So, I think I've more or less figured out the nature of my chaos magic—at least in a broad sense. The realization of what it might've been first hit me the moment I laid eyes on Pinkie Pie.

When Cozy Glow teleported me to the audience chamber, I wound up at the very back of a fancy, stone-built stage with a large stone podium. And though I was expecting to see who I saw, I wasn't exactly prepared for what I saw when I arrived. Standing near the front of the stage with their backs turned to me and looking out over the rest of the audience chamber were none other than the robed Moon Dancer and a very dirty, bone-thin Pinkie Pie.

The latter of the two mares had adorned herself with this shitty, hand-made (hoof-made?) bandolier chock-full of all kinds of nasty-looking blades. Even without seeing her face, I could tell the mare was fucked in the head and way too far gone to be saved. Couldn't quite get a read on Moon Dancer, though. I only had time to make these observations because neither mare noticed my sudden appearance in the slightest.

Evidently, my entrance hadn't been flashy enough to warrant even a glance in my direction, but that was just fine with me. Because of that, I got to see exactly what kind of situation I'd dropped into, and what I saw threw me. Beyond Pinkie and Moon Dancer, standing bloody and bruised at the center of a large crowd of equine onlookers, was the alicorn I'd come to rescue.

Judging by her combative stance, the wounded ponies all over the place, and the giant magic tentacles I'd caught a glimpse of just before they sank into the ground, it was clear Twilight didn't need as much saving as Luna and I initially thought. I couldn't see Twilight's expression from where she was facing, but the battered mare seemed anything but scared. In fact, she looked downright pissed. As if to confirm my observation, she opened her mouth and started calling out the crowd for trying to beat her to death.

But then I practically heard the tears in her voice near the end of her tirade and realized that anger was coming from somewhere else entirely. I felt something in my gut lurch unpleasantly when her voice hitched, but before I could do anything to comfort the emotionally vulnerable alicorn, Pinkie took that as her cue to start fucking monologuing. Apparently, Twilight hadn't noticed Moon Dancer or Pinkie Pie standing there watching the whole thing if her shocked and betrayed expression was anything to go by.

But rather than talk about the 3 out of 10 (at best) villain rant Pinkie was gearing up to give, I want to bring attention to Pinkie herself—specifically, her state of mind. I mentioned before that I could tell the mare was insane without even looking at her face, but that wasn't because of body language or her trashy, malnourished appearance. Nope, it was because the moment I saw Pinkie Pie, some weird new sixth sense triggered, making me acutely aware of just how crazy the earth pony was.

I could literally feel her madness. I would even go so far as to say I could taste it. And the really fucked up thing? It didn't even taste that bad. It was like trying a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger for the first time and realizing that first bite you took was actually pretty good now that you thought about it. Not that I'd ever had the privilege to try wacky State Fair food, unfortunately.

Maybe one day...

Getting back on topic, not only could I taste Pinkie's madness, but I felt my creepy chaos magic tendrils reach out and... caress it. Yeah, I get how creepy that sounds, but there was no other way to describe what my magic was doing. It just happened, completely without my input. I could've reined it in, sure... but at that moment, I decided not to. As I focused my chaos-born senses on Pinkie, I discovered something interesting. When I reached those tendrils out to Pinkie's mind, I found I could tweak her madness like a setting if I wanted to.

I should probably take this moment to mention that these tendrils of chaos magic I've been talking about aren't actually visible to most creatures who aren't at least touched by chaos in some way. Even then, I can make them completely intangible and invisible to even other chaos spirits at my level if I choose to. Since I'm still pretty much a hybrid race right now, that doesn't amount to much where true lesser chaos spirits are concerned, but no one here could see my chaos magic at work, so it was fine. Pinkie certainly didn't notice anything amiss.

"Yeah, no, we're not doing this."

That was, until I chose to cut her stupid monologue short by cranking her insanity up to, and past, eleven. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't experimenting a little. Out of curiosity, I put a good amount of effort into what was essentially a mental attack. Demonic whispers, brutal migraine, horrifying hallucinations of eldritch abominations... the works. All it took was a flex of my magic to turn the mare's brain into a carnival of cosmic nightmares.

Watching the screaming madmare fall to the floor and flail about, I realized the attack had worked maybe a little too well—to the point that I kind of started to feel bad looking at her. Then I remembered that she'd kidnapped Twilight, killed what was left of Celestia, and slit Luna's throat, so I got over the sentiment pretty quickly. Theoretically, I probably could've completely cured Pinkie of her madness—and maybe I would at some point before leaving this Equestria behind—but I was content to ignore the mare for now.

I had more pressing matters to attend to in the meantime, like taking care of Moon Dancer. The mare had no insanity for me to latch on to, which surprised me a bit. Still, I wanted to keep the initiative while the mare was still caught off guard. I didn't know what she had up her sleeve, and I wasn't completely confident I could afford to find out. With that in mind, I went for a quick and easy solution: Just throw the bitch into a wall. Hard.

I was curious to see how simple telekinesis worked with my chaos magic. I expected my chaos tendrils to wrap themselves around Moon Dancer, but what happened instead was more similar in nature to when I tried a short-range teleportation earlier. The tendrils slipped under the fabric of reality and solidified space around the unicorn enough to lift her into the air. I just went with it and, with another, stronger flex of my magic, sent her careening into the opposite wall as fast and hard as I could.

The act took the wind out of me, magically speaking, but it did the trick. The mare broke like a toy against the wall and clearly wasn't getting back up anytime soon. And that was that. With both Pinkie Pie and Moon Dancer out of the way, I moved to the front of the stage and looked out over the crowd. None of the ponies who hadn't been laid out by Twilight had said a word since I arrived.

The majority of their attention was torn between the strange bipedal creature who'd popped up out of nowhere, the psychotic earth pony screaming about voices only she could hear, and the purple pariah who—in their eyes—destroyed the world. Now that Twilight had shown she could defend herself, they didn't seem to know what to do or how to react. Combine that with my admittedly ostentatious entrance onto the scene, and everyone was simply lost for words.

Well, that suits me just fine.

I eventually met Twilight's wide eyes—or rather eye, seeing as one of them was swollen shut—and saw a mix of shock, confusion, and relief. I also saw something else I hadn't noticed until now. The pink and purple streaks in Twilight's mane had changed color, the pink now a bright silver and the purple a darker gunmetal grey. I personally wasn't a fan as I thought it ruined the rest of her color scheme, but the change in her eyes kind of made up for it.

They were still the same violet color, but now, even from a distance, I could see little luminescent specks of gold in the amethyst irises—or, iris. Again, only had one eye to work with right now. I thought the eyes were a nice touch, even if I wasn't a fan of what was done to the mane. I didn't know exactly how the changes happened, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with our visit to Ubbo-Sathla's disgusting primordial mire, which meant my physical changes were probably similar if not more pronounced.

Making a mental note to check my own appearance at some point, I hopped off the stage and made my way over to where Twilight stood, just watching me with that same conflicted look. I ignored the other ponies as they scrambled to move out of my way, fear, confusion, and distrust clear on each of their faces. I think that was supposed to make me feel powerful, but in reality, the walk was a wholly awkward and uncomfortable experience.

Still, I pushed through the discomfort and reached Twilight, where I bent down to look the injured mare in the eye. I asked how she was doing, even though I knew she must've felt like shit, and she gave the expected answer, downplaying her pain. When I offered to help get some revenge, I got another expected answer. She pointed out that she'd already gotten her payback, and looking around, I couldn't really argue with that statement.

So, with that out of the way, we both decided it was time to leave. There were a lot of things that needed discussing and this wasn't exactly the best place to have a leisurely chat. Problem was, I had no idea where to go. Luna hadn't shown up yet, and somehow I got the feeling asking for directions wasn't going to get us very far. I was about to ask Twilight if she had any ideas when a sudden commotion in the crowd caught mine and Twilight's attention. Looking over to one side, I could see a mess of ponies shifting position, their heads turning as if distracted by something in their midst.

Looking closer, I saw the commotion had originated from somewhere near the wide cavern entrance. It took me a second to realize that the ponies in the crowd were making way for something, or someone as they approached. Twilight and I shared a half-bemused, half-concerned glance as the murmurs of surprise and confusion picked up from those nearest to the new arrival. Said arrival content to take their time wading through the crowd, but it quickly became clear they were headed in our direction.

Eventually, after what felt like hours of waiting, the ponies closest to us separated and the newcomer finally limped out of the herd of onlookers to reveal themself as a mostly furless mass of old bloodstained bandages and wicked scar tissue. Jagged cuts, from minor nicks to lengthy scars both fresh and old marred every inch of their body. The sight made Twilight's current look like she'd been in a light scuffle by comparison. The new arrival was a pony I was sure, but they were so heavily scarred and bandaged that it was difficult to tell their gender.

Even their eyes were bandaged over, the gauze stained the dark brown-red of long-dried blood. I didn't get much from what was left of their mane, as that was in such a wretched state that it was hard to tell what its true color was supposed to be. One of their hindlegs was withered and blackened like burnt wood. It was the obvious source of their limp and I found myself having to pull my eyes away from it as I looked for anything I could use to identify the poor equine. Then my searching gaze slid up from the withered leg to their bandaged flank where I could just make out—

"Holy shit that's Fluttershy," I couldn't help but mutter out loud in a single shocked breath.

It was mostly covered by more bloody gauze, but I would've recognized the butterfly motif on her flank anywhere. A lot of the mare's fur was gone, with most of the remaining patches here and there wrapped under the many, many bandages covering her entire frame. I couldn't even tell if she still had wings under all the dirty bloodstained cloth. It looked like Twilight recognized the pegasus about the same time as I did, and the realization left her speechless.

"Fluttershy...?"

The name slipped out Twilight's mouth in a hoarse whisper, the alicorn raising a hoof to her muzzle as tears started to spill down her bruised and swollen cheeks. She took a step toward Fluttershy and reached that same hoof out to touch the mare's face as if to confirm that what she was seeing was real, but seemed to think better of it and stepped back again. Fluttershy, for her part, just tilted her head in response, almost like she was questioning why Twilight had stopped.

"Wh-What..." Twilight started in a shaky voice, then paused before starting again, "Fluttershy, what... what happened to you? How did you..."

She trailed off and just stared at her friend from another universe in mute horror, unable to bring herself to continue. I'd taken a step back, feeling a bit like a third wheel in their reunion—well, it wasn't technically a reunion, but it felt like one and I felt out of place regardless. Fluttershy returned Twilight's stare evenly and, despite the bandages covering her eyes, I got the sense the pegasus was peering directly into Twilight's very soul. Like, literally.

Even for someone who'd gained a bunch of creepy chaos magic, it was creepy as fuck in a way I couldn't quite explain. Even more unnerving was the fact that I couldn't sense any madness from the mare. Her mind was as clear and placid as a tranquil lake—to the point that it was kind of unnatural. I couldn't read minds exactly, but I discovered with Pinkie and the ponies around me that could get a sense of their current emotional state. Fluttershy could've been the next bodhisattva for the sheer lack of emotional turmoil I felt from her.

The staring contest went on for a little too long to be comfortable, and Twilight eventually began to sense that something was amiss. She frowned and took another step back before opening her mouth to say something, but she froze when Fluttershy immediately took a step forward in response.

"Please... hold still for one more moment if you would."

Twilight held still, and I couldn't blame for it. Despite her horrendous appearance, Fluttershy's voice was just as soft and kind as I remembered. It didn't sound like it'd been warped by age or hardship in the slightest, but there was something different about it. There was a power there. Something immutable or inexorable. A pull. Like a priestess whose words carried the weight of a deity.

All Twilight and I could do was do as she said. For me, it was more that I didn't really have a reason to move, nor had I planned to. For Twilight, it was more that she couldn't help but obey. She looked like she was caught in some kind of thrall, but before I had time to wonder if I should intervene, the moment passed. Fluttershy stepped back and gave Twilight a small smile that lit up the whole cavern.

"I think Twilight has had enough," she said in a quiet tone, her words clearly meant for the crowd but her gaze never wavering from Twilight, "I can handle things from here, so please leave us alone for now."

Several of the ponies in the crowd glanced at each other uncertainly. Others continued to glower at Twilight, and even I got a few scathing looks. I did see a few turn and make their way out of the audience chamber without a word of protest, but most remained where they were, angry cries of discontent and calls for retribution on their lips. Before the growing clamor could coalesce into another bout of angry mob justice, Fluttershy turned to face the herd, giving them her full attention.

"Leave. Now."

Her voice was still quiet, but it carried like a goddamn shockwave. The mob was shut down in an instant, the mob rendered utterly silent by the command—and it was definitely a command. A second passed, then two. And then the crowd practically tripped over itself collectively as each and every pony scrambled for the exit. It was a sight to behold, and I would've found the whole thing amusing if I wasn't so preoccupied with how terrifying Fluttershy had become.

Within moments, the audience chamber was empty save for myself, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Pinkie, who was still on the stage and had taken to rhythmically slamming her head against the floor in an effort to "knock all the bad things out of her head". There was also Moon Dancer, but none of us paid her twisted body even a glance. Rather, I watched the demented mare with a frown, wondering if I should fix her, or at least tone down her insanity a bit before she bashed her own brains in.

"You can heal her, can't you?"

I snapped my eyes back to Fluttershy to see that she'd finally turned her veiled gaze on me. When she saw she had my attention she nodded toward the screaming earth pony on the stage and repeated her question.

"Pinkie Pie... you did this to her, and I won't blame you for it... but you can heal her, right?"

"Well, I mean... yeah, I think so," I replied, not sure what else to say. I didn't even bother to ask how she'd known I was the one who'd exacerbated her unstable mental state, "I'm pretty sure I can—"

"Then please do so," Fluttershy interjected in a calm but firm tone, "I know Pinkie has a lot to answer for, but even so... I can't stand to see her like this. So please..."

She trailed off and looked up at me imploringly. I grimaced and turned to look back to the earth pony in question, if only so that I didn't have to meet Fluttershy's expectant gaze. I couldn't help but suspect some emotional manipulation at play here, but it wasn't like I was wholly against helping Pinkie. I wasn't entirely blind to the fact that circumstances had twisted Pinkie into what she'd become, even if it could be argued that the madness had always been there, waiting for an opportunity. For weakness. For a crack in Pinkie's mental armor.

It was only a matter of time, really...

I sighed and, with a shrug, decided to indulge the blind and bloodied pegasus. All it took was another flex of chaos magic to tap into Pinkie's mind and—

What the fuck?!

I sunk my chaos magic tendrils into Pinkie's head with the intention of removing her madness entirely. What I wasn't expecting was for my magic to literally rip the insanity out of her mind and devour it. That's what it did. I felt it happen. I ate the concept of madness. And you know what? It was pretty damn good. Refreshing even. I hadn't mentioned too much about but tossing Moon Dancer as hard as I did left me feeling a little tired, but now?

Now I felt great.

I only had a vague idea of what the nature of my chaos magic might be, and that was still true for the most part, but now I was closing in on a more concrete answer. As for Pinkie Pie, the moment the madness left her mind she let out an exaggerated gasp and went rigid for a second. Then, worryingly, she started twitching like she was having a seizure, which was entirely possible given what I'd done to her brain.

Shit, did I fuck up?

Not knowing what to do and feeling a bit panicky, I started to move toward the spasming mare, but Fluttershy raised a hoof to stop me. I looked down at her, but she just shook her head as she kept her obscured eyes on Pinkie. My brows furrowed, but I didn't argue, nor did I continue to press on. If Fluttershy was implying it would be okay then who was I to say otherwise? The mare clearly had some kind of eerie preternatural insight, or that's what she projected anyway.

So we all watched, Twilight coming to stand next to me as the three of us waited for something to happen. Eventually, something did happen. Pinkie gasped again as the seizures finally subsided and a weak laugh escaped her throat. The earth pony, who was already well on her way to looking like a mummy, now looked thousands of years older. When she next spoke, her voice was raw and raspy as she lay limply on the ground.

"They're gone... all of them... all of them..." she chuckled again, that same fading rasp making her way into the sound, "I'm free... you hear that, Fluttershy? I'm finally... I'm..."

And then... Pinkie died.

Her breathing stopped and at that same moment, the roiling emotions of astonishment, disbelief, and relief so powerful it almost hurt me physically, all cut off abruptly. All I could do was stare at what was now just a withered corpse, unsure of how to feel about the situation. Had her insanity been the only thing keeping her alive all this time? Looking over to see Fluttershy's partially satisfied expression, I could only guess I was somewhere close to the mark.

Her mind was still eerily calm for the most part, but I sensed a brief burst of sorrow, relief, and resignation before it was all snuffed out in that bottomless ocean of placidity. Twilight looked just as lost as I felt. It was interesting to note that I couldn't sense anything from her mind. At all. I wasn't too worried about that, though, figuring it was part of that ethereal bond we shared.

And speaking of which, we definitely need to talk about that sooner rather than later.

I had some questions about it, but my thoughts were interrupted when Fluttershy finally spoke up, her calm voice subdued but grateful.

"Thank you," she said in a whisper, "I tried for so long to help that mare. I did everything I could to ease her suffering, but in the end, I couldn't banish her demons... I didn't have the strength," She paused a moment before finally looking over to me as she continued, "Make no mistake, Salvatore, what you've done here was the best outcome either of us could have hoped for. Take solace in that fact and know that you've done for Pinkie what I failed time and time and again to do."

"If that's how you wanna see it, then I was... glad to help?" I replied uncertainly.

Fluttershy smiled at that and, even if her smile wasn't at all mocking, I still got the distinct feeling I was being mocked regardless. I tried to smile, but I was pretty sure it came out as another grimace. I hadn't told her my name, nor had she been around to hear it, so either Sombra or Moon Dancer had spilled the beans at some point, or she just... knew. Occam's razor said it was the former, but my gut was convinced it was the latter. Still, I wasn't one to be comforted by kind words normally, but I had to admit, hers did the trick.

I wouldn't have been too broken up about Pinkie's death regardless, but it was nice to know Fluttershy didn't blame me for the whole thing. More importantly, and based on what I'd heard and seen so far, I was starting to think Pinkie and Fluttershy's relationship hadn't been... healthy, suffice to say. Not wanting to dwell on my suspicions, I cleared my throat and focused on Twilight.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked for the second time, "I know Pinkie was a certifiable psychopath, but still..."

Twilight didn't answer right away. Instead, she continued to stare out at Pinkie's still form, her expression conflicted. Eventually, her face scrunched up as more tears rolled down her cheeks, but this time she quickly wiped them away wincing as her hoof made contact with her bruises. With a sniff, then a sigh, she finally raised her one good eye to look me in the face.

"Like I said earlier, I'll be fine, Sal," she replied, her smile brittle but the look in her gold-flecked eye resolute, "That said, the sooner we leave this Equestria behind, the better."

This time I did manage to crack a lopsided smile, "Yeah, no kidding. Though, I feel the need to point out that the next Equestria we get dropped into probably won't be any better."

Her brittle smile broke at that and she sighed again, "Yeah... I know. I was hoping you wouldn't remind me."

I just shrugged at that before turning back to Fluttershy as I asked, "So... what now? You obviously seem to be in the know about our situation somehow, and I doubt you showed up just to save us from the angry pony mob."

"No, I didn't," Fluttershy confirmed with a kind smile that sent chills down my spine, "There's quite a lot I want to discuss with you and Twilight, but I think it's best we wait for Luna to recover before anything else."

With that, she turned—a painful-looking process to behold—and started to limp back toward the entrance to the audience chamber. She stopped a moment to look back at me and Twilight over her shoulder before speaking again.

"In the meantime, I have somewhere I'd like for us to visit. Oh, and I'd be ever so grateful if one of you could carry Pinkie Pie for me."

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