Chaos Rising
Chapter 1: How Many References?

"You can't gripe forever you know."

"Just watch me."

Josh rolled over to look up at Discord. The draconequus sighed and picked him up, holding him at arm's length. Josh glared at him.

"This isn't healthy for you." Discord tutted. Josh rolled his eyes.

"Pray tell, oh mighty draconequus, what is? Perhaps a brief hunt? Oh no, wait, I'm being hunted. Or maybe I should go for a walk outside the castle? No, I can't do that either. Put me down and let me gripe."

Discord, sighing, obliged, and looked around the room Josh had confined himself to. The walls were covered in side-lances and swords, all made for ponies, and a book wrapped in chains sat on a pedestal at the back of the room. Several suits of armour laid scattered on the floor, either rusted or far too small. He looked back at Josh, who had curled up on a pile of furs and leather armour.
"Why can't you just fly down to the town? It's not far."

"I still wouldn't make it. The only wards that can stop the Windigoes are over the castle, and I'm not a fast flyer. Heck, I can't even fly properly yet." Josh replied, burying his head into his body. Discord watched him for a few minutes, but gave up and teleported outside. Josh looked up at the door.
"I only want to go home." He whispered, curling up again and trying to sleep.

"Nothing. Again."

Discord walked into the castles kitchen, when Moon was pulling random foods out of the cupboards. She looked up, reaching in with one arm to get as far in as she could.
"He still won't act?" Discord nodded, pouring himself a chocolate milk of glass. Moon groaned and reached in with both hands, pulling out a large horn. "It's been two days, he can't sulk forever, can he?"

"Quote, 'Watch me' Unquote." Discord replied, draining the liquid in a single gulp and crunching the solidified chocolate in his mouth. Moon chucked the horn aside and began pulling yet more objects out of the cupboard.

"He really thinks that hiding here is going to solve all his problems?"

"Apparently."

Moon tutted, throwing aside a large jar, which broke behind her. A cat screeched. "Celestia certainly won't be held back by your wards, certainly not since she has Luna on her side as well."

"I know." Discord sighed. He sat down on a chair and crossed his limbs. "But he won't listen. I've been in there five times in three hours and all he does is point out why it would be a bad idea to run, then go back to sleep. There's got to be a way to bring him round."
A blue ball appeared suddenly in front of Discord, floating in midair. He peered into it.
"Or maybe," He said, grinning, "We won't have to..."

"Hurry!"

Twilight fired a blast of energy at the chimera in front of her, sending it flying. Rainbow Dash flew up behind her and wrapped her forelegs around the unicorn.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Rainbow Dash shouted, trying to lift Twilight up. Twilight wrenched her friend off with her magic, blasting the advancing horror again.

"Yes you are! I've done enough wrong already, you help the others!" Twilight yelled back,

"Not happening!" Rainbow yelled.

It was a bit stupid, as the others were already near the edge of the forest, and Twilight was only getting attack because she'd stood on a flower, but she hadn't thought of that.
It didn't help that it was Poison Joke, which this time had decided that making Twilight make squeaking sounds whenever she stepped was a good laugh.
Twilight hit the floor with a quack, and stamped her hoof with the sound of an air horn.
"Happening!"

"Josh is my friend too, and I know that if you want to make it up to him you'll make the right move and run!" Rainbow yelled, dodging a swipe of the chimeras paw.

"He won't want to make it up to me!" Twilight yelled.

"Yes he will!"

"No he won't"

"Will!"

"Won't!"

"Will!"

Twilight blasted the chimera in the head again, turning to Rainbow Dash and poking her in the chest. "I am not going to bring back bad memories for him by-"
She stopped talking when she realised Rainbow was gaping. She turned around to look at the chimera-
Where the chimera had been until it got pile driven into the ground. Standing in its place was an albino griffon. Twilight gaped. Rainbow shot up into the air.

"That was incredible!"
She flew over to the griffon, who lowered its head. Rainbow began making motions with her hands.
"It was standing there, and you just came out of nowhere and smacked into it with one big WHAM!" She smacked her for-hooves into each-other. The griffon flinched. Rainbow flew in front of it.
"That was awesome! I'm Rainbow Dash, but my friends-"

"Shut it Rainbow, I already know it."

Twilight's mouth hit the floor. Rainbow stopped in shock, looking at the griffon. "Is that... Gilda?"

Gilda looked up, looking Rainbow straight in the eye. "Hey Dash. Long time no see."

"I've lost it."
Angel groaned and looked over at Winonna. The dog looked around, holding its nose in the air.
"That weird thing put me off, we've go completely off scent."

Applejack looked at the animals, then at Fluttershy. "What're they sayin'?"

"She can't smell him anymore. We must have gone the wrong way."

"Great."

The remaining four ponies, one dragon, a rabbit and a dog, all groaned slumped to the ground. Pinkie reached into her bag and pulled out a small cake and knife, cutting it into slices. She began handing them, and looked around them. The pink pony sighed.
"We're lost, aren't we?" The group all nodded, and she groaned. "And not an oven in sight..."

Rarity pulled a stray twig out of Pinkie's mane, and started doing the same for everyone else. "We could be in worse places I suppose." She pointed out. "Tartarus, GamerCon, Blueblood Mansion..."

The group nodded again. Pinkie got up and shook herself like a dog, sending leaves and branches flying from all over her body. She stopped and began smoothing down her coat. "Yeah, it's not like we don't stand a chance of getting ba-"

The group stared at Pinkie Pie, who was staring off into space. She started moving suddenly, and shouted suddenly. "Knee twitch eyebrow wiggle tail twitch blink three times faceplmph!"

Rarity carefully pulled Pinkie's face out of the ground and shook her. "Darling?"

Pinkie grabbed her head and jumped into a battle stance. "Brace yourselves, unexpected encounter!"

Applejack got up and looked around warily. "Unexpected encounter with what?"

"I don't know, it wouldn't be unexpected if I did! Then it would be beware of danger silly!" Pinkie replied, rolling her eyes.

The rest of the group slowly got up and looked around wearily. Pinkie kept jumping around to face in random directions. After a few minutes, Applejack sighed.
"Pinkie, I hate to say it, but-"

A tree behind her rustled. She jumped back from it, as did the rest of the group. Pinkie frowned. "That's- Tail twitch!"

Twilight hit the ground with a thud and groaned.

"Sorry bookie!"

The entire group looked up. Rainbow Dash was hovering above the tree, and facepalmed.
"Still can't do subtle, huh?"

"I thought the branch looked solid enough, I guess she's fatter than I thought."

"I am not fat!" Twilight yelled, pushing herself up.

"Whatever."

Pinkie Pie glared up at the third figure. "You? Miss Meany Mcmeanmean?"

"Yeah, me. Bask in it, Pinkie."

Pinkie spat at the ground. "Why should I bother, she already gave up."

Rarity gasped. "Pinkie! That's terrible!"

Pinkie looked at her friend and sighed. "Right... Sorry Gilda."

The griffon hit the ground in front of Pinkie and pulled her into a crushing hug. "Apology accepted! Let's go, you've got better things to do than sit around worrying all day!"
Gilda let the party pony go, and looked around at the group.
"And I reckon I know just the place to start."