Thousand Son in Equestria, part 6 (The Son Rises.)

>You are Twilight Sparkle
>You're the smartest, most magically competent Unicorn in Ponyville
>You're surrounded by four of your best friends
>You've saved the world twice.
>And you're terrified.
>Anonymous left you to go chasing after Discord, leaving you and the others with a monstrous, insane Sweetie Belle.
>Things got hectic the second Anonymous left you all. Sweetie's hair turned into a freakish nest of fanged tentacles, and she's been screaming and trying to smash Rarity into the library walls.
>And you STILL can't find the Elements
>Could today get any worse?


>You regret even thinking that as another of Sweetie's hair tentacles lashes out at you
>You block it with a bubble of purple magic and turn to shout
"PINKIE! Have you found it yet!?"
>The bubbly pink pony pokes her head out of the pile of books on the floor, narrowly dodging another lashing tentacle.
>"Nope! Why'd you keep the Elements in that reference guide anyway, Twilight?"
"I just wanted to keep them close in case another disaster like Discord popped up!"
>Applejack jumps over a low swung tentacle, yelping in surprise.
>"Well look how well that turned out, sugarcube! Mah sister's gone haywire and so h-"
>"WE HAVE NOT GONE HAYWIRE, APPLEJACK. WE'VE JUST SEEN THE TRUTH! AND IF YOU ALL JUST...HOLD...STILL..I CAN SHOW IT TO YOU AS WELL!"
>That would be Sweetie, who's grown a pair of blue bird wings and is fluttering around the library ceiling like a deranged canary.
>One of her tendrils grazes Spike, who finally falls of the ceiling with a sick thud and a groan.
>You've got to stop this.


"SWEETIE! You need to just calm down! Be reasonable about this! If you've got some 'truth' to share with us I'm sure you can do it without smashing us like pancakes!"
>"SHUT IT, TWILIGHT! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER LAPDOG OF THE FALSE ALICORN!"
>False Aliwhat?
>Rarity speaks up, and it's about time, too. None of the rest of your friends can even get through to Sweetie Belle.
>"Sweetie, please! I know you're mad at me, but we can fix this, Sweetie! You don't need to hurt anyone! Just talk to your sister! Tell Rarity what's wrong!"
>Sweetie howls and turns her attention to the unicorn, who hops out of the way of another tentacle-volley
>You lash Sweetie Belle with a telekinetic spell, sending her tumbling on her oversized wings.
>Spike groans beneath you, and you glance at him in worry.
>He looks sickly, and he keeps groaning...
"Spike! Spike are you okay? Spike, talk to me!"
>He's like your little brother.
>And you might be losing him.



>As you stare at Spike gasping on the floor, two of Sweetie Belle's tentacles go for your throat
>A yellow-pink blur slams into your side, knocking you out of harm's way as Fluttershy of all ponies hauls you to safety
>She's shaking like a leaf and whimpering, but she wouldn't leave a friend in danger.
>Things are falling apart, fast. Pinkie can't find the Reference Guide that hides the Elements, and you and your friends can't keep Sweetie Belle distracted forever.
>As if responding to your thoughts, Sweetie Belle's horn twists and glows, and a magical bolt streaks from her horn to strike Rarity in the flank
>The fashionista yelps and falls over, her legs paralyzed.
>The constantly changing Sweetie Belle hovers over her with a grin, her horn lighting up again.
>"NOW COME HERE, BIG SIS. SO I CAN TEACH YOU ALL ABOUT CHAOS! WE'LL BE BEST FRIENDS AFTER THIS, YOU'LL SEE! MAYBE DISCORD'LL EVEN GIVE YOU DAEMONHOOD, LIKE ME!"
>As she closes in, Spike shakily gets to his feet and lets out a gargantuan belch, followed by an even larger blast of green fire.
>The onslaught of flame washes over daemon Sweetie, consuming her in a brilliant flash of flame and teleporting across the continent.
>You run over and hug your little scaly brother. He's okay!
"Spike, you just saved our lives!"
>He taps your hoof and points to his mouth. His cheeks are still bulging.
>Apparently he's got a message to send to you, too.

>You back away and ready your horn, in case it's Discord sending some new horror at you through Spike's message network
>Just then, Pinkie pops out of the book pile.
>"Twilight, Twilight! I found it! Now we can fix S-hey where's Sweetie Belle?"
>Rarity and Applejack fix Pinkie with a steely glare.
>"My SISTER is gone, Pinkie. And she certainly does not need 'fixing!' She's just confused and twisted, is all! We just need to use Twilight's little memory spell and she'll be right as rain!"
>You facehoof. You forgot you even had that spell.
>Spike opens his mouth, and you and the others trot out of the way as he lets out another massive blast a flame
>The flame surges and flares in brightness before flaring out completely, leaving two battered forms splayed out on the floor
>It's.....the Princesses!?
>You run over, gasping in concern as you take in the burns and scratches on Princess Celestia's fur and the cuts on Luna's neck.
>Celestia stirs as you approach.
>"Oh, thank goodness. I wasn't sure...that would work. Twilight, my faithful student....the Elements...do you have them?"


"Princess, I-"
>Pinkie suddenly pops up behind you, jamming the big-crown thingy onto your head behind your ears.
>Celestia finds it in herself to giggle at your crazy pink friend.
"Yes, Princess, we have them. But Rainbow Dash...she's distracting Scootaloo right now. Princess, what happened? Did Discord do this to the Crusaders? Did Anonymous? What's going on!?"
>Celestia rises to her feet, gently hushing you as she and Luna regain their footing, causing you and your friends to instinctively bow.
>"Yes, my student, Discord is loose. As for the cause of this calamity, the Crusaders let him out. He must have tampered with their minds while imprisoned. Anonymous is not ENTIRELY to blame, but he set them on this path without knowing entirely what he was doing."
>Celestia's voice grows a little cold when she mentions Anonymous, but you've known your teacher long enough to know she's not truly angry, just disappointed.
>Something else occurs to you.
"Do you know what happened to him, Princess? He said he was leaving to fight Discord. What happened in Canterlot?"
>Celestia's face grows grim.
>"He found Luna and I battling that monster over Canterlot's sky. He cast some spell, I am not sure what, and tore Discord from the sky. They battled for a time in the statue garden while my sister and I rested, but when we went to join the conflict, Anonymous was gone, and Discord rose to challenge us again. We cannot stop him without the Elements of Harmony, Twilight Sparkle. He's far too strong."


>You stomp one hoof on the floor.
"Don't worry, Princess! We stopped Discord once, we can do it again!"
>Applejack speaks up.
>"Uh, beggin' yer pardon, Twi', but we can't stop much of anything with Scootaloo still chasin' Rainbow all over town, and Applebloom still out there rampagin'."
>Oh.
>Right.
>Suddenly, you get an absolutely genius idea!
"Princess, I know you and your sister are tired, but we need your help. Discord's done something to Applebloom and Scootaloo, turned them into monsters! If you two can, uh, subdue them, we can turn the elements on Discord no problem!"
>Celestia eyes you strangely, amusement flickering in her eyes.
>"Why Twilight, you sound positively like a general. Was that an order?"
>You flinch
>Suddenly visions of being trapped on the moon flash through your mind
>Celestia giggles at your discomfort while Luna rolls her eyes.
>"Only joking, dearest Twilight. Come, let us save your friend."
>You gulp and lead your teacher out of the library.


>You are Rainbow Dash
>The fastest flyer in Equestria
>And for the first time in your life, you don't think you're fast enough.
>Every time you think you're leaving Scoots in the dust, her roaring daemon scooter is right behind you, that laughing skull face screaming threats and declarations of love at your backside.
>"ISN'T THIS SO MUCH FUN RAINBOW DASH!? AREN'T YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF!? IT'S SO MUCH FUN, BUT IT'S STILL WRONG. YOU'RE STILL FASTER! THAT JUST ISN'T RIGHT! I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE YOUR STUPID WINGS AWAY! MAYBE IF I PUT THEM ON MYSELF I'LL FINALLY BE FAST ENOUGH, HEY RAINBOW? MAYBE I'LL FINALLY BE PERFECT!"
>It's not Scootaloo it's not Scootaloo it's not Scootaloo
>It's just a monster that looks like her
>"AFTER ALL, RAINBOW DASH, I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN! I JUST WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO BE YOU, WAS I? I WASN'T FAST ENOUGH, OR 'COOL' ENOUGH! HOW ABOUT NOW, DASH? AM I FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU?"
>Oh Celestia, it is Scootaloo!
>Wait, Celestia? You see her striding out of Twilight's library, and at that moment, you're sure you're going to die.
>Celestia's come to welcome you into Pegasi heaven. But you'll be damned if you're going out with a whimper and a bow.
>You're Rainbow Dash, Celestia-damnit!
"HEY CELESTIA, LOOKOUT BELOW!"
>The God-Alicorn of Ponykind looks up to see you come diving at her like a cyan bomb, a daemonic, scooter riding pegasus filly in tow.
>She rises into the sky, as if to greet you, but passes right over your head, on a collision course with Scootaloo.
>How rude. You go out of your way to greet your afterlife with gusto, and she just flies over you like you're cho-
>Oh, right. The ground.


>You are Princess Celestia of Equestria.
>You've safeguarded the lives of your little ponies for time immemorial.
>And today, you might have to kill one of them.
>You can sense the malicious chaos roiling inside Scootaloo in front of you, the same corrupt power that Anonymous wields and Discord embodies.
>You are far too familiar with that kind of disgusting power. It's the same kind that tainted Luna's mind a thousand years ago.
>And if Luna can be saved, so can Scootaloo.
>You meet the screaming daemon prince in the air with a clash of metal on flesh and a flash of light.


>Scootaloo screams at you, a daemonic roar mixed with a filly's whimper, as your sunlight burns her corrupted flesh.
>Her armor peels and blisters in the face of your unleashed light, and she lets go of her scooter to cover her skull-like eyes
>You carry her off of the scooter even as the daemon machine cuts at you.
>You're going to take this creature far away from Ponyville, where it can't hurt your ponies anym-
>You gasp as Scootaloo belches purple fire into your face, forcing you to flounder in the air and crash on the outskirts of Ponyville.
>The daemon-filly tumbles out of your grip, and you slide to your hooves across from her.
"Scootaloo. Scootaloo, I need you to focus. I need you to remember who you are, and WHAT you are."
>You don't want to do this. By Faust, you don't want to do this.
>"BE QUIET, FALSE ALICORN. YOUR SCREECHING IS NOTHING BUT PAIN AND LIES!"
"Scootaloo please. Don't make me do this. Not again."
>She roars and charges you, eyes clenched shut to protect her from your radience.
>You charge out to meet her.


>You are Rainbow Dash
>And you have a headache the size of a dragon's flank.
>You can hear your friends around you as Twilight's magic slowly lifts you out of the dirt.
"Oh...uh...hey guys. Did we win? Is Discord defeated?"
>The others sigh and give you a group hug as they realize you're not dead
>Heh. works every time.
>Pinkie hugs you especially tight before popping that element necklace over your head.
>Twilight, all business, like usual, breaks the hug first.
>"Discord isn't gone yet, Rainbow. We've got the elements, we just gotta put him back in stone, like before."
>Right.
"Wait, where's Anonymous?"
>Silence. Cold silence.
>Pinkie breaks it, sounding as sad as a broken heart.
>"He's...he's gone, Rainbow. He tried to stop Discord by himself, and...he's gone."
>Fluttershy gives out a quiet sniffle
>You weren't one for that sappy stuff, but you almost sniffle yourself. You were just getting to know the guy!
>You wipe what is definitely not a tear from your eye, and turn a hard gaze on Twilight.
"Where's Discord. We're taking him out. For Anonym-"
>"Hold it."
>That'd be Applejack. Her eyes are dry as sand.
>"What about mah sister? I can't just leave mah kin....like that."
"Applejack, we ca-"
>"We shall handle Applebloom."
>That would be Princess Luna, who had kept silent until then.
>She turns, and melts into a shadowy fog that races away down Ponyville's streets toward Applebloom's distant roars.
>She was one of your immortal rulers, but boy did she freak you out something fierce.


>You are Princess Luna of Equestria
>And you are in agony
>Every step you take, every beat of your wings brings the pain soaring back
>It's worse than the first time Discord was released, so much worse.
>The power of chaos throbs in the air, seeking out that dark part of your soul, that Nightmare, and singing to it
>Every single second you have to fight the urge to give in, to let Chaos flow through you once more as you enact your will on Equestria.
>And the fight hurts.
>You follow the sounds of the child-prince's roars, passing the battered ponies who weren't quick enough to get out of Applebloom's way.
>Two of those bodies aren't moving. You have to stop this.
>You find her in an alleyway, bearing down on two terrified fillies.
>"BLOOD! HAHAHAHA! BLOOD! BLOOD FOR THA BLOOD GOD!"
>You rematerialize in the alleyway behind her.
"Applebloom. Your princess commands you, stop! Leave those two fillies alone!"
>She turns one orange eye on you, her hair dancing like fire.
>"FALSE ALICORN."


>The hostility in her gaze is enough to make you rear back in surprise
>You are used to seeing fear in ponies eyes when you appear, not this...hate.
>It's almost refreshing.
"Applebloom, I understand. I know what you're feeling right now. I can sympathize. It hurts, to have a bigger siste-"
>"BE SILENT!"
"er. It's painful, to have someone you look up to so much, and to live with the knowledge that you might never be their equal."
>"YOU KNOW NOTHING!"
"I know what it's like, Applebloom, when ponies look down on you for something you can't help. Like being a blank flank, or...raising the night."
>"RHRGRGLGLGLGLGRAAARGH."
>She's starting a rage, trotting down the alleyway towards you. You can feel her anger.
>It makes the pain worse.
"Applebloom, don't fight me. Don't make this more painful than it has to be!"
>She's charging, now, charging and snorting fire like a demonic bull.
>You start into a canter of your own.
>The time for talking is over.
>You feel the Nightmare bubble up inside you.
"You will regreT THIS, FOAL."
>You let the Nightmare out.


>You are Twilight Sparkle, and you are terrified again.
>You just saw your mentor crash, taking the daemon Scootaloo down with her.
>Light and discordant sound keeps flaring up from outside of Ponyville as two powers clash.
>And Applebloom's roaring has cut off. Only howling and screams come from that part of Ponyville. It terrifies you.
>You have to stop this. You have to stop Discord.
"Alright, girls, come on. We HAVE to put a stop to this!"
>Applejack's still looking at the spot where Luna disappeared to.
>You trot over and nuzzle her for support.
"Come on Applejack, I know you're worried, but now's not the time. The best way we can help your sister is by stopping Discord."
>She nods slowly, but her eyes are still trained on that spot.
>You and the others start cantering through the town. You know Discord's here. You can feel it in your horn, like a slow building headache.
>Eventually, you make it to the Ponyville town square, where Discord sits on his weird little throne, nursing a bottle of milk.
>It's eerily similar to the last time you took him down.
>Here's hoping it goes the exact same way.


>Discord tosses away his milk and starts to rise from his throne.
>He starts a slow clap
>"Well done, ponies! Well done, indeed. You've gathered the elements and stopped my champions from there rampages. I am truly defe-"
"Shut up, Discord."
>He stops, looking at you in surprise.
>"Why Twilight, I'm astou-"
>"She's right! Shut it, you meanie!"
>FLUTTERSHY, of all ponies, is hovering in the air, a look of absolute fury etched on her butter-yellow face.
>Discord's face is a study in shocked silence.
>Applejack speaks up next.
>"You're going to fix what you did to Applebloom, or so help me Celestia ah'm gonna buck your head clean off!"
>Rarity's next, fire burning in her sapphire eyes.
>"My Sweetie Belle is suffering because of you, you monster! And I'm going to return the suffering tenfold!"
>Rainbow speaks up next. She's oddly quiet and serious.
>"Discord. When you're stone again, I'm going to break you apart into each of your different pieces for what you did to Scootaloo."
>Pinkie Pie trots up next, angry tears in her big blue eyes.
>"You're going to PAY for what you did to my friends, Discord! You're going to pay for what you did to Anonymous!"
>Discord's shock fades, his face curling slowly into sly grin.
>"But Pinkie, dearest. Anonymous is right here."
>The air shudders before Discord's throne, and the Warp shudders and tears as a blue-armored figure steps through it.


>You are Anonymous.
>And for the first time in what feels like years, your mind is clear.
>You know your purpose now. You exist to serve Chaos. Hope is an illusion. The goals and desires you and your brothers held for a better universe are nothing.
>The will of the Gods is all that matters.
>Your Master warps away from behind you with a chuckle and a laugh, leaving you alone with the six brightly colored xenos in front of you.
>One of them, a pink one, perks up immediately as you appear.
>"Anonymous! You're alive! You're okay!"
>The purple one speaks up next.
>"A...Anonymous? Is that really you? How'd you escape Discord?"
>How do these horse xenos know your name?
>You decide that it does not matter. It must be Tzeentch's will. Just as everything is.
>You lift one gauntlet, pointed at the horses.
"Burn."
>Warpfire erupts in a stream, screaming towards the xenos monstrosities.


>Your warpfire blast crashes against a sudden purple shield
>A memory surfaces in your mind. A similar battle, a similar shield.
>The horse xenos have a psyker. Of course.
>You pour more warp energy into the fire, and the purple xenos grits her (Her! How would you know that, pawn?) it's teeth as you pour more warp power into it.
>The shield begins to crack, and the glowing eye slits of your helmet narrow.
>This creature is nothing against the raw power of the Warp.
>You can hear them shouting behind the bubble.
>"Twilight! Twilight! It's Discord! Discord must be controlling Anonymous, like he di-"
>"I figured that out, Pinkie!"
>"So use the memory spell, silly-filly!"
>Just a little more.....ah, there it is.
>You shatter the xenos' warp barrier with a crack of sound, then teleport among them.
>Chaotic warp fire springs up on your arrival, and the xenos screech and run (or in some cases, fly) away.
>You spin and hurl a storm of doombolts at the retreating form of a white xenos.
>She screams and her horn glows, tearing rocks from the ground to blunt Chaos' power.
>The impact sends her sprawling, and you pull your sword, taking a step forward to finish her off, when you feel a horn jab you in your leg.
>"Anonymous, come back to us! Remember!"


>What is this? Memories....some sort o-
>(Fight it, pawn! It must be a mind control power of some kind! Do not be slave to xenos!)
>Mind control. Of course. You are an Athenean. No alien will rule your mind.
>You force the purple abomination out with a surge of will and Warp power
>She gasps and backs away, but not fast enough.
>You swoop down on her like a descending angel, lifting her(it!)it by the neck in one of your massive gauntlets.
>With a single twist of your wrist, you could snap it's flimsy neck.
>But that's not enough. This thing tried to twist your mind. You can only return the favor.
>It is trying to speak to you.
>"Anonymous, fight him! Fight him, damn you! Remember! Remember that fight in the square? The time you did...this...to...Spike? The...party?"
>It's running out of air.
>You send out your thoughts, invading the purple xenos' thoughts.
>You hear a whistling in the wind and a buildup in the Warp.

>There is an explosion, a roaring, rainbow-colored shockwave in both the Warp and realspace.
>What madness is thi-
>Impact
>You topple like a felled tree, your gauntlet releasing the purple xenos
>The left side of your helmet is damaged, the eye deformed and the ceramite buckled inward.
>You catch yourself before you hit the ground, barely aware of the purple xenos teleporting away from your side.
>You snarl and move to lift yourself from the dirt, commanding your damaged body to obey you.
>You will not fail
>(YOU CANNOT FAIL. BURN THEM.)
>You will burn them.
>You look up, and you see the six xenos gathering in some strange formation, the blue one and the white one limping over to join them.
>There is a stirring in the Warp, more fearsome than anything you have ever encountered.
> (HAHAHAHAAHA! SO THEY'LL TURN THEIR VAUNTED 'FRIEND' TO STONE, AFTER ALL!)
>They begin to float into the air as you struggle to coordinate yourself after that strike.
>The purple one's eyes open, white as pure snow.
>The warp power bursts, and a roaring rainbow fires out of them and flies at you like a freight train.
>The light washes over you.
>There is pain.
>Then darkness.


>The darkness fades
>You open your eyes.
>You take a breath.
>You take. A breath.
>You rise, your eyes finding the group of six exhausted-looking ponies who are staring at you happily.
>You reach out an arm towards them.
>You can feel the muscles in your arm moving.
>Your eyes can see the red of the ceramite on your armor.
>Wait. Red. Red armor. You can feel your arm. You can breathe. You can feel your chest fill with air when you breathe.
>You are alive.
>A shadow of the Warp no longer.
>You look down at yourself, clad in the red armor of Magnus' sons, the blazing son emblem on your shoulder marking your legion.
>You are Anonymous.
>You are alive.
>You let out a dusty croak from a throat gone dry without use. Tears, acrid and bitter, fall from your eyes behind your helmet.
>You are alive.
>Your friends-Your FRIENDS-have granted you a gift greater than you could imagine.
>You glance up at them, and you see them approach you, still tired.
>Pinkie, always the most forward, is first to speak.
>"A-Anonymous? Is that you? Are you-"
"I am back, Pinkie. I have returned, my..my friends."
>Pinkie runs at you and wraps your leg in a hug, and you smile behind your helm.
"I have much thanks to give you, to give all of you. But that is for later. Right now..."
>You hold out your hand, and your force sword flies back into it from the broken scraps of your old armor.
"We have a God to kill."