Pinkie bounces around happily in the maze, looking for a way out. Despite the fact that Equestria is in danger and her friends are lost, she appears to be having a bit of fun.

Pinkie stops as she smells something...something good. The pony sniffs while asking, "Wait...do I smell...cupcakes?"

Pinkie bounces through a hedge doorway and saw a familiar creature cooking on the stove. Discord smiles while saying, "Ah, yes, Pinkie Pie. You're just in time. I was worried."

"Hey...uh, are you trying to stop me? Because I think you are. Being the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, you are trying to cheat like you did two of my friends."

"Now, what gave you that idea?"

Pinkie smiles happily while saying, "Well, duh! You did it in the previous chapter of this AU story. Duh! I betcha you want to make me stop laughing, right?"

Discord chuckles while holding up a cupcake, saying, "Come now. If you knew what I was doing, I wouldn't try on doing so. Have a cupcake and let's chat a while. I promise not to try to stop you from laughing."

"Hmmm, sounds suspicious for a villain who isn't supposed to show up until the next season...but okie dokie lokie!"

Discord blinks a bit, wondering what Pinkie is on about. But he smirks cruelly as so far, his plan appears to be working...

-------------------

Nightmare Moon isn't watching the scene right now. In fact, the former Princess Luna decides on taking a short leave to find someone who could be a good ally for her once the threats are taken care of.

Nightmare Moon flies throughout the air and find an abandoned part of the mountain area, entering the mountain area. She can sense that he is here. The monster has been living here for years.

"Who goes there?" A voice snaps madly to Nightmare Moon.

"Yes, I can sense you...I may have only met you but I can smell the blood of Tadaka on you." Nightmare Moon said in amusement. "Come forth and face me."

The creature appears, confronting Nightmare Moon. It is a dragon with a dark blue and green body, long messy green hair, and a large scar over his eye. He looks like if he himself could be Spike's twin brother.

The dragon looks amused, looking Nightmare Moon up and down while saying, "So...the Mare in the Moon has decided to visit me...what a surprise."

"Hardly; I can smell Tadaka on you so you must be his son." Nightmare Moon said with an evil grin. "Your father used to be good friends with me and my sister."

"Was! Until you killed my father's trusted bodyguard dragon and kill my mother, Luna! Your sister should've spoke sense into you generations ago but no! You ended up causing the war lasted for eons!"

"Don't ever...call me Luna again! Anyway, I am back to cast Eternal Night over Equestria...and I am willing to make up for my mistake by recruiting you to my cause; Together..."

"Forget it, Luna," The dragon remarks to Nightmare Moon, interrupting what she was going to say, "I despite all ponies, including you. So why should I put aside my hatred right now because you say so, Luna? I would rather take Equestria by my own way, wiping every one of you freaks out, including the one I tried to kill years ago."

"If you won't join me...then you will die!" Nightmare Moon exclaims furiously as she sent down lightning at the dragon whose dodges the attack.

The dragon takes a cane out and fires a wave at Nightmare Moon who turns into a mist and dodges it. She changes back to normal and kick her opponent aside. The dragon jumps and slashes at her, though this causes Nightmare Moon to back away a bit.

Nightmare Moon stomps the ground, causing the ground to move up, hitting her opponent then she launches a Nightmare Wave, hitting the dragon, sending him to the ground. Nightmare Moon approach but then the opponent jumps up, zapping one of her wings with lasers.

Nightmare Moon cringes a bit, trying to recover but that allows the nasty dragon to make a X like symbol to slash across her. She disappears and reappears behind her opponent, zapping him with various lightning slash, sending him to the wall.

Nightmare Moon, panting, say, "You know...if it weren't for this fight, we could've been something...more than just friends."

The dragon grunts while saying, "Only in an alternative universe, Luna."

"So you still won't join me?"

"Never in a million years."

"So be it. I got other things to deal with, like making sure that Discord completes his task." Nightmare Moon said to the dragon, much to his surprise. "Yes, he is back, I released him and already the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony is succeeding, unlike you and your family.

"How dare you!" The dragon exclaims furiously as he fires a bolt from his cane but Nightmare Moon just knocks it away.

"Your father fails to win his pathetic little war, your mother is a fool, and...hmmm, actually, I just recalling seeing a dragon similar to you earlier."

"What? What color was he?"

Nightmare Moon gave out an evil grin, saying, "I will say this. Judging by his color scheme, he came from a purple and green egg." The dragon gasps in a shocked matter. "What's the matter, dragon? Shocked?"

"My name...is Lorcan...and you're lying," The dragon known as Lorcan exclaims in complete denial. "The dragon you speak of is dead, he is dead; you hear me!" He swings his cane wildly at Nightmare Moon but she proceeds to hit him with a wave, knocking him to the ground.

"Dead or no, that is for you to decide! I got better things to do than listen to your sad story of lost family members; until we meet again...Lorcan."

Nightmare Moon laughs evilly as she disappears from the area, leaving a shocked and disbelief Lorcan on the ground, thinking of the alicorn's wicked words...

--------

"Yum! These cupcakes taste good!" Pinkie exclaims as she ate some of the cupcakes happily. "How were you able to come up with good ingredients in this place?"

"Oh...these are no original special cupcakes...they are made from the most special of ingredients." Discord said with a wicked grin.

"Really? What?"

"Oh...pony parts."

Pinkie blinks her eyes, wondering if she heard right, "Uh...pony parts? You mean..."

"Now, now, don't sound so shock. You and your friends are trapped in a maze. If all of you were to lose at some point, you won't have much to eat. You may have to eat one another." Discord said to Pinkie calmly. The pony looks concerned, uneasy by what he just said.

"I don't want to eat my friends...they are..."

"And yet, what would happen if you were to leave this place when you do win? Will you find cupcakes like this again?"

Pinkie pauses a bit, then one of her eyes twitch, mumbling, "No...I wouldn't find good cupcakes like this again...but...my friends, I wouldn't dream of making cupcakes from them...as in..."

"Friends; Yes, the ones you show to 'laugh at the ghosties', from what I have seen. Tell me: are they laughing with you or are they laughing at you? Because I think they are doing more the latter than the former." Discord asks Pinkie with a smirk on his face.

"With me...but laughing at me? Really?"

"Yes." Discord said with an evil smile. "Why, they tend to laugh at you because of you acting like a fool...but back to the cupcakes. You want some from pony parts, right? Well, I say keeping acting like a fool because they won't realize that they themselves are being fooled because your friends would be too busy laughing at the fool...then you will strike."

"Strike, yes...cupcakes from pony parts...none like them." Pinkie said in a daze as her mane and tail deflates, her color goes gray a bit.

Discord smiles as he disappears, leaving Pinkie with a twisted smile on her face. Soon a hedge disappears, leaving three ponies appearing.

"Oh look, it's the mad moron." Fluttershy sneers at Pinkie in annoyance.

"Pinkie Pie; Are you okay?" Twilight ask Pinkie in concern.

"Sure...no problem, Twilight," Pinkie said as she fell down to the ground before getting up, "Ha ha ha; I love cupcakes! None like them, right?"

"Uh...I guess. You okay?"

"Nah! She's okay!" Applejack lied once more before closing her mouth and looking back.

"Come on, let's leave; find the others, anything!" Pinkie laughs madly at her friends, making Twilight a bit concerned.

"You laugh at me, I get mean!" Fluttershy snarls as she pushes Pinkie before moving on. Twilight blinks as Applejack follows her then the purple unicorn follows them.

Pinkie smirks evilly as she follows her friends, with a sinister plan in her head. Discord watches from the sky in amusement. Win or lose, he has already got a new pawn on the floor...

"Now for the white unicorn..." Discord remarks with a sinister smirk.

--------------

Back in the library, Spike was fast asleep, still worried about Twilight and the others.

"Spike, Spike, wake up." A familiar voice spoke up, waking Spike up.

"Huh? What...Princess Celestia?" Spike mumbles a bit as he saw a ball of light floating around.

"Sssh, I am in this form to hide from Nightmare Moon. Listen, Twilight and the ones who shall be the Elements of Harmony are in danger." The voice of Celestia spoke seriously to Spike.

"Huh? Why? What's happened?" Spike asks Celestia in alarm.

"Nightmare Moon has released Discord, an evil force that my sister, when she wasn't Nightmare Moon, and I defeated generations ago. If he succeeds, then the Elements of Harmony cannot be used to save Equestria." Celestia's voice explains.

"That's terrible!" Spike exclaimed.

"Already I feared for them. You must go and help." Celestia said.

"But what can I do? I'm only a baby dragon." Spike said with a sigh. "Well, as well as Twilight's assistant but..."

"You can do more. If you can help out in some way, your life would also be helped out as well." Celestia said as a portal appears. "Hurry, I can only open this for a while and will close it to keep Nightmare Moon from finding me."

"All right, I'll do it!" Spike said in determination, "Hang on, girls, I'm coming!!" The purple dragon then jumped into the portal.

"Good luck, Spike...I can hope you are better than your father or your brother was." Celestia said with a sigh.

---------

Rarity has no idea what has happened to three of her friends. She is relaxing, trotting through the maze like no big deal.

"My, my, this has been fun...I sure hope nothing tries to come out and attack me." Rarity calls out, suspecting an attack by a monster of Discord at any given moment. She pauses a bit, "Hmm? Nothing? No? Oh well..."

Rarity turns around a corner...and gasps as she arrives in some sort of throne room, with gems and chests in some place, and a throne in the middle.

"My, my, this looks like a place fit for a queen." Rarity said with a smile.

"Or a princess in this case," A voice sprang out, making Rarity surprised. Who could that be?

"Who's there? Who is it?" Rarity asked curiously.

"Come now, do you not recognize your own princess?" A form appeared as a familiar alicorn appears, much to Rarity's further surprise.

"Princess Celestia!" Rarity exclaimed as she bowed to her. "What a surprise! How did you escape from Nightmare Moon? How did you find us?"

"Come now, I'm the Goddess of the Moon and ruler of Equestria. How could I not come in this time of need?" Celestia ask with a smile.

"But you still didn't answer my questions." Rarity said puzzled.

"Oh, let's not worry about that. Tell me, what do you think of the treasure that you see around?" Celestia ask Rarity, motioning to the treasure. "I stumble upon it while looking for you and the others."

"It's absolutely wonderful, Princess." Rarity said with a smile.

"I see you have good eye when it comes to gems." Celestia said with a giggle. "We could use someone like you in Canterlot. You...do want to be someone of a...celebrity in Canterlot, do you?"

"I always wanted to be a celebrity in Canterlot!" Rarity said eagerly.

"Yes...I've heard about you which is why you were chosen to help out in the Summer Sun Celebration." Celestia adds. "If you all were able to beat Nightmare Moon, why, imagine what you could have, anything you want, even your dream. Do you have a dream? Anything you want in Canterlot by any chance?"

"I would really love to have my very own prince charming." Rarity said with a loving sigh.

"Anyone in particular," Celestia asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well...I have heard of your nephew, Prince Blueblood." Rarity said with a happy sigh, "Imagine, me and him..."

"Good, then he could be yours...just like this treasure." Celestia said with a hidden smirk as her eyes turn hypnotic. "Just keep the treasure for yourself...one part of it will work fine. You don't have to share it with anypony but yourself..."

"But...won't my friends be rewarded?" Rarity ask, her eyes appears to be a in a trance.

"Oh, they will have their own rewards...but everything else belongs to you." 'Celestia' said with a nod.

Rarity gave out a greedy grin...not noticing her coat going a grey like some of her friends before her.

"I say...MINE!" Rarity exclaimed madly as she jumped on a huge gem, claiming it for her own. "Yes, the fame, fortune...and Blueblood is mine! No pony else shall have them..."

"That's the spirit." 'Celestia' chuckles madly as she disappears from sight.

------------

Twilight is getting a headache. She had to listen to Applejack's lies and Fluttershy's insults for a few minutes. At least Pinkie Pie kept quiet though Twilight is getting uneasy from the weird looks she is giving her and the others.

"Will you ponies stop that?" Twilight ask AJ and Fluttershy in frustration.

"Don't tell me to stop, or I will clean your clock!" Fluttershy scowls at Twilight.

Twilight was about to speak again then she spots somepony familiar with a gem on her back.

"Rarity; where...where did you get that diamond," Twilight ask Rarity, blinking her eyes in confusion.

"Why? So you can have the rest of my treasure?" Rarity snaps to Twilight in a greedy like way. "Find your own reward, your greedy unicorn! This is mine; the other treasure is ALL MINE!!!"

Twilight's eyes is twitching as she screamed, "Why are you ponies acting like jerks all of the sudden?"

Unknown to her, Discord is watching in amusement. So far, 4 ponies whose have shown the five elements shown have been corrupted. Now for the last one...

-----------

Discord arrives to Nightmare Moon who just came back. The spirit asks slyly, "So how did I do so far, Luna? Be honest."

"Hmm...I gotta admit, Discord, what you're doing to those ponies is pretty impressive." Luna said with a nod, intrigued of what Discord did to the four ponies he corrupted.

"Yes, that leaves only the blue pony and your sister's favorite student on the list." Discord said sinisterly. "Of course, I may need a little help with the Pegasus one. Is it all right if I borrow some help?"

"Maybe I think of a few servants of mine..." Nightmare Moon remarks with a sinister smirk. Granted, she knows of three special Pegasi that the villainess was going to use on Rainbow Dash before...

Well, time to make up for it right now.

-------------

"All right, I'm the pony...no pony can stop me." Rainbow mumbles as she trots through her part of the maze, throwing hoof punches into the air. "I like to see anyone try to take on the best.

"The best," A voice spoke up in amusement, getting Rainbow's attention. "Excuse me...but did we hear 'best'?"

"Eh? Okay, who's talking?"

Rainbow enters a part of the maze which looks foggy and hard to see. The pony looks around, trying to see whose talking. Is it Discord or some creature unknown? It's hard to tell.

"You did say about being the best...right?" The voice asks in amusement, getting Rainbow's attention. "I hope so because we were waiting the arrival of the best flyer in Equestria."

"What? Who," Rainbow ask puzzled and curious.

"Why, you, of course."

"Really?! I mean... Oh yeah, me. Hey, uh, you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that, would ya? 'cause I've been trying to get into that group for like, ever."

"No, Rainbow Dash; we want you to join us, The Shadowbolts." The voice booms. Rainbow looks surprised as three Pegasus pony appears, landing near Rainbow. They are wearing uniforms similiar to the Wonderbolts, but they are black and sinister looking. The leader, the one who's speaking, continues, "We're the greatest aerial team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all Equestria, but first, we need a captain; the most magnificent-"

"Yep." Rainbow said with a nod, suspecting that the Shadowbolt leader is talking about her.

"Swiftest-"

"Yes."

"Bravest flyer in all the land," The Shadowbolt answers with a sinister like smirk.

"Yes," Rainbow chuckle. What that Shadowbolt said describe her to the max. "it's all true."

"We need... you."

"WOOHOO! Sign me up. Just help me find my friends, get us out of this maze and then we have a deal."

"No! It's them or us." The Shadowbolt hisses to Rainbow, much to her surprise. She then notes the lack of wings on the cyan Pegasus's back. "Oh...your wings are missing. Too bad; we can take only ponies with wings in our group. Why should you want to be with those who don't?"

"Fluttershy...a friend of mine has wings." Rainbow points out to the Shadowbolt, looking unsure.

"But from what we heard, she is a bit of a coward! You don't need her...but you do need us. But first, perhaps you will discuss your wings with our friend."

"Yes indeed." A familiar voice spoke up as Discord appears. Rainbow yelps as she prepares to fight but the creature stops her. "Now now, I'm only here to talk and to discuss a deal with you. The Shadowbolts needs someone with your talents and I don't blame them. But with the lack of wings, that is a trouble."

"Yeah, you took them, remember Discord?" Rainbow points out to Discord with a frown.

"But I can make your choice easier for you." Discord made a box appears. "Inside are your wings...and I can give them back to you; But here's the twist: you and the Shadowbolts shall get to the end of the maze...and exit through the portal I have made, leaving the other ponies behind, trapping them here forever!"

"Huh? I thought the idea that if we make it to the end..."

"I said that every pony must play the game...in other words, all of you must make it through the portal together! Did I forget to mention that? Oh yes, I must've. I'm a bad spirit, I am."

"But what about my friends," Rainbow ask, a bit doubtful while glancing to Discord then to the Shadowbolts. "How..."

"Oh come, who needs friends? An offer to join this elite group is a once in a lifetime opportunity, after all." Discord explains, while the Shadowbolt leader smirks sinisterly. "After all, what had your friends ever did for or to you? They couldn't help you get what you wanted yet you did a lot for them. But you can be with them...just leave the game with your wings and the Shadowbolts. Don't worry about the other ponies. I will put them through a new game if they want to get out. It's your choice."

Rainbow hesitates, looking a bit concerned. The Shadowbolts' offer along with Discord's sounds tempting...but that would mean abandoning her friends. She felt her own coat temporarily turning gray.

It is her own choice to make now...

---------------

"Well, we're almost there." Applejack lied as the other ponies make it through the maze. Twilight groans a bit. Between her lies, Fluttershy's insults, Rarity pushing away anypony near her diamond and Pinkie Pie's...weird state, the purple unicorn will be glad to leave.

"Ugh, stop with the lying, Applejack." Twilight groans angrily. "Why is Princess Celestia thinking? Making friends; Ha! I am no friends with liars, cruel ponies, greedy ones and a weird pony who kept staring at me. I'm glad to find the Elements of Harmony and defeat Nightmare Moon. Then maybe I won't see you all ever again!"

"Cupcakes...cupcakes," Pinkie mumbles, her eye twitch a bit.

"You want cupcakes? I will give you a shake!" Fluttershy snaps as she shakes Pinkie up and down, laughing cruelly while sending her to the ground, "Ha ha ha ha!"

"Shut up, for Celestia's sake, shut up!" Twilight exclaims in annoyance. "I can't believe you ponies are the same ones who did those great things that I saw earlier...I mean, honestly!"

Jsut then the group came to a clearing...where a big portal awaits. Twilight sighs in relief. At least Applejack's right for once: there is the exit; But where's Rainbow Dash?

"Okay, you four stay here. I'm going to find Rainbow Dash." Twilight said to the other ponies with a smile. "Maybe then..."

"Don't you dare leave me," Rarity snaps, blocking Twilight. "The moment that you do, these foalish ponies would try to steal my treasure from me...or worst, you may come back and steal it yourself!"

"Rarity, come on! You know that without Rainbow Dash, we can't find the Elements!"

"Oh, you mean that Rainbow Dash who is leaving with new friends?" Pinkie asks weirdly while pointing a hoof at something.

Twilight looks confused as she turns around...and saw Rainbow Dash arriving in a new direction with some Wonderbolt lookalikes. The purple unicorn looks confused and shocked upon seeing the Pegasus pony...with wings; But how...

"Hey, Rainbow Dash; How..." Twilight ask in concern. The pony gasps as Rainbow doesn't seem to hear her. She speeds up...and disappears through the portal. The Wonderbolt lookalike laughs sinisterly as they disappear through the portal as well, "Rainbow Dash!"

Lightning appears as the maze collapses, the portal disappears, etc. Sinister laughter is heard as a familiar villain appears, glaring at them.

"Well, well, looks like somepony broke the 'no wings, no magic' rule...as well as leave the maze without the rest of you! Too bad, you lose, my little ponies!" Discord taunts as he snaps his finger, restoring the unicorns' horns and Fluttershy's wings to her. "Your former friend has escaped...but you are all trapped here forever! Eternal night awaits Equestria along with a big storm of chaos!"

Discord made an umbrella appears as if taunting the ponies and laughs sinisterly. Twilight looks downtrodden and hopeless. Most of her friends have turned into liars, meanies, greedy ponies, and weirdoes...and worst yet it looks like Rainbow has abandoned them all with a new group of ponies!

"Rainbow Dash...how could you?" Twilight whispers in sadness as she looks down. Rainbow has turned traitor...and now the unicorn is trapped forever...

----------

Nightmare Moon smirks sinisterly. Looks like Discord has indeed done it: he defeated the ones who could get in her way now.

"Perfect...so much for the Elements of Harmony." Nightmare Moon booms as she glances at the stone version of the once powerful Elements. "And now...my little group has a new member. Welcome to the Shadowbolts, Rainbow Dash..."

Nightmare Moon smirks as her loyal Shadowbolts are with her...along with Rainbow who appears to be in a costume of her own!