Part 1: The Rise of Discord
The plan was simple; eradicate all possible threats to harmony and peace in Equestria. One would say that such a task would be impossible. They might be right. But to a certain six individuals, impossible was just an excuse not to try. That's why they would be heading out into the Everfree forest, to face Equestria's most dangerous threat: King Sombra. But most ponies thought that Sombra had been defeated in the Crystal Empire, blown into the oblivion of shadows. This however was not the case.
Before King Sombra was defeated, he cast a spell upon himself. This spell gave him a complete and functional mortal body. While everypony witnessed the death of Sombra, it was merely an illusion. Sombra had escaped, and was hiding in the most dreadful part of Equestria. Perhaps even more dreadful than the Badlands.
A year had passed and Sombra was planning and living in peace, aside from evil, sentient vines and the attack of Tirek almost wrecking his makeshift temple. Nopony had known of his inhabitance in the forest. Until Twilight Sparkle made the unfortunate discovery. Because of this, the Mane Six had prepared a plan for him. They were to use an ancient spell created by Starswirl The Bearded. This spell swapped personalities amongst two beings being subjected to it. The plan was risky. The Mane Six were going to use this spell on Sombra and an innocent bunny. Of course, the bunny agreed to it first, according to Fluttershy.
Unfortunately, there were dastardly consequences to follow, very much involving a creature from another world. This is the story.
Twilight galloped around the castle library, searching for one book in particular.
"Oh, sweet Celestia, where is it?! SPIKE!" She called for her reptilian assistant. Twilight continued to search frantically as Spike walked in.
"Yes? What is it?" Spike was a bit disgruntled, as he was just awoken from a nap.
"I need your help finding a book. It is important. It contains a spell by Starswirl The Bearded. The personality spell?" She received a groan from Spike as he walked over to the S section of the library.
"You mean Starswirl's Special Spells?" Spike asked as he pulled out the book.
"Yes, thank you!" Twilight exclaimed as she rushed past Spike and grabbed the book, nearly knocking him over.
"Gee," Spike muttered, "Your welcome."
Twilight slammed the book down on the desk and began flipping through it.
"This very spell could control the very fate of Equestria itself," Twilight explained, "and Princess Celestia asked me to find it. Ever since I found out Sombra was alive, she and I have been looking for a way to get rid of him once and for all. There is no telling what he could already have planned." She was still searching when Fluttershy walked in.
"Oh, hi Twilight. Um… I… I was wondering if I could stay here in Ponyville while the rest of you went into the forest after… King Sombra." Fluttershy looked at the floor and began digging with her hoof.
"Fluttershy," Twilight looked at her, "we need you to come with us. You are the only one out of all of us that can communicate with animals. We need you there to reassure the bunny through the whole process."
"Okay, I… I will. I'll come with," Fluttershy agreed.
"Good, now I need to find this spell," Twilight said as she turned back to the book.
"Can I go back to sleep now?" Spike asked.
"Yes, Spike, until I need your help again."
"Thanks," he replied, then uttered, "that won't take very long."
Fluttershy went and sat down in a chair nearby. She waited patiently for Twilight to find the spell. Twilight exclaimed upon finding it at last.
"SPIKE!" She called out to him once more.
Spike had barely laid down when he was called. "I knew it," he said. He walked into the room again. Twilight saw him and handed him a paper and quill.
"You know the drill," she said. "Dear Princess Celestia," she addressed, "I have found the spell for the Sombra plan. Now I wait for your further instruction. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Alright Spike, send it." Spike held the paper and blew his green fire onto it. The message was sent.
A few moments later, Spike burped, and a letter came out on a wisp of smoke. It read: " I will skip the formalities and just tell you to proceed into the forest. Best of luck." Twilight signaled to Fluttershy. They walked toward the door.
"We have to get Rarity first," Twilight explained, "We need her magic to pin down Sombra while the spell is being performed. There is no doubt that he is going to struggle. We also need everypony else to help."
"Can I come?" Spike asked, hearing the mention of Rarity in the conversation.
"I am sorry, Spike, but you could get hurt. This is a dangerous mission. I would hate myself if anything happened to you. Please… stay here." There were tears forming in her eyes. Spike could tell that she was serious. Reluctantly, he accepted, and went elsewhere in the castle.
After Twilight and Fluttershy had gathered the other four elements of harmony, they set off. Sombra's temple was deep in the forest. It would take a little while to get there, so, they walked with a purpose. Everypony was silent, as they didn't want to disturb any Everfree forest wildlife. Although the silence seemed out of character for Pinkie Pie. She was normally loud and excited, but on this mission, she was as quite as a church mouse. Or… whatever was the equivalent of that in Equestria. Anyway, the six quietly trekked through the darkness towards the temple. It seemed all too silent for the Everfree forest at this time of night.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie stood still. She twitched slightly.
"Everypony, duck!" She hissed. Then, as the group took cover, an arrow came sailing above their heads. Then, a target appeared and caught the arrow mid-air, disappearing as the assailant marched out of the bushes towards them.
"DISCORD," the six ponies whispered angrily.
"Yes," he retorted, "that's me. Spirit of chaos and ex-attacker of Equestria." He bowed, just as he was shushed violently by the six mares. "Sheesh," he finally whispered, "what is your problem?"
Applejack took a step closer to Discord and spoke up. "We are on our way to put an end to King Sombra, and we need to be sure not to raise alarm, ya hear?"
"Wow!" he whispered, "Sombra is still alive? But I thought-"
"That is what the rest of Equestria thought," Twilight said, "and that is still what they think. That is why we need to get rid of him quick, before anypony else finds out."
"Oh," Discord realized, "can I come with?"
"What?!" exclaimed Applejack, "No! You would just get in the way!"
"I promise I won't be too much trouble!"
"No! No, no, no! What part of the fate of Equestria do you not understand?" Applejack was growing pissed.
"It's alright AJ," Twilight said, "as long as he doesn't jeopardize the mission, he can come."
"Ooh, goody! Thank you!" Discord cheered.
Applejack eyed him up and down while the rest of the Mane Six stayed silent.
"Alright," Pinkie said commandingly, "let's go."
Everypony began marching off again. Fluttershy had been carrying the bunny for the spell through the whole forest. She was making a canopy of her wings for the bunny to stay cool, as the forest temperatures skyrocketed on certain days. The forest had a mind of it's own. It could do what it wanted, when it wanted. That was probably why everypony was scared of it.
By the time the group had reached the temple, they were all out of energy. Even Rainbow Dash, who had strength and stamina for days and normally hovered above the ground was walking, at a slow pace as a matter of fact.
"Okay," Twilight said, "we need to be very quiet. I will teleport us inside, and each of us is going to have a job. Rainbow, you are going to keep watch with Applejack. Pinkie, you are going to create a diversion for Sombra while Rarity gets in there to pin him down. Fluttershy, hang on to the bunny during the spell. This could get disastrous." Everypony agreed to their jobs and stepped in closer, preparing for the teleportation.
"What about me?" Discord asked. Twilight studied him.
"You can stand out of the way like a good dragonequis, okay?" Discord reluctantly nodded his head. Then he stepped in closer for the teleportation. In a flash, they were inside. "Alright, Rainbow and AJ, stand by the entrance. There are two gryphons guarding it. Make sure they don't come toward Sombra's chambers. Let's move!"
Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood near the entrance, watching vigilantly for the guards. Pinkie tip-toed into Sombra's chambers.
"Hey, hey King Sombra!" Pinkie exclaimed. Sombra sat up fury filled his eyes as he came to realize who the trespasser was. He got ready to attack, unaware of the three ponies and dragonequis in the shadows. Just as he jumped up in the air to kill her, Rarity used her magic to freeze him. He began struggling. Fluttershy came out with the bunny and raised it above her head with her wings.
"WHAT IN TARTARUS ARE YOU DOING?!" Sombra boomed. Then, there was yelling to be heard from the entrance. The guards had been alerted. Applejack and Rainbow Dash could be heard fighting them. Twilight positioned herself and aimed her horn at Sombra. Discord was intrigued. He came a little closer to see clearer. Twilight charged up the spell on her horn. There was a reddish and greenish tinted aura surrounding her horn. Sombra continued to struggle. Then, Twilight fired the spell.
Sombra was risen into the air, snatched from Rarity's spell. The same happened with the bunny. Sombra's and the bunny's eyes turned a blinding shade of white. Both bodies went limp as ragdolls. A green wisp of smoke could be seen coming out of either of their mouths.
Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. Sombra's magic had somehow come out of his horn and interfered with the spell. Electricity coming from the spell shot all around the room. Unfortunately, one bolt of electricity hit Discord, adding him to the spell. The electricity was going out of control. Then, without warning, a bolt knocked the bunny out of the spell. The bunny laid unconscious on the ground.
Twilight couldn't control her magic any longer. She had become a zombie performing a spell. Her eyes turned white as well. The wisps of green smoke came out of Sombra's and Discord's mouths now. They swapped places, and went into their new hosts. The room was chaotic with lights and flashes. All everypony else could do was watch in horror as the spell violently twisted the participants bodies all around. Finally in a flash of light, their bodies were dropped to the ground. They laid there unconscious, like the bunny. There was silence in the entrance hall as well. Applejack and Rainbow Dash came in the room, blood caked in the fur on their faces. They looked like they had come back from war.
Twilight was still in her zombie-like state. She stood there lifelessly, still breathing, but lifeless nonetheless. Pinkie Pie walked up to her and waved a hoof in her face. No response. Fluttershy looked at Sombra, then at Discord, and then at the bunny. It was too much for her to handle. She fainted.
Finally, Twilight came to. She shook her head and looked around the room. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw what she had done. She looked at Discord with deep confusion.
"What in the great name of Celestia happened here?" she asked.
"I am just as dumbfounded as you, darling," Rarity said, "all I saw was sparks and Discord being swapped with the bunny." Twilight's eyes widened. She approached Discord and crouched down. She studied him and looked away. She got up and paced around for a bit. She looked at Applejack and Rainbow.
"What happed to the guards? Wait… is that blood?" Twilight jumped back.
"We'd rather not bring that up," Rainbow Dash said, looking at Applejack and sharing the same solemn expression as her. Twilight ran her hoof through her mane in frustration. She didn't mean for this to happen. What was Princess Celestia going to think? They had just committed a murder and possibly ended the future for Equestria itself. Twilight immediately thought the worst.
"Oh no… Princess Celestia is going to send us into exile for this! We're doomed!" Twilight pranced around nervously.
Then, a deep laughing could be heard. Everypony looked over. The laughter was coming from Discord. He stood up and looked at Sombra's body.
"Such a waste. He had all of this evil, all of this potential, and he never had the mind to use it. Tsk, tsk, tsk. No matter, I can succeed where he failed."
"No you won't!" Applejack cried, "because we can stop you!"
"Ha-ha-ha, silly Applejack, I know that. It is true," Discord's gaze lowered, "You are able to defeat me… on your own turf. That's why the battle won't be here. No, it will be on another world."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, confused as to what he meant.
"Well, do you remember most of the planets you learned about in astrology?"
"Yeah, why?"
"There is one planet we dare not speak of," Discord explained, "this planet said to be corrupted before it's time. The beings of this planet are driven by war. Friendship is practically a lost element there. I believe that you know what planet I am talking about. I hope you won't let this planet's issues get in the way of you saving it. In the mean time, farewell."
With that said, Discord blasted a force field around himself, knocking the group away from him. He pointed a talon at the sky, and muttered a foreign phrase. Suddenly, he turned into a beam of light, and shot through the ceiling, into the stars. Twilight stared at the ground, shaking her head. She had read up on almost every planet. Unfortunately, she had forgotten where and what that planet was.
"Come on," she said, "gather everypony and let's get out of here. We must inform the princesses at once!"
Authors note: That was the first chapter. Hope you enjoyed!