilight managed to pull off the wall jumps without any difficulty as they headed into the next area, which featured a desert area with several rising and falling floating platforms and even a spring to get over a living cactus type monster. Twilight had no problems there either. Area four put them on some cotton candy clouds with huge gaps that needed to be crossed by bouncing on flying pies. Mario was going to show Twilight how it was done by trick jumping off the pies like stepping stones, but Twilight seemed to match his movements without a problem. This continued for the next couple of areas as well until Mario just couldn't keep quiet.

"Okay, seriously," said Mario as they ventured through another short area, "how it is that you're so good at platforming and parkour all of a sudden?" Twilight just smiled.

"Maybe being with you makes me feel like I can do anything," said Twilight as they walked across a platform with arrows on it, they made them both twirl with their fore-hooves extended towards another flagpole when Mario gave her a skeptical look.

"Okay, I may have practiced in secret without telling anypony," said Twilight as they headed into the next area, "I just never had to courage to try my skills until now."

"Well, you're doing very well," said Mario.

"Thanks," said Twilight, "by the way, what are all the bits we've been collecting for anyway?"

"Well if we collect 100 bits," said Mario when a bubble appeared with a yellow star inside, "That will appears." Twilight gasped excitedly.

"Oooh! Can I get it? Please, please, please?" Twilight begged eagerly. Mario chuckled.

"Go on," said Mario, "As long as one of us grabs it, we'll both get the power up." Twilight smiled as she jumped and popped the bubble.

(cue "remix" invincibility theme)

"Woo-hoo!" said Twilight excited as she and Mario became invincible, making them run faster and attract any bits around them, which allows Twilight to extend the invincibility into the remaining areas. It wore off automatically once they reached the flagpole to the tenth area, which consisted of some floating ships with moles tossing both bits, corn stalks, and carrots at them. Once they entered the final pipe, they exited it to find themselves just outside Sweet Apple Acres.

"We made it," said Twilight, still feeling very energized from the star power.

"Now to save Applejack," said Mario. They found that Sweet Apple Acres had suffered the chaotic effects of Discord as well. Some pigs were flying across the sky, Big Mac, now corrupted himself, was burrowing in the dirt panting like a dog. Mario and Twilight knew what they had to do, but Mario was worried.

"I'm hoping we won't have to actually fight her," said Mario, "being a colt, I don't feel right engaging Applejack in a hoof-to-hoof tussle."

"True," said Twilight, "but you do have a point, Applejack might not surrender quietly."

"Hey, what if..." Mario then whispered something to Twilight, who listened for a moment before smiling and nodded as he explained everything. Once they had come up with a plan, and Twilight taught Mario her restoration spell, they made a short teleportation in front of Applejack as she was bragging to Granny Smith. The elderly pony was just tap dancing as the country pony was eating an apple.

"And so I tried to defeat Discord," Applejack bragged, "but none of my so-called friends would lift a hoof to help me." It was then Mario and Twilight appeared just a few yards away.

"Applejack," said Twilight, "We're here to fight for our friendship!" It was then Mario and Twilight were both taken by surprise when Big Mac burrowed out of the ground before them, licking both their faces before diving back underground, leaving them stunned.

"Well that was...weird," said Mario.

"Oh, now you want to fight," said Applejack as she stood on her hind leg, "Where you when I was battlin' Discord?" Applejack made a few punches at nothing when Mario used his magic to toss Twilight into the air. This allowed Twilight landed in Applejack's head, which allowed Mario to summoned them into...a turn battle.

"Let's-a go!" said Mario.

"Let's do this!" said Twilight.

(Cue favorite RPG battle theme)

Unlike the other battles, Twilight started above AJ while Mario was on his own side. Twilight landed on AJ's back.

"Take that!" said Twilight, dealing pre-battle damage before heading over to join Mario on his side of the battlefield. AJ grunts angrily.

"Okay, y'all wanna fight, then let's fight!" said Applejack, but couldn't move since Mario was faster. AJ glared at him.

"I know for sure you have no problem fightin' me," Applejack sneered at him. Mario snorted.

"I would never strike a girl," said Mario, "But there are other ways to tire you out." Mario then narrowed his eyes. "Twilight, time to use that Pony move I told you about, Splash Ponies!"

"Splash wuh-uh-uh...UGH!" Applejack said puzzled. Then she watched as Mario made a leap into the air from Twilight's back, spins into the air, Twilight crouches as Mario spins over to her, as she grabbed his hind legs, flip over, and WHAM! They slammed hard onto Applejacks back, dealing far more damage than a basic double stomp.

"Alright, we did it!" said Twilight as Mario gave her a fist hoof. Applejack growled.

"Oh, yeah, well take this," Applejack then bucked some apples into the air.

"Watch the color of the apples, Twilight," Mario said quietly, "the red should come at me, while the green come at you. Jump to avoid them." Twilight then nodded as Applejack bucked at least six apples at them, but they avoided them easily.

"Now it's my turn!" said Twilight, "Can I try that other Pony move?"

"Sure," said Mario, "We need AJ down sooner rather than later."

"You'll be here all day trying to defeat me," said Applejack smugly. Twilight glared before she smirked.

"Alright Mario, time for...Bounce Ponies!" she announced.

"Ready when you are, Twi!" said Mario as he stood in front of Twilight as she jumped on top of him. Mario then tossed her high into the air. Mario then jumped high to grab her by the hind legs before...WHAM! He helped Twilight slam onto Applejack's back hard with Twilight's fore-hooves. Applejack groaned.

"Can't...defeat me!" she grunted when they unleashed another Splash Ponies on her, dealing more damage. Applejack tried to attack again, but her efforts were avoided once more as Twilight dealt another Bounce Ponies attack. Now AJ was tiring out from all the successful Pony attacks.

"This should end this!" said Mario as he did a standard double stomp. Applejack just glared.

"See, I'm still standing..." she said before POOF! Applejack was out of the battle.

(Battle victory!)

As Applejack was now dazed, Twilight took it upon herself to tackle her to the ground.

"Snap out of it," Twilight shouted, "This isn't you!"

"You're not a liar!" Mario added as they tapped their horns against her forehead. Applejack's eyes widened as she began to see vision of the past. One showed when she gave her friends some apple juice, another was just all seven of them spending time together, and another when they were all happy that they finished the winter wrap up, even racing through the autumn trees with Rainbow Dash and Mario. As these memories flooded her mind, her coloring was restored.

"Wh-what happened? Twilight! Mario!" said Applejack with a sigh as she shakes her head to clear the wooziness, "I saw a vision of us feudin' and fightin'. I couldn't face the truth, so I started tellin' lies. Can you ever forgive me?" Applejack removed her head and held it sadly.

"I already have," said Twilight.

"Can you forgive me for allowing that to happen to you?" said Mario sadly. Applejack just smiled as she put her hat back on.

"Of course, sugarcube," Applejack said gently, "I reckon that Discord probably did somethin' similar to you." Mario nodded but felt better when Applejack gave him a hug.

"Come on!" said Twilight, "Fluttershy's cottage isn't too far from here...or at least it didn't use to be..."

"Whaddya mean?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Discord's chaos has made even the quickest routes to different locations more unpredictable and random," said Mario, "But I have taken the time to learn a few of the quirks so we can get to our destinations quickly."

"Well that's good news," Applejack replied, "So where to next?" Mario pondered before he noticed some floating platforms and a green pipe nearby.

"That pipe should get us on our way," said Mario. The three ponies wasted no time hopping up the platforms and into the pipe. When they came out, they found the exit was high above the ground. Mario and Twilight simply teleported to the ground while Applejack was dangling from the edge.

"Now what?" she called out.

"Let go, AJ," Mario called out as he stood on his hind hooves, "I'll catch you!" Applejack dropped a little too fast and they both went rolling back a bit before she was sitting on top of him.

"Oops sorry there big brother," said Applejack.

"Not your fault, the sun was in my eyes," Mario replied.

"I was not!" said...the sun? Apparently the sun now had a face and wasn't too happy with Mario's remark.

"RUN!" Twilight called out they ducked to avoid getting hit by the raging sun. They continued to run for their lives as the sun continued to swoop down at them.

"What are we gonna do y'all?" Applejack asked in a panic. Mario looked around and saw a brick cube in the sky.

"I wonder..." he thought aloud before jumping high into the air, smashing it, and out popped...a brown leaf?!

"Everypony, touch the leaf," said Mario as he used his magic to launch everypony up to it. Twilight and Applejack looked puzzled but did as they were told so they all touched it at once. With a POOF, their pony tails were now raccoon tails and even their ears were raccoon colored as well. Plus they could now fly as Mario lead the way.

"I...I can't believe this is happening right now," said Applejack.

"Neither can I," said Twilight, "but at least we can fly now, which will make finding our friends much easier."

"Heads up," said Mario as the talking sun approached.

"Hey, you flying raccoons!" the sun said, "Have you seen a couple of pesky ponies anywhere?" Twilight and Applejack looked nervous as Mario remained calm.

"Try over by that cotton candy cloud," Mario told him.

"Thanks," the sun answered and disappeared as Mario chuckled.

"That sun's not too bright," Mario told his friends as they flew away, "now if my memory is right, we should be at Fluttershy's cottage shortly."

"That's good news," said Twilight, "but I am enjoying the flying."

"Same here, y'all," said Applejack.

"Just be careful," Mario warned, "if any corrupted ponies or creatures touch you, you'll lose your power."

"You mean like this?" said a sinister voice as a gray hoof tapped Mario on the head, instantly returning his ears and tail back to normal. Fluttershy just smirked as Mario realized he couldn't fly anymore.

"Just like thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat...UGH!" Mario cried out as he was sent to the ground, leaving him dazed.

"Mario!" Applejack and Twilight called out when two corrupted birds taped their sides, returning them to normal as well.

"AAAAAAAAH!" the two ponies screamed as they landed hard on the ground below with a THUD.

"Oops, did I do that?" Fluttershy remarked in mock innocence and just laughed at them.

"Did you think I'd surrender quietly?" she sneered at Twilight and Applejack, "I'm not going down without a fight. Oh wait...I forgot. Whittle Mario too goody-goody to fight wike a colt!"

"You think so, Flutters?" Mario retorted.

"Huh? ACK!" Fluttershy yelped as Mario appeared above and landed on her back, summoning him, Applejack, and Twilight into another turn battle.

"Let's a-go!"

"Let's do this!"

"Yee-haw!"

(Cue RPG battle Music)

"Take a-this!" said Mario as he stomped Fluttershy on the back and stood between Applejack and Twilight.

Fluttershy huffed as she hovered on her side of the battlefield.

"This is sad," Fluttershy remarked, "It takes three of you to defeat me?"

"Not really," said Mario, "We just wanna take you down quickly."

"Mario, you may be my little brother but your strength is rather pathetic," Fluttershy said sternly. Mario growled.

"Oh, I'll show you weak strength," said Mario, "any of you ladies ready for a little racquet ball?" Applejack and Twilight smiled, seeing where he was going with that.

"I'll play!"

"Same here!"

"Awesome, time for a Trio Attack!" said Mario.

"Trio? Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh?! YIKES!" Fluttershy remarked as Mario made a giant cardboard hammer appear. All three ponies grabbed the handle, and slammed the hammer onto Fluttershy. Instead of taking damage, Fluttershy was turned into an artist drawing that was pasted onto a brick wall. The other three ponies each had their own paddle on a fore-hoof as Mario served the ball. They took turns knocking the ball into Fluttershy's pic to deal damage. As they did the ball got bigger until the ball went high into the air. Mario and Applejack went for a Smash, then as the ball headed towards Twilight, she reeled her paddle back, charged up, and then...

SMASH!

The ball hit the picture one last time, causing it to pop and destroying the brick wall. Fluttershy then landed on the ground and then went back to hovering in the air.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for that!" Fluttershy sneered as she whistled for some birds to appear. The three ponies then faced three random waves of birds as that tried to charge at them. The jumped to avoid the attack. However as Mario tried to avoid them, he accidentally did a light stomp on the birds that attacked him. That didn't hurt the birds and only left them a little dizzy, but it was enough to make Fluttershy snarl as she rose into the air.

"That can't be...OOPH! OUCH! GAH!" Mario was then caught off guard as Fluttershy air dived at him three times. He jumped to avoid her first strike, but she came at him too fast and got faster with her second and third strikes, dealing heavy damage to him. Mario was left looking rather roughed up when she finally settled down.

"Are you alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked worried as Twilight gave him the same worried look.

"Battered, but not beaten..." said Mario, clearly drained, "You two know the Pony attacks so use them." Applejack and Twilight nodded as they worked together to pull both a Splash Ponies and Bounce Ponies attack. Fluttershy just glared after both attacks were made.

"Not a scratch," she remarked smugly.

"Then I guess you won't mind this!" said Mario, using a new multi stomp attack that allowed him to jump on Fluttershy's back not once, not twice, but six times! Fluttershy chuckled sinisterly.

"GACK!" Fluttershy groaned before she POOFED and was finished.

(Battle Victory!)

However, even after Fluttershy was defeated, she attempted to make a run for it into her house when the three ponies approached her. That was a big mistake as Applejack lassoed all four of her legs together and tied her up so Fluttershy was now on her back. Twilight and Mario then quickly used their horns to restore Fluttershy. The now yellow Pegasus gasped once she realized where she was.

"Oh no!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "Twilight, Applejack, Mario, I just had the worst dream!"

"Don't worry Flutters," said Mario, still a bit tired from the battle, "It's all over now." Fluttershy look at him and started crying when she saw how beat up he looked.

"Not again!" Fluttershy exclaimed before Mario put a hoof to her mouth.

"Flutters," said Mario, "It's okay. I wasn't being nice either. Just help us save the others and we can call it even." Fluttershy just nodded as Applejack untied her and they exited her house.

"So, how do we get to Rarity's house?" Twilight asked, "More wild suns, random platforming?"

"Hers is actually very easy," said Mario, "Especially with that!" Mario pointed towards toward the ground where there was a star shaped marking on it.

"What is that?" Fluttershy asked as they stood on top of it.

"Warp zone," said Mario, "stand still please." The others look puzzled until there was a streak of light circled around them and sent them up to a star shaped cloud in just seconds flat. Despite not activating the cloud walking spell, the non pegasi ponies were able to walk on it.

"Hoo-wee, that sure was something," said Applejack she looked around.

"Where to next?" Twilight asked as Mario looked at several pipes along the island.

"That one!" Mario shouted as they all dived in, the pipe dropped them right inside the Carousel Boutique. They wasted no time cornering Rarity, who was holding her "Tom" for dear life.

"What do you think you're doing!" Rarity called out from inside, "Get away from my gem! Get away-"

With a flash of light, Rarity was quickly restored. It wasn't even two seconds later her front door burst open. Rarity grunted as she pushed "Tom" out of the shop and just let him roll away out of sight.

"Let us never speak of this again," Rarity said indignantly as the others just smiled.

"I make no such promise," Mario muttered as Applejack snickered next to him before they went after Pinkie. Ironically, she was easiest to find since she was just sulking out in the open not too far away. It wasn't too much of a hustle restoring her either. The issue was that all her inner laughter had sent her into a fit of giggles, which Applejack had to pull her with them in a cart.

"And I-I turned gray!" Pinkie laughed and giggled heartily, "Can you believe it?"

"Yes Pinkie, we do," said Mario, "Uh-oh..." Mario then came to a stop as he looked ahead to the area that lead to Rainbow Dash's home. It was filled with check patterned platforms, ledges, palm trees, yellow and red spring pads, bridges with goldfish jumping up and trying to bite anypony who dared to walk across, and...were those loop-de-loops and corkscrews?!

"Now how are we going to get through that?" Rarity asked.

"With these," said Mario as he made some golden rings appear, "Put these on." The others just looked at them before doing so, feeling a warmth of energy as they did so.

"My, my, Mario, you certainly know how to spoil a girl," Rarity remarked. Mario chuckled.

"These rings are more than just fashion statements, Rares," Mario replied, "These rings will let you run and jump like I do. They last about ten minutes before just becoming normal gold bracelets. Anyways, to Rainbow Dash everypony!"

"Now hold on there!" said Applejack, "since when are you in charge?"

"I did!" Twilight answered and then gave Mario a smile, "Lead the way best friend." Mario smiled as they played a little follow the leader.

(Cue...favorite "green hill zone" tune)

It didn't take long before any of the ponies adjusted to moving at high speed as they followed Mario along the area single file. Mario did his best to try and lead them along the higher paths since they had less dangers as he launched from a few springs onto the upper ledges and the others followed. They quickly made their way across some floating platforms that began to fall once everypony had crossed them. Everypony didn't seem to have much problem jumping and avoiding any of the snapping fish. Then they came to their first loop-de-loop.

"Don't think, just run," Mario called out as they went through.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed as they ran across the top of the loop.

"WHEEE!" Pinkie exclaimed as she ran across the top. They made a few more jumps before finding a zip line, using their fore-hooves, the six ponies rode it, then ran down a steep hill, through two more loop-de-loops, even a huge corkscrew before they ran across a flat landscape and past a metal sign, which rotated quickly before showing Rainbow's cutie mark and then it disappeared.

(Act clear fanfare)

Mario then brought everypony to a stop and let Fluttershy fly up to see if Rainbow was home. Fluttershy peeked inside a few window to find the house...empty.

"Uh? She's not here," said Fluttershy, shrugging her shoulders.

"Without Rainbow Dash, we can't use the Elements," said Twilight worried as the others looked just as concerned.

"And I can't power up the seventh without the other six," Mario added.

"She could be anywhere by now!" Applejack remarked, "We're never gonna find her!"

"Yeah, we will," said Pinkie as she had stepped away from the group and pointed upward, "'cause she's right there!" Pinkie showed them a lone white cloud where the currently corrupted Pegasus was just reclining comfortably.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called out.

"Hey, guy!" Rainbow replied as she waved at them, but didn't bother turning around.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!" Twilight called out, "You have any idea how much platforming, flying, and parkour I had to do today?"

"Hey, you said you enjoyed that," Mario remarked as Twilight just sighed.

"That's nice," said Rainbow dismissively.

"Discord's still on the loose!" Twilight pointed out, "We need you to help us defeat him with your element, Loyalty!"

"Pfft. Loyalty, schmoyalty!" Rainbow retorted as she finally turned over to face to them as she spoke, "Have you guys seen Ponyville? It's a disaster!"

"Nothing that can't be fixed," Mario remarked, "If you would come and help us..."

"I'm staying right here in Cloudsdale where everything's awesome!" Rainbow interrupted and went back to reclining.

"How in Equestria can she think that tiny patch of clouds is Cloudsdale?" Rarity asked a puzzled look on her face.

"The same way he got you thinking that cheap rock was a bona fide diamond," Applejack answered. Rarity gasped before looking very irritated.

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again," Rarity remarked.

"And we made no such promise," Mario replied as he and Applejack chuckled and shared a hoof bump. Twilight then got an idea.

"Time for plan B," she told everypony. Within a few minutes, they had returned to Rainbow's cloud as the Pegasus was just snoozing away. This time the six ponies were riding a balloon. Applejack was sitting right on top of it, Mario, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie were inside the basket as Fluttershy hovered along side of it.

"Okay, Fluttershy," Twilight whispered to her, "you grab Rainbow Dash and hold her down. Applejack will lower me down with this rope while Mario uses one of his magic wing power ups so we can cast the memory spell on her, or restoration spell as Mario's been describing it." Fluttershy looked up as saw Applejack showed her the rope and then saw Mario holding the magic wings in a fore-hoof. Fluttershy then gives a salute before doing an air dive for Rainbow as she continues to snore. Just when Fluttershy was in range to attack...she retracted and woke Rainbow up gently.

"Um...I'm just wondering if it's okay if I hold you down against your will for a bit?" Fluttershy asked sweetly.

"Ugh..." said Twilight, face-hoofing herself as the others groaned.

"Should've seen that one coming," Mario remarked.

"Nice try!" said Rainbow as she got into Fluttershy's face, "Ponyville's your problem, not mine!" Rainbow held onto her little cloud and zoomed away. Fluttershy just watches Rainbow take off when a rope is lowered in front of her.

"Come on, Fluttershy, we've got to catch her!" said Twilight as Fluttershy grabbed the rope with her mouth and pulled the balloon as fast as she could.

"Hyah!" Twilight called out as she whipped the rope to make Fluttershy go faster. Unfortunately the effects of the bracelets had already worn off so the yellow Pegasus was forced to rely on her own speed to chase Rainbow. Rainbow looked back and realized she was being pursued. Doing a wide U turn in the sky, she begins to fly around the balloon to make trying to catch her even harder.

"Applejack," Twilight called out as she tossed the orange pony another set of rope. Applejack wasted no time grabbing it with her mouth and then created a lasso. With perfect timing, Applejack it able to capture Rainbow with her rope.

"Nice lassoing there, cowgirl!" Mario called out, but Rainbow wasn't going to give up easily as she increased her speed, causing Applejack to lose her grip on the rope. The rest of it was tucked just behind Pinkie and Rarity's hind legs. Mario gasped.

"Pinkie, Rarity, hold the-" Mario was too late. To their misfortune, the rope wrapped itself around their hind legs as Rainbow pulled away, pulling the two ponies right out of the balloon. Mario tried to grab one of them before they could fall out, but his timing was off as his fore-hoof dangled over the edge of the basket.

"No!" Mario called out.

"WHOA!" Rarity and Pinkie exclaimed as they held each other while dangling from the rope.

"PINKIE!" Rarity shouted, "You were supposed to secure the ROPE!"

"Oops," said Pinkie with a sheepish smile. To their luck, the two ponies not only made Rainbow slow down, but also lose her grip on the cloud. Rainbow was now struggling to maintain top speed, but was still moving fast enough to keep ahead of Fluttershy.

"Oh Fluttershy, would you be a dear," said Rarity, trying to sound casual and then snapped, "and FLY FASTER please!"

"I can't!" Fluttershy whimpered as she began to cry. The girl was literally giving her wings all she had by now.

"If you can't catch her," Twilight pointed out, "Discord wins!" Fluttershy blinked. The idea of Discord winning really got her steamed.

"That big...dumb...MEANIE!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she put the rope form her mouth to around her back, "MARIO! STAR COOKIE! STAT!" Mario grunted as he threw the requested item towards her. Fluttershy grabbed it perfectly in her mouth and ate it.

(Cue Invincibility fanfare)

Now invincible, Fluttershy poured down on the speed as she quickly caught up to Rainbow within seconds.

"Okay, Applejack," said Twilight once they were in range, "last rope!" Twilight then tossed it towards the orange pony. AJ grabs the rope with her mouth, creates another lasso and easily captures Rainbow. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Mario smile as they bring the balloon down, Rainbow tries with all her might to pull away, but soon anchored to the ground. Because of her struggling, it takes Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack and Fluttershy to hold her in place.

"Lemme go!" Rainbow demanded as Twilight and Mario make their way towards her, "I don't need you guys! Leave me alone!"

"You don't mean that, Dashie," said Mario gently as Rainbow just snorts heavily at them. Mario and Twilight tap her forehead, quickly restoring her color. Afterward, Rainbow is still feeling rather drained by the fact her mane looks a little limp, not to mention a bit woozy.

"Wh-what happened?" said Rainbow as she rubbed her head and shook it to recover, then she gasped, "How's Ponyville? Where are the Elements?! Did we stop Discord?" Rainbow frantically asked her questions to Rarity, then Pinkie, and then Applejack, who she tackled onto her back and knocked off her stenson hat. The others just cheered before the five girls just sandwiched Rainbow into a group hug. Then the moment grew awkward when three buffalo danced by wearing ballerina outfits.

"Maybe, it's a little early for a group hug," said Twilight before noticing something and sees Mario just sitting outside the group.

"Mario, why aren't you in the group hug?" Twilight asked.

"Just...still feeling guilty over...WAH!" Mario was then pulled right into the middle of a crushing group.

"We forgive you! And we love you too!" all six girls said at once.

"Thanks..." Mario strained, "except I can't really breathe..."

"Well, Mario, sometimes love hurts," Fluttershy remarked as the others giggled.

"Oh yeah, things are back to normal," Mario remarked with an eye roll. They didn't take too much time before pulling away.

"Now we take the fight to Discord," said Twilight.

"You bet," said Mario as he used his magic to summon a little chest with everyone's necklaces.

"How'd you get all the elements?" Twilight asked curiously. She thought hers was still in her waste basket.

"When I was checking my notes to get to Sweet Apple acres, I also summoned your element to hold onto," Mario explained, "Plus Rarity had pretty much grabbed everypony else's element and had them in this chest. I figured it would save us time if I grabbed it before we left her boutique." Rarity couldn't resist a sheepish smile as Mario handed out all the elements to everypony. Then he clipped on his own headband. All six colored wedges that made his heart gem light up once he equipped it.

"Wow, I can already feel the Elements power in mine," said Mario before he jumped into the air and...

(Cue Super State fanfare)

...with a silent cry, made his body glow yellow and his mane rose upwards like a flame once more. He was now "Super" Mario once more.

"Alright!" Mario called out as he now hovered just a few inches from the ground and summons a large freight car before them and coupled himself up to it, "Time for the Grand Finale!"

"Yeah!" everypony else shouted as they climbed into the freight car and Mario pulled their little train. While they were a bit frazzled at the rate Mario accelerated forward, they were more focused on their upcoming showdown with Discord as Mario made the trip to the heart of the draconequus kingdom in just a few seconds.

(Fanfare ends...for now)

Back in Ponyville, where a large house of cards was set and a couple of bunny-deer trotted by was a small checkered mountain with a black throne on top of it. There was Discord himself, just laughing happily as some more pies rose into the air around him. He then summons his own personal cotton candy cloud and fills a glass with chocolate milk, from the top to the bottom in fact.

"Chaos is a wonderful, wonderful thing," said Discord as he looked at his glass of milk before going to take a drink.

"Not as wonderful as friendship!" said Twilight as she and the other six ponies appear before him.

"Oh, this again?" said Discord with a bored look on his face, drinks the glass, not the chocolate milk itself before tossing the rest away and it exploded behind him.

"That's right," said Applejack, "You couldn't break apart our friendship for long!" It was then something seemed to be pulling Applejack's element towards Discord.

"Oh Applejack, don't lie to me," said Discord, showing his glowing claw was the source of why her Element was being pulled towards him, "I'm the one who made you a liar. Will you ever learn?" Applejack gasped as she was pulled towards him. The others, minus Mario and Twilight, felt their elements being pulled towards Discord as well. They fought to resist, but were soon pulled towards him. Twilight and Mario charged up their own magic to quickly teleport in the middle of them. With Mario's help to keep her floating in the air, Twilight created a magical barrier around herself and the others. Discord is taken aback for a second when he sees the barrier canceled out his magnetic pull on the other elements. Once the seven ponies are a safe distance away, Twilight removes the barrier so they all land, or in Mario's case float, safely on the ground. Interestingly enough, the barrier restored some of the checkered pattern ground into normal grass.

"I'll tell you what we've learned, Discord," said Twilight as the others stood confidently beside her, "we've learned that friendship isn't always easy, but no doubt its worth fighting for!"

"And that love is far more powerful than hate," Mario added sternly, "You thought you could turn me against those I love, but never again Discord. I'll see to it that you never hurt my friends or my family ever again!"

"Ugh, gag," said Discord unamused as he leaned his head towards them, "Fine go ahead, try and use your little Elements. Friend me. Just make it quick. I'm missing some excellent chaos here." A few flying pigs flew past his throne as he sat quietly to see what would happen.

"All right, everypony," said Twilight, "let's show him what friendship can do!"

"You bet!" Mario called out with determination.

"Wait-wait-wait!" Pinkie called as she ducked under a cotton candy cloud to slurp up some more chocolate milk. Twilight and Mario glared as the others just gave her weird looks. These expressions swapped when she returned to the group. Pinkie then realized something else.

"Hey, can we get that super cool background music when Mario went super again?" Pinkie asked.

(Cue Super State Fanfare)

"That's it!" said Pinkie, "now we're ready! GRRRR!"

One by one, each of the other ponies began to activate their own elements with Twilight's glowing the brightest of the six main elements. Mario just closed his eyes as he began to absorb the elements power, ready to convert it when he had charged the right amount of magic. Discord just looks rather bored, but then Rarity's element starts shooting out a burst of magic in the shape of her element, soon all the others minus Twilight's begin to do the same, shooting elemental shapes of magic past Discord.

"Huh, what's this?" said Discord, now starting to feel worried. Those blasts of magic weren't just for show, they were showing that Mario was storing up the magical power into his element as the eyes of the six ponies turned white as they floated into the air.

"No..." Discord said in shock. Mario then felt the magic reach its full charge.

"FRIENDSHIP BLAST!" Mario shouted loudly as a huge ball of bright light that surrounded all seven of them as a huge rainbow leaped high into the sky. When the rainbow reaches its peak, it began to descend downward, right at Discord.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Discord shouted as the rainbow magic collided with him, slowly turning him back into stone. When the process was finished, the rainbow then split into two rainbows and surrounded Ponyville into a dome filled with the power of all seven Elements. With the power given to him by the Elements of Harmony, Mario was ready to show why the seventh element was so powerful.

"HARMONY...CONTROL!" Mario screamed, his voice echoing though out Ponyville and the surrounding area as the magical dome expanded, cleansing the land and the ponies of Discord's influence, returning the land back to normal.

(end super state fanfare)

Everypony soon lands gracefully back on the ground. Mario kneels down to let himself power down. They all exchange warm smiles for a job well done as the now stone Discord just falls to the ground helplessly.

Later on the seven ponies were now at Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia had summoned them to her throne room as a few trumpets give them a warm welcome. Several other ponies are there as well to see what the Princess had planned to thank the ponies who once again became the heroes of Equestria. As they reach the front of Princess Celestia, Spike is seen standing beside her. A few smiles are exchanged between everypony, some excited while others are...a little awkward and bashful. The most interesting smile was exchanged between Mario and Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia was doing her best not to cry seeing him standing before her. After all, Discord had pretty much said the worst had happened to him and she had been worried sick ever since. It was quiet overwhelming to see that her son was alright. Then it was finally time for Princess Celestia to make her announcement.

"We are gathered here today," said Princess Celestia majestically, "to once again honor the heroism of these seven friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos." It was then she used her magic to unveil a new stained glass window. This one showed the seven ponies vanquishing Discord. The other ponies cheered as the seven ponies stood before them with smiling faces.

Once things had died down and the crowds had dispersed, the seven ponies were left alone in the main throne room to themselves just chatting themselves away. Mario was currently with Princess Celestia. He felt the need to tell her what had happened to him. While he expected her to be disappointed, he was surprised that she wasn't.

"Discord is very good at making people doubt themselves and give into their weaknesses," said Princess Celestia gently, "he took advantage when you felt at your most vulnerable, but now you know that you have friends who do love and care about you, especially Twilight."

"True," said Mario, "At least she loves me where is counts." Princess Celestia just looked at him.

"You still in love her aren't you?" she asked. Mario just gave her a sheepish smile.

"Yeah..." Mario said quietly, "but...she only sees me as a friend. I probably need to move on...I mean sure, she kissed me on the lips to restore me, but...that was just part of the spell. I mean...she only used her horn on the others..."

"Hey, Mario!" Twilight called out as she came up to him, "Come on! Pinkie's gonna throw a party to celebrate outside by the west tower."

"I'll be there in a minute," Mario told her, "Just need some time with Mom." Twilight responded by kissing him on the cheek and walked away with a smile on her face. Mario was just left dumbfounded as Princess Celestia giggled.

"Perhaps you shouldn't give up on Twilight so soon," she said with a chuckle. Mario just didn't get it all. Twilight made it clear that she only loved him as a friend, but...she kissed him on the lips and now she kisses him again. Sure this kiss was on the check, but it sparked all those feelings that he was willing to let go so he could move on. Mario was more confused than ever.

"I...know...nothing..." he groaned in defeat. Princess Celestia just laughed as she gave him a comforting hug.

And that concludes the Discord Arc. Whoo...this was the tough arc for me. Not just because everyone wanted to see Mario go dark, but because with the world in chaos I could go all out with the Mario and Sonic game elements and they would work in the MLP world. That's why there was elements from Super Mario Run, Super Mario Bros 3, Mario & Luigi, Super Mario World, and even Sonic Mania. I actually had to hold back because the chapter was getting very long. Hopefully I won't have to break out on so much parody content until the next two part story.

I was crying when Mario hit rock bottom and I had decided that was how he would get there long ago. I am open to suggestions for the Chrysalis arc, but I beg that you not make Mario go dark again. Thank you.

Things might slow down in terms of drama, but as you can tell, there is still one major problem that wasn't solved. You don't just kiss a pony on the lips cause their your best friend after all!

Next Chapter is one of my top favorite episodes of all time. Because it is the one where Twilight became my favorite pony.

Peace Pony Fans!