He couldn't help but to laugh with glee.

He was FREE!

Free from his stone prison, free from the excruciating boredom of nothingness and nonexistence, thanks to the intervention of a stumbling mare.

Which reminded him...

Unhinged as his mentality was, he still had the courtesy to thank the one who freed him from his stone prison - unintentional it may have been, he still owned the mare gratitude.

So he turned.

And gawked.

Before him, in the distance, stood an oblong, green, gray and yellow machine.

With a face!

It made a puzzled expression, akin to the blue mare which sat beside him.

As the two stared into a point somewhere in the air, the draconequus decided to take a closer inspection on them - they, at least, the mare, seemed familiar.

"What just happened?" Trixie asked, shaking her head sightly.

"Beats me..." Bowler replied. He remembered the feeling of anger from seconds prior, but now, he couldn't quite place it upon a reason - why was he angry in the first place?

The same thing occurred to Trixie: she remembered feeling lethargic just a few moments ago, but for whatever reason? She didn't know.

A dark shadow loomed over the two.

Bowler looked up to see the most weirdest thing he thought he could ever comprehend - it looked like a bunch of animal parts put in a mixing blender: horse, dragon, griffon, lion, goat, antelope, and God knows what else.

He noticed something else: the being's puzzled expression, and Trixie's tense body and the horrified look on her face, with her fur standing on edge, like a cats.

Gazing back at the being in front of him, he witnessed as the thing spoke, blurting out the first question HE could think of:

"Who-WHAT the heck ARE you?!"

"I was about to ask the same question." Bowler replied dryly.

Discord took aback, then smirked.

Who-, and whatever was this weird, poshy thing, he clearly wasn't from around - not knowing the local God of Chaos and all....

It was only right - polite -, that he introduced himself:

"Well now..." he chuckled "How un-courteous of me! You must be new around here..." he said, then cleared his throat "My name is Discord..."

"Hmmmm... Discord..." the diesel pondered "Some faint tingling in the distance, but doesn't ring a bell of any scale... Keep on..."

A bit this bemused by Bowler's interruption, Discord just shook his head, and continued. It may went exactly according to Bowler's request, which didn't pleased him one bit in hindsight, but, that's chaos for ya!

"H-khm! As I've said..." the draconequus went on "I'm Discord. Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony..."

"Uh-huh!" Bowler spoke up, his eyes lit up with realization "You're that old fart who messed up the world last time!"

He was about to agree, but as the machine's words sunk in, his face fell...

Bowler wasn't done yet, however...

"Yeah... "Spirit of Chaos", eh?" he sniffed "What, you mess up the landscape and the mind of ponies and slap THAT label on it? That's not chaos, that's just disorder, and the two AREN'T the same! You just mess about with the laws of physics, that's all! So much for "chaos"!"

Discord was speechless!

Where did this oversized green tin can gathered the guts to disparage HIS chaos?!

His blood boiled, but he managed to keep a face as straight as his unstable physique allowed.

"Hmph." he muttered "Perhaps, a bit of power display might change your--..."

"DON'T bother!" the diesel snapped "You're just some burned out old toss pot who doesn't knows what do with his free time. The kind of guy that gets put up against the wall by newer generations FIRST."

OK, that actually hurt.

Whoever was this thing, it had an acid tongue.

Less encouraged, Discord replied:

"Oh? And what makes YOU such an expert at Chaos, of all things?"

"I looked it up. I read after it. I studied theories. I paid attention to right people." Bowler uttered "Unlike YOU, they didn't hogged the concept of chaos for themselves and blinged it out with escherian-lovecraftian images. They shared it. And they didn't used it as a weapon to take absolute control over others. Instead, they shared their knowledge with others, for the good of all of us. Unlike YOU, THEY weren't selfish and tyrannic!"

The draconequus took aback.

Not out of surprise - he expected the rant to continue - but out of shock!

Really...?

This is how he saw HIS chaos?

Nothing more than tyranny coated in disorder and visual effects?

. . . .

Was he right?

The questions were to aching for him to truly consider them, so he just let them pass.

He noticed something else, anyway...

The little blue pony at the machine's... Front... Thingy...

The mare quivered before him, her icy, silvery mane over her face, her blue fur standing on edge.

"Whatever!" he said, trying to mimic the engine's voice "But what do we have here?"

He floated down onto the ground, leaning over the mare.

He also got pretty close to the green machine - and by the ancients, was it big!

Bigger than he expected, but then again, he didn't liked REGULAR perspectives, anyway.

"A little filly, all alone - beside her brash companion? How exquisite..." he sneered. He was surprised to see the mare shut her eyes and turn away, but not out of fear this time - his words drew tears.

"Piss off, you bastard!" the machine growled "She's been to Hell and back already, she doesn't needs YOUR arseholerism!"

Again, he took aback the rude words of the machine - he didn't seemed to be afraid, or respectful at that matter. But, he was certainly protective of the mare.

So he took his time for once, and checked out the equine before him - baring the stinging glare of the gray-faced construction.

French blue fur.

Silvery gray crest and tail, with a tint of blue as well.

Slim figure, yet short.

Purple, light eyes, deep pupils.

But... Where's her cutie mark?

NOW he understood why the machine became aggressive when addressed her: despite being a grown mare, though, still fairly young, she did't had her cutie mark, which was much needed in HER age.

And as the Spirit, no, GOD of Chaos, he still couldn't figure out, why...

Now that he had a closer look, the mare seemed... Familiar.

Something in the back of his mind was violently setting of blaring alarms, but he snubbed the irritating thing, so as to give his inner pondering the much needed silence it requires.

Who was this mare?

He was certain he had seen her before...

Not personally, but when rummaging through the memories of the world itself - a curious thing he was capable of in his stone form.

He saw the mare, as she met her match in the person of - Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies!

It made sense - the librarian was humble and she was boasting, and also, the lavender unicorn was better in magic, but didn't showed off, while she was a showmare...

That was exactly one of the reasons why he didn't liked making sense: it had a sort of unfair, bittersweet irony - the sort which leaves an increasingly bitter and unbearable taste in your mouth - the latter especially proven in the case of THIS mare, as he remembered seeing her suffer later on - again, sirens went off in the back of his mind, as he remembered himself... Actually feeling sorry for the mare... Despite...

He couldn't continue.

"Who are YOU, anyway?" he asked instead.

"I'm D261." the machine replied "But my... Colleagues call me Bowler."

"OK..." the draconequus muttered "And... Just WHAT are you?"

Bowler rolled his eyes.

"'m a diesel locomotive, a type of rail vehicle that's powered on a heavy-duty internal combustion engine, and runs on diesel fuel, hence the name."

"...."

"...."

"...I'mmmmmmmNOT very good with industry."

"Could've guessed..."

Shaking of yet another irritating reply, he mustered a smile, which quickly brought back his good mood.

Diesel locomotive or not, he still needed a taste of his chaos.

So he approached him.

"You seem a bit angry, my friend..." he smirked.

"I'm fine." Bowler replied on an everyday voice "And you're NOT my friend."

Now, the draconequus was genuinely surprised.

This... Engine seemed to share none of the moral, social... Or emotional traits of the ponies of Equestria: not afraid of him, not respecting him as an all-powerful being (going as far as to belittle HIS chaos), being supportive towards a washed-out mare seemingly hated by fate itself (sticking to her while the equines usually avoided such outstandingly unfortunate ones like the plague), and, in general, ignoring him as what he is - a freakin' deity! -, and showing him forced ignorance upon every trick or turn.

Other villains would have chosen such a person to be an ally.

But Discord...

He didn't liked him.

Bowler was everything the ponies weren't and everything HE, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, didn't WANTED to be - rude, ignorant, brash and uppity.

His few positive factors - his sense of solidarity and seemingly easy-going approach - lifted his character greatly.

Yet, Discord wanted none of it.

Why, he didn't wanted any of his chaos, either!

"But HE doesn't have the choice, now does he?" the spirit mused, smirking wickedly, as he leaned close to the - WOW - BIG face of the diesel.

"You're a bit too brash, locomotive..." he smirked "You got there an acid tongue. Let's see how you act with a spine softer than a sponge!"

He stared into his eyes, letting his magic do the work.

But the engine didn't flinched. He just stared. He could even see the reflection of his own, hypnotic eyes in HIS eyes, which made him dizzy!

"Yeeeeaaaahh... NOT going to happen..." Bowler grunted, and took a deep breath...

...And blew him away!

He landed roughly, on the gravel behind him, as the sound of the engine's horn, which went off with his exhalation, echoed around the hills.

Looking up, he met the gaze of the machine once more.

"You're beyond your time..." he said "Nothing more than a wrench thrown into the great gears of an already sick society. Nobody needs you. Nobody wants you. Nobody loves you. Nobody even knows you! You don't exist for them, really - just one of the many, mythical beings the Princesses had to fight with. And unlike the sound of the falling tree in the empty woods, in your case, you truly fail to make a sound. Nobody heard you. Therefore, you're NOTHING."

As his last words sank into his mind, he saw the mare - now less frightened - climb inside the diesels cab. A morbid thing, but, given the fact WHAT he was...

As he listened to the sound of his motor springing to life, he stood up, looking back at his former pedestal.

The diesel's words...

Made him feel... Hurt.

Insignificant.

Ignorable.

Or was this his own, reflected hypnosis doing it's trick?

That must be it.

A backfire could happen to anyone.

"...Doesn't matter..." he spoke out loud "I'm free once more, and I shall regain my throne! Chaos is the rightful order in Equestria. And chaos is ME..." he uttered with glee. Suddenly, the sirens from moments prior went off in his head again, louder than ever before.

He smirked, wickedly.

"And now, that the Elements of Harmony are weakened by..." he had to stifle a laugh "...Their "own" folly, there's nothing to stop me."

He thought for a moment.

"Pity about that mare, thought..." he mused "I'll have to make up for her, after all the stuff I put her through to achieve my goal. Poor thing."

He turned around, ready to take the first bold step into a new world of chaos, when...

Heart attack! Stroke! Quick, give him a triple dose of what's-it's-called...! We're loosing him, WE'RE LOOSING HIM...!

Bowler and Trixie had been there all this time.

The engine had indeed started his motor, but haven't moved an inch - they heard everything!

And right now, the diesel was giving him a very, VERY unimpressed look - there were other feelings in that glare, but he dared not to describe them for himself.

He couldn't read the expression of the mare.

"Charming..." the engine uttered. With a bright spark, the mare used her magic - electricity-based (or shaped), apparently - to make the two pieces of rail underneath Bowler become mobile - along with him...

As the diesel rumbled off, the spirit could only wonder about his intentions that followed.

...Among other things...

"Trixie! Yeah, THAT was her name!"

The booming, yet shrill sound echoed around the castle.

Guards stopped dead in their tracks, as the noise vibrated within the palace walls.

"What is that awful din?" one asked.

"That sound..." Luna muttered. The blast eventually reached the throne room, and got the two regal sisters into Modus Operandi.

"It's Bowler!" Alexei exclaimed "The Hell is HE doing here?!"

"And how?" Celestia pondered "There weren't any train tracks laid in--..."

She cut off, as realization sank in.

Guards jumped aside.

The most stubbornest maids that remained in the castle suddenly found the ceiling more comfortable... And peaceful...

A real triumvirate of Gods, rushing through the halls, akin to the northern wind cutting through the fields of the Heavens.

Soaring through corridors and gangways like a bolt of lightning, the world hearing the thunder seconds after.

One stripe of darkness and moonlight, slicing the air.

One ribbon of light and solar flare, burning through space.

One, curve-less line of knowledge and technology, crackling across time and space.

Working as one, on their goal, faster than wind or thought.

Around the corner, heels and hooves shriek. Sparks fly towards the sky, and the smell of rain, ozone and electricity fills the air.

They head for the door - NOTHING can stop them--!

BLAM!

BLAM!

BLAM!

...Apart from the door...

"Ow."

"Exactly my thoughts."

"You nicked that from my mouth."

Slowly, they peeled themselves of from the door.

"Should've opened the bloody thing first..." Alexei muttered, molting his broken glasses back into their original shape and place.

"Yes, in hindsight, that would've been a good idea..." the Princess of the Day agreed, nursing her bleeding nose with magic.

"Retrospect for the win..." Luna uttered, after snapping her jaw back into it's place "Where did you get the glasses from, anyway?"

"Oh, these?" he asked, slipping the eyepieces back in front of his eyes. They had a thin, black frame, oblong lenses that were barely bigger than his trapezoid-shaped eyes.

The strangest thing the two alicorns noticed that, for once, they could tell his irises apart from his pupils, as the formers had changed color: they became lighter, no longer black, but metallic gray.

"I actually use them quite a lot..." he explained "But right now, they became essential."

The two great ponies exchanged looks.

"Why?" Luna asked, at long last.

The stickly figure stared at the ground, his eyes covered by the shadow his beret cast over them. Finally, he looked up, fixing his glasses again - conveniently hiding the flare in his eyes, that made them grow brighter, once more.

"Your majesties... My dear friends..." he uttered.

The air grew silent.

"The great gears of fate began to rotate, after such long eons of idling. The Elements of Harmony had protected Equestria, and this planet, this world along with it. However, Harmony had grown weaker. It became profligate, biased and half-hearted, over the turns of the day and the night. The Heavenly Balance, and the Hellish Monotony, ceases to exist. There's turmoil above, and decay below."

He paused...

"Purgatory is heated to it's limit, yet threatened to freeze..."

His glasses literally glowed, as they reflected light... Or... Was there something that gave of the light... Behind them?

"In planes closest to this world, there's two other. One is distant, obscure, filled with corruption, deceit and decay, yet enjoying a fate it cannot afford, as the pretty gallantry of mortals feed gods to arrogant or unattached to even care about the world - two in particular. Both immortal, one ruling the Heavens, the other running Hell. Father and son, who kept up their game since Creation: one makes rules, the other defies them, creating worlds in their paths."

His gaze darkened.

"Their rule is coming to an end. Mortals will eventually overthrow both God and Satan of that world, for they are not one of them - and not willing to understand them, either."

The two mares looked at him in deep silence. There was a certain might behind his words, that grabbed hold of their attention more than anything.

He went on.

"The engines came from a world that satirizes the former: it's ugly side overexposed, whilst the brighter side is distorted. For the beings of the other world, this parody of a dimension would be a cynic's paradise, and comic Hell for the likes of you. And then, there's this world: pure, yet, corruption had began to take shape and form here as well. However, fortunately... Your Elements of Harmony, plus two more, also seem to be the Elements of Defiance as well. And the engines themselves are the Elements of Hatred. The two sides equalize each other, and prepare one another for the coming of the dark meridian - the Elements of Loathing. As leaders of the nations of both Defiance and Hatred, and, as gods, we must aid them on their training, until they master their powers to the extremes. But, like in other, similar case, Fate itself becomes our trainer, throwing obstacles in our way, always pursuing us. Things won't get any easier... But we shall overcome them - friends come along the way, and even our biggest enemies can turn out to be our greatest allies."

He turned to face the door.

"But, for now..."

The Princesses held their breath.

"How the Hell are we gonna get out of here?" he uttered, as the two alicorns released an exasperated sigh "The handles are gone, and so are the joints! This door is now a wall!"

"Guys... Ya 'ear' da'?"

"Yeah... That's Bowler's horn... Isn' it?"

"Roigh' on, Dash."

"Well... *hic* Ah reckon' we bettah go an... *Urp!* See whu-what that silly filly had gotten herself into this time! Heh!"

"A.J., you're drunk!"

"An' ye're a Timelord!" *hic*

"...Who told you that?"

"Guys, were getting of focus here!"

"The mare's right, everyone! Pull your shit together! We got a crisis at our hands, and since Bowler and Trixie had successfully managed to drag us into it from afar... *sigh* I'll guess we'll have to go and investigate."

"OK."

"Yeah, le's do i'!"

"Super!"

"Good idea indeed!"

"Quiet! Now, eeh... Bert! Take one explosives wagon, two or three howitzers, and a tanker of heating oil. 'Arry, you do the same, but your tanker shall be filled with either Methanol or diesel oil.

Pip, Emma! You stay here with the Breakfather, Vac, Brush and Juggernaut. The rest of us will go to Canterlot!"

"Wait just a second! Who made YOU the leader, you little pleb?!"

"Common sense and decency. Now shut up, you posh twat! We got more important matters to take care of right now! Sparkle! Organize your side as well... Whatever is going on in Canterlot, it's massive - big enough to give reason for a complete evacuation. We'll have to be prepared."

"Right! Alright, everypony! Listen up! Dr. Whooves, Derpy! I want you to stay here - and don't argue now, Doctor! It's YOUR bloody station, after all. Cloud Chaser! Flitter! You stay here as well! You'll drive Pip and Emma - obviously -, and, we'll keep radio contact as long as we can. Since Brush' driver is sick again, I want you to stay here as well, Zecora. You have enough experience to drive him, and I'd bet my flank that your wisdom would be needed in whatever shall ensue. The rest of us shall drive our engines. Spike! You're driving BoZo, and Cromwell shall go solo... Well... With Mr. Bottomsly, that is. And I'm driving Diesel, of course."

"Alright, you heard the mare, lads! We have a flippin' kingdom to save from crap, and we shouldn't waste time - for once... HOP TO, EVERYONE!"

"YESSIR!"

"RIGHT AWAY, MA'AM!"

. . . .

"What do you think...? What could it be?"

"I dunno, but judging from the characteristics of previous, similar events, I'd say that it's one of your Saturday villains, just grown out of proportion and control."

" ..."

"What?"

"...Out of... Control..."

"Hmmm?"

Twilight's eyes widened.

"Mother of Celestia..."

To be continued...