FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Well... Today had quite an interesting start. What woke me up was the sound of rain. Not to mention a noticeably sweet aroma. I rose from my pillow and took a look around. Normally, it is rather dark outside whenever rain is falling. But it seemed rather bright at that time.

Before I could even look at her and start to wake her up, Fluttershy lifted herself from her bed and also seemed to notice the faint sweet scent wafting in through the window. "Wow, something smells really yummy... Oh, good morning, honey. Did the smell wake you up too?"

"Actually, yeah. It's getting my sweet tooth excited, but I just can't put my finger on what it could be." I said while going over to the window. The smell seemed to be coming from outside. Did Pinkie Pie drop something off from Sugarcube Corner? Sure enough, it was indeed raining. However, the rain was an unsettling shade of...brown. "Oh crap... I hope that's not...crap."

Fluttershy seemed to notice my rather unnerved expression as I was looking out the window. "Is something wrong?"

Not sure how Fluttershy would react to what I was certain was manure being poured all over her property to fertilize the soil, I closed the windows and tried to smile at her. "Oh, nothing. It's just raining right now, so don't go outside for a while."

"Oh, that's all? OK then. I'll be in the bathroom fixing my mane for a little bit. I'll be right out, dear." Fluttershy spoke with a convinced smile before walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

While I got dressed in some jeans and a green polo shirt, I just had to peek out the window. Just how in the world does the weather team get the clouds to produce manure?! Rainbow Dash never told me about this part of her job! I better ask that tomboy next chance I see her. Once the rain actually stops.

I went downstairs to get started on breakfast, but I soon noticed that Scootaloo was not in bed. She is seldom awake before I am nowadays. However, before I could even ponder this, I noticed that the front door was open.

"Oh boy, I hope she didn't go outside..." I grumbled to myself while heading over to the door and taking a look outside. And when I did... Well, I saw her. And I swear I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that she was not only sitting out there getting drenched in the liquid gunk, but was also sitting at the edge of a puddle of it while slurping from it with a drinking straw!

"Gah... SCOOT! NO! GET AWAY FROM THAT!!! DON'T DRINK THAT STUFF!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs before rushing over to her not caring if I got myself soaked in that stuff. My yelling clearly startled her a bit since she suddenly stopped sipping from the puddle and looked my way. "Oh god, we need to get you to the hospital! Gotta get your stomach pumped right away..."

Even though I was genuinely terrified for my little sister's health, she pushed my hands away when I tried to snatch her up. "What's your problem, James?! It's just chocolate milk!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Chocolate milk? Chocolate....MILK?! "Wait... You serious?! How in the world does the weather team make chocolate milk come from the clouds?!"

Scootaloo seemed just as baffled as I was, but she seemed to be genuinely enjoying the whole bizarre weather pattern we were getting. "I dunno, but it's awesome! All the chocolate milk you can drink and all you gotta do is step outside! Maybe it'll start raining other kinds of food!"

I turned my gaze to the sky, which seemed to have...pink clouds floating in it. "Yeah, until it starts raining spaghetti that ties up the town and we have to abandon the place by sailing across the ocean on giant stale sandwiches... Oh god... Is Ponyville going to turn into the town of Chew & Swallow at this rate?!"

That look Scootaloo was giving me... She clearly thought I had a few screws loose. "Uh... Yeah... Did you fall out of bed and hit your head this morning?"

"Uh... No. Just something I remembered from a children's book I read... Shoot, how long has it been? Twenty years? Maybe more? Well, it was a long time ago and the book had a town where all the food everyone got came from the sky." I explained while thinking back to my early years. Man, what if there is somewhere in Equestria with those kinds of weather patterns? By this point, it would not surprise me.

Needless to say, that kind of scenario really piqued my little sister's interest. "A place where it rains food?! Awesome! Maybe that's what's happening now!"

Out of curiosity, I held out my palm and allowed some of the rain to pool in it. Once I had enough, I took a sip. Sure enough, it was chocolate milk. "Wow, it's actually edible! Is this some sorta prank by the princesses?" I then looked down at Scootaloo and saw by then that she was soaked with the creamy beverage. "OK, enough of this. Go inside and wash up. Just be glad today is a Saturday."

Scootaloo licked some of the milk off her coat before looking up at me with a smile. "OK, but put out some tubs to catch all this stuff! We'll have enough chocolate milk for weeks!" She then trotted back up to the cottage's front door and disappeared inside.

While I looked around at the landscape being soaked with chocolate milk, I snickered to myself. "Then again, this stuff doesn't smell bad. So that means it can't be what I think it was. Thank god. I thought I was gonna have to give Mike Rowe a call." After a moment more of observing the really weird weather, I finally threw up my arms and called out in a deeper voice than I usually do. "Oh, what the heck... CHOCOLATE RAAAAAIIIN!!!"

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from beside me. "Some stay dry and others feel the pain!"

When I looked down to my left, I saw Pinkie Pie mimicking my pose. Although judging by the wetted down look of her mane and tail, she had likely been out in this weird weather a heck of a lot longer than I had been. "Wait a second... How do you know those lyrics?! And where did you even come from?!"

My silly pink friend giggled while looking up at me. "You know me! I'm all about anything sweet and yummy! Even songs that are about stuff that's sweet and yummy! Now go on! Next verse, next verse!"

I rolled my eyes at her. I should have known that Pinkie Pie would have been taking maximum advantage of this strange weather. "Some other time. I gotta get back inside and...change clothes. No way I'm going to work drenched with this stuff."

Pinkie Pie, not surprisingly, did not share my thoughts on the weird weather. "OK! I'll just be out here drinking up all I can!" She then flopped onto her back with her mouth hanging wide open while letting it fill with as much chocolate milk as it would hold. But just as I was about head back inside, a thought occurred to me. Now that I was out there, I may as well fetch the eggs from the chicken coop.

While I headed around the side of the cottage, I shook some chocolate milk from my hair. While I love walking in the rain, this sticky sweet stuff really was not agreeing with me. I would have to take a shower once I got back inside. However, when I finally turned my head up while avoiding any soaked mud or chocolate puddles, I jumped at the sight before me. "What the... Ostriches?!"

Where... How... Why... Where did this come from?! Milling about in the coop's pen where several ostriches. But...where could they have come from? And where were the chickens?! The towering flightless birds looked my way with their big black eyes focused on me.

Naturally, I was really not sure of how to go about this. I have never been on the same side of a fence as an ostrich, let alone half a dozen of them. Even so, I had to get those eggs and the giant birds before me did not seem hostile. And the last thing I wanted was to receive a kick from one. "OK, girls... Uh... You're all girls, right?" I spoke to them while keeping my hands raised and in front of me. "I'm just gonna get into the coop and get some eggs. Don't mind me. Just give me a few minutes and I'll be outta your feathers."

Fortunately, the ostriches did not mind my presence much, if at all. It was almost as if they knew me. Regardless, I grabbed the closest pail and crawled into the coop. After dumping the chocolate milk that had accumulated in it, that is. It was one time where I was really hoping that Derpy would be taking a nap there. However, much to my shock, I found the nests each containing a single massive egg. Ostrich eggs. ".....Did the chickens turn into ostriches overnight?"

While trying not to think of how those birds even managed to get themselves in or out of the coop, I took one egg in hand. For those of you who do not know, an ostrich egg is roughly eight times larger than a chicken egg. I stared at the pail after I place three eggs in it. "I'm gonna need another pail."

After packing the giant eggs into the pails, I carefully carried them back around the front of the cottage and ducked through the doorway. Fluttershy was on the other side while seemingly drying Scootaloo off with a towel. However, she suddenly turned to me and eyed the eggs that were peeking over the top of the pails. "Uh... James...? What kind of eggs are..."

"Ostrich eggs." I replied dryly. I too was not sure of how really word it myself. The whole day was just getting more and more surreal.

"And... Where did you get..." Fluttershy asked while sounding mentally overwhelmed. Even Scootaloo was giving the eggs some funny looks.

I rolled my eyes, knowing how silly my response was going to sound. "The chicken coop."

Scootaloo gasped when I said those words. "Really?!" She then galloped over to the window that faced the backyard. "Fluttershy, check it out! We've got ostriches!"

"We do?!" "Fluttershy said with a gasp before running over to the window. "Oh my! I've never seen ostriches up close! I need to go see this!"

While Fluttershy ran past me and out the door, Scootaloo followed close behind. "Me too! Wait up!" I could only grin and snicker at Fluttershy's obsession with animals, especially the more exotic ones.

I then took the pails into the kitchen and washed them and the eggs off in the sink. However, when I opened the refrigerator to put the eggs inside... "Oh, come on! How am I gonna fit these in here?!" With how colossal those eggs are, I really had to experiment on getting them inside while making sure they would not roll out. Although I did leave two on the counter to be used for breakfast.

Once that was done, I went into the laundry room, which the kitchen leads into, and dumped all of my milky clothes over the sink. I then took a wet rag and cleaned off the sticky fluid from my shoes while being careful to not allow any water to get inside. Originally, Fluttershy used to clean her laundry in a very old fashioned way with just a tub of water. But when I showed up and started getting more and more clothes from Rarity, we decided to get a washing machine and dryer installed to save us both a lot of time. Regardless, I then rushed upstairs and into the bathroom to run myself a shower before Fluttershy or Scootaloo could come back inside and see me in the nude.

While I was washing up, I looked out the window that was right next to the tub. There was still plenty of rain falling. And all of it was laced with chocolate milk. However, I then noticed something was odd about the sky. Namely the clouds. "What the... I thought the clouds are supposed to turn a bit pink during the sunset, not during the morning!" Yes, the clouds were actually a shade of pink. And to top it off, they seemed to be moving and weaving through the air every now and then with erratic movements. Almost as if they had a mind of their own. And sure enough, I saw Rainbow Dash swooping around while seemingly trying to round them up or something. But the clouds clearly were not in the mood to cooperate.

The instant I saw her, I just knew I had to ask what the deal with the weather was. I pushed the window open and called out to her. "Hey, Rainbow!"

It took a couple of tries, but she finally heard me and swooped a little closer to the window. "Huh?! Oh, hey there, James!"

"What's the deal with the weather today?! This rain is chocolate milk! And what with the clouds?!" I kept calling out to Rainbow while she seemed unwilling to get too far away from the clouds.

Rainbow Dash let out a groan while looking around at the rather cheeky clouds as the swooped through the air while dropping torrents of chocolate rain. "Yeah, I know! And these clouds are made outta cotton candy, if you can believe that!"

"Cotton candy?! Pehahahaha! Just how drunk were you pegasi last night?!" I replied while finding this whole day becoming weirder and funnier with every new discovery I made.

"Gimme a break! Even we couldn't have set... Hey, get back here!" Rainbow yelled before chasing after a cloud to the south. By that point, I just could not stay put any longer. Once I got out of the shower, I slipped on a blue polo shirt and some gray cargo pants before heading downstairs. But before I could go anywhere, I was going to need to get some food in my belly. And Fluttershy was already whipping up some omelet's.

Let me tell you that those ostrich eggs make one mean omelet. Just one of them was enough to fill the entire frying pan. Because of this, the three of us ended up having almost nothing but two types of omelets that morning. Nothing of any real interest was spoken at the table while we ate, so I will not bore you with it. Once I had eaten my fill, I grabbed an umbrella and headed outside. I just had to see what else was going on out there.

The first place I decided to check out was Sweet Apple Acres. On my way down there, the chocolate milk rain kept shutting down and turning back on at random intervals. That, and those clouds... I swear they must have been alive since they kept diving and swooping all over the place. Even so, I kept my umbrella above me at all times just in case the rain started up again.

Upon arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, I found Applejack at work in the cornfields while plucking ears of corn from the stalks. Oh, right. I suppose I should mention that while Sweet Apple Acres is an apple orchard, it also doubles as a conventional farm. They grow a variety of vegetables, such as corn, although apples are their most plentiful crop. Regardless, it seemed that the really weird weather had not yet reached the place.

I approached Applejack while she was pulling a small cart filled with the ears she had plucked. That is corn ears, not actual... Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway, I spoke out to her once I came within earshot. "Morning, AJ. What's up?"

My farm pony friend turned to look at me while chucking another ear of corn into the cart. "Howdy, Ja... Uh..." She stopped and stared at me with a truly bewildered expression. "Um... James? Why are ya hidin' under an umbrella on a bright sunny day?"

Before I could say anything, I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye and saw Rainbow Dash chasing down another one of those rogue cotton candy clouds as it flew over the farmhouse. "Ah, forget you! I'm gonna eat ya when I get my hooves on you!"

Within nothing else I could possibly say, I pointed at the cloud that was still spewing chocolate rain. "Because of that."

Sure enough, the bizarre sweet and sticky rainstorm reached us and began to douse the entire farm with its payload. Applejack licked some that managed to get on her cheek. "What the... Chocolate milk?!"

Rainbow Dash, apparently having given up on the chase, which is quite impressive considering that the clouds can somehow outrun or outmaneuver one of the fastest fliers I know, swooped down to us. "Man, this is just crazy weather, huh?!"

"At least it's something to write home about! I thought Equestria was a weird place before, but it just keeps surprising me!" I replied while managing to blurt out a laugh. Honestly, I was having more fun with the whole thing than I was letting on.

However, Applejack rubbed her hoof against her chin while surveying the area. "Yeah, it is a might crazy... And mighty familiar too! Haven't we gotten weather like this once before?!"

That certainly caught my attention. I mean... Equestria is a very weird world when compared to where I come from, but... This type of weather happens every once in a while? "Wait... This has happened before? Who or what can cause this to happen out of nowhere at random intervals? And what's that popping sound?"

We all looked around as the sound of rapid popping filled the air. I found myself cracking up in laughter when I saw what the deal was. The cornfields were turning white with popcorn! A few nearby ears of corn even pelted the three of us with popped corn kernels and we were soon up to our necks in the stuff. Or rather my friends were up to their necks while I was up to my hips or so. However, I then noticed Pinkie Pie leaping in and out of the piles of popcorn while still just having a ball with the whole thing. I knew where she was coming from though. Chocolate-covered popcorn is a tasty treat.

"What the... Pinkie, get outta there!" Applejack yelled once she saw Pinkie literally swimming through the light brown wet piles of popcorn while opening her mouth wide and taking huge bites of the stuff every few seconds.

Pinkie Pie, still hungry for more, merely giggled while she flopped into a puddle of the chocolate milk and began drinking up as much as the clouds would fill her mouth with. I swear that mare has a food fetish. "No way! Who knows when we'll get weather like this again?! I'm gonna milk it for all it's worth!" I think that last line was supposed to be a pun.

Before we could argue any further with that goofball of a mare, someone else approached us. Although it took me a moment, I finally saw that it was Rarity while clad in a very plain raincoat and matching hat. To top it off, a beautiful azure parasol was sticking up from a mostly golden tiny saddle on her back. Why she would make such a beautiful parasol with a gold-rimmed amethyst on top and gemstones hanging from the edges when it was only going to get tarnished by rain and chocolate milk is beyond me. Something that pretty should be reserved only for indoors or dry weather use. Anyway, she approached us with that elegant gait of hers and spoke up while not seeming very fazed by this odd weather. "Good morning, darlings! I saw this truly unnatural weather and decided to see if you needed any help, Applejack. Well... Any help that does not require me coming out from under my umbrella."

Applejack rolled her eyes while adjusting her hat to help keep the rain from getting in her face. "I dunno if you can really do anythin' about this one, Rarity. But don't this all seem... Wait a minute..."

We all heard a rather odd sound and glanced at some nearby apple trees and saw the apples on them enlarge right before our eyes while bright flashes of some sort of magic light emanated from them for an instant. The apples must have been quite heavy since the trees bent very nearly to the ground. Due to their lower altitude, several small woodland creatures jumped at the easily accessible apples and began to nibble away at them. I once again began snickering like a fool while I beheld this odd sight. "Oooh, so those are the apples that Big Macintosh got his name from! Now it all makes sense."

"You know McIntosh apples don't get that big, James! I got no clue of what's doing this!" Applejack yelled while sounding both bewildered and frustrated. And yes, that is how one actually spells out the name of that type of apple. But until I see Big Macintosh write his name that way, I will keep spelling his name like this. Easier to write out too when I do not have to worry about capitalizing an I.

Just when I thought this day could get no weirder, I got quite a shock. A bunch of rabbits suddenly... How do I even describe this? The rabbits... Their legs suddenly grew much longer and... Hooves on the ends... Deer legs. Yes, the rabbits grew long spindly deer legs and started trotting around while being even taller than the average pony. There was only one thing I could really say to this sight. "Real life jackalopes... What does this world NOT have?!"

It turned out that Fluttershy had pursued her little rabbit friends all the way over to Sweet Apple Acres and could only look on in shock at this very unexpected transformation. "What?! No, this isn't really happening! There's no such thing as rabbit and deer hybrids! It's not possible!"

However, Fluttershy was suddenly coated in a hot pink magic aura and brought down to us. A familiar voice then called out from nearby. "You know this isn't the first time this has happened, Fluttershy. This just has 'Discord' written all over it!"

When we turned to face the source of the voice, we found Twilight Sparkle walking towards us with Spike by her side. "Or at least that's what I would say if it was possible. Where did this even come from?! Déjà vu?"

Rainbow Dash continued to hover in place while keeping her arms crossed. "Yeeeeah... Didn't Princess Celestia say the only reason Discord got out in the first place was because the Elements of Harmony weren't connected to her and Princess Luna anymore? Doesn't that mean he should still be stuck while they're connected to us?"

That name again. Discord. I recall Celestia telling me a bit about him. However, I was not certain if it would be wise to mention him, so I stayed quiet. Twilight looked around while Spike helped himself to some of the popcorn that was lying around. "Well, I doubt my fail-safe spell will work this time either... Time for the direct approach! Rainbow, would you mind?"

Our brazen pegasus friend seemed to know what she was getting at and gave our brainy unicorn friend a salute. "You got it!" One by one, she swooped through the air and began to push each and every cotton candy cloud together. However, due to the fact that they have very different physical properties from normal clouds and even seem to have minds of their own, some of them kept getting away.

Rarity seemed to notice this problem too and smiled at Twilight. "Why don't we gather up a few too to speed things along, Twilight?" I could see a faint azure glow under her hat, showing that her magic was in use.

Twilight seemed to understand and nodded while her horn was coated by her own pink magic aura. "Of course! Let's round them up!" One by one, each of the clouds that got away from Rainbow Dash were covered by azure or pink magic auras and began to move towards the cluster of pink clouds that Rainbow was keeping contained. However it seemed that Rarity was grabbing up more than Twilight due to her mastery of using that spell on multiple objects at once. However, it also caused me to notice Pinkie Pie lying in a puddle of the chocolate milk rain while being completely saturated in the stuff. Was she bathing in it?! Regardless, she hurried over to the spot below where all the clouds were being corralled and opened her mouth wide to gather up all the chocolate milk she could while being exposed to a torrential downpour of the stuff.

"My turn now!" Applejack called out while pulling her rope out from under her hat and twirling a lasso over her head by her teeth. She then flicked the loop in the rope at the clouds, which had been brought much closer to the ground, and got they cluster neatly lassoed in the middle. The squeeze it put on the clouds also seemed to shut off the rain.

Not everyone was happy with this though. Pinkie Pie, who looked like she might have already consumed more than a week's supply of the rain, looked at us in disappointment while being completely soaked in it. Sweet lord, I can still remember how absurd she looked at that moment. "Oh, come on! I wasn't finished yet!"

Applejack then tugged hard on the rope and tied it and the giant cotton candy cloud to a white wooden fence nearby. "Phew! All right, critters! Soup's on! We've got cotton candy, popcorn, and plenty of chocolate milk for y'all right here!"

"Lemme at it!" Pinkie Pie called out before pouncing upon the pink edible fluff. However, she only had about ten seconds to help herself before a swarm of Fluttershy's little animal friends swarmed over it and pushed her away. And again... Those long spindly deer legs on those little rabbit bodies... I cannot recall the last time I saw something look so amazingly awkward. And I admit I was tempted to taste that cotton candy cloud with all that chocolate milk stuffed inside it. However, that would probably be too sickeningly sweet for my tastes.

"Well, I guess that fixes Ponyville's weather problem." Fluttershy said while our friends gathered around. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. She kept trying to get to the cotton candy cloud for another mouthful, but the many little animals made it difficult to get her jaws close enough.

After a few more seconds of observing the very bizarre sights that were around me, I looked down at my companions. "I take it this doesn't happen often."

"Nope. I reckon this is only the second time we've been hit with this kinda weather pattern. Unless Rainbow Dash tried somethin' weird last night, that is." Applejack replied while glancing at Rainbow with a smirk.

Rainbow clearly did not like that accusation at all. "Hey, you know we pegasi can't turn clouds into cotton candy and precipitation into chocolate milk. Something really weird must be going on! And I still say Discord did this!"

Discord again... Just... What in the world would anyone hope to get out of stuff like that? Making apples turn giant on trees. Turning rabbits into jackalopes. Turning the clouds into semi sentient puffs of cotton candy filled with chocolate milk that causes corn to pop. That just does not make any sense at all. It sounds like the results of a child's imagination. Well, a child with some serious sanity issues and an overactive imagination.

"Now, Rainbow. You know that's not possible. Not while we're still the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. We put him back in his place and he's not going anywhere as long as we're still here." Rarity explained with a very confident tone of voice. And they were the ones who defeated him the previous time? Just what had happened before I arrived in Equestria? I knew that they had bested Nightmare Moon, but what about this Discord guy?

Before any of us could question these bizarre occurrences, Spike suddenly heaved before belching up a plume of green fire that quickly took on the form of a scroll. Twilight immediately used the levitation spell to hold it in place before unfurling it. "Um... Oh, this can't be good... Princess Celestia needs to see us in Canterlot right away."

Celestia personally requesting their presence... The last time this happened was when Nightmare Moon tried to bring about the eternal night about five months ago. Whatever the reason for this, it must have been bad. Fluttershy seemed especially worried, but then glanced up at me before looking back at Twilight. "Does it say if James is needed too?"

Twilight seemed to glance back through the scroll again. "Well... She didn't say he couldn't stay behind... Would you like to come too, James?"

I shrugged my shoulders while cracking a smile. "I wouldn't mind seeing the princesses again. I know Luna and Nightmare Moon would like to see me again."

Rainbow Dash then smirked before nudging my shoulder. "Sweet! If we're lucky, we'll get to see some more of the knight in shining armor routine!"

"Oh, that would be stunning! But before that, just let me return my raincoat and parasol to my home. I won't need it now that the rain has stopped. I will see you at the train station, darlings!" Rarity beamed before trotting off for home.

Before anyone could say anything else, I then remembered something important. "Wait a second... I have work today. And someone needs to Tell Scootaloo that I'll be gone until later."

Rainbow Dash instantly smiled at me and gave me a salute. "You leave that to me, big guy. I'll tell Scoot what's going on and stop by the spa to let your bosses know that Princess Celestia called for you. They can't say no to that!"

"First thing's first, Rainbow. We gotta hose ourselves down first. I'm used ta gettin' down and dirty, but I just can't take being all wet and sticky like this!" Applejack spoke up while shaking some of the chocolate milk from her body. Boy, am I glad I brought an umbrella with me.

"Yeah, good idea. Feel free to leave that umbrella here, James. I'll drop it off at your place when we're done." Rainbow added before she and the rest of the girls and Spike started to head over to the farmhouse to find the garden hose. Well, except for Pinkie Pie. That goofball had to be dragged away from the cotton candy cloud by her tail. With nothing else to do, I hurried on through town to get to the train station. Hopefully we would not have much trouble getting up to Canterlot.

With the weird weather having been cleared up, the trek through Ponyville was rather uneventful. I did see quite a few of the townspeople gawking at the leftover puddles of chocolate milk here and there, but I had no time to stop. And when I did reach the station, I found none other than Rainbow Dash waiting for me on the platform with a train already set to leave the station. She also seemed to have the scroll Celestia had sent tucked under her wing.

"You're always the first one to arrive, aren't you? Unless it's a day where you sleep in, huh?" I asked while stepping over to her.

Rainbow Dash snorted, but still cracked a smirk. "You read me like a book every time. Am I that easy to read?"

"Well, maybe to me." I said while reaching out and gently stroking her mane. Rainbow managed to chuckle for a bit while gently pushing her head against my hand. Mere minutes later, we were joined by our five other friends. However, it seemed that Spike had been asked to stay behind and watch over the library in case something else came up. Regardless, we quickly piled into the train. And right after that, I felt the train lurch forward as it began to pull out of the station.

I found a comfortable spot on the closest seat I could find and just started to watch the scenery go by. Trains have a habit of drawing your attention to the passing scenery. However, I soon noticed why I was so distracted by the landscape. There was a noticeable lack of activity in the train car.

My six companions were unusually quiet during the ride. Even Pinkie Pie did not talk all that much. There was an air of...unease about us. Why? Just what had them so bothered?

While the train climbed the mountain below Canterlot, we started to get more of the same weather as before. Chocolate milk began to splatter against the window before slowly dripping down the sides. It was still very bright out and it did not have the same calming atmosphere of a traditional rainstorm. In fact, while I did initially find such strange weather to be worth a laugh, I was starting to really miss actual rain. There is nothing like a train ride during a rainstorm. But this... This felt unnatural and even a bit worrisome.

"Everything all right over here?" Twilight asked while she took a seat beside me. I glanced at her and saw that she was not smiling at all. A profound frown was set upon her lips.

While I was tempted to smile, I could not help but take note of Twilight's melancholy expression. Tenderly, I wrapped my arm around the back of her shoulders. "I should be asking you the same thing. You don't look too good."

"I guess I'm just worried..." Twilight spoke softly while letting out a sigh. Her eyes were watching the rain coming down, that shade of brown giving a rather surreal sense to whoever witnessed it. I gently pulled her closer, letting her lean against me.

After a moment, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Twilight was no longer looking out the window, but was instead looking at me directly. I could see...something in those beautiful purple eyes. A nameless fear of sorts. Finally, I decided to break the silence. "Did...something happen last time Discord was free?"

Twilight's expression darkened, as if she really did not like whatever she was thinking. She then just leaned her head against my side without really looking at anything in particular. "I really don't want to talk about it..."

Not feeling entirely up for much of a conversation myself, I decided to respect Twilight's decision and turned my attention to the window again. However, my focus was soon broken when I felt something. Twilight was tightly grasping my hand in her hoof's ankle joint. "Twi...?"

My friend was gazing up at me with a look of desperation of some sort. Soon, she held me in a tender embrace before whispering softly into my ear. "I love you... Please, don't ever change... Don't ever leave..."

I could feel a tear drip onto my neck while Twilight's grip became like a vice. To provoke such an emotional response... What in the world did this Discord guy do to her in the past? Even so, I tenderly wrapped my arms around her while tenderly stroking the back of her head. "Shhh... Love you too, Twi... I won't ever go away. You girls mean the world to me."

Twilight stayed by my side throughout the rest of the ride. Actually, all six of my companions stayed in adjacent seats. None of us were more than one seat away from at least one of us. It was odd... Almost like they were staying close to each other and me out of some sort of anticipation. Just what was I getting myself into by coming along?

After we had ascended up most of the mountain, I found that the strange weather patterns had not yet reached that high. And when we pulled into Canterlot, it seemed that everything was normal. For the moment, at least. We wasted no time and headed straight for the palace and marched right inside. The guards did not say anything or did anything to hinder our progress. And once we entered the main hall, there they were. Standing at the top of the stairs were the three royal sisters themselves. I noticed Luna and Nightmare Moon smile at me upon seeing me, but possibly due to how the situation was quite serious, they did not immediately approach me.

Twilight broke into a run, as did all of my friends, and dashed to the base of the staircase. "We came as soon as we could. What's happened?! Has Discord broken free again?" I trailed behind my friends and stood behind them while merely listening to whatever was spoken.

Celestia was the first to speak. "No, Twilight. You know as well as I do that there is no possible way for him to escape his confines as long as the Elements of Harmony are bound to those you used them upon him. He still remains bound."

Nightmare Moon then turned to her sister with a rather perplexed expression. "I was not present when he first escaped from his confines. Exactly what happened two years ago? Was it really possible for him to escape?"

Luna, who likely holds just as much knowledge on the subject, began to explain. "While the Elements' bindings on him will remain once the connection with their previous bearers has been lost, it becomes much more fragile. Any exposure to even a small burst of disharmonious energies, even from a simple argument, would empower him enough to free himself. But as long as the Elements are bound to the ones who imprisoned him the last time, escape is simply not possible."

"Then what's the deal with all that weird weather and stuff goin' on down there in Ponyville?! That isn't normal now, is it?" Applejack called out while looking noticeably irked by the whole thing.

"No, of course it is not." Celestia replied while looking rather concerned about what was happening. "It is difficult to say exactly why this is happening again when Discord is incapable of weaving his chaotic magic. If I had to make an assumption, I would guess that some of Discord's magic may have not been erased the last time the Elements of Harmony were used and have only just now manifested."

"Well... It sounds like something the Elements could easily fix." Fluttershy said while a smile began to form on her face.

At those words, Luna cracked a confident smile. "And that is why you are here. Come. The Elements await."

Together, Luna and Celestia began to lead my six companions up the stairs. But halfway up, Twilight spoke with a rather uneasy tone. "Also, I'm sorry if we weren't supposed to bring James along. It's just that I thought Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon would want to see him..."

The three princesses paused when they heard that and looked back and forth at each other. All three of them then chuckled together, as if they were finding something funny that we were not seeing. Celestia then winked at Twilight in a playful manner. "Twilight, I did say that we needed you and your friends to come to Canterlot right away. And unless something has changed, I seem to recall that James is a close friend of yours as well."

My friends and I could only look on in silence. They anticipated that I would come along? Nightmare Moon then grinned at them. "Twilight. From now on, when you receive a message mentioning your friends, remember that it also refers to him."

Twilight grinned brightly before nodding. My six friends then looked back at me with inviting smiles, as if they were silently asking me to come along. I have to say I felt a very unusual warm sensation as I heard those words. There was nothing I could say. I could only run up the stairs to catch up to them while they continued on to the hall where the Elements of Harmony are held.

I think I have already explained in a much earlier entry that it would be difficult for me to describe the whole thing. You have to see it to understand and appreciate its interior design. While we proceeded down the hall, I could not help but glance at the many stained glass windows that lined the sides. I know I had already seen them before, but knowing that they showed people I know helped me appreciate them on a level few have ever done. Although when I passed by a normal window dividing two of them, I saw the courtyard before the distant labyrinth. And among the large pony statues... Was there supposed to be an unoccupied pedestal out there? I had only seen that place once two weeks ago, so I could not recall precisely.

The walk through the hall was shockingly quiet, I have to admit. I did not hear a single quiet conversation between anyone except for Celestia and Twilight occasionally speaking to each other to relay what had been happening back in Ponyville. The air had an awkward presence to it. Me, I was mostly just along for the ride. Eventually, we reached the far end of the hall and stood before the door that blocked access to the Elements of Harmony.

"Allow me." Celestia said before plunging her horn into the circular slot that served as the lock. Upon casting a unique spell that generated a light blue magic aura around her horn, she retracted it as the lights and magic tumblers within the door began to activate.

"Remember, all you are to do is return to Ponyville and merely use the Elements to restore balance and dispel this...bizarre anomaly that has overtaken the place. Simple, really." Nightmare Moon spoke while looking upon our friends.

However, Pinkie Pie did not seem entirely pleased with this idea. "Hey, can we let this weather stick around a while longer? Who knows when we'll ever get this stuff again?! Remember, as long as there's cotton candy clouds, we get chocolate rain! Cotton candy, chocolate rain!"

"Meh, don't mind her. You know how Pinkie Pie is." Twilight said while shaking her head as an amused smile spread across her lips. Before either of us could say anything, that light blue glow shown through the doorway and revealed the jeweled box that housed the six Elements.

"You all know what to do." Luna spoke quietly as she used the levitation spell to carry the box out of the tiny chamber that held it. As it began to open to reveal its contents, she continued to speak. "Take these and return to Ponyville. Once all is well, return with... Wha... What is this?!"

Her grasp on the box ceased before letting it fall to the ground. We all looked on in bewilderment. The box was empty. The Elements of Harmony were nowhere to be seen. But... Is that even possible? It seems only the royal sisters themselves can even open that door. So who could have possibly gotten by the lock?!

"Gone?! You've gotta be kidding! I'm getting déjà vu all over again!" Rainbow Dash yelled while holding a hoof to her head while letting out a frustrated groan. I stepped forward and picked up the box before taking a closer look. It seemed that no one broke into it, but rather just removed the Elements without trouble. Who could have even have gotten to them.

"You don't think... Discord can't really be free again, right? He's the only one who..." Fluttershy whimpered while looking quite unnerved.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes while a frown spread across her lips, looking just as flummoxed as the rest of us. "Of course not. There is no possible way for that walking mess of patchwork to be out and about.

Right after she said that, there was a flash of gray light from somewhere behind us as a rather loud voice called out that I had never heard before. "Au contraire, mes petits poneys! Heeeeeee's back!"

"What the...?" I muttered before we all turned in unison to look at the source of the voice while it spoke again. Upon facing the source of the voice, I saw...quite possibly the most unexpected and random sight I had seen since... Well...since as long as I can remember. But what I saw instantly caused me to crack a crooked smile. There were three earth pony stallions with eyes closed and serene expressions on their faces lined up in a row. Two were holding two types of guitars while another had a violin tucked under his chin. Each where clad in black shirts and pants with a en exotic red bow at the base of their necks while wearing rather stylish black sombreros while rather ethnical multi-striped scarves hung over one arm. And behind them... Oh my lord, where do I start?!

From what I could tell, he seemed to be the exact same creature depicted in some of the stained glass windows I had just seen. Only instead of being crooked, his body was smooth and flexible. And he seemed far from sinister. Even jovial and jolly! But how to describe him... First thing that came to mind was that he had to be some sort of chimera. Although that was not what Twilight told me he is. Apparently, the guy is a draconi...dracone... Uh... Excuse me. Twilight, please write the correct way to spell what that guy is below this line, please.

Draconequus

Thank you, Twilight. Now, how to describe him... Well, his body is very slender like some sort of serpent, I suppose. But he does have limbs. His legs seemed to be a horse leg on the left and a...dragon leg on the right? It looked nothing like Spike's legs though and was green. The central segment of his body is brown and possibly covered in feathers instead of fur. His tail is long and slender like most of him and is covered by reddish scales and light pink hair along the spine and with a long plume of it at the tip. One arm bears a close resemblance to a lion's while the other, on the left, seems to be a griffon's arm. He even has wings, though both seem too small to carry him. And this is coming from someone who has seen pegasus fillies fly with their tiny wings... Oh, who am I kidding? If they can fly with those, he can with his. The right seems to be a purplish gray bat wing while the left appears to be a bird's wing and was a slightly darker hue of Rainbow Dash's coat colors. The length of his neck and head are covered by light grayish brown fur while his head seems to be very similar to a goat's, although he has a single thick tusk or fang hanging down from his upper jaw and some big bushy eyebrows. Lastly, the two horns on his head. The right appears to be a deer antler while the left... Well, it is light blue and has thick round segments... A more exotic type of dragon horn? Along with that, he had another one of those 'scarves' draped over his left arm while holding a silver bugle in his right hand. Hanging behind his head was another sombrero while a bow matching those on the musicians was affixed to the base of his neck somehow. Anyway, the guy seemed to be far from being some sort of bad person, let alone some evil tyrant, and instead seemed to be the crown prince of all goofballs!

Without further ado, the quite frankly ridiculous weirdo in front of us brought the bugle to his lips and began to play a tune on it while beginning to dance in a way only he could. The three musicians then began to play their instruments in unison without so much as paying the rest of us any mind. What, had he just conjured them up as drones? Even so, I was very tempted to laugh while this guy danced before us while steadily drawing closer to the three alicorns between us. Nightmare Moon gazed at him with an especially annoyed gaze and spoke, "You're joking... You're joking, right?"

After a moment more, he danced his way up to the three princesses and snapped his fingers. Three glasses of sparkling cider or champagne appeared in the air with a gray flash of light for each and began to float in the air without any signs of magical influence. "No jokes about it, my dears! I'm free again! Free of that dull and boring stone coffin!"

"Yes, we can see that quite clearly." Luna said dryly while sipping from her glass with disinterest. And.... I swear I have heard that guy's voice somewhere before, but I just cannot put my finger on it! Regardless, I was quickly finding myself liking him. My friends clearly were not in the same boat though and were glaring at him with wary scowls.

It was then that I got a good look at his eyes. They have yellow sclera and red irises. Although the right's iris is much smaller than the left. The guy who I assumed was Discord then looked at the Princess of the Night and spoke with great cheer. "Oh, show a little enthusiasm, Luna! My good fortune is your good fortune."

With a snap of his fingers, two rather hot mares appeared from nowhere beside Luna and began to cuddle and caress her with rather alluring expressions on their faces. I actually got a good laugh out of this because Luna looked rather embarrassed by this, clearly because she is not interested in mares like that. I wish I could remember how they looked, but they did not stick around long enough for me to really remember their appearances too well. And I will explain why in a moment.

Anyway, Luna was clearly not amused by this. "You know I never had any desire for your fantasy concubines. Away with them!"

Discord, clearly too jolly to see anything wrong with this, extended a hand to her with glee. "Oh, loosen up. I thought you would have been a bit more exuberant once you gave up the royal Canterlot voice!"

When Luna still did not change her expression, Discord sighed in defeat. "Oh, very well then." With a snap of his fingers, the two 'fantasy concubines' suddenly teleported over to Applejack instead.

Needless to say, my farm pony friend did not take kindly to their affections and freaked out a little while our friends looked on with their scowls turning into awkward grins with a few even starting to snicker while biting their upper lips. "Whoa, hey! Back off! You know my barn door don't swing that way! Beat it!"

Finally, Celestia put her hoof down and raised her voice. "Discord!"

The...hang on... The draconequus held his arms out to his side while looking absolutely delighted. "But I feel like celebrating!"

Celestia scowled harshly at him and again spoke loudly. "I don't!"

With a sigh, Discord frowned before snapping his fingers again. The two mares who were harassing Applejack vanished in a bright flash, but that was all that disappeared.

Finally, it was Nightmare Moon's turn to scold him. "All of it. Now."

"Oh, for goodness sake! I just can't ever catch a break with you killjoys anymore, can I?" Discord groaned before snapping his fingers, although I noticed a whimsical smirk on his face while he did so. Upon hearing the snap, everything that he had conjured up vanished in flashes of gray light. The beverage glasses, the musicians, his attire, everything. But by then, I had burst into rather hearty laughter. What a way to introduce one's self!

"Now then... You have some explaining to do." Celestia growled while looking noticeably on edge. I really could not see the reason why though. This guy, while weird and sporadic, seemed entirely pleasant! Funny, even!

Discord merely held his arms out to his sides while grinning brightly, not the least bit intimidated of the Princess of the Dawn. "What's there to explain?! I was confined in stone, but now I am free!"

He then swooped through the air like an airborne slithering serpent at surprising speed and went from princess to princess while draping his arm over their shoulders in a friendly fashion. "Do you have any idea how relieved I am to be out of there?! Joyous! I thought for sure I would be stuck in there for eternity that time! There are no... Helloooooo, have we met?"

Discord stopped himself short upon finding Nightmare Moon's face inches away from his. The Princess of Dreams merely scowled at him and spoke briefly. "Back off, imbecile."

"Ah, the Mare in the Moon herself! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that you and Luna are one in the same. Why am I seeing you alongside yourself? Or is this some sort of way to double the fun?!" Discord exclaimed while beholding my royal friend. I suppose I should not be surprise. He probably was not free when Nightmare Moon was discovered to be a separate entity from Luna not that long ago.

"Long story, Discord. That is all I will say." Luna replied while still looking rather wary of him. I merely looked on in silence from behind my friends, who also seemed apprehensive. Was there something I was not seeing with this guy?

Discord did not seem too bothered by the lack of details. "Oh, I see. Very hush hush and whatnot. Although I have to say you looked much more fearsome with the helmet. I couldn't see much while stuck in stone, but I seem to recall your appearance turning the world on its head! How I wish I could've partaken in that day of mayhem!"

Nightmare Moon promptly snorted at Discord's reminder of her darker days. "The days of being an envy-blinded demon are far behind me, Discord. But be warned. I do not suffer fools as lightly as my sisters."

"Yes, yes, I can see that in your eyes already. And... Hm?" Discord spoke before he glanced in my direction. His eyes lit up as they locked with mine. "Well, what have we here? Do my eyes deceive me? Do I see an actual human before me?"

I honestly was not certain of what to say, but my six companions instantly put themselves between the two of us. Rainbow Dash then let out a growl. "Yeah, and you can just stay right you are!"

Discord, clearly not paying my friend any mind, began to approach us with a rather...sly smirk on his face. "I thought there was something missing the last time I was free. And now I know what. There was a distinct lack of a human population. Just how much time did I spend in that stone container the first time around?"

My friends seemed understandably confused by Discord's words. And it is no surprise too, considering that Celestia and Luna have likely not revealed the reasons behind my presence in Equestria. Rarity was the first to offer a retort. "Are you certain your chaotic mind is not working right? You did not see any humans the last time we crossed paths because there have never been any humans in our world!"

Considering how ancient Discord likely he, he clearly knows much more about this world's history than we do. He smirked cheekily while letting out a chuckle. "Oh, Miss Rarity. I suppose even the bearers of the Elements of Harmony would not be keen to that little stain on Equestria's history. Did it never cross your minds before? I mean it's practically right there in Equestria's name! Celestia, what have you and your sister been hiding from..."

The wily draconequus was suddenly interrupted when Celestia let out a shout. "SILENCE!!! Not another word!"

One look at her revealed that Celestia was looking quite frustrated and was clearly desperate to make certain the truth did not become known to any of her people. At least not yet. Discord, clearly in control of the situation, was still perfectly calm in her presence. "Oh come now, Celestia. Surely your people have the right to know of..."

Once more, Celestia interrupted him. Only this time, her horn was coated by a fiery aura. "Discord. I will only say this once. Either you hold your tongue, or I will blast your jaw right off your face."

Having seen the kind of power Celestia possesses firsthand, I was actually rather fearful of what would happen if she unleashed her full might within the hall we were standing. However, despite this threat, Discord calmly sighed with minor disappointment. "Haaa... So be it. There's no need for violence, Celestia." He then turned to me and cracked a smile. "But anyway, who have we here? I certainly was not expecting to see a human this time around."

I decided to introduce myself right there. "The name's James. And you're Discord?"

He began to approach me with a smile and effortlessly pushed my friends aside with the use of the levitation spell. However, the only magic aura I saw was covering a single finger and was yellow in color. It was not billowing though. More like...a bright electric glow that was clearly different in properties from those used by ponies and my armor. There was no matching aura covering my friends as they slid across the floor either. It was as if he moved them merely with his will. While I still felt there was no reason for me to fear him when taking into account the first impression he left on me, the fact that he was this smug and relaxed in the presence of three very powerful and frustrated royal alicorns led me to believe that this creature before is extraordinarily powerful. And being able to conjure up living breathing people from nothing... Just what is this guy?

Regardless of whatever I was thinking, Discord approached me in a very open and friendly manner. "Indeed, it is! And I thought I heard a man laughing not long ago when I made my presence known. Good to see SOMEONE here has a sense of humor, not like... Oh my, what's this now?"

When Discord started to get too close, Nightmare Moon suddenly stepped between us with a look of defiance in her eyes. I know all too well that Nightmare Moon adores me, as I do her, but for her to get between us like this... She was clearly being very protective of me. Did she really not trust him? She spoke briefly and sternly, her intentions made clear. "Not another step."

Discord, much like before, did not seem worried at all and began to reach out to her. "Oh, come now, Nightmare Moon. You don't want that temper of yours to get you into any... Gwaaaaaaaarrrrggggbbbllle!!!!"

This time, Nightmare Moon did not stand there and do nothing. She unleashed a torrent of magical lightning right into him from her horn! I jumped back upon seeing this, as did everyone else. Discord kept flailing erratically as arcing electricity coursed through him, somehow giving us an occasional view of his skeletal system. I have no idea how that works... Anyway, after a good ten seconds of the treatment, Nightmare Moon relented. Discord stood before us while looking positively fried and disoriented, much of his fur either standing on end of singed. Pinkie Pie was the first to comment on that. "Yikes! And I thought Nightmare Moon was all nice now!"

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, laughed and cheered at the spectacle. "Who cares?! That was awesome!"

After a moment of swaying back and forth while a long garbled sigh escaped his throat, Discord finally regained enough of his senses to speak. It really looked like that attack had hurt him. "You zapped me..." He then shook his head to clear his mind and looked at Nightmare Moon in shock. "Luna never zapped me!"

"Well, I'm not Luna anymore, am I?" Nightmare Moon growled while glaring at Discord, her horn's magic aura ready to launch another spell if needed.

"Indeed... You are much more easily provoked!" Discord wheezed before his shocked gaze became a mischievous smirk. "How fortunate for me."

Nightmare Moon did not take those words well. Her horn was covered in crackling light blue electricity while she gritted her teeth. "Is that a challenge?!"

"Of course not, Nightmare Moon. Although I am looking forward to getting to know you. We were not exactly...capable of interacting with each other much in the past, so I hope we can fix that soon." Discord replied after having restored his body to pristine condition with a snap of his fingers. He also regained his composure quickly as well. Still, seeing Nightmare Moon actually get a shot in like that was pretty impressive.

My dear friend was not pleased with Discord's jeers at all and immediately shouted at him. "Enough of this banter! What are you even doing free?!"

Twilight then spoke up as well. "That's right! We're the ones who used the Elements of Harmony on last time and they're still connected to us! That means your restraints should still be strong! How'd you get this time?! This makes no sense!"

Discord smirked while crossing his arms. I too was quite curious of how he escaped. Although I did feel that everyone was severely overreacting to this guy. Either that, or I simply was not reading between the lines. "Oh, but what fun is there in making sense? Although I suppose you do deserve an explanation, don't you? To be fair though, I'm not entirely certain how I managed to break free myself. But I will tell you what I know."

"Fine! Just spill it already!" Rainbow said with a shout. She looked as if she was ready to pounce at him.

While surrounded on all sides, Discord began to explain the situation. However, as he spoke and paced around us, he began to walk straight up an invisible wall and across an invisible ceiling and back. Just...how was he doing that? It did not seem that he was using levitation or even a gravity spell to alter anything. It... I had no words. "I think it all started a few months back. Back in May, maybe? It's hard to keep track of time when you're stuck in the same spot and pose for weeks on end. Anyway, there I was balanced upon that pedestal right out there in front of the labyrinth with the worst itch ever on the tip of my tail with no way to scratch it! But then, I felt something...familiar. If I had to call it anything, I would say it felt like the presence of the Elements of Harmony, only...inversed."

Somehow, that sounded vaguely familiar. I crossed my arms while casting my gaze away. "Inversed... As it...opposite?"

"That does sound kind of familiar... Wait... When we went to stop Nightmare Moon..." Fluttershy gasped as she too seemed to be thinking of what I was pondering.

Nightmare Moon's eyes opened wide in shock, the realization dawning upon her as well. "No... The Elements of Chaos...?"

How could we have forgotten about Nightmare Moon's failsafe to protect herself from the Elements of Harmony when we confronted her months ago? Needless to say, Luna and Celestia were quite shocked to hear those words. Celestia turned to her sister, a mixture of anger and shock on her face. "Elements of Chaos?! Nightmare Moon, what did you do?!"

"It was solely for defense! I wove them from the residual energies left behind by the Elements' previous use! Used nothing more as a means to repel the Elements of Harmony! Perhaps... Not destroyed...but shattered and scattered to the winds... There was no possible way I could have foreseen this!" The Princess of Dreams shouted in defense. I can still remember where it seemed the Elements of Harmony were almost completely exhausted by the time the Elements of Chaos shattered under the strain of them and the Element of Humanity. They probably only narrowly escaped destruction and the energies within were carried away on the winds.

"Ah, so you are the herald of my escape? I suppose I shouldn't be surprise. You and I did have a lot in common, not seeing eye-to-eye with the rest of Equestria. Anyway, I felt this chaotic forces being drawn into me. It wasn't like a little burst of disharmonious energies released from an argument or anything like that. This boost I felt was quite significant. I knew then that I could break out of there and be free once more. At least I would have if I didn't have to constantly squirm against my confines!" Discord spoke with a smile, then a smug smirk, and finally a look of irritation.

"Squirm? Constantly?" Luna asked while showing a rather baffled look.

Discord then raised his voice a bit while bending himself over backwards while appearing to stretch. "Yes! It was only barely enough for me to strain against that stone shell! I had to wiggle and strain constantly until just yesterday to break out of there! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to push and pull to chip away at a stone shell that's worn over your skin?! The moment I finally got free of that couldn't have come soon enough!" I have to admit, as agonizingly frustrating and slow that process must have been, the way he was wording it made it sound funny. However, he then cleared his throat to regain his composure while his foot and hoof came back down onto solid ground. "And there you have it. I finally and free and set about to entertaining myself. And now here I stand before you all."

Bottom line; it seemed that Discord had been freed through a sheer stroke of luck on his part. Even so, the most sinister I had seen him be was with him jeering at the princesses or whenever he talked without trying to have fun. Kind of like a diabolical mastermind sort of way. Even so, it seemed more playful than genuinely villainous.

Nightmare Moon fell silent. I can imagine why. Knowing that her actions had directly resulted in Discord's release surely must have been guilt inducing. However, she then lowered her head and spoke softly. "I see... Then if I am to blame for this..." She then suddenly raised her head as lightning began to surge around her horn while she cast a wrathful glare at Discord. "Then it is my duty to put you back! Or put you in the ground, if I must!"

The atmosphere had instantly turned from tense to actually pretty scary. My friends and I instantly backed away as a confrontation brewed between Discord and the Princess of the Night. Only one question was going through my head. Did she even have the means to hold her own against him? Discord certainly did not seem worried and even picked his teeth disinterestedly with the claws on his right hand...uh...paw.

Just before Nightmare Moon could assault Discord, he pushed is open hand towards her as if silently telling her to halt. "Before you do anything hasty, may I remind you that I am the only person on the planet who knows the current location of the Elements of Harmony? If I'm gone, who is going to bring you to them?"

Nightmare Moon hardly seemed phased by that claim. However, Celestia took it seriously and called out to her sister. "Nightmare Moon, no! Stand down!"

With some serious hesitation, Nightmare Moon ceased channeling her magic and took a step back with still looking quite frustrated. "Fine. So, where are they? What have you done with them?"

It was actually starting to get rather creepy with just how smug and in control of the situation Discord was. Cunning. Very cunning. "Well, where would be the fun just telling you, hm? Why not a game for old time's sake? The bearers of the Elements search for them. And when they find them, I surrender without a fight. Sound fun? I know you all enjoy a game or two, don't you?"

My six friends glanced at each other before Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof at him. "Hay yeah! We know your tricks now, so we'll beat you at your own game this time!"

The rest of my companions did not seem to object. I merely watched in silence to see where this development would go. Discord, cheeky goofball he is, seemed absolutely delighted as he let out a laugh before doing a type of back flip and floating in the air as if reclining on sofa. "Stupendous! I know you won't be disappointed. But first, like before, a little hint to get you started. To find the Elements of Harmony, you must search within."

My friends just stared at him before Applejack offered a retort. "Beggin' yer pardon? Within what?"

"I know! Cryptic, isn't it? But you're a bunch of smart girls. Especially Miss Twilight Sparkle. You'll figure it out pretty soon, I wager. Anyway, I'll be around for when you decide to start looking. Arrivederci!" With that, he was gone in a flash of gray light while his jolly and rather maniacal laughter echoed through the halls.

"Sooo... That was Discord?" I finally asked, having been both thoroughly amused and intrigued by the strange fellow I had just seen.

Rarity nodded while she turned to face me. "Indeed, darling... Wait, what are you smiling at?"

I suppose it was hard to hide my expression at the time. "Why not? That guy's hilarious! I don't see what the big deal is with you girls. He's funny and crafty, so why so wary?"

My friends either sighed, groaned, or held their faces in their hooves. Nightmare Moon then turned to me and spoke. "You clearly do not know what we do. That was Discord. Spirit of Chaos and former ruler of Equestria."

That certainly caught me by surprise. "Wait... That guy ruled this place before? Sounds like it was a fun and happening time while he was in charge."

"Hardly." Luna said while she began to lead us back down the hall. I soon found her standing before the first stained glass window I had seen Discord being depicted in. The one with three ponies connected to puppeteer strings leading up to Discord himself while flames rose around them. "Do you see this, James? During Discord's reign, he kept the entire world drowned in chaos. Imagine the strange occurrences you saw in Ponyville not only kept constant, but also magnified. If he is not dealt with soon, this will spread to every corner of Equestria and will only worsen as time goes by."

After Discord's first appearance before me, it was very difficult for me to view him as being an awful person. Crafty and cunning, yes, but also jovial and friendly. And yet...the scene I was seeing being depicted on the window before me painted a very different story. Discord's expression in it seemed sadistically sly. As if he was taking pleasure in seeing the ponies below him being miserable. But...that certainly cannot be right. And yet, all of my friends had been unconditionally hostile towards him the moment he showed up. What had they seen that I have not?

"OK, girls! Discord said we need to look within! But...within what? Ourselves?" Pinkie Pie then spoke up, apparently having regained her enthusiastic composure.

"Probably not, Pinkie. But within.... Within what...? Within..." Twilight Sparkle replied before she started to pace with her head hung low. But as she passed by a normal window on one side of the hall, she looked out at the hedge maze that lied beyond it. "Within...a maze! A labyrinth!"

Fluttershy did not sound so sure about that suggestion. "Um... But didn't we look out there last time? And wasn't it not the place they were hidden?"

"Yeah, they were in a book in the library the whole time!" Rainbow Dash added while I had to suppress a laugh at the thought. In a book? The stuff you find in libraries these days.

Twilight looked over at us and nodded with a determined smile. "Yes, I know. But this time, the clue he gave us is that we must search within. And I can't think of a trickier place to hide something inside of than such a huge maze. Besides, I doubt Discord would expect us to search the same place twice. The Elements of Harmony have to be out there somewhere."

Nightmare Moon seemed rather satisfied with that claim and nodded with a calm expression. "That does sound reasonable. Come. The sooner the Elements are back in our possession, the better."

The lot of us proceeded further down the hall. But just before we could exit it, Fluttershy then spoke up again. "Wait... What about James?"

That was a good question, really. What was I going to do while I was there? I have no connection to the Elements of Harmony, so I doubt there was any reason for me to take part in this search. Even so, I did want to be close to my friends during this troubling time. "Well... What can I do?"

Pinkie Pie then smiled and hopped over to me. "Wanna help search for the Elements? It'd be really extra nice if you came along!"

"Would that be a good idea?" I asked while turning towards the three royal sisters. Surely they would know what is best.

They silently glanced at each other, as if having some sort of silent conversation. Finally, Celestia closer her eyes while her golden yellow magic aura covered her horn. After several seconds, she dispelled her magic and looked at us. "Good. Discord is nowhere nearby. Yes, James. I think it would be best if you go with them. But I must insist that you wear your armor. Just as a precaution."

"Oh, sweet! I was hoping we'd see that armor again sometime! Maybe we'll even see some awesome swordplay again!" Rainbow Dash spoke with gusto. I know she loves some occasional action, but she seems to really have taken a shine to my gear and weapons.

The thought of actually getting into a fight with Discord seemed completely pointless. From what I had seen myself, he is not a dangerous person. "Oh, come on. I don't have any desire to harm Discord. I actually like the guy."

This prompted Applejack to scowl at me before rolling her eyes. "Like him? Pardner, trust me. Yer gonna be sick of 'im before the day is done."

"Well, regardless, let us be off. Nightmare Moon, please escort our friends to the main hall. Luna and I will take James to fetch his equipment." Celestia said before Nightmare Moon led my six companions down the hall while she and Luna led me down a different path that took us to the throne room. I suppose separating us may have been the better choice. The location of my armor is a closely guarded secret, after all.

Once we had entered the throne room, Celestia closed her eyes while using the same spell as before as Luna used the levitation spell to lift the platform the throne was resting upon and revealing the spiraling stone stairwell that led down into the hidden vault. Or at least that is what I like to refer to it as.

Celestia opened her eyes and glanced around. "All right, Discord is still nowhere nearby. Hurry, let's go." With the two princesses by my side, we rushed down the stairs before Luna hastily lowered the throne back into place. I am sure it seemed nothing was out of place in the throne room after that.

"You girls sure go to great lengths to keep this spot hidden." I said while minding my feet. There were still candles lining the walls, but it was still pretty dark.

Luna, who was walking ahead of me, spoke without taking her eyes off the stairs below her. "Discord likely does not even know that this chamber even exists. And he probably is not even aware that the Element of Humanity was crafted after he was first sealed. But if he knew this place is here, he could reach it easily."

The more I heard about Discord, the more curious I got. "The way you describe this guy makes it sound as if he's some sort of god."

Celestia, who was right behind me, spoke softly. "No, not quite. But he may as well be. His power is borderline omnipotent. The Spirit of Chaos. Whatever he wishes to happen, he can make happen. I am sure you saw what was happening in Ponyville before you came here. He can bend reality itself to a certain degree. Do not underestimate him. Only our mother and father have the power to truly rival him."

Again with the mentioning of Orbash and Sunflare. If they posses the power to craft the sun and moon and Discord has the power to hold his own against one of them... Just how powerful is he?

I said nothing else for the rest of the trek. Before long, I found myself standing before the stone altar that holds my armor in its liquid state. And once again, I saw my helmet resting behind the basin, the polished white Element of Humanity gazing at me. And above it hanging on the wall, the sturdy Lunar Shield and the mighty Celestial Sword's hilt and part of its crossguard sticking up behind the shield's top. "Do I really need these? I mean... Discord won't really try to hurt me, will he?"

"When it comes to that lunatic, we can never be too sure. Your armor will keep you safe from any of Discord's more chaotic form of magic." Luna explained, her contempt for Discord being constant in her voice.

"Well, if you say so." I muttered while sliding off my shoes and feeling the cool stone floor through my socks. I then reached out and dipped my fingers into the constantly shifting liquid metal in the altar's basin. Seconds later, it began to creep up over my arm and all over my body before hardening into a sturdy metal shell. Once more, I was clad in the spectacular enchanted armor crafted by my royal friends. Only one piece was missing. I reached out and held my helmet in my hands while gazing at the Element upon it. The one Element that Discord had overlooked.

"You should take it." Celestia whispered as I beheld the helmet in my hands. I did not say anything in response, but I did turn the helmet around and place it upon my head. I heard a faint sound from behind me and found that my helmet's mane had extended from the vertical slot on the backside, completing my armor's form.

I turned to face the royal sisters behind me and saw that they were smiling. Celestia spoke first as she beheld me. "It always amazes me to see your armor in its complete state. Simply beautiful."

"Well, that's because its creators are just as beautiful and it shows in their craftsmanship." I replied while cracking a smile. My two friends also grinned happily or sheepishly, clearly appreciating the compliment.

However, Luna's expression turned serious once more. "Before you go, take your sword and shield. We must take every possible precaution."

I let out a sigh while finding myself becoming mildly annoyed by how seriously they were taking this thing. I then spoke while I used the levitation spell to lift the Lunar Shield off the wall. "Don't you think you ladies are taking this stuff a little too seriously? I honestly don't see what's so bad about the guy other than being the king of all spastic goofballs."

Once I had closed my shield's clasps over my left forearm, I saw that Luna and Celestia were giving me rather forlorn gazes. Luna let out a long sigh while she shook her head. "James... You have not seen the turmoil that Discord's obsession with chaos has wrought. To him, the only thing that matters is chaos and nothing else. He is beyond reason and cares little for how his madness affects others. It is sad, but that is what he is. And we must make certain that you are safe from his machinations during this troubled time."

Luna's words carried a grave tone to them. I wanted to believe her, I really did. But still... Discord's first impressions on me had been very positive. I could not imagine such a jolly and silly fellow being so...evil. Has he had a change of heart?

"Well... I'll be cautious. But I think I'll be OK in this armor." I replied while looking myself over. I truly did feel safe within that enchanted shell. If Discord does try to mess with me, it will likely not effect me.

"Good. Just remember, do not pay any heed to his wiles. He is not one for brute force. He enjoys sowing confusion and discourse and playing mind games. Never take what he says too seriously and you should be fine." Celestia explained while nodding in satisfaction.

I then stepped forward with my shield on my arm, but paused when I took a closer look at my two friends at the base of their horns was a gold or silver ring lined with gemstones. "You wear these all the time?"

Celestia smiled wholeheartedly upon seeing that I recognized the rings I had purchased for her and Luna a couple of weeks ago. "We do. And thank you dearly for these. Hardly anypony notices them, but we always tell them that they are gifts from a dear friend."

However, her expression soon darkened, as did Luna's. And it was then that I saw it in their eyes. The same nameless fear that I saw in Twilight's. Why? What was making them look at me like that? Were they so deathly afraid that Discord would do something to me? Before I could even say anything, the two princesses stepped forward and caught me in a twin embrace, each of them draping a wing over me. "...Ladies...?"

"Please do take care..." Celestia said with a whisper, her eyes clamped shut.

"Do not forget. Be cautious at all times." Luna added while sounding equally bothered. There was nothing I could really say. But...their fear was starting to get to me as well. I could feel it. Something that one cannot describe. A feeling of dread. But there was no time to discuss it. Together, we began to make our way back to the stairwell that led up to the throne room. I did not want to keep my friends waiting.

---

I do not like this... Discord has escaped and is now on the verge of plunging all of Equestria back into chaos. This would not be the first time. We have bested him before and our bonds of friendship only grew stronger as a result. I know we can succeed again and we know what to expect. But he... James does not. I know we can succeed, but I am still so afraid...

My name is Twilight Sparkle and I am waiting here in Canterlot Castle in the main hall with my five closest friends. Nightmare Moon is nearby and is watching over us. My dear friend, James, is somewhere with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They are probably helping him prepare for the trial we are about to face by retrieving his armor. I have no idea where it is kept, but it is likely in a place even Discord does not know about. His armor is amazing and it will probably keep him safe. But...

My friends keep looking at each other the same way I look at them. They are worried. Not for themselves, but for him. We have dealt with Discord before. And...that day was one of the worst days of my life. I can still remember the despair when my friends were forced to turn on me... If it was not for Princess Celestia reminding me what we had been through and what I had learned with them, I would have lost my friends forever. This time, we know what to expect. I am sure we are ready. But still...why am I so afraid?

"Girls... Am I the only one here who's a might worried about this whole thing?" Applejack asked while she looked at us with that worrisome gaze.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying to hide her worries, judging by that smile on her face. "Not me! We've handled Discord before and we know what he's gonna do this time! All we have to do is ignore him so he doesn't mess with our heads. Right?"

"It's not us we're worried about, Rainbow." I said while looking up at her as she hovered off the ground like she does pretty often. "It's James..."

"Oh... Right. Him..." She sighed while dropping back to the ground.

"Yeah... I... I don't know if I'm comfortable with him coming along... I'm scared of what Discord might do that would hurt him..." Fluttershy whispered while looking especially worried. I do not blame her. She and James have been lovers for a while now. Before long, I would not be surprised if they get married.

Rarity seemed to be trying to calm our worries by keeping a smile on her face. "Darlings, it is as Rainbow Dash said! We know what to expect from that scoundrel this time around. All we must do is not repeat our mistakes. So long as we do that, he will not be harmed."

"But I didn't listen... And he still did something to me that made me all mean and bitter..." Fluttershy replied while looking very ashamed of herself. I never actually saw what happened between her and Discord, so I cannot even guess how she turned into such a cruel and mean spirited person at the time. If James saw her like that... I do not think he would ever want anything to do with her again.

Even so, that was exactly what I was worried about. And I know because James and I have very much in common. And...I dread the thought of him being forced through what I endured that day. "That's exactly the problem. I know how James thinks and feels, and I can promise you that if he goes through what I did last time, he will be hurt just as much... No, worse! He's much more sensitive than I am. And...you remember the first day we met him, right?"

Pinkie Pie nodded while looking unusually unhappy. I guess even she could not be perky at the moment. "Uh huh... Like with how he was kind of lost and afraid?"

I nodded at her and looked around at my friends. "Exactly. He came to Equestria with nothing and we became his first friends when he needed us most. And I think it's no exaggeration to say that we are quite possibly the foundation for his life in Equestria. And if that foundation is destroyed..."

Rainbow Dash then spoke up while waving her hoof at me. "Twilight, you know we're not his only friends! He's friends with a bunch of ponies! Scootaloo, Mitta, Derpy, Lyra, Nightmare Moon... The list just goes on and on! Aren't you overthinking this a bit?"

I frowned at her. She clearly was not getting my point. "That's not what I mean! What I'm saying is that we're probably more important to him than anypony else in the world right now. I still remember when I thought that our friendship had ended last time Discord was loose. I still had some friends, but at the time, it did not register with my mind. All I could think of was what I had lost... You girls... You're the best friends I've ever had. I can't imagine life without you anymore. I'd do anything to keep our friendship going!"

All my friends smiled very warmly at me with truly grateful smiles. "Twilight... We can't imagine being without you either..." Fluttershy spoke tearfully before she and the rest of my friends rushed forward and held me in one of the warmest group hugs I have felt in quite a while.

As soon as the hug ended, I continued with my explanation. "But you understand what I mean, right? If I was that devastated when it happened to me, just imagine what it would do to James! It would break him... I can't bear the thought of him going through what I did..."

Pinkie Pie then raised her hoof and called out with a smile. "Then let's make a promise to make sure that we don't betray him or let Discord mess with our heads again! No, not just a promise. Let's make it a Pinkie Promise! Because nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!" But she then suddenly poked Applejack in the chest and looked her dead in the eye with a kind of menacing glare. "NOPONY."

Oh boy, I could see what she was getting at. She was reminding Applejack of when she used a loophole to get around a Pinkie Promise by simply not telling her what she wanted to know at the place and time we had agreed on. But that is not important now. Even so, Applejack seemed a little unnerved by Pinkie's glare. "Uh... Heheh... Yup, nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise! And I say we all promise."

We all came together and formed a circle, reaching out and touching our hooves together. Rarity then spoke first. "Then let it be said. We hereby promise to resist any and all of Discord's manipulations that may cause us to turn upon each other a second time. And to insure we do not bring any sort of harm to our newest and very dear friend. We promise. For him. And for each other."

I feel so much better after we did that. We just have to stay confident. I know we can overcome this problem as long as we work together as friends. Discord will not get to us a second time, now that we know what to expect. And we even Pinkie Promised! No way we will fail now!

I here them coming. James and the princesses must be getting close. James has been carrying around some paper with him all day and has been jotting something down in it every now and then. Probably another journal recording. I am going to hide this in James' journal entry at the first chance I get. Just in case something goes wrong, this will serve as a permanent testament that we promised to not fail. But I know we will not fail. We cannot fail. I need to go. And best of luck to us all.

---

I found Nightmare Moon and my six closest friends waiting for me in the center of the center of the main hall. And they all instantly looked up at me the instant they heard the clanking of my greaves. Rarity, as usual, was the first to comment on it. "Oh, looking smashing, darling! I just cannot get enough of the knight in shining armor look!"

However, Fluttershy seemed naturally puzzled and even worried. "Um... Is it really necessary for James to be wearing the armor? Discord's never been violent before."

The two royal sisters and I descended the stairs together while Celestia offered an explanation. "We will not be taking chances on this. Just to be safe, James will be wearing his armor for the duration of this crisis. I hope that isn't a problem."

Pinkie Pie then reared up on her hind legs and lifted her arms into the air. "No way! That armor's awesome!"

However, once I got to the bottom of the stairs, Luna stood before me. "One last word of caution, James. I know Celestia and I have been tutoring you in the use of magic, but I can assure you that you are still not ready to use what we have been teaching you in a live fire situation. I doubt it will come to such a point, but do not attempt to use any magic you have not yet mastered."

In all, we have had only three of so training sessions since we first started. And while I have gotten a bit of a grasp on various types of advanced and even elemental magic, I have yet to perfect anything outside of the basic levitation spell. "Will do. I doubt I'll even need it."

Twilight, on the other hand, seemed intrigued by this revelation. "Magic? Wait... You've been teaching him in secret?"

Celestia cracked a smile at her student. "Yes. Every Sunday afternoon, Luna and I stop by his home with his armor so we can train him in harnessing more of his armor's magic potential. And he is advancing at a steady pace."

My friends all looked up at me while bantering in unison, apparently impressed at the thought that my armor's magic capabilities are that high. Completely forgetting about the problem at hand, Twilight then grinned at Celestia in excitement. "Is it possible that I can teach him how to use some magic sometime? I promise I'll watch over him as closely as a hawk!"

Celestia and Luna chuckled together at my dear friend's enthusiasm. Luna then smiled and said, "Let's discuss that once the problem at hand has been resolved. Do you need us to guide you to the labyrinth?"

"No, we know the way. Come on, James! Let's go find the Elements!" Twilight replied while she began to lead our friends towards the backside of the palace.

Before I got very far, I stopped before Nightmare Moon. Unlike the other two princesses, her expression actually seemed calm and confident. Had she and my other friends done something to lift their spirits? Regardless, she smiled at me and tenderly nuzzled my chin due to my helmet mostly covering my cheeks. "Take care my friend. I know you and your friends will be victorious."

"Thanks. I don't think it'll be too rough though. See ya." I replied before running off to catch up with my friends. I was actually caught by surprise on just how fast I can run while wearing my armor. Perhaps if I wore it more often, I would remember that bit about it.

Before long, I found myself out in the courtyard with the labyrinth spread out before us. Those walls of leaves and branches actually reached quite high, even compared to my height. Regardless, Fluttershy seemed a bit nervous on having to go in there. "Um... Do we really have to search through the entire place? It...looks really easy to get lost in there."

Rainbow Dash then boldly stepped forward and spread her wings. "Yeah, but you'll have watching for anything from above!" She then took to the air and began to rapidly ascend while flying towards the maze ahead. "I'll let you girls know if I spot anything shiny!" However, right after she finished saying that, there was a bright flash of grayish light on her back and... Where did her wings go?!

Sure enough, Rainbow Dash noticed that something was amiss when her ascent began to slow. When she looked back at herself, she let out a groan while she fell out of the air and hit the ground with a thud. "Oh, come on! Not again!"

I actually got a good laugh out of that unexpected sight. And I quickly deduced that Discord was responsible since that grayish color to that flash of magic was consistent with his actions before. "Able to bend reality at will... I guess they weren't kidding!"

There was a flash of the same light on Fluttershy before she shrieked upon seeing that her wings had vanished as well. Only I was not expecting the horns on Rarity and Twilight Sparkle's heads to vanish as well. Rarity let out a horrified scream, but Twilight just seemed annoyed by it. "Of course, should've seen this coming!"

Right after that, I heard Discord's familiar laugh. "Ohohohoho! It's always even funnier the second time around! It just never gets old!" He then continued to laugh before appearing before us in another flash of gray light while standing tall.

Rainbow Dash then climbed to her feet and stomped her hoof once. "Yeah, yeah, real funny. We get the drill! Everypony plays fairly, so no wings or magic allowed. Right?!"

"Yes, quite right! Good to the brashest of the bunch still has a functioning brain." Discord said while suddenly and quickly slinking over to her and lightly tapping her on the head. I too must confess that while Rainbow Dash is brave and athletic, she certainly is not the brightest of the group. Although the dimmest is undoubtedly Pinkie Pie, from what I have seen. But that is beside the point.

I finally felt the need to speak up after glancing at my four companions who had just unwillingly been turned into earth ponies. "This is only temporary, right?"

Discord smiled smugly before continuing to speak. "Of course, they'll get them back in due time. As Rainbow Dash here said, wings and magic are not permitted to prevent any form of cheating. The second... Wait a minute, what happened to you?!"

It was only then that Discord took a good look at me and my armored form. "That's some fancy and fine armor you've got there! Like the wings, but the mane is a little too girly for my tastes."

"Oh, who asked you?!" I groaned, personally finding the aurora and night sky mane coming from my helmet to be more ambiguous than feminine.

Despite that, Discord began to circle me in ways that only such a slender and flexible body can while frequently dropping to all fours. "I see some Luna on you and a splash of Celestia. Did you turn them into your clothes?! Hey, Celestia! Good choice on being the wings! You always did have the loveliest wingspan!"

Oh my lord, this guy was cracking me up big time. Even some of my friends were not able to stop themselves from at least snickering. Very soon though, he regained his smug and calm composure. "Unfortunately, those wings have to go if you're going to play. Don't worry though, you'll get them back once the game is over."

He then snapped his fingers. But there was no flash of magic light. Discord, seeing that nothing had happened, looked at my large folded wings with a perplexed gaze. He then snapped his fingers again while the rest of his body remained still as stone. When that did not work, he began rapidly snapping his fingers while looking more and more frustrated. Honestly, this guy should do standup sometime. "Oh, for crying out loud! I know I said you have some lovely wings, Celestia, but you need to get off!"

We all broke down in laughter at Discord making a fool of himself. To see someone that smug and powerful being completely unable to alter my armor... It is a satisfying experience. Finally, I decided that Discord had embarrassed himself long enough. "How about I promise to never once use my wings?"

Discord immediately stopped snapping his fingers and looked at me with a rather curious stare. "You promise? Are you sure? Because the second rule of this game is that everypony must participate. If even one breaks the rules or forfeits, you all lose..." He then began to tap his fingers together in a rather diabolical way. "And I win. Are you sure you can go through the game while resisting the temptation to fly?"

"Yes, I'm sure. So can we get started now?" I replied while wondering just how many more times Discord would make me laugh. I decided to omit the fact that my gauntlets allow me to use magic, but I also decided to make a mental not to never use any for the sake of playing fair.

"Oh, glorious day! It's been far too long since I last had any fun with a human! This is going to get very interesting!" He then flapped his wings and began to hover above us with arms spread wide. "Head on in and this game will get started! Best of luck, everypony!" And after another bought of jolly laughter, he was gone in a flash.

"Man, I don't think I'll ever get tired of that guy. Wearing the princesses... Ha!" I said with a laugh as I started to approach the maze's entrance with my friends.

"I just don't get what see in that guy! Meh, whatever! We're here now, so let's get this party started!" Rainbow Dash grumbled while she walked next to my right. Fluttershy stood to my left with Pinkie Pie and Rarity beyond. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack stood to Rainbow's right. I was walking right down the middle. However, as soon as we set foot past the towering arched entrance, we were caught by surprise as tall hedges shot up from the ground and cut us off from each other while another sprang up behind us and locked us inside the maze.

"Stay calm, everypony! There's nothing to worry about! We just need to keep looking until we reach a point where our paths cross!" Twilight called out while the rest of my friends sounded rather startled. I too found this to be somewhat unnerving now that I was basically a rat in a maze.

I then heard Fluttershy speak from the other side of the hedge to my left. "Um... Right! James, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, honey. I'm just going to finish writing this and leave it here before I get going." I replied while writing this part here.

"James, are ya still carryin' that journal around?! This ain't exactly the time for that!" I heard Applejack yell from somewhere to my right.

While I certainly suppose she had a point, a day as straight-up weird as this is worth documenting. "It's fine! I'm almost done here! I'll just leave it here so I can come back for it once this...game is over. Go on ahead and I'll catch up!" One by one, I heard the sound of clopping hooves becoming more and more distant.

Just in case that crazy chocolate milk rain reaches Canterlot, I brought my paper along in a weatherproof binder to keep it safe. And now I should finish this entry up. Still, what an interesting mess this has turned into. Although I am not really worried at all. Actually, I am having fun! And Discord... What an odd yet funny guy. He seems far too fun loving to be dangerous or sinister...

But...if that is the case...then what is this overwhelming sensation of dread I am feeling right now? It is as if my gut is trying to warn me of something... What am I getting myself into? What am I going to find in this maze? What is Discord going to do next?

Perhaps I am just overthinking things...but this dread will not leave me. I pray Discord is nowhere near as vile as my friends have kept making him out to be. I need to stop writing now. My friends have gone ahead and I need to start searching too. Wish us luck. I have no idea what I am going to find out here.

-Final recorded document ends-