Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all looked at the four beings that appeared before them in sheer terror. Twilight just slumped forward slightly, still crying softly as she gazed at the equine in front of her. There by Chthon's power and will standing before them right in front of their very eyes were Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis. Though it was surely them, their appearances had taken on minor, yet startling differences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib6ZySkP4_0

Each of their manes, coats, and bodies now had a fainter more faded coloring, almost greyish to the eye. Their bodies were marred with cracks and other imperfections, giving them the impression that they were in a minor state of decay. The golden shoes, tiara, and armored necklace that Celestia wore were without their usual majestic shine and were now dingy and dull as were Luna's royal ornaments. Arcanus' red cloak was now tattered especially on the edges and sleeves, as if the great unicorn had just been involved in a horrific ordeal. Despite their altered bodies, Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis each had the same coloration of eyes; black with red pupils, and each of them were casting silent, intimidating glares at Applejack, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie while Chthon and Discord watched on, grinning malevolently.

"I…I don't believe it!'' Rarity stammered. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna-!''

"Arcanus an' Chrysalis…there right in front of us!'' Applejack finished, as stunned as the others.

"But how?! I thought they were dead, we saw them get killed!'' Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

No one said anything as they stood in the presence of the fallen equines and changeling queen. Finally, Twilight took a shaking step forward and reached out to her mentor with a hoof as she tearfully spoke. "Princess Celestia? Is…is that really you?''

Celestia said nothing, just continued to give her and the rest of her friends that same, threatening frown. Again Twilight spoke, more pleadingly. "Princess Celestia please! Say something!''

Again, the princess of the sun said nothing. She took a step forwards, stomping her hoof on the ground as she lowered her head slightly, taking on an aggressive stance. Celestia's horn was then enveloped in a billowing, golden aura. Seeing this, Twilight took a fearful step back as she winced sadly at Celestia.

"W-What's wrong with them?" Fluttershy whimpered, hovering backwards. "Don't they recognize us?''

Rainbow Dash whipped her head towards Chthon and spat forcibly, pointing a hoof at the god. "You! Tell us right now what the hay you did to them!''

Almost immediately, Celestia gritted her teeth and fired a golden, jet of magic towards Rainbow Dash. Though caught off guard, Rainbow's quick reflexes allowed her to dive forwards in the air with a short cry, successfully dodging the attack. "Whoa! What's the big deal?! Princess Celestia it's me!'' Rainbow Dash cried.

Instead of answering, Celestia let off a low growl as Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis took fighting stances. Luna's horn gave a shimmering cobalt blue aura while Arcanus' horn shined a whitish blue, and Chrysalis a sickly green. Like Celestia, the three now bore far more hostile expressions, each baring their teeth at the six ponies. Twilight and the others started to retreat backwards, anxiously group together as Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis stared to advance slowly towards them.

"I-I don't like the looks they're giving us,'' Pinkie Pie spoke, fear in her voice.

At this, Chthon gave off a dark, nefarious laugh. "As I said before, the lesson that I have planned is devoid of your 'friendship' for they are no longer your friends. They are my loyal Heralds of Chaos, and they don't take kindly to those who blatantly disrespects me.''

As Chthon spoke, Discord snickered cruelly by his side. "Ooh-ho-hoo! This is just too rich!'' Discord said gleefully. In a flash of light, Discord was then sitting in a red recliner, floating near his father with a drink cup in his talon claw with a bag of popcorn in his lion's paw. "This is definitely going to be a popcorn flick. Let's go everypony! Let the tears, heartbreaks, and carnage begin!''

At this outburst, Fluttershy looked up at the spirit, excitedly throwing a paw full of popcorn into his mouth. Tears came and flowed down her face as she spoke with a quivering mouth. "Discord…how could you…?!''

As the four Heralds came closer, Rarity spoke with clenched teeth and a worried expression. "Oh my…what in Equestria's name are we going to do?!''

As if to answer her question, Celestia's horn glowed a brighter gold a she was surrounded by a sphere of golden magic. Celestia then kicked off the ground before suddenly she charged forwards through the air at the six friends. "Quick, scatter!'' Applejack cried.

It seemed like it only took one, brief second before the six were sent screaming in different directions as Celestia bowled them over with her concussive attack. Celestia flew into the air to about twenty feet before she halted and turned around as the golden sphere around her disappeared. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all shifted and groaned, Rainbow Dash having been knocked down to the ground from the blow of the Alicorn.

"Is everypony alright?'' Applejack asked, lifting herself up.

"Ugh, would be loads better if Celestia wasn't trying to practice her strikes on us,'' Rainbow Dash grumbled, shaking herself off of dirt.

While the others recovered and started to stand, Fluttershy noticed Twilight still laying on the ground and went over to her, concerned for her friend. "Twilight? Are you ok?''

Twilight didn't respond, just started to lift herself up as her body started to shake. "Oh my, you're not hurt are you?'' Fluttershy asked, her worry increasing as she placed a hoof on her shoulder.

This time however, Twilight bowed her head as silent cries began to sound from her. "P-Princess Celestia…'' Twilight wept softly. "It's-it's like she don't even know who we are.''

Her friends gazed at their purple unicorn friend with saddened, sympathetic glances. Rarity then shifted her eyes from Twilight upwards as a look of complete dread came over her face. "Dearie, I-I don't think that's the only thing we have to worry about at the moment!''

The others looked towards the same direction as Rarity as they all bore looks of sheer intimidation and fear. Before them, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis were all slowly advancing towards them, those feral expressions still present on their faces. Immediately Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack quickly advances backwards with clenched teeth. In the air besides Discord, Chthon watched with crossed arms and wings steadily flapping, a cruel smirk on his face as he finally spoke out a single, chilling phrase.

"Crush them.''

Almost instantly on command, the three equines rushed at the six bearers. As they quickly closed in, the three broke formation. Luna flew towards the six friends' right side while Chrysalis flew to their left as Arcanus ran towards their front, catching them in a flanking maneuver. Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis' horns glowed their respective colors as they all prepared to fire a spell. The six ponies grouped together as they frantically whipped their heads in all directions.

"What are we going to do?! We're surrounded!'' Pinkie Pie shrieked.

As the two regal sisters, unicorn, and changeling queen readied their attacks, Twilight quickly looked at each of them. She knew that she had to act and act fast, for her friends' sakes. Finally with a determined frown and furrowed, yet wet eyes she stood tall and spoke out. "Girls stay close to me!''

Without question, Twilight's five friends did as they were told just as their surrounding assailants fired beams of magic at them. Quickly as she could think, Twilight's own horn glowed a deep pink, billowing aura and just as the four attacks could hit them, a great, deep pink flash of light came from Twilight's horn and she as well as her friends were gone. The four magic beams hit the ground as an explosion of gold, blue, green, and white erupted as a result. As the smoke cleared, Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis saw nothing but, smoking earth however, instead of being surprised, they still bore those glaring, deathly looks.

In another flash of deep pink Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie all reappeared distances away from their previous spot, a bit disoriented but unharmed. "Ok, I don't think I could ever get used to that!'' Rainbow Dash spoke dizzily, struggling to remain steady while hovering.

Rarity shook her head off of any daze and spoke. "Good heavens that was a close one. We owe it all to you Twilight. Thank you darling.''

Twilight said nothing, she didn't even feel fatigued from teleporting her friends like she did when they fell from Chthon's tower. No she was looking at the ground dismally, her strong, intelligent eyes filled with tears. Her body shuddered visibly, as if she was being blown by a chilly wind. Seeing her in such a grief-stricken state, her friends turned to her and gave her extremely worrying gazes as Pinkie Pie spoke up.

"Twilight? What's the matter?''

"It's us…'' Twilight uttered just above a whisper, a tear rolling down her face. "We're her subjects, why is she doing this?''

Before anyone could respond, Rainbow Dash suddenly exclaimed. "Look out!''

Immediately, the other five whipped their heads upwards to Luna quickly flying towards them, her horn glowing brilliantly with that cobalt blue aura as she readied for an attack. She then fired a large bolt of a blue lightening spell of some kind towards the six friends. Reacting quickly, the six ran in different direction, just as the bold of lighting hit the ground, causing a small, but powerful explosion. The force of the explosion blew the six ponies scattering in all direction, screaming as they all hit the ground.

They each scrambled to their feet, Rainbow Dash quickly taking her usual place in the air. Out of nowhere, she and Applejack were surrounded by a sickly green aura as they were lifted into the air. "What?! What's goin' on?!'' Applejack cried, trying to break free from her capture.

"Somepony get us down!'' Rainbow Dash shouted, flailing her hooves.

Almost exactly after the exclamation, the earth pony and Pegasus were suddenly flung away from the others, screaming as they became separated from their friends. Their four friends quickly looked towards their direction with shocked and horrified looks as Chrysalis flew at full speed after them, her tattered wings beating rapidly as a buzzing sound came from them.

"Rainbow Dash! Applejack!'' Rarity cried, fearful for her two friends' safety.

"Quick! We have to go help them!'' Pinkie Pie shrieked.

"Oh my, hold on we're coming!'' Fluttershy added.

Before any of them could even move, a bluish white, blinding light flashed before their eyes. The four cried in fright as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy found themselves rapidly spinning around before falling hard onto the ground. They groaned as they groggily lifted their heads, only to gasp and sprang up to find a glowering Arcanus slowly approaching them, his horn aglow with that bluish white, billowing aura as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy backed away fearfully.

The flash of light faded quickly as it came, allowing Twilight and Rarity to uncover their eyes from their hooves. They winced as their sight adjusted from the sudden flash only for them to widen instantly as they saw Celestia and Luna descended gradually in the air. Their majestic wings flapped steadily, as their faces bore nothing but those dark glares. Twilight and Rarity cowered closer together as Rarity spoke with a tone of dread.

"What are we going to do? Twilight?! We can't possible fight against the princesses!''

Twilight didn't replied, just shook her head slowly as she wince, tears beginning to appear in their corners. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! I don't know what Chthon did to you, but you have to fight it off! It's us!''

Twilight's words had no effect whatsoever. The two regal sisters only replied by quickly soaring towards them, their horns aglow as Celestia fired a golden beam of magic at the two. Twilight turned to her friend and commanded. "Quick run!''

Without hesitation, Twilight and Rarity whipped around and ran, avoiding the attack as it hit the ground with a small explosion. Rarity gave a brief cry as she tried to remain steady from the aftershock. As the two unicorns ran, Luna and Celestia pursued them. With her horn aglow, Luna lowered her head only to whip it back up with gritted teeth. Almost on cue, the earth beneath Twilight and Rarity's feet began to rumble before suddenly a pillar of earth shot up from beneath Twilight and rose her into the air, the unicorn screaming.

"Twilight!'' Rarity screamed when suddenly she was coated in a cobalt blue aura.

Before Rarity could react, she was suddenly lifted and flung through the air. She cried out before finally crashing into a nearby, tattered tent as it crashed down on top of her. The pillar of earth rose Twilight up to about thirty feet into the air before stopping. Luna ignored the purple unicorn and instead soared towards Rarity, struggling to get out of the tent. Twilight tried to stand up, but the top of the pillar had little room for her to stand and she continuously fell back on her stomach. She looked up and to her horror she saw Celestia quickly coming down from the air towards her, once again surrounded by that golden sphere of magic.

Twilight tried to react, but before she could perform a spell, Celestia had crashed down on top of her as she crushed the pillar downwards until finally crashing to the ground. As the smoke cleared, Celestia stood straight up, leering down beneath her to find nothing but destroyed earth and rubble. The princess of the sun stared at the area, unflinching despite the lack of a possible victim of her attack when a magenta light flashed behind her. Celestia casually turned around to see her prized student, looking upon her with a sorrowful, slightly exhausted gaze as she breathed deeply.

"Princess Celestia please!'' Twilight called out to her mentor. "I know you're in there somewhere! Think about what you're doing!''

Instead of a verbal answer, Celestia just continued to give Twilight that silent scowl. Celestia's horn then glowed a billowing golden aura as she suddenly reared up on her hind legs, firing a massive bolt of golden lightening into the fire tinted skies. In the next moment, the clouds rumbled with thunder as a barrage of lightning bolts began to rain down towards Twilight. With a horrified gasp, Twilight narrowly dodged a bolt of lightning, but she couldn't dodge the next series and was struck by a seemingly endless array of lightening.

Twilight screamed in terrible pain as volts upon volts of electricity coursed wildly through her veins. She felt as is her electrocution had went on for eternity, but in reality only a few split seconds went by before she found herself on the ground. Electricity crackled along her now, heavily singed body, twitching with each crack. Twilight nearly lost consciousness from the attack. Her eyes were half-shut and lifeless until finally the light returned to her violet orbs and she started to weakly move her body, groaning as she did so. High above Ponyville, Chthon and Discord remained in the air, watching the events that were transpiring. Discord, was still seated on his floating recliner as he gave out a howling laughter.

"And she is down for the count fillies and genticolts! Let's get an instant replay!''

Discord then placed the index finger and thumb of his talon claw with the index and thumb of his lion's paw together, making a rectangle. He then gazed through the space with one eye down and at the shifting Twilight when suddenly the image between the space rewind itself before stopping right at the moment before Twilight was hit with Celestia's spell. In the next moment, the entire scene played out again, with Twilight being struck by the countless bolts of lightning and screaming before falling back onto the ground.

As the replay ended, Discord threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Hilarious! That'll never get old! I don't know why I didn't think of that when I first escaped!''

Chthon smirked cruelly at his son and said, "Physical pain may be glorious, but to strike them in their hearts…that is a pain that never leaves. Having her princess combating her the way she is, it is torture equivalent to ripping off her own foreleg.''

"So very true Father,'' Discord grinned darkly, tapping his fingers together. "Let's see how their little magic of friendship get them out of this quandary.''

Celestia continued forward towards Twilight as the unicorn struggled to stand up, the last few flickers of electricity cracking on her body. Twilight peered wearily through one as with gritted teeth as she slowly stood up. Celestia's spell took a great toll on her body. She knew Celestia was powerful, but she didn't expect to be nearly rendered unconscious, or possibly nearly killed by such a spell.

"P-Princess…Celestia…p-please don't make me fight you,'' Twilight pleaded hoarsely.

Celestia only responded by giving her student that speechless, menacing glare as her horn began to glow once again. The ground beneath Twilight feet suddenly became saturated and loose, causing Twilight to begin sinking into the ground. Twilight let out a cry as her body sunk deeper and deeper into the liquefied soil, as if she had just been caught in a blackened quicksand. It wasn't long before Twilight was neck deep into the soil and stopped sinking, the clay like sand solidifying itself back into the scorched earth.

"What?! I-I can't move!'' Twilight exclaimed in terror, struggling to move but to no avail.

Twilight ceased her writhing for a brief moment as she gazed at the attacking Alicorn to see Celestia's horn glowing. A low rumble came to Twilight's ears as she felt the ground around her beginning to shake. "What's happening?!'' Twilight asked herself, becoming frantic.

Her question was soon answered as the ground a lengths away from her began to crack before finally a large, round piece of earth and rock that was bigger than Celestia herself. Twilight stared in sheer horror as the massive crag floated about twenty feet above her head, coated in the golden aura of Celestia's magic.

With wide, terrified eyes, Twilight broke her gaze from the impending boulder and looked at Celestia. "Princess Celestia stop please! Just look at what you're about to do!''

With dark eyes devoid of compassion, Celestia whipped her head downwards, commanding the boulder to fall quickly towards Twilight. Twilight only had a moment scream before the massive piece of earth crashed down on top of her, causing the ground around it to tremor with a rumble.

"Ohhh, that's going to sting in the morning!'' Discord commented, peeking through his fingers.

High above the still rock, Celestia looked down at the area with a uncaring frown. All was silent until a flash of magenta caught Celestia's eye and looked to her right to see Twilight standing away from the large rock, breathing heavily.

"I-I won't go down that easily Princess. After all…I am your student,'' Twilight spoke bravely yet exhaustedly.

Celestia's furrowed her eyes into a deeper frown as her horn glowed. Immediately, Twilight ran to her left and away from the giant boulder. "Hey! This way! If you really want to kill me, you have to catch me first!'' Twilight called.

Celestia bared her teeth before suddenly soaring after the unicorn. Celestia fired a beam of magic at Twilight, who quickly dodge as the attack hit the ground, causing an explosion of golden fire. Celestia fired another jet of magic and another, and each time Twilight evaded the attacks. Twilight peered over her shoulder as she ran.

"That's it…follow me!''

Celestia speed increased as she continued to pursue Twilight, firing spells as she did so. Twilight peered her head from around the rock, her body freed from the earth prison Celestia had made for her. She watched as her copy lured Celestia away and she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God that spell worked. I knew it would come in handy one day.''

Twilight's rest was short lived as a revelation came to her and she spoke adamantly. "Rarity! I need to help her and my friends!''

Without a second thought, Twilight galloped from the rock and towards the direction she saw Rarity and Luna went. Celestia continued to fly swiftly after the false Twilight. Every few seconds, the Alicorn would send jets of golden magic towards the unicorn, only to miss. Finally, having enough of the chase, Celestia used her magic to raise an earthen wall from the ground in front of Twilight. Having been peering over her shoulder, Twilight didn't notice the wall and she soon slammed hard into the obstacle with a pained cry, slumping to the ground.

Twilight stagger to her feet and turned to see Celestia coming at her, horn aglow as she conjured a large, golden, prism-like spike and hurled it towards her. Twilight screamed backing into the wall unable to retreat as in a blink of an eye, the spike struck her in the chest. Upon being hit, Twilight burst in a flash of deep pink in white sparkles. Celestia stopped in midair as the sparkles faded into nothing, staring at the spot where Twilight's copy was just destroyed, the spike now jutting out from the wall. After a few moments, Celestia turned slowly to the opposite direction, leering with a grimace as she flew off towards the real Twilight.

Rarity cried with anxiety as she continued to squirm and contort from underneath the tattered tent.

"Somepony! Get me out of this thing!'' Rarity cried.

Finally, Rarity's hooves came to an opening and she forcibly stuck her head out of the opening only for her eyes to fall upon Luna, hovering high above her. Rarity flinched, fear clutching to her breast as she shifted backwards. "Princess Luna! Your highness please! Realize what you're doing! You're not in your right mind I'm not your enemy, that monster Chthon is!''

Rarity's pleads only fell upon deaf ears as Luna gave her that silent, glaring frown. Her horn glowed a cobalt blue as she prepared a spell when suddenly a magenta colored, glowing strip appeared and wrapped itself around Luna's eyes. Luna whipped her head wildly, grunting and snarling as she tried to get the strip from around her eyes. Rarity looked up at the princess of the night with a frightful bewilderment as a voice called out to her.

"Rarity!"

"Twilight! Thank heavens it's you!'' Rarity spoke, trying to get the tent from off around her.

"Quick, there's no time to lose!'' Twilight said quickly, taking a second's glance at the struggling Luna before turning to help Rarity up. "I don't think that will hold her off for long!''

Rarity nodded quickly and with her up and finally out of the entanglement of the tent, she and Twilight ran away from the flailing Luna. Luna continued to jerk her head wildly until a blue, magical ball formed from the tip of her horn and quickly expanded. With a sound like a crack of a gun, the strip was blown from Luna's cold, dark eyes as both ends of Twilight's distraction fell and disappeared in blue flames. By this time, Celestia had rejoined her younger sister in the sky, however, they continued glaring towards the direction of the two running unicorns, almost as if ignoring each other's presences and without a word flew after them.

Twilight and Rarity ran for their lives, maneuvering past stone pony statues as they did so. "Twilight, we must get to the other girls. Who knows how long they could last against them,'' Rarity breathed.

"I know Rarity,'' Twilight panted as she ran. "The only thing we can do now is pray we can lose Celestia and Luna!''

The two unicorns' heavy breathing suddenly turned to pained cries as they suddenly slammed face first into a shimmering, cobalt blue wall. Twilight and Rarity both fell back, dizzy and disorientated, feeling like they had just ran into a stone wall.

"Rarity, are you alright?'' Twilight asked, rubbing her head.

"I think so but where in heaven's name did this wall come from?!'' Rarity asked stumbling as she got up on all fours.

Before Twilight could answer, a large, golden, ball of fire suddenly fired past between them and hit the wall, causing it to explode and sent Twilight and Rarity screaming as the flew back a few feet, as if knocked back by the force of a bomb. Twilight looked up to see Celestia and Luna flying through the air towards them. Luna gained extra speed her glowing horn pointed right towards her friend.

"No!'' the purple unicorn shouted dread coming to her.

Twilight leaped up and jumped in front of Rarity as Luna fired a cobalt beam from her horn. Just as she had done so, Twilight used her magic to erect a magic, spherical barrier around herself and Rarity. Luna's beam slammed into the barrier, trying to push its way through. Immediately, Twilight, gritted her teeth and struggled against the Alicorn's might. Rarity wearily gazed up to see the barrier and Twilight fighting against Luna to her shock.

"Twilight?!'' Rarity gasped.

Twilight said nothing, just grunted as she struggled to keep her spell from wavering. Twilight was a gifted and skilled unicorn in her own right but…what power. Her protective barrier was already buckling under the strain of Luna's might.

"Princess Luna please don't do this!'' Twilight pleaded.

She didn't want to engage one of her ruling sovereigns but Twilight was the only thing standing between Luna and Rarity, the latter being safe in the confines of Twilight's barrier at this point. Twilight's head started to hurt from the mental strain she was going through as Rarity could only watch on in both awe in fear.

As Luna continued to push her way through Twilight's barrier, Celestia suddenly flew past her fired her own golden beam of magic at Twilight. While Twilight could hardly hold her own against Luna, she could not stand up to two sister's power. As soon as Celestia's beam hit the barrier, the shield shattered like glass and knocked Twilight and Rarity backwards. The two unicorns staggered to their feet and gazed with intimidated glances as the two sisters stared down with their furrowed, dark, crimson red eyes.

"Twilight, there's no possible way we could walk away from an attack by our two princesses,'' Rarity spoke, consternation in her voice.

"I know Rarity…I know. There's no way we could stand up to their power,'' Twilight answered, clenching her teeth.

Celestia and Luna flew closer to each other, their horns aglow when they did a single, circular motion with their heads and brought the tips of their horn together. With their horns touching, golden and cobalt blue ball of magic began to form and grew bigger with each second. Seeing this, Twilight and Rarity huddled together, panic rising in their chest.

"Twilight! What are we going to do?! What can we do?!'' Rarity shrieked.

Twilight couldn't answer. The very thought of being struck down by her very mentor, her own mother figure caused her mind to go blank. Finally it came and with a flash of light, Celestia and Luna fired a golden and blue, intertwined beam, a rushing sound as if a vast invisible something was soaring through the air towards them. The only thing Twilight and Rarity could do was scream and huddled together, waiting for dead to overtake them. Suddenly out of nowhere, a deep pink and purple flash of light lit their eyelids as Rarity fell a force coming out from her chest and Twilight felt a jerking recoil from her tiara.

The two opened their eyes to see a beam of magic coming from each of their Elements, one magenta and the other purple as the two joined together and met Celestia's and Luna's attack high in mid-air. While the opposing beams seemed evenly matched, it wasn't long before the power of the two Elements began to push back the regal sisters' until it finally overpowered them, in a flash with the sound of an explosion knocked the two from the air and fell onto the ground, much to the absolute astonishment of Twilight and Rarity.

"Sweet Equestria! Twilight…did you see-'' Rarity began as the two Alicorns landed motionless on the ground a yard or two away.

"I don't believe it!'' Twilight uttered softly. "Our Elements, they fought back their power!''

Twilight gazed up at her Element tiara, still speechless at what just occurred. "Could it be?'' Twilight thought to herself.

However, she was snapped out of her train of thought as the sounds of distant shuffling and saw that Celestia and Luna were slowly, but surely beginning to rise to their feet. Twilight knew there was no time to waste and urged Rarity. "Rarity, we must hurry. Now's our chance to go and help the others.''

It took a moment or two for Rarity to come back to her senses and quickly agreed. "Yes, your right Twilight. We must make our move now!'' Without another word spoken, Twilight and Rarity sprang on all fours and whipped around and ran to help their friends. Twilight couldn't help but peek over her shoulder sadly, regretfully as Celestia and her sister struggled to rise to their feet.

Fluttershy and Pinkie ran in terror as blasts of bluish white spells zoomed past their heads. Arcanus, the usually calm and docile unicorn was now running after them despite his great age. With his eyes black and his pupils red and empty, the Unicorn Supreme fired another series of spells that whizzed through the air towards them.

"What are we going to do Pinkie?!'' Fluttershy cried as she flew next to her friend. "We don't have any magic to defend ourselves!''

Pinkie Pie looked at her friend frantically. "You're asking me?! These last few chapters have been nothing but awful. I don't know the first thing we should do!''

Fluttershy looked at the pink pony with bewildered, panic-stricken eyes. "L-Last few chapters? Pinkie what are you-''

"Look out!'' Pinkie Pie suddenly cut in, pushing Fluttershy to the side as a spell soared passed her, missing.

"Oh my! Thanks Pinkie that was a close one,'' Fluttershy thanked, trying to regain her airborne bearing.

"Anytime! Now let's find a way to lose him!'' Pinkie Pie responded.

As they continued to run however, in a flash of light, Arcanus stood a good distance before them, his body taking an offensive stance. Fluttershy and Pinkie both skidded to a halt, their ears lowering in fear as they backed away anxiously. "Oh no, now what?!'' Fluttershy squeaked in terror.

"Arcanus it's us. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy!'' Pinkie Pie implored. "Don't you remember? You were helping us trying to stop that meanie Chrysalis!''

Arcanus said nothing, just glared, his unholy red eyes fixated on the Pegasus and earth pony. His horn then glowed as he whipped his head up in a single motion, rearing up on his hind legs. Instantly, a massive pillar of water burst forth from the ground behind him. The water rose about twenty or thirty feet into the air as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy watched on in alarm.

"T-That's a lot a water!'' Pinkie Pie stuttered.

The swirling, pillar of water stayed in the air for a moment or two, before suddenly snaked it way through the air and down towards the two ponies. "Pinkie Pie hurry before-AH!'' Fluttershy began only for her to scream along with Pinkie Pie as the torrential waterspout turned into a wave and washed around them.

Within moments, the two friends were swept off their feet and were being tossed violently as the wave of water morphed into a massive, raging sphere of liquid. Fluttershy's and Pinkie Pie's screamed were instantly drowned out and replaced by gurgles as they continued to be rocked by the spell, as if caught in a violent maelstrom at sea. Arcanus stood firmly in his place, controlling the sphere of water as it floated ten feet from the ground. The two ponies trapped within tried to hold their breathes but the constant vigorous motion of the torrent caused them to breath in and filling their nostrils with the conjured substance.

It wasn't until, their lungs were beginning to fill with water when Arcanus whipped his head downwards, commanding the sphere of water to crash down onto the ground. Upon impact, water swept through the area, washing away any pony statues that happened to be nearby. Fluttershy and Pinkie laid on the ground, coughing fiercely as they tried to catch their breath.

"Oh ho! Talk about a wipe out!'' Discord cackled, holding his belly. "And they said a little water won't hurt you? Well apparently a lot can kill you!''

Chthon smiled malevolently, showing his sharp, canine like teeth and said. "It is amusing to see such filth getting exactly what they deserve. If those creatures have a shred of brain cells then they would just accept the fate that was written for them.''

Discord ceased his laughter and stared at Fluttershy who was coughing up some water she had swallowed. He gave her a calm, impassive glance. "Yes, they can be a bit…unruly. Always going against the grand design. Isn't that right dear Fluttershy?'' Upon seeing the timid Pegasus heaved forward and coughed deeply, Discord's face dissolved into a slight, qualm frown.

Chthon looked at him darkly out the corner of his eye, looking at him as if he was expecting his son to say or do something ill-fitting in his sight. After a moment of silence, the draconequus spoke. "Well serves you right for preaching your malarkey about friendship.'' He then grinned devilishly. "Well, everypony who sinned must be punished, a fact that's absolute.''

Chthon smirked at the comment, eyeing Discord and responded. "True words Discord. True words indeed…''

"F-Fluttershy. Are you…ok?'' Pinkie Pie said in between coughs and breathes, turning to her friend weakly.

Fluttershy coughed up a bit more water before responding groggily. "I think so. I really thought that…we would drown.''

"Yeah me too. I wonder why he would let us go?'' Pinkie Pie inquired, attempting to stand up.

In the very instant, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie let out anguished screams as an electrical current rapidly ran throughout their bodies. The experience only lasted for a brief second when the Pegasus and earth pony found themselves on the ground, bluish white sparks of electricity crackling along their bodies. Distances away, Arcanus stood in his spot, his head bowed slightly as his horn was aglow and surrounded with electric cracks. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy shook greatly from the attack. Both their eyes were wide open and almost lifeless. Some foam began to form and fall from Fluttershy's mouth as Pinkie's eye twitched every few seconds, both their bodies were now heavily singed.

Seeing the two ponies helpless on the ground, the glowering Arcanus stomped the as the glow from his horn brightened. The ground under Fluttershy and Pinkie suddenly gave way and they fell into a rather large crater about the size of the base of a cottage, the two rolling down until stopping at the center. Pinkie Pie tried to lift her head and raised a shaking hoof towards Fluttershy.

"F-Fluttershy…'' Pinkie Pie spoke hoarsely.

Some light finally returned to Fluttershy's strong, cyan eyes as she lifted her head, the last bit of foam slipping from her mouth. "Pinkie…?" Fluttershy answered in a daze. "W-What's happening?''

Before Pinkie Pie could answer, the brim of the crater suddenly started to glow an orange yellow and the two gasped in fright as lava started flow down into the crater towards them. "What?! Pinkie Pie what are we going to do?!'' Fluttershy squeaked in terror. "If that lava reaches the floor then…"

"We're cooked!'' Pinkie Pie finished with increasing panic.

Above ground, Arcanus stood on the charred ground, using his spell to phase change more earth to lava. As his horn glowed brighter, the speed of the lava flow increased, threatening to consume Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in moments. The two friends huddled desperately together, as boiling, liquid earth surrounded them from all sides. Their eyes darted in all directions, only seeing glowing, fiery magma. Fluttershy, whipped her head and looked at Pinkie Pie, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Pinkie Pie! We won't be able to get out of this! We're…we're going to die!''

Pinkie Pie looked at the hysterical Fluttershy, then adverted her eyes to the lava before looking back at Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie asked, "Fluttershy…do you trust me?''

"W-What?!'' Fluttershy said apprehensively.

Pinkie Pie repeated, "Do you trust me?!''

Fluttershy just looked at her for a moment or two before nodding, a tear rolling down her face. "Yes. Yes I do!''

At her answer, Pinkie Pie nodded firmly just as the larva made its way to the bottom. Fluttershy screamed while Pinkie Pie put a hoof into her straight mane as the lava started to fill the crate. Arcanus stood looking at the filling crater with a silent glare as the glow from his horn subsided. He then walked over to the edge and then looked down to see nothing but a growing lava pull. He had done his mission, the reason why he was summoned by Chthon from his death to accomplish. With his objective complete, Arcanus turned around only for his dark eyes to fall upon Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy distances away, standing behind Pinkie Pie's party cannon.

Fluttershy stood behind Pinkie Pie, her eyes wide with an expression of absolute dumbfoundedness dominating her face as her body quivered visibly. Pinkie Pie looked at the great unicorn hesitantly, her teeth clenched while behind them on the ground was a single, black hole. The bottom of the barrel of the cannon started to give a yellowish, phosphorescent glow, as if it was being heated by something. Despite the sudden appearance, Arcanus just casted them an unfazed, dark leer. As he made an advance towards them, Pinkie Pie quickly made her move, her hoof over the red bottom.

"I'm really sorry about this Arcanus!'' Pinkie Pie spoke as she pressed down on the bottom.

In an instant, the inside of the cannon glowed a fiery orange before a sound like an explosion rang out. In that moment, a large ball of lava shot out which in the next second shaped itself into the kanji dai larger than both Fluttershy and Pinkie as well as Arcanus. In a blink of an eye, the kanji suddenly soared towards Arcanus at lightning speed and before the unicorn could react, he was hit directly by the blast and sent backwards and crashed into a nearby cottage. The moment Arcanus sailed inside the cottage, an explosion occurred, causing the home to crashed down in a fiery blaze.

Pinkie looked at the flaming debris with a surprised, blank expression before looking down at her cannon. She looked back up and spoke with an astonished tone. "That…never happened before!''

"P-Pinkie? How did you do that?'' Fluttershy asked dumbly, looking down at the black hole.

"Never mind that,'' Pinkie Pie answered, snapping out of her shocked state. "We need to close it up before the lava comes through!''

Indeed, Pinkie peeked into the dark void and indeed saw the glow of the lava becoming brighter as it drew nearer. Without wasting any time, Pinkie Pie began to fold the hold hallway and sideways and continued to do so until nothing was left but a small dot. She then picked up the dot, took out a paint palette and placed the tiny speck into the black paint and let out a relieved sigh.

Fluttershy just stared at her with that same, flabbergasted expression. "Goodness. Pinkie Pie?''

"Fluttershy, I'd love to explain the fundamentals of acme and hammer space, but something tells me that won't keep Arcanus away for long!''

Fluttershy continued to give Pinkie a bewildered glance as the pink pony placed the palette behind her back and out of sight. Fluttershy then snapped out of her state and quickly agreed. "You're right. We need to get away from here and find the others.''

Without another word, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie ran away from the burning cottage and pit of lava. Up above, Discord sat with a genuine shocked look upon his face as he reflected Pinkie Pie's recent actions. "Huh, didn't see that coming. Arcanus was undoubtedly at a higher level than both of them, but I guess that last move was super effective.''

Chthon just watched on carelessly as he spoke, "One should never underestimate a creature born from chaos. Especially if that creature was spawned personally from the lord of that very force.''

"Yes, a mistake like that would be most fatal indeed,'' Discord agreed, twirling his beard with a sinister smirk.

As Fluttershy and Pinkie ran, a burst of bluish white flames erupted from the ground a ways before them, causing them to skid to a halt. Soon, a hoof came forth from the raging flames as Arcanus walked out from the fire. He glared down at the two, shocked pones, his unholy, empty red eyes set unflinchingly upon them as the mystical fire died down and disappeared behind him. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both took a tremulous step backwards.

"No way! Even after that he doesn't even looked singed!'' Pinkie Pie said in utter disbelief.

"H-He doesn't look very happy Pinkie!'' Fluttershy stuttered.

Indeed, Arcanus' eyes started to glow as his face bore a more livid look, his nostrils beginning to flare. "I'm sorry,'' Pinkie Pie attempted to apologize. "Maybe a nice, yummy cake will make it up to you? It may have a few ashes and burnt marks on the frosting, but I'll bet it'll still be oodles of tastiness.''

Pinkie's offer didn't help in the slightest and Arcanus bowed his head as his horn began to glow. The unicorn jerked his head upwards, a sphere of magic violently detonated from his horn and sent Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie screaming backwards. The two fell a couple of distances away from the tattered clothed Arcanus and soon scrambled to their hooves. "I don't think he has much of a sweet tooth right now Pinkie!'' Fluttershy said.

"Look! What?! He doing?!'' Pinkie Pie said loudly, pointing a hoof at the corrupted equine.

Arcanus made a circular motion with his head, his horn still shimmering. In bursts of light, copies of Arcanus came into sight, one by one appearing until the last one came into being…leaving Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to deal with not one, but now eight Arcanus'. The Pegasus and earth pony looked on in horror at the sixteen, unholy red eyes staring menacingly at them. As if their minds were in tuned, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie bother whipped around and ran for dear life to escape the eight unicorns. All was in vain however when only reaching about ten feet, they were brought to an abrupt halt, their bodies frozen in place.

"W-What happening?! Pinkie I can't move!'' Fluttershy said loudly, trying to move.

"Me neither!" Pinkie Pie shrieked. "It's like we're glued to the ground. By how?!''

A glow coming from the ground was all it took to answer their questions and the two friends glanced downwards. On the black ground which they stood, a whitish blue arcane sigil glowed around their hooves; various symbols and shapes decorating the mystical circle. Although the two weren't unicorns, it didn't take long to deduce the purpose of the sigil.

"Pinkie Pie, I think it's some sort of binding spell. It's not letting us move!''

"Arcanus must've casted it. Pickles!'' Pinkie Pie responded, panic rising in her.

Behind them, the real Arcanus used his magic to lift himself high into the air, leaving his seven copies on the ground. After reaching a certain altitude, Arcanus stopped rising and floated in the air, the crimson and gold of the tinted skies around him as her robe flapped and flowed in the wind. In the next moment, the horns of Arcanus' clones began to glow, with sigils appearing underneath each of them. Suddenly, each sigil erupted with bluish white, plumes of fire with an earth trembling roar.

"What's going on?! What's he doing?!'' Pinkie Pie asked, unable to move her head.

Fluttershy didn't answer, just started to breath heavily as with fear stricken eyes. From each of the magical infernos, the massive shapes of Arcanus personal summon Tau Ixion came forth, all of them stomping on the ground with earthshattering quakes. The shockwaves were potent enough to free Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy from the binding spell and they fell on their stomachs, only to stagger quickly to their feet. Each of the gigantic summons were just alike with each other, now with unnatural, red glowing eyes and more feral appearances as each of Arcanus' copies were suspended within the summons.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were left in their spots frozen with fear as the summons began to prowl around them, eyeing them like prey until the seven ethereal beasts were surrounding the two ponies, the ground trembling with each step as they did so. The original Arcanus just remained in the air, watching silently as his images encircled them. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie whipped their heads frantically in all directions, only to see nothing but bestial eyes and faces. They were trapped.

"Pinkie we're surrounded!'' Fluttershy whimpered, staying close to her friend.

"Those things don't look friendly at all. I'm guessing a party if they let us go is out of the question!'' Pinkie Pie said.

All the Tau Ixion's bared their teeth as beastly growls escaped from their mouth, their eyes aglow like burning coals. With each passing second, the anxiety and panic spread quickly throughout the two ponies' bodies. "Pinkie if we don't do something soon then we'll…'' Fluttershy began as tears came to the corner of her eyes. "I wish Twilight was here! What would she do?!''

"Good question!'' Pinkie Pie spoke, an idea coming to her head. "Be right back Fluttershy!''

Before Fluttershy could object, the faded pink pony suddenly jumped into the air and disappeared from sight. "Pinkie?! Pinkie Pie!'' Fluttershy called out, looking around desperately for her friend.

Not seeing Pinkie anywhere in sight, Fluttershy gazed at the surrounding summons and lowered herself in trepidation, shaking violently as sounds of whimpers sniffing came from her. She brought her hooves over her eyes, blocking her sight and waiting for the inevitable death to strike her when a familiar voice spoke out.

"Fluttershy!''

The meek Pegasus hesitantly peered through her hooves to see Pinkie Pie standing over her, gazing down at her with concern yet urgent eyes. "P-Pinkie?!'' Fluttershy asked, lifting her head slightly. "You're back! But where did you-''

"Quick! We've only have one chance to do this!'' Pinkie Pie cut in, helping Fluttershy up.

Fluttershy looked at her with bewilderment and asked, "What do you mean?''

Pinkie Pie gazed up at the seven beasts as their horns began to glow; their tips forming magical balls that grew bigger as they prepared their attacks. Pinkie Pie quickly turned to Fluttershy and spoke quickly. "No time! You just gotta trust me on this one!''

Before Fluttershy knew it, she gave a surprised squeak as Pinkie Pie grabbed her body and forced her to sit down on her haunches. With one eye closed, Pinkie Pie carefully positioned Fluttershy to her right, her Element of Kindness pointing right at that nearest Tau Ixion.

"P-Pinkie Pie?!'' Fluttershy shrieked, flailing her forelegs while still being restrained by Pinkie.

"Just a few more inches…there!'' Pinkie Pie said, having locked on to her target.

She then placed a hoof over Fluttershy's butterfly shaped gemstone and it began to glow. As the summon continued to charge its attack, the Element around Fluttershy's neck continued to glow brighter and brighter. Fluttershy continued to wildly wave her arms, her face filled with alarm and terror. "Pinkie?!''

"Just a little more…'' Pinkie Pie spoke through her teeth. "That's it…''

With each passing second, the Tau Ixion's horn before them grew brighter as its attack grew stronger until finally with a loud crack of thunder, it fired a massive bolt of lightning down at the two ponies. "Pinkie Pie!'' Fluttershy cried out.

"Now!'' Pinkie Pie responded.

Upon her command, a powerful, pink beam of magic burst from Fluttershy's Element and met with the incoming attack in midair. There wasn't even a contest, despite the power of the summon for almost immediately after colliding with the attack, the pink beam quickly pushed back the lightning bolt closer to its body until finally the pink beam shot straight through the summon's chest…and hitting the Arcanus clone directly. The clone was pushed out from the back of the Tau Ixion, the gargantuan, equine like creature instantly started to become engulfed in bluish white flames before finally collapsing with an anguished roar.

Fluttershy just sat there, speechless and completely astonished about what had just transpired as the struck Arcanus clone disappeared in a plume of white, fire like light before hitting the ground. The real Arcanus just hovered in the air, that unflinching, furrowed glare upon his face and completely untroubled by what had just happened.

Behind Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie looked as if she was surprised that the counter attack actually worked before speaking out triumphantly. "Yes! Thank you Twilight!''

"What just happened?'' Fluttershy asked.

"Don't worry Fluttershy. Just leave everything to me,'' Pinkie Pie responded, holding firmly to her yellow friend. "Let's see who's next!''

Pinkie Pie turned Fluttershy like a loaded cannon towards a standing across from them, the mighty creature baring its large fangs. It then swiftly reared on its hind legs, as it readied itself for an attack, but Pinkie was ready for it. As soon as it moved, Pinkie Pie prepared Fluttershy, the latter's Element aimed right its intended target. With a courageous stare, Pinkie Pie winced at the Tau Ixion and spoke almost with a growl.

"Smile you son of a-'' before Pinkie spoke the last word, she fired another pink beam from Fluttershy's necklace, the Pegasus letting out short cry as it did so.

The beam took only a few seconds to reach its target and before the great summon could stomp back onto the ground, the beam had hit into its neck. In a flash of pink and white, the Tau Ixion erupted into flames, falling to the ground in a loud, quaking crash as it and the Arcanus clone within it vanished in the flames, leaving five left.

"Two down, five to go!'' Pinkie Pie announced victoriously, hoof pumping the air.

"Oh my…'' Fluttershy spoke in awe and wonder, gazing at the dying flames.

She was snapped out of her wonderment by a loud stomp as another one of the magical summon took an aggressive step towards the two friends. Fluttershy gasped in fright, but Pinkie Pie merely turned Fluttershy towards the approaching Tau Ixion, grabbing Fluttershy's long tail with a hoof.

"Oh no you don't!''

Pinkie Pie lifted up Fluttershy's tail and brought it back down. Instantly, a beams fired from the Element once again, reacting as if Fluttershy was a Gatling gun and her tail was the trigger. Numerous of pink jets hit the Tau Ixion clad Arcanus clone in rapid succession, the mystical entity roaring in pain before collapsing into formless, white flames and disappearing. Soon after, Pinkie turned her attention to the forth, then the fifth, sixth, and finally the seventh Tau Ixion was hit brilliantly with a barrage of magic. It reared on its hind legs, roaring out and whipping its head to and fro before it came tumbling down, dispersing in bluish white flames the waved outwards in all directions before quickly fading away.

All that was left was the original Arcanus, in the air leering down at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. "T-there's still the real Arcanus left. You think that the Element might be enough to beat him?'' Fluttershy asked uncertainly.

"Only one way to find out!'' Pinkie Pie answered, jumping from behind Fluttershy.

She then took out her party cannon once again and carefully positioned it to her liking. "Pinkie, what are you going to do with that?'' Fluttershy asked quizzically before gasping. "Wait! You can't possibly be planning on…shooting the Elements from the cannon?!''

"Of course not silly!'' Pinkie Pie said, still adjusting the cannon. "I'm going to fire me instead!''

"What?! Pinkie Pie you can't be serious?!'' Fluttershy spoke loudly, louder than she usually do.

"Yep, and don't try to stop me Flutters!'' Pinkie Pie said, lifting the cannon's barrel upwards and pointed right at Arcanus.

In a blink of an eye, Pinkie ran to the front of the cannon and climbed in hind hooves first, her head just barely noticeable from the opening. "Ready Fluttershy?''

Fluttershy just stared at the pony loaded cannon, looking as if a wave of emotions were conflicting each other for dominance, though confusion and hesitation seemed to be the victors. "I…but…you…Pinkie you can't possibly expect me to fire you from a cannon!'' Fluttershy said.

Pinkie Pie peered out to see Arcanus, baring his teeth as his horn began to glow. Pinkie spoke hastily, "Fluttershy just do it now! He's getting ready to attack! You have to trust me!''

Fluttershy attempted to argue, but instead she thought hard about Pinkie's last words. He friend was just able to get them out of a predicament that seemed next to impossible as well as saved them from being burned to the born in a pool of lava. With these thoughts racing through her mind, Fluttershy gulped with a quivering mouth as she lifting a shaking hoof over the red button of the cannon.

"O-Ok then. On the count of three!''

Pinkie Pie readied herself from within the cannon. She closed her eyes as brought, through with some difficulty, a hoof to her Element. She opened her mouth and whispered over and over again, "I am Laughter...I am Laughter…''

"O-one,'' Fluttershy began to count, her hoof still nervously shaking.

"I am Laughter…I am Laughter…'' Pinkie Pie repeated, concentrating with all her strength on the golden necklace around her neck.

An image of all her friends came into her mind, together with one another laughing heartily with each other…truly happy. Seeing this, a lone tear escaped Pinkie Pie's eyes as her mouth began to tremble slightly. Outside, Arcanus' horn began to grow brighter, ready to cast a spell.

"Two,'' Fluttershy continued.

But inside the cannon as Pinkie Pie stilled uttered that phrase, her Element began to glow with a blue light, overcoming her entire body. The light shined out from the barrel of the cannon as if the party artillery had suddenly become an oversized flashlight. Seeing this, Fluttershy gave an apprehensive stare. Her eyes then somehow shifted from the cannon to the skies to see Arcanus, ready to attack and she snapped out of her stare. With gritted teeth, Fluttershy looked away with a hoof covering her eyes, the other over the button and finally she finished.

"T-Three!''

Fluttershy pushed the button. With the sound of a loud bang, a glowing, blue ball fired from the cannon. Fluttershy peered with one eye to see everything that had happened in that moment. Pinkie Pie was curled up, as if she herself had been turned into a cannon ball and enveloped in that magical blue light, a tail of sparkles behind her. It wasn't even a full minute when the Element powered ball of Pinkie jetted through the air and before Arcanus could even react, he was hit point blank. A bright, blue explosion erupted and Fluttershy cried out as she shielded her eyes from the intensified light.

As quickly as the light came, it too had disappeared just the same as two figures fell out of the sky and hit the ground. With the light gone, Fluttershy peered over at the sight and seeing her friend on the ground, she let out a horrified gasped. "Oh my Pinkie Pie!''

She flew as fast as her wings could carry her and she soon found herself landing with a skid at Pinkie Pie's side. "Pinkie Pie! Pinkie are you ok?!'' Fluttershy asked, carefully lifting her friend's upper body.

Pinkie didn't respond, didn't move. Fluttershy began to panic as tears came to her eyes. "No…Pinkie please answer me! Pinkie Pie can you hear me?!''

This time, a soft moan came forth as Pinkie Pie body began to shift. "Pinkie Pie?'' Fluttershy spoke with hope in her voice.

The pink pony slowly and groggily sat up, shaking her head off of any dizziness and trying to stop the world from spinning around. "W-Wha-Fluttershy?'' Pinkie Pie asked, woozily.

"Yes! Yes I'm here Pinkie Pie!'' Fluttershy answered, giving a relieved cry and letting a tear or two fall.

"Fluttershy…will you tell me the story about the bunny?'' Pinkie Pie spoke.

"Story about…the bunny?'' Fluttershy repeated, quizzical of what she had just heard.

Pinkie Pie shook her head once again and gazed at Fluttershy. "Oh hey Fluttershy. You should totally try a shot at that cannon…so much fun.''

Fluttershy shook her head, a sad smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around Pinkie. "Oh Pinkie Pie I'm so glad you're ok! Please don't ever scare me like that again!''

It took a moment or two for Pinkie Pie remembered exactly what had happen and she asked, breaking the hug. "Oh wait, so…did that did it? What happened to Arcanus?''

The two looked ahead of them and about half a yard away laid an unmoving Arcanus. Fluttershy helped Pinkie Pie up on her feet while she said. "Yeah. Whatever you were thinking it worked.''

"Geez, I hope Arcanus will forgive me for that. And I really need to remember to thank Twilight for the help.''

"Thank Twilight for the help?'' Fluttershy asked, looking at Pinkie Pie. "But I've haven't seen Twilight at all since we've separated.''

"Oh yeah about that,'' Pinkie Pie began, scratching her head rather awkwardly. "Remember all that stuff I said about acme and hammer space?''

Fluttershy nodded.

Pinkie Pie continued, ''Well long story short, I just used the scroll bar to go back a couple pages. I read how Twilight and Rarity accidentally used their Elements to fight back against Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and thought it they could do that with their Elements, then why can't we. So I came back to this page and there you have it.''

After Pinkie was done, Fluttershy just stared at her as if she had lost her mind. Seeing Fluttershy's stunned, confused face, Pinkie Pie spoke, falling back on her haunches, "Yeah unbelievable right?''

After a few more moments of awed silence, Fluttershy finally spoke with a conceded tone. "Pinkie Pie…you really are random.''

Pinkie Pie shrugged with a tired smile, "Well you know, that's the most wonderful thing about Pinkies.''

Pinkie Pie then bounced on her tail and landed back on her hooves and spoke cautiously. "He seems be down for the count. I think that's our cue to get out of here.''

Fluttershy gave a quick glance to the motionless Arcanus and nodded. Without a single word spoken, the two friends began to gallop and make their way to the town square and hopefully their friends. Having been observing from above, Discord watched as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie ran. He had two glass cups with the brims over his eyes, using the two cups as a pair of binoculars. He put the glasses down and spoke with irritation and contempt.

"Once again, saved by dumb luck. And it's all thanks to those accursed Elements of Harmony.''

Beside him, Chthon said nothing, just glazed at the two ponies with disdain. In the area where he was laying, Arcanus' eyes suddenly shot open, glowing an unholy red. His horn glowed and in a flash of light, he disappeared only to reappear again, standing on all fours. He glared at the direction Pinkie and Fluttershy was headed and with slightly bared teeth, he quickly made chase behind them.

"Well this is getting dreadfully boring,'' Discord yawned, growing uninterested. He stuck his talon fingers in his left ear, pulling out a crystal ball and began rubbing it. "Let's see if there's anything is on. Hmm…Ha! Oh this looks promising!''

Applejack and Rainbow Dash screamed as their bodies soared through the sky, like rag dolls coated in a venomous green aura before they landed hard on the ground. Their bodies skid and rolled before coming to a stop. They both grunted and winced in pain as the two staggered to their feet.

"Dang horse feathers! You alright Rainbow?'' Applejack asked, getting to her feet.

"I'd be so much better if we hadn't crashed into the ground like that,'' Rainbow Dash retorted, flapping her wings as she hovered to the air, her injured wing still making it difficult to keep herself steady.

Their moment of rest was short lived as a jet of green blasted from a gnarled horn and towards them. "Heads up!'' Rainbow Dash shouted as the green bolt of light cleaved between the two as the earth pony and Pegasus scattered to avoid it.

Soon after, a rapid, buzzing sound had reached their ears as Queen Chrysalis flew towards them. Her fangs were bared with eyes black as night with pupils as red as blood and she hovered a great height in the air, her coat slightly tinted with grey with those marred imperfections. Upon seeing the changeling queen, Applejack and Rainbow Dash instantly casted disgusted glares at her.

"Of all the ugly, no good faces Chthon had to bring back, it had to be this fink,'' Applejack growled.

"Teh, I'm not complaining,'' Rainbow Dash said, smirking while still a noticeable loathing quality showed. "I was hoping to kick her royal flank personally. Guess I got my wish.''

Chrysalis said nothing, just leered darkly at them while her black horn glowed a billowing, green aura. "Not a talker now huh?'' Applejack said. "Well good, no pony wants ta hear ya rotten voice anyway.''

Again no answer, and Chrysalis responded by suddenly flying towards them. She fired shots of green magic continuously at the two friends, hitting the ground like glowing bullets. Rainbow Dash and Applejack leaped and flew out of the way, evading the attack.

"Let's see how you like this bitch!'' Rainbow Dash called, quickly soaring towards the enemy.

She pulled a foreleg back as she prepared a punch, but before it could land, Chrysalis disappeared in flash of green light. "What?!'' Rainbow Dash exclaimed in shock, coming to a halt in the air.

Within the next moment, a flash of green erupted from behind her and Rainbow Dash was hit in the back by a powerful beam of magic from Chrysalis. Rainbow Dash screamed as she rocketed towards the ground and hitting it painfully. "Rainbow Dash!'' Applejack called, fearful for her bold friend's safety. "Rainbow are you-AH!''

Before the orange pony could finish, she was lifted into the air by the queen before being slammed repeatedly by the will of Chrysalis. After the fifth or sixth impact, Chrysalis used her magic to lift Rainbow Dash into the air. The rainbow maned mare jetted through the air as did Applejack before finally colliding hard into each other and falling to the ground.

On the ground, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's bodies were sprawled amongst each other, both having the wind knocked out of them. "Man that was not awesome,'' Rainbow Dash said in a slight daze.

"Neither is laying on my back,'' Applejack grumbled.

"My bad AJ,'' Rainbow Dash said, hovering into the air to allow her friend to stand up.

"Ain't yur fault Rainbow,'' Applejack spoke, shaking some dirt from her grimed coat before gazing coldly at their opponent. "It's her I'm pissed off at.''

Chrysalis stayed in the air before them, the beating of her rapidly flapping wings the only thing breaking the silence. The queen hovered there with that unfeeling, dark frown upon her slightly cracked face. Rainbow Dash furrowed her rose colored eyes and blew a gust of smoke from her nostrils before speaking.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one.'' She then turned to Applejack and smirked. "Ready to tag team this sorry freak?''

Applejack glanced at Rainbow Dash and responded with a determined grin and a nod, tipping her Stetson hat. "Sugarcube, she's goin' down like a mad dog with rabies.''

As if anticipating each other's actions, Applejack and Rainbow Dash both spat in their hooves and bumped them together, giving each other aggressive grins. They then turned to Chrysalis as Rainbow Dash said, "Now let's try this again.''

The cyan Pegasus flew at that amazing speed of her, a rainbow vapor trailing behind as she did so. Rainbow Dash tried to hit Chrysalis with a kick, but the queen quickly evaded out of the way, her horn glowing.

"Not this time bitch!'' Rainbow Dash said, her fast reflexes allowing her to dodge upwards and escaped a bolt of green fired from Chrysalis' horn.

Upon evasion, Rainbow Dash quickly turned around and with a brief cry as she hit Chrysalis across the face with a strong roundhouse kick, sending the queen of the changelings towards the ground and at Applejack.

"Nice one Rainbow, but now let me show ya how a real pony kicks!''

Applejack ran full speed at Chrysalis and ducked as her body wheezed past her. However, Applejack grabbed her by the tail with her teeth right before the queen could fully past her. With all of her earth pony strength, the southern drawled mare spun and released Chrysalis in the air, soon coming down. With Chrysalis came close enough, Applejack whipped around and reared her hind legs inward before striking her target with a forcible buck right to her back.

A sickening crack sound was heard as Chrysalis was flown and skidded to a halt on the ground. Her body was arched unnaturally and she twitched slightly, her back having been broken by the strong earth pony. Seeing her success, Applejack grinned victorious and spoke, crossing her left hooves over her right.

"Like I said, down like a dog with rabies.''

"Aw yeah! You go Applejack!'' Rainbow Dash cheered, flying to her friend and giving her a high hoof bump.

"What's wrong Chrysalis, bad back or something?'' Rainbow Dash taunted.

"Forget her Rainbow,'' Applejack said, giving a more serious expression. "We need ta high tail it to the other girls.''

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, "Yeah. We've squashed that oversized bug. Let's go back up our friends, you know they're completely hopeless without us.''

Before the two could go on their way, the ground beneath them rumbled and cracked before suddenly something rushed up from underneath them and surrounded the two ponies. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had now found themselves encased in a lime green, gooey cocoon. "What the buck?!'' Rainbow Dash exclaimed, trying to move in the tightly, enclosed prison. "Where did this booger crap come from?!''

Applejack too struggled in her cocoon and said disgusted. "Ugh! What in Sam Hill is this green goop!''

She tilted her head back in an instinctive move in trying to escape, only for her to cry out in repulsion as he blonde hair was caught in the sticky, green substance. Applejack and Rainbow Dash continued to squirm and struggle in their cocoons and stopped as they gazed out of the lucent shells. To their shock, they saw Chrysalis as her tattered wings began to beat, lifting her into the air with her body still angled and contorted and her black horn coated in green aura.

Chrysalis hovered in the air for a moment before she began to twist her body until a crack was heard and she floated before the disturbed mares with her now fixed body. Despite the forced replacement of her back, Chrysalis looked untroubled, as if she didn't feel a thing as she gazed at Rainbow Dash and Applejack with a brooding glower.

"That…was just sick,'' Rainbow Dash commented.

Chrysalis only responded by bowing her head slightly, her horn glowing brighter and the two cocoons suddenly detonated in a flash of green light. Applejack and Rainbow Dash fell onto the ground with loud thuds, the explosion having scattered the two a good distance from each other. The earth pony and Pegasus tried to slowly get back on their feet, the suddenly discharge having knocked their senses in a loop. Their bodies were singed seared with some patches of slime as they both struggled to raise themselves.

"Rainbow? 'Applejack called out, trying to clear her head.

"I'm good, I'm good! It's…gonna take a lot more than that to keep this Pegasus down!''

Above, Discord clapped his paw and claw in laughter. "Yeah right, keep telling yourself Dashie! Seriously, I almost forgot how much of a riot messing with these ponies are!''

"Another pony's torment is another god's pleasure. The little swine are gluttonous to pain. So who are we to deny thing such spoils?'' Chthon said, arms crossed and gazing rather lazily at Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Discord chuckled only chuckled as he continued to watch the two ponies through his crystal ball. It took some time for the two friends to regain their bearings, but sure enough they cleared their heads and were back on their hooves. As Chrysalis hovered closer to them, Rainbow Dash furrowed her eyes and snarled.

"Is that all you got? Cause now it's our turn!''

"Rainbow wait!'' Applejack called, but the brazen Pegasus already took off towards the queen.

Before Chrysalis could have a chance to react, Rainbow Dash had delivered a punched to her face, followed by another and another. Soon, Rainbow Dash was forcing back Chrysalis with a fury of punches as Applejack watched on. With each punch, Rainbow Dash would exhale loudly with a sort of seethe.

"I've…just…about…had it…with you!''

With one final punch, Rainbow Dash sent her flying away towards her. "Yeehaw! Now that's some hoofing power fer ya!'' Applejack cheered.

Rainbow Dash smirked smugly but it quickly disappeared when Chrysalis recovered and casted that dark, silence glance at Rainbow. "What? Want some more punk?'' Rainbow Dash said, cracking her neck. "All right, let's go!''

She took off towards her opponent, but before she could get close enough, Chrysalis' horn glowed that billowing, sickly green aura. Suddenly, numerous tentacle like appendages erupted from the ground and rose quickly up towards the cyan Pegasus. Jumping back, Applejack exclaimed. "What in tarnation! Rainbow Dash watch out!''

Rainbow looked down before her body was ensnared by that tentacles. She cried out as her wings and legs were bound. Before long, she was squirming in her place, the tentacles holding her in bipedal position. "What the hell?! Let go of me!'' Rainbow Dash grunted through clenched teeth, still writhing to break free for her thorn like chains.

"Rainbow Dash! Don't worry I'll get ya down!'' Applejack called to her friend.

She ran towards the base of the tentacles at full gallop when five more came up from the charred earth, causing Applejack to slide to a halt. The vine like rhododendrons swayed in the air as if they were great snakes waiting for the right moment to strike their prey, but Applejack didn't falter.

"Teh, ya think I'm scared of a bunch of overgrown weeds like you?'' Applejack said, raking the dirt with a hoof. "Ya wanna ride this train…well c'mon! I'll give ya a ride!''

Applejack ran full speed towards the large earthen tentacles. As if on instinct, the limbs went forth to try to embroil the strong mare. One tentacle tried to strike Applejack head on, but she quickly side jumped out of the way as it dug into the ground.

"Ha missed ya sprout! My turn!''

She grabbed the tentacle with her teeth and pulled with all her strength until a loud, crumbling sound came to her ears as she ripped the appendage out of the ground. She spat it out next to her, wriggling on the ground like an earth worm before finally becoming still. Applejack grinned complacently at her success, only to be snapped out by the frustrated cries of Rainbow Dash from above.

"I said get off!''

"Way ahead of ya Rainbow!'' Applejack answered, tipping her hat a little over her eyes. "Ya heard her ya crabgrass rejects, get yur mitts of my friend!''

She charged at the four tentacles as they attempted to attack her from different directions. One tried to sweep her by the legs, but Applejack easily jumped and dodged, sliding and stopping on the other side of the base that had captured Rainbow Dash. With a quick glance at the twisting tentacles, a mischievous smirk came to her face and she spoke softly,

"I got just the thing fer ya blokes.''

Two of the limbs tried double teaming her, one attempted to slam down on her. Applejack handily side stepped out of the way as it smashed the ground. Shen then quickly stomped a hoof down on top of it, preventing it from escaping as it jerked underneath her. The other tentacle swung itself like a baseball bat, targeting Applejack's face, but again the southern drawled, pony was ready. She ducked from the attack and retaliated by catching the tentacle in her teeth.

Not wasting a single second, she picked the writhing limb under her hoof with her teeth and began to run around the base of vivacious tentacles bounding Rainbow Dash. Applejack went around again, a third time, and a fourth time before finally jumping to the side, the two tentacles wrapped around the base. To finish the job, Applejack then skillfully maneuvered the two feelers in her mouth and with a final tug, had tied the two around the base of Rainbow Dash's captors.

The constrained ground of tentacles jerked wildly, as if they had been denied air if they could breathed. With her biennial shackles grips weakened with the strength her powerful wings could produce, Rainbow Dash broke free from the tentacle's clutches, flying upwards and stopping at a high altitude.

"Thanks AJ! I owe ya one!'' Rainbow Dash called to her savior.

"Ya can owe me by helping me finish off these things!''

Rainbow Dash gave a pugnacious grin and a quick salute. "Right! I've got this!'' "Over here!'' she finished with a jeer.

At those unbelievable speeds of hers, Rainbow Dash flew towards the base before flying in circles. She became a blur as she rose upwards, the tangles tentacles surrounded in a colorful vortex as Rainbow continued to fly speedily around. Applejack held onto her hat to keep it from blowing away from the high winds as she gazed at the rainbow colored tornado. Inside, the ground cracked as the grouped tentacles began to slowly rise up from the earth until finally the squirming arms broke free from the ground and shot up into the sky. Rainbow Dash stopped her circling, the spectrum sprout ceasing instantly and she and Applejack watched on as the bundled tentacles crashed back onto the ground, twitching before finally becoming still.

Applejack reared on her hind legs, elated. "Woowee! Now that's how ya take care of a plant problem!''

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and said, "Ya know it. I'm the best of the best-AH!''

Rainbow Dash was abruptly cut off as a magical, green beam hit her in the back. The attack knocked the Pegasus from the air and she crashed on the ground to Applejack's horror. "Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?!''

Applejack ran to her friend as the kaleidoscopic haired mare started to get up, grunting as a burning pain swept through her entire body. Applejack saw that her friend now how a large, scorched mark on her back. "Rainbow?!''

"Damn it that stings!'' Rainbow Dash spoke through gritted teeth, having finally stood back up.

She turned around and gave a look of pure ire as Chrysalis floated in the sultry air, her black, gnarled horn aglow. "I'm getting real, freakin' sick of her!'' Rainbow Dash commented.

"You an' me both,'' Applejack agreed. "So how bout we make the next hit the last?''

"Trust me AJ…I intend to.''

With that, Rainbow Dash flew at high speed towards the queen, a rainbow vapor trailing behind her. As Rainbow Dash closed in on Chrysalis, her horn glowed brighter and a shimmering, lime green ball of magic erupted from her horn, hitting the Pegasus square on. Rainbow Dash screamed as the force of the spell rocketed her back towards the burnt earth, slamming and rolling on the ground before coming to a stop.

"Rainbow!'' Applejack shouted, greatly concerned for her friend.

As she tried to run towards her, Chrysalis made a simple, circular gesture with her head. A wall of earth and gooey, green slime came sharply came up from the ground. The wall rose, curbing its way around the area, left, right, diagonally before finally stopping about twenty feet in the air, blocking Applejack off completely from Rainbow Dash; separating thing in a short maze of sorts.

"What in tarnation?! Now what?!'' Applejack exclaimed in shock, as she gazed up at the wall. "Rainbow Dash, ya there!''

"Yeah I'm here Applejack!'' Rainbow Dash answered, hovering off the ground slightly. "Don't worry, I'll be over there in a millisecond!''

Just as Rainbow Dash was about to take to the skies and over the wall, Chrysalis speedily reacted by firing a jet of green from her horn, hitting the Rainbow Dash. Instantly, Rainbow found herself back on the ground, her hooves now covered in the same, goo like substance that patched the scorched wall.

"What?! What not this green crap again!'' Rainbow Dash said crossly.

She flapped her wings in an attempt to fly, but the strange, glutinous substance prevented her from taking off-she was stuck. "C'mon! Move!''

"Rainbow? What's goin' on over there?'' Applejack inquired, hearing the fuss from the other side of the wall.

"I'm stuck! My hooves are stuck to the ground by some overgrown, pile of snot!'' the struggling Rainbow Dash answered, trying and failing again at flying.

At her description, Applejack shuddered uneasily. "Don't you worry none ya hear? I'll be over there lickety split. Just stay put!''

Applejack rushed off to her left as she started off through the twisting and winding obstacle. "Like I really have a choice!'' Rainbow Dash growled under her breath, making one last effort to escape only to prove in vain.

Rainbow Dash whipped her head up before her to see Chrysalis, her unholy, dark, crimson eyes locked unblinkingly in the Pegasus' rose colored eyes. Rainbow Dash's eyebrows creased as she glared at the queen, her hatred and vexation bubbling strongly within her as Chrysalis floated steadily closer towards her.

"I don't care if you are being controlled by Chthon…you're not getting any sympathy from me,'' Rainbow Dash said coldly. "This…this is all your fault why everything's this way. But most of all…you almost killed Quentin. You deserve everything that Chthon did to you!''

Inconversable Chrysalis stayed as she neared the stuck Rainbow Dash. Her horn then started to glow that billowing, sickly green aura as she bowed her head slightly. Rainbow Dash was then surrounded by a faint sphere of green magic, much to her stupefaction.

"W-What's going on?! Why do I feel…feel so…UGH!''

Rainbow Dash began to shift and stir her body as small, magical green balls of magic started to drift from the sphere into the air, , as if they were a group of fireflies and disappeared into Chrysalis' horn. More and more the esoteric glowing came forth from the sphere before being absorbed into the twisted horn of the Changeling queen. With each passing second, Rainbow Dash felt more discomfort and distressed, wanting to escape only to be restrained by the sticky substance covering her hooves.

She started to feel fatigue despite the little movement she was doing. Second, by second Rainbow felt herself getting weaker and weaker; her strength draining as if she had just been through an entire day of vigorous training. Her legs started to tremble, feeling like they would buckle from underneath her at any moment. Chrysalis just floated there idle and silent as she continued to take in the green orbs. Rainbow Dash weakly peered through on eye and said hoarsely.

"What…what the hell are you doing to me you ugly zombie?!''

In the fire tinted skies above, Chthon and Discord observed what was happening. "Hmm now this is interesting. I wonder what Chrissy is doing to poor Rainbow Dash?'' Discord queried, stroking his beard.

"It would appear that the Changeling is stripping the love energy from the Pegasus,'' Chthon said.

Discord eyes widened a bit, a light bulb appearing over his horned head as a revelation came to him. "Of course! Changelings possesses the power to feed off the love of somepony else!'' Discord then eyed Rainbow Dash with a twisted smile. "Aw little Dashie's love for her friends are quickly betraying her.''

After a few more moments of watching Rainbow Dash grunting and jerking violently, Discord's smirk faded into an expression of slight perplexity. "No…something else is fueling her love. True for her friends but there's something…more to it. I wonder what it could be?''

"Do not allow your mind to dwell on such trivialities Discord,'' Chthon said, looking at his son from the corner of his eyes. "That 'love' she foolishly feels shall be her executioner. Love…it truly is such a dreadful enemy. The more she feels for it, the more it damages her…destroys her.''

At this Discord snickered under his breath. "Has it really been so long that I've forgotten how sentimental these mortal ponies could be? Yes, it was that very saccharine nature of the ponies that made them so easy to manipulate. Becoming nothing more than puppets to my amusement.''

Rainbow Dash continued to struggle, bound to her spot as Chrysalis continued to engross herself in Rainbow Dash's ardor emotions. "I-I'm not…gonna stand here…and be some cheap meal!'' Rainbow Dash fumed through her teeth, jerking her head.

The strong willed Pegasus tried to tough out the ordeal, but Chrysalis' magic was proving too much for Rainbow Dash to deal with. Soon, she was beginning to feel her eyelids becoming heavy.

She felt her strength about to fade from her quickly, her body beginning to sway. She felt like she would faint at any second. Quick galloping of hooves sounded behind her as Applejack was swiftly approaching her languorous friend. Seeing Rainbow Dash, Applejack's eyes feel into a deep glare as she bared her teeth at the queen.

"Get yur stinkin', rotten face away from my friend ya oversized aphid!''

The orange earth pony ran passed Rainbow Dash and jumped into the air, hitting Chrysalis in the face with a hardy punch. The blow of the punched knocked the Changeling back a good feet from the two ponies, falling and rolling three times before coming to a stop on the ground. Upon being hit, the green sphere vanished from around Rainbow Dash, Chrysalis love leeching spell having been broken.

"Rainbow are ya ok?'' Applejack asked worryingly, turning to the staggering mare.

"N-No!,'' Rainbow Dash slurred, sounding and looking as if she had just knocked back one too many tankards of cider. "I…I think I'm gonna be sick!''

Indeed, Rainbow Dash heaved forward, about to vomit but was able to hold it in and instead let out a disgusted groan. Applejack whipped her head around and gazed back at the fallen Chrysalis. "Ya gonna pay fer doin' that ta Rainbow Dash.''

Exhaling a gust of air from her nostrils, Applejack kicked off and ran towards Chrysalis. Just as the southern pony came close enough to hit her, Chrysalis lifted her head, her horn glowing as a green light suddenly erupted from her. Applejack skidded to a halt, covering her face with a hoof. The light quickly faded and Applejack looked over her hoof just for her emerald green eyes to widen in horror as she gazed into the terrified eyes of Quentin.

His brown coat was dirtied with cuts and bruises throughout. His mane was unkempt as dreadlocks hung wildly over his face as he breathed heavily, a foreleg shielding his head. Applejack took a flustered step back her body started to tremble slightly.

"Q-Quentin?!'' Applejack said softly, but awestruck. "What are ya doin' here?!

"Applejack?'' Quentin spoke, flinching, "I-I don't know. I just wanted to help you but…why did you punch me?''

"Quen I…I didn't mean to! I thought…'' Applejack began, feeling guilty and ashamed that she had just harmed her friend.

Applejack took a step towards Quentin, only for the human turned equine to shuffle back in fear. "No! Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!''

Hearing those words pained Applejack, like a knife was being stabbed in her heart. Rainbow Dash shook her head, trying to clear her vision and shake off her disorientation. Applejack tried to explain, a sort of panic rising as her eyes filled with plead.

"Quentin please I'm sorry! I thought you were Chrysalis. There's no way in hay I would ever hurt my friends! I would never hurt you!''

"But you did! How could you possibly thought that I was Chrysalis?''

"I don't know Quentin! She…she probably put some kind of funny spell on me. Please, just let me-'' Applejack said, taking another step towards Quentin.

"Funny? Funny? You think punching me in the face is some kind of a joke to you?!'' Quentin spoke loudly, frowning deeply at Applejack. "Some friend you are!''

"Quen don't say that please! You ARE my friend!'' Applejack argued adamantly, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "How can't we after everythin' we've been through together up to this point!'' Applejack took another step forward, the tears beginning to trail down her face. "I can't tell ya how much ya mean ta me Quentin. I…I…''

As Applejack struggled to find the right words to tell the frenetic Quentin, the earth pony's angered expression shifted into a crooked, vile smirk. His eyes started to glow an unholy crimson, a gnarled, black horn suddenly materialized on his forehead. In a blur of green, the horn glowed and Applejack was sent screaming back by a powerful, magical force. Applejack crashed right into Rainbow Dash, the blow being strong enough free Rainbow from her slimy shackles and the two hit the ground. The force of Applejack's body had finally snapped Rainbow Dash out of her undermine state and called to Applejack in alarm.

"Applejack! Are you ok?!

Applejack slowly lifted her head then soon the rest of her body, the feeling of burning stinging overtaking her form. Lightly groaning, Applejack instead of responding to Rainbow Dash, Applejack gazed over her shoulder at Quentin, slowly approaching them. Rainbow Dash too gazed up and to both of the friends' shock, a greenish, flame-like energy engulfed Quentin before quickly vanishing, revealing Chrysalis replaced in his spot.

Rainbow Dash frowned deeply, giving off a hateful growl from her throat. "That's right, she's a changeling…god I really hate these things!''

Applejack stared at the queen, still casually walking towards them. Tears were still present in the orange pony's eyes, a look of distress and dismay on her face. These expressions soon began to dissolve into wrath and spite. Her body began to quiver with anger…with hate as she slowly rose and faced the revived queen.

"Ya have some damn nerve ta even think about makin' yurself in his image!''

Applejack suddenly bolted forward towards the Changeling queen, seething in pure rage with a fire burning inside her that could be hotter than Celestia's sun itself. When she had gotten close enough, Applejack skidded around and tried to hit Chrysalis with a hard buck. Chrysalis remained unflinching, uncaring as her horn began to glow, surrounding Applejack with a similar colored aura and stopping her attack.

The farm pony gave off a surprised cry as she was magically lifted into the air, her body turning until she was facing the silentious Chrysalis as Rainbow Dash watched on in alarm. Applejack struggled to get free, flailing her legs and jerking her body, only to remain in her spot in the air. She was completely in Chrysalis' control. Applejack drifted closer and she shot the queen the nastiest look she could muster.

"I hate you so much right now!''

Chrysalis didn't speak a single word. Instead, her black horn shined that billowing, green aura. Instantly, a light, green magical sphere appeared around Applejack. Applejack looked around her in shock at the newly summon, transparent orb. "W-What are ya trying ta pull now?!''

Chrysalis merely tilted her head forward then backwards as small, glowing green spherical particles came from the ball of magic. Almost immediately Applejack started to feel the effects of Chrysalis absorption spell and she began to writhe and squirm in discomfort. Rainbow Dash looked on from behind the agonized Applejack and her face crumpled into an aggressive grimace.

"Not this time you witch!''

Her wings flapped, with her injured one giving her some pain but the audacious Pegasus didn't care. She quickly flew into the air, her Element started to glow an electric crimson. She flew passed Applejack and spoke right when she had gotten into the face of the feeding queen. "Eat this hag!''

A beam of red burst forth from her lightning shaped gemstone and hit Chrysalis point blank. Chrysalis was blown backwards, rocketing through the air before crashing into the terrene wall she had summoned. Applejack fell back onto the ground, having been set free from Chrysalis' spell. She lifted herself up in a daze, the world spinning around in her sight.

"Applejack! You alright?'' Rainbow Dash asked, flying over to her friend and observing her, concerned.

"Yeah…I think. Don't know what she was tryin' ta do, but I didn't like it one bit,'' Applejack answered, then shuddering as she continued. "Anythin' that Chrysalis does at that close a distance jus' makes my skin crawl.''

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Yeah, I know what ya mean.''

Applejack shook off her grogginess and the two looked towards the direction Chrysalis had soared to. The impact the Changeling queen had made was potent, so much that her body was scrunched up into gap made by the crash. Her head was bowed, her teal mane falling over her face as she stayed there motionless. Applejack and Rainbow Dash eyed the unconscious queen with revulsion as Applejack said.

"So ya think that did the trick?''

"How bout we give her one more good one…just cuz we don't like her?'' Rainbow Dash answered.

"Trust me, the temptations strong,'' Applejack said, rising up on her hooves. "But I'm more worried about Twilight and the others. They may be fightin' fer their lives. They're more important…not that sack of crap in the wall right there.''

Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack with a displeased frown, almost ready to argue, but then she thought for a brief moment and sighed deeply before speaking reluctantly. "Yeah you're right. I may want to plant her face into the ground, but right now she's not worth it.''

Applejack nodded. The two ponies turned around and took off, Rainbow Dash flying. Discord and Chthon watched on as the earth pony and Pegasus ran.

"Well that's just great! I just lost two hundred bits from that fight!'' Discord shouted in irritation, swiping a large bag filled with gold coins that had appeared next to him out of sight with his lion's paw. A pony statue appeared in a flash of light. "Some inside tip YOU'VE got! I'm never dealing with you ever again!''

The terror faced statue said nothing as Discord just lazily allowed it to fall and break onto the ground in pieces. He then slumped into the air. "These ponies really do have a penchant for ruining a draconequus' fun.''

Chthon just chuckled. "Fear not my son. For they merely haven't learned the rule of this little game.''

Discord just looked at his father with a perplexed look. "No matter what course of action they take, it all leads up to only one conclusion: their extinction.''

Chthon furrowed his eyes and they began to glow an unholy, crimson red. A star of chaos appeared on the foreheads of Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis, radiating a fiery glow as if they had just been branded with a hit iron. Almost instantly, Celestia's, Luna's, and Arcanus' glares grew fiercer, their eyes glowing an unholy red as if they had just been ignited. Chrysalis suddenly jerked her head upwards, her burning chaos star visible on her forehead just beneath her horn.

With refulgent eyes, bared fangs, and a savage gaze, she swiftly flew from the wall's hole and took to the skies. Her horn glowed brightly a venomous green as a great ball of greenish fire shot forth from her horn, sailing towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The ball of fire soared quickly through the air, whizzing over their heads and striking the ground. A wall of green fire exploded on impact, causing the two ponies to come to a jarring halt.

"What in the love of Equestria?!'' Applejack shouted, jumping back from the flames, dancing wildly before them.

"Where the buck did this fire come from?!'' Rainbow Dash asked, hovering back in the air.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash suddenly turned around to see Chrysalis, her burning eyes locked on them ferociously. The two friends immediately frowned and gritted their teeth, preparing to fight. "She just don't know when ta quit does she?'' Applejack said with a riled snarl.

"Well neither do we!'' Rainbow Dash said, pounding her hooves and making a short, neighing sound of sorts. "She wants to keep getting her ass whipped, I'll be happy to oblige!''

Rainbow Dash shot into the skies towards the queen, ready to land a punch. Before she could however, Chrysalis reacted as her horn glowed more brightly. A large, green, fiery jet came from her horn's tip and hit Rainbow Dash directly, sending her crashing back into the ground.

"Rainbow!'' Applejack called in horror, racing to her friend with great worry.

The motely haired Pegasus winced and groaned in pain. She began to rise, her body singed even more and burning as if she had just walked through the wall of green flames behind her. "Rainbow?!''

"Ok…maybe she's...ugh…gotten a little bit tougher!'' Rainbow Dash spoke through her teeth.

As Applejack helped Rainbow Dash to her feet, they both looked into the skies and at the looming Chrysalis, her horn like a torch fully ignited with an aura resembling wildly, dancing flames. With no words spoken, she quickly flew down towards Rainbow Dash and Applejack to smite them fully with her terrifying might!

Twilight and Rarity ran through the cauterized streets, frantically ducking their heads and maneuvering about as jets of gold and cobalt blue sped over their heads. Celestia and Luna quickly gave chased through the air, eyes burning as they continuously fired spell after spell down at the two unicorns.

"Quick duck!'' Twilight screamed as she pushed Rarity out of the way of an incoming blue beam.

The attack hit the ground, causing a powerful explosion that sent Twilight and Rarity forward into the air and fell back onto the ground on their backs, their running bringing them back to the center of town, with Chthon's crude, craggy tower distances away from where the two had fallen. Though the landing gave then pain, Twilight nonetheless shook t off and tended to Rarity.

"Rarity, are you ok?''

"Yes, I'm fine Twilight,'' Rarity said with a grunt, finding the strength to lift herself up.

Twilight whipped her head and faced the incoming princesses. They stopped in the air, then each made the same circular, but ridged motions with their heads, mirroring each other and finished by sharply bringing the tips of their glowing horns together. The ground behind Twilight and Rarity opened as a massive, black pillar of earth rose up from the ground. As it rose, the pillar began to metamorphose itself, large, crude fingers appearing. Twilight and Rarity cowered backwards as they now were faced with a gigantic, four fingered, claw made of earth, flexing its fingers sinisterly.

"Oh my! Twilight!'' Rarity gasped in terror.

Twilight just gazed at the landform, her ears lowering as she clenched her teeth. The claw then abruptly formed a fist and rose before coming back down swiftly, threatening to flatten the two girls with its knuckles. "Rarity, get down NOW!'' Twilight ordered.

Rarity did as she was told and fell on her stomach, covering her head. Twilight then jumped to Rarity, standing over her at a low stance. She bowed her head, her horn began to give off a deep pink, aura. She concentrated harder, causing the pink to solidify a bit and shoot out white sparks as the fist slammed down on top of them. Celestia and Luna hovered a good twenty or thirty feet in the air, leering down at the rock born limb with aggressive glares, light, tepid winds blowing through their manes.

Just then, magenta colored, thin streaks of light started to creep through the cracks, started from the base and quickly ran about the mighty fist. In moments, the entire structure was covered by the streaks, crumbling lightly before finally a magenta flash erupted from within it, destroying the claw. From the smoke and falling granite, a magenta, sparkling dome shined through the haze, protecting Twilight and Rarity.

Twilight's Element was also glowing and with her initial objective completely the glow of Twilight's horn faded and the magical dome disappeared. Twilight's body swayed in exhaustion, her eyes becoming heavy as she caught herself from falling over. Rarity quickly noticed the talented unicorn's state and rose from the ground to assist her.

"Twilight, sweetie are you-?''

"I'm fine!'' Twilight huffed, shaking some sweat from her face as the glow from her tiara faded. "I just…need to catch my breath for a bit.''

Rarity nodded with a heavily solicitous expression. "Take your time dearie, heaven knows you deserve it. Once again your aptitude in magic had saved us.''

Twilight smiled tiredly, but gratefully to Rarity, "Thanks, but if it wasn't for the Element of Magic, that protective spell probably wouldn't had stood a chance against that attack. But-''

Twilight then turned her attention to the two, cracked bodied sisters in the sky, who seemed undaunted from Twilight's efforts. "But what Twilight?'' Rarity asked.

"It's just…those last couple attacks, those spells they seemed…different than what they performed earlier.''

Rarity looked quizzically. "Different? Whatever do you mean?''

Twilight answered, "I mean their spells just now seemed more potent than before.''

Rarity gazed at Twilight, then at Celestia and Luna, before looking at her friend again, "Well Twilight, they are the princesses. No doubt the most powerful ponies in Equestria. Are their feats really so surprising to you?''

"No that's not it,'' Twilight said, shaking her head slowly. "They've could've used their full power when they first attacked, why would they go all out now?'' Twilight winced, focusing her eyes on the two Alicorns when she saw the red, luminous marks on their foreheads. Her eyes widened, a revelation coming to her mind.

"Wait a minute. Those marks, they weren't there before!''

Rarity scrunched her faced at Celestia and Luna as Twilight continued. "That's it! Those weird marking on their heads, they must be strengthening their power somehow.'' Twilight frowned irately. "Probably from Chthon no doubt!''

Rarity spoke, a cold grimace coming to her face mascara stained face. "I've had just about enough of that monster.''

Celestia and Luna suddenly made circular motions with their head with billowing horns. Large, golden and cobalt orbs appeared around them, shining against the inferno skies. There were at least a dozen magical orbs in total, glimmering and quiescent until the orbs began to descend wildly at Twilight and Rarity. The two instantly whipped around and ran in panic. Some of the orbs zoomed down upon them, exploding on the ground as the two evaded them.

However, one of Luna's orbs exploded right next to them, sending them screaming as they were flown harshly to the side. Soon, the remaining orbs rained down on them as golden and blue colored flashes detonated around the area as if fireworks had just gone off. The two sisters watched on mutely as the lights faded, leaving drab smoke. Twilight and Rarity laid on their sides upon the ground after having received the onslaught of the magical spheres. Their coat had been tainted with even more grime and dirt, their manes messier and unkempt thought The Elements still managed to stay around Rarity's neck and atop Twilight's head.

Twilight began shifting her body, aching throughout as if she had just been applied thousands of burning needles to her body. She let out a groaned as she weakly blinked opened her eyes. Almost immediately, her mind went to Rarity and she spoke in a throaty tone.

"R-Rarity?''

The beautiful, purple maned unicorn moved slowly, but very much alive. She shakily rose her head, then the rest of her body while Twilight did the same. "I…I can't believe we survived that attack. Surly that should've been the end for us,'' Rarity said.

"Yeah, it's a miracle we can even stand up.''

The two unicorns stood up, using each other for support only to fall back down on their haunches. And explosion suddenly sounded behind them, causing them to jump in their places. Twilight and Rarity turned sharply just in time to see Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie fell on the ground a few distances away.

"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy!'' Twilight and Rarity spoke loudly in unison.

They ran over to their two dear friends, ignoring the stinging pain they felt. "Are you two ok?'' Twilight asked worriedly.

"T-Twilight? Rarity?'' Fluttershy spoke, looking at the unicorns wearily.

Rarity nodded, "Yes sweetie, it is indeed us. But what in world happened to you two?''

Pinkie Pie shook her head to clear herself from daze and she said. "Why don't you ask him!''

Twilight and Rarity looked towards the direction Pinkie Pie was pointing to see Arcanus running speedily towards them while his horn was in engulfed in a brilliant bluish white aura. The four ponies gave angst looks as the Unicorn Supreme made his way towards them. "I was right, he IS mad! Oh Acme why did you forsake me?!''

Before any of the others could even ponder what Pinkie Pie had meant by that statement, a bright green flashed along with a loud bang, followed by a pair of screams. The four ponies looked towards where the disturbance just in time to see a gigantic pillar of green fire die away quickly from a distance as Applejack and Rainbow Dash rolled along the ground before coming to a stop.

"Rainbow Dash! Applejack!'' Fluttershy squeaked, fearful of the welfare of the orange earth pony and cyan Pegasus.

Without hesitation, she, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie rushed over to their friends' sides as they started to stagger to their feet. "Rainbow! Applejack! Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?'' Twilight asked anxiously, ready to help any way she can.

Rainbow Dash grunted and said through her teeth, "Ugh…everywhere!''

"Well I guess they were right 'bout one thing…'' Applejack began, shaking as she stood up. "Play with fire, an' ya gonna get burned.''

Their friends gave each other apprehensive glances as Fluttershy asked, "Oh my goodness, who did this to you?''

Rainbow Dash scratched her head before giving the meek Pegasus an abhorred frown. "Let me give you a hint: she's ugly, a bitch, and number one on my list of Equestria's Most Hated!''

"Couldn't had said it better myself,'' Applejack said with a scowl.

Before long, a rapid, buzzing sound had reach their ears and the six, battered ponies looked onward to see Chrysalis flying towards them. With the threat of Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis coming their way, the group huddled back to back from one another. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity had determined glares on their faces while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy bore more intimidated expressions.

"Oh no, we're trapped!'' Pinkie Pie said.

As Celestia, Luna, and Chrysalis flew closer to the six, Arcanus used his magic to lift himself into the air. Within the next, few moments, the four Heralds of Chaos had met each other in the air, hovering high in a line with each of their horn ablaze with their respective aura colors. They leered down at the tensed friends with their glowing, unholy red eyes and bared teeth. Some yonder away, a plume of fiery red and a flash of light appeared as Chthon and Discord came into view into the humid air.

"Well, well, it seems that the old gang had found their way back to each other. Oh isn't that a touching sight?'' Discord mocked.

Chthon grinned darkly, "Although it doesn't seem that the reunion isn't in the most uplifting of spirits. And here I thought being with friends was a joyous occasion."

"Apparently not,'' Discord said. "Well too bad, so sad!''

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie all stared at the revived beings floating above them with uneasiness and hesitation. Each of them had barely survive a battle with just a single of them, now that all four had regrouped together had left the bearers of the Elements greatly unnerved.

"W-What are we going to do? Can we even fight them now that they are together?'' Fluttershy asked with a sort of whimper.

Rainbow Dash just frowned, not wavering in the presence of the powerful quartet. "Well I'm sure as hay not gonna be scared like a filly that's what! If I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down fighting!''

"Hold yer horses girl! Don't even THINK about tacklin' all of them by yurself!'' Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash just looked over her shoulder and spoke loudly at the farm mare. "Well what are we supposed to do Applejack?! Just stand here and wait for them to fry us?!''

Rarity spoke with rising panic, "I'm with Applejack, but I must also agree with Rainbow Dash. It'll be a fool's errand if we rush in recklessly, but I doubt that they would allow us to escape again!''

"L-Look! What are they doing?!'' Pinkie Pie suddenly shrieked.

Her friends turned their attention to Arcanus, Celestia, Luna, and Chrysalis as the four began to bow their heads, the aura surrounding their horns shining and billowing more sporadically. Gold, cobalt blue, bluish white, and sickly green beams shot out of each horn, jetting into their air before meeting as a magical orb began to form from the combined attacks. With every second, the orb would double in size, then triple until there was a massive sphere of magical energy floating high above the six friends, the orb glowing with a combination of gold, deep blue, white, and green.

Seeing the gargantuan orb, the six ponies stood frozen in their spots, completely awestruck and stupefied at what they were now beholding. "Oh no…they've combined their magic!'' Twilight uttered. "Now they've created some sort of…mega spell!''

"A mega spell?!'' Rainbow Dash and Applejack exclaimed together.

Twilight nodded, "Yeah, and by the looks of it, it's probably powerful enough to destroy half of Ponyville…with us along with it!''

Her friends said nothing, just gazed speechlessly at the intelligent unicorn before directing their attention back towards the massive sphere in the sky. Discord and Chthon observed on, cruel, perverted grins on their faces.

"Oh ho ho! Check out the light on that beauty!'' Discord said, pulling out a pair of shades and putting them over his eyes. "I couldn't even imaging the damage that thing would do if it makes impact…bring it on Heralds!''

Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis all glared down at the six, astounded ponies, having completed charging their combined attack. Pinkie Pie took a fearful step backwards, shaking her head slowly with a truly lugubrious look upon her face. "What are we going to do?''

"What can we do? There's…there's simply no possible way to counter that!'' Rarity spoke, her eyes wincing in woefully.

Twilight then looked down, her face bearing a mixture of deep thinking and hysteria. "There has to be something…ANYTHING we can do!'' Twilight thought. Then, her eyes widened as a thought came to her. She brought a hoof up to her horn as she looked as if she was having an internal conflict with herself.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth in anger and she stomped both of her front hooves onto the ground. "Well we can't just stand her looking stupid! We have to try something!''

Applejack looked at her and argued. "Do what Rainbow? Celestia, Luna, and Arcanus are probably the most powerful ponies we know! An' I hate ta give Chrysalis any kind of satisfaction, but she's been tougher then leather lately. There's…there's no way we can fight this!''

"Yes…there is…'' Twilight finally spoke in a somber tone.

The rest looked her quizzically as Twilight continued, looking up at them. "Our only chance to beat them…is if we use the Elements of Harmony.''

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Use the Elements, Twilight are you serious?!'' Rainbow Dash said, absolutely stunned.

"Rainbow Dash we have to!'' Twilight argued firmly. "Unless you have a better idea?''

"But Twilight, how do you know if the Elements are even strong enough to beat them?'' Fluttershy asked.

Twilight answered, "Because, I saw them overpower Celestia and Luna not too long ago.''

Rarity gasped, "She's right girls. Twilight's Element and mine were able to fight back the princess's power, even though they were combined!''

"Yeah! And I was able to use Fluttershy's to beat Arcanus' spells!'' Pinkie Pie added.

"Exactly. And if just two Elements could overcome their power…'' Twilight began.

Applejack finished, "Then all six of our Elements should blast that thing right out of the ball park!''

Twilight nodded at the Pegasus' statement, but freckled faced earth pony walked forwards with a dismal, hesitant gaze. "But still…it's Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Our leaders an' Arcanus is an ally of ours. We…We can't possibly use the Elements against them.''

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity looked at each other with saddened expressions while Twilight looked away hurtfully.

"Applejack's right Twilight. I don't think I have it in me to use my Element against the princesses…even if they're trying to hurt us,'' Fluttershy said, looking down regretfully.

The others too voiced their concerns, only to be silenced by Twilight. She pinched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, fighting back the tears starting to sting her eyes. Twilight then looked up with determined, yet discontent eyes.

"Girls I know…I know. The last thing I want to do is use the Elements of Harmony against the Princesses but…they're Celestia and Luna.''

"What do you mean Twilight? Of course that's them. They looked exactly how they did the last time we saw them,'' Pinkie Pie spoke while the others looked on in bewilderment.

Twilight's eyes furrowed a bit as she said. "No they're not. The Princess Celestia and Princess Luna I…WE know would never even think about hurting us!''

Her five friends looked at each other sadly and uncertainly and Rarity spoke, "I…I do suppose that's true but…''

"But nothing!'' Twilight cut in. "Celestia and Luna would've given their lives to protect us…like they did when they fought Chthon. They loved us…and the kingdom they tried so hard everyday to protect.''

Twilight tried to fight back tears as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie looked at her with solemn frowns. Twilight continued. "But not, those…things up there…they're not the ones we love anymore. Now, they're nothing more than Chthon's pawns of darkness.''

After another, pondering gaze to one another, Applejack spoke up insistently. "Twilight's right y'all. Right now, them varmints up there are our enemies, just like Chthon is.''

"Ditto. Anypony working for that scumbag isn't a friend of ours! I say we blast them!'' Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity said with a stern nod, "I agree, especially when you've put it in that point of view. I third the motion of using the Elements.''

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, though still hesitant, finally nodded in agreement. Twilight gave a nod, having successfully convincing her friends on doing the unthinkable. A surge of light caught their attention and they looked up at the lingering orb of magic, ready to be set upon them at any moment.

"Alright…now or never! Is everypony ready?'' Twilight, asked taking charge in the center of a circle that they had now formed.

"Ready!'' her friends answered together, determined looks upon their faces.

The six ponies closed their eyes as their Elements started to glow. They were soon lifted into the air as a low hum started to emanate from the Elements. While lifted into the air, the six were in bipedal position, Rainbow Dash puffing out her chest while Fluttershy had her hooves together as if she was praying. Soon, the group was surrounded in a sphere of white light as Twilight floated in the center.

High above, Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis gazed down upon them, their eyes dark and untroubled at the display their targets were displaying. Finally with a single, synchronized motion of their heads, the four willed their massive spell down towards Twilight and her friends. The orb descended quickly, gaining closer and closer as it gave off a distinct wail like screeching sound. Before it could come any further, a red beam came out from Rainbow Dash's Element, Applejack's orange, Rarity purple, Pinkie Pie blue, and Fluttershy pink, all firing into the Element of Magic rested atop Twilight's tiara.

Twilight then shot open her eyes, glowing pure white as a powerful, rainbow colored beam fired from her Element and rose into the air, colliding with the great, magical orb. At first, the two attacks seemed to be evenly matched, with the four Herald's spell appearing to push back the power of the Elements. However, a singly spectrum pulsed from the center of the two powerful magic and the rainbow beam started to force the orb backwards, first slow then gaining speed.

Quickly the multicolored beam shot the massive sphere back upwards towards their casters until suddenly the orb gave in to the Elements and imploded in a brilliant flash. With nothing standing now standing in its way, the beam of the Elements speedily soared upwards into the air before at last engulfing the princesses, the Unicorn Supreme, and Changing Queen. Twilight gazed upwards, her eyes still aglow to see what was transpiring in the dark, red tinted skies above. Within the rainbow lodestar, Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis writhed and squirmed their bodies as if they were in great pain. Their glaring expressions at last shifted to looks of horror and consternation, any cries they were making were obscured by the loud pulsing sound coming from the beam.

Slowly, each of their bodies started to petrify, starting from their hooves and creeping upwards as their bodies started to solidify into stone. As she watch Celestia becoming hardened, Twilight couldn't stop the tears that started to flow from her eyes and pinched them shut as s bright flash suddenly erupted. The light vanished just as quickly as it came and Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie found themselves descending and landing safely back on the ground, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovering.

After a moment, they all opened their eyes, each one filled with dread and sorrow. Twilight still had tears in her eyes, the glow having subsided and all of them looked to the skies. There they saw the four bodies of the Heralds of Chaos: Celestia, Luna, Arcanus, and Chrysalis now encased in stone as they remained suspended unsupportive in the skies... becoming nothing more but mere statues like the rest of the occupants of Ponyville. It wasn't long until finally the four statuettes started to fall from the sky and hitting the earth with a crash; shattering to pieces upon the darkened soil.

Author's Notes:

For those still following the story I would just like to say thank you. I know it may seem like this battle is being drawn out, but I ask you all to please be patient. After the next chapter, everything will start wrapping up and coming to a close. My plan is to have this story completed by mid July, so until then I'll try to dish out these last six chapters as fast as I can. Stay cool everybody!