Chaotic Origins

Sonic awoke slowly, fully expecting to find himself back in the room of darkness and shifting patterns. Instead, he was lying on soft green grass, the spreading branches of a tree waving above him. Bright red apples dotted the branches above him. Sonic considered grabbing one to eat, but surprisingly he was full, despite not eating for who knows how long.

     Getting up, he stretched, only then noticing the light rain that was falling. He had been sheltered by the tree's leaves, but he wasn't going to stay there. He laced his fingers together and stretched his arms forward, pushing his palms out  and making his fingers pop.

     That was when he saw the two dark bands encircling his wrists. They pulsed faintly, and tiny patterns moved across their surface. He groaned, wondering what exactly they were there for.

     "And just what sort a' creature are ya, anyways?" drawled a southern accent behind him. Sonic spun around to see a... pony. He just stared, his mouth hanging slack as he took in the newcomer. She was an orange color, having a blonde mane and tail. Both were caught in a loose ponytail, and to top it all off was a comically large stetson. Her green eyes glittered with intelligence. She grinned at his consternation.

     "Ah'll ask again then. Just what sort of creature ARE you?" Sonic finally shut his mouth and responded.

     "I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!" he responded with his trademark grin, which faltered when the pony in front of him burst into laughter.

     "Well, ya gotta be the strangest hedgehog Ah ever did see! Ha, well, Ah'm Applejack, apple farmer and caretaker of Sweet Apple Acres."

     Sonic looked down at her proffered hoof before realizing she was going to shake his hand. He hesitantly did so. Then he laughed uncomfortably.

     "So you can probably tell, I'm not from around here. I just want to find my way home. Know anyone who could help me with that?" Sonic asked, not sure how to approach the subject.

     "Why, sure Ah do! Just follow this road and it'll take ya to Ponyville. Follow the main road and yah'll see a tree with a door in the front. That there's the library. Inside you'll find Twilight Sparkle. She can solve just about any problem put to her. If she isn't there, just ask around town. Somepony's bound to know where she is." Applejack explained. "Make sure ta tell her Ah sent ya."

    "Kay. Thanks, Applejack!" Sonic turned to leave, but turned around as Applejack called him.

    "One more thing. If Ah hear ya hurt anyone, Ah will come find you and buck yer head off your shoulders. Understood?" Sonic was taken aback by the intensity of her gaze. He nodded, and smiled goodbye before tearing off down the path.

     "What in tarnation?!" Applejack exclaimed, but stopped, coughing in the dust.

     Sonic quickly found the library. It was a tree, after all. He stepped inside, his eyes quickly adjusting to the muted light. He stared at the mass of books, on the walls, littering the floor, stacked on tables.

     "Welcome to the Ponyville library. How can I help yoooouu..." As the pony who greeted him actually looked at him, she completely lost track of what she was saying and her voice dwindled away. Then she got a predatory look in her eye. Sonic started backing toward the door, ready to make a break for it. He was unfortunately interrupted by the door being shoved open from the outside.

     "Twilight! Have you seen a blue hedgehog that walks on two legs anywhere? Applejack told me about him and I wanted to see him. Oh there he is!" A rainbow colored pegasus hovered over Sonic as he stood up, the door having knocked him over. He stood up only to find himself staring at her rose-colored eyes that were inches away from his own.

     "Woah! You're pretty weird looking!" Rainbow Dash said.

     "Says the flying skittles." Sonic retorted. Normally he would have been more open and easy with comments like that, but it had been a long day.

    "Huh? My name's Rainbow Dash, not Skittles. I don't even know what that is." Rainbow said.

     "Of course you don't. Anyways, have you ever heard of personal space?" Sonic snapped, for Rainbow was still hovering inches from his face.

     "Okay! Yeesh, I'm moving. Sorry!" Rainbow snapped back.

     "Now, now, there's no need to argue. Now, as for you..." Twilight interrupted before turning back to Sonic, an eager light in her eyes.

    "Ye-es?" Sonic responded uneasily.

     "Oh, boy, this is going to be great!" Twilight squealed. "Just think, a whole new, previously undiscovered species! I am going to have to run tests, to discover your physiology, of course. How many are there of you?" Twilight demanded, only to realize that the hedgehog in question was no longer there. The door swung on its hinges, and a trail of dust led out of the town.

     "Oh no! Why did he leave?" a now very distraught Twilight asked.

     "I don't blame him. You must o' scared him silly with your talk of tests and all!" Rainbow Dash laughed.

     "But, but, but..." Twilight stuttered, her disappointment written all over her face.

     "Don't worry, Twi, I'll catch him for you. I'll just explain that you mean well, even if you do go crazy sometimes." Rainbow promised.

     Twilight pouted, but then grinned thankfully. "Thanks, Rainbow." With that, Rainbow Dash zipped out the door, hot on the dust trail Sonic left behind.

     In the meanwhile, a very relieved Sonic was tearing out of there.

     "What a bunch of crazy kooks," he muttered. Running over the nearby plains, he turned to see a great city perched atop a mountain. He whistled appreciatively, just before he got tackled by a rainbow blur.

     "Aha! Gotcha!" Rainbow crowed before doing a 180° back to Ponyville. Sonic squirmed, his arms trapped against his sides with the pegasus's forelegs wrapped around his chest.

     "Lemme go! Let go!" Sonic yelled, his feet flailing.

     "Stop squirming! Not until we get back to the library," Rainbow calmly replied.

     "Are you serious? Did you not hear what she was saying?" Sonic responded, miffed at being caught.

     "Don't worry, I heard. She really isn't that bad, she's just a geek. She loves sciency stuff. And believe me, tests like that only take a moment," Rainbow explained, winging toward the library, which was just ahead.

     "I still don't like it," Sonic grumped.

     Rainbow touched down just in front of the library, letting go of Sonic in one instant and pushing him inside the next.

     "I got him back, Twilight!" Rainbow called.

     "Aaah! Thank you!" Twilight exclaimed, looking for all the world like a filly who had gotten what she'd wanted for Hearth's Warming Eve.

     "Just don't go overboard, okay? I have had enough with evil scientists for a lifetime." Sonic requested. Twilight looked guilty for a second, looking down at her hooves.

     "Sorry about that," she said softly. "I've just never met somepony like you." She grinned excitedly.

     Sonic sighed. It was hard not to get caught up in her enthusiasm, and he knew he was being a bit of a jerk.

     "Eh, don't worry about it." Twilight squealed adorably, absolutely thrilled. After a moment's thought, her horn glowed, and a lavender line of magic stretched from it to the bands encircling Sonic's wrists. He felt a small jolt, but the feeling only lasted a moment. He looked at her questioningly.

     "Don't worry. I just enchanted it so that it records your heart rate and breathing and health. Also, as a side effect, I will know where you are at all times." Twilight explained, not at all phased by the irritation on Sonic's face.

     "Oh thanks, cause it's not like I would want you to ask permission or anything," Sonic deadpanned.

     "Oh! I should send a letter to the Princess!"Twilight exclaimed, her magic picking up a scroll and a quill, and she furiously began to write. After a moment, she called, "Spike!" In response a small purple dragon came down the stairs, immediately knowing what Twilight wanted by seeing the scroll held in her magic. He grabbed it from her, covered it in fire, then walked back up the stairs.

     "Enjoy the rest of your day off, Spike!" Twilight called. He didn't respond, but merely disappeared into one of the rooms.

     "There, now we should hopefully get a response by tonight, if the Princess isn't bus-" Twilight was interrupted as both she and Sonic were enveloped in golden light, to disappear in a shower of sparkles.

     "Well that was quick. The Princess did it in ten seconds flat this time." Dash smirked before walking out the door.

     "What the what?!" Sonic half yelled, shocked by the sudden change in scenery. The transport had felt similar to Chaos Control, but it was different enough that it left a tingling sensation.

     "So you are the hedgehog Twilight spoke of," a clear voice said. Sonic turned to see a large white alicorn standing above him. She towered over him, easily standing twice as tall as he did. Then she tilted her head in curiosity, her magic holding up Sonic's wrist, where the dark band of energy pulsed.

     "Why, this feels like Nexus energy!" Celestia exclaimed. As soon as she said that, Sonic could feel the raw power of the bands spread through his body, claiming control. His eyes glowed white, before his irises turned black, with shifting patterns dancing through them. Dark blue streaks ran up his arms from the bands, and a dark blue aura rolled off of his body.

     "You guessed correctly, Celestia," Sonic said, but his voice was not his own. Rather, the voice he had heard from the Nexus came out of his own mouth.

     "Lawbringer! Is that you!" Celestia asked, recognizing the voice instantly.

     "Indeed, though this body is not my own," Sonic/Lawbringer replied. "I am using this young one as my messenger. He is also Energyborn, like I am, but he does not exist because of your power. He exists because of hers." Sonic/Lawbringer pointed at Twilight, who had been pressed against the wall this whole time. She could feel the raw energy rolling off of Sonic in waves. She had felt them when she first laid eyes on him, but now they cut through the air like knives.  It scared her, to tell the truth.

     "M-me?" she stuttered, not believing she could be responsible for a living being's creation.

     "Yes, you," Sonic/Lawbringer affirmed. "When you were young, you tried to hatch a dragon egg, yes?"

     "Well, yeah, but I was only four at the time." Twilight answered, not sure where he was going with this.

     "Then you experienced a magical surge, creating chaos. You could not control your own power."

     "Yeah?"

     "All that energy had to go somewhere. So it went into the Nexus, creating this being." Sonic/Lawbringer's finger pointed inward, at himself. "That happened 19 years ago, and this young one does not believe me when I tell him his true origins. So I brought him here, where he may meet his creator in person." Sonic/Lawbringer explained.

     "I must go now," Sonic/Lawbringer continued. "The true owner of this body is beginning to struggle against my control. Do not worry, he has taken no harm from this, and he knows all that transpired." After he said this, Sonic's body reverted to its natural state, losing the dark aura that surrounded it.

     He fell to his knees, gasping heavily. "Well, it sure is weird to be a passenger in your own body," he breathed. He was still getting used to the fact that the Lawbringer could apparently take over his body at will. That's just weird!

     "I never want to do that again. And not only that, he's still trying to convince me I'm 'Energyborn' or whatever it is he called it. How stupid is that? You don't actually believe him, do you?" Sonic asked Twilight and Celestia. After seeing the look they gave him, he repeated himself more hesitantly. "Do you?"

     His question was ignored, however, as Twilight suddenly squealed. "Oh my GOSH! I created a sentient life form! That is so COOL!" Twilight grinned, and Celestia smiled down at her student.

     "Twilight, you're starting to sound like Rainbow Dash!" Celestia giggled at her student's antics.

     "Oh, I am, huh?" Twilight realized, laughing at herself.

     "You seriously believe that load of bull?" Sonic yelled, taken aback by their acceptance of that fact. Celestia looked at him kindly.

     "What Lawbringer says is true. All that he has spoken is real. You were created by the energy of the Nexus. Why is that so hard to believe?" Celestia tried in earnest to make Sonic understand.

     "No! I'm not some freak of nature! There is no way I'm a result of a random clash of energy. All my life I've believed it was my destiny to become who I am today, that everything I've done was meant to be. Now you're telling me that I was a random mistake, that I am here now because SHE messed up! I can't, won't believe that!" Sonic yelled. Twilight flinched visibly when he referred to her 'mistake'.

     Celestia frowned, her disappointment washing through Sonic. He was sensitive enough to know when he had crossed the line, and sensitive enough to feel the Princess's disapproval. He looked down at his shoes, glaring and crossing his arms. His ears were pointed back, not wanting to hear the scolding he knew was coming.

     "I am disappointed. No matter what your opinion is, you have no right to blame Twilight for her so-called mistake. What you would condemn was what made me decide to have Twilight as my student, and what caused your existence. You should be glad that it happened. Perhaps I shall give you some time to think on it." Celestia scolded. When she finished, she teleported him away. She sighed and looked down at her protégé.

    Twilight sniffled, taken aback by Sonic's ferocity. He didn't seem like a bad pony, but he was slowly proving Twilight wrong.

     "Please forgive him, Twilight. I can tell from his demeanor that he is normally carefree and kind. It is simply that his whole life outlook is being overturned. Hopefully you can grant him some peace." Celestia pleaded, hating the forlorn look in the lavender unicorn's eyes.

    "I know, Princess. I know he doesn't mean it. I just wish there was some way for him not to be angry at me." Twilight explained. "By the way, where did you put him?"

     Celestia laughed. "He is currently in a room with no windows and a locked steel door. I got the feeling he needed a time out."

     Twilight laughed at Celestia's punishment. Then Celestia levitated a platter with tea and small cakes on it over to them.

     "Come." The Princess commanded. "I heard the garden is sporting some new moon roses."

     Sonic paced in his cell, hating the confines of the walls which were entirely too close. He walked back and forth, muttering under his breath. Then he sighed, and sat down on the cot that was the room's only furnishing. The bands on his wrist glowed softly, and he could feel the soothing pulse that rang up his arms. He ignored it, determined not to calm down, especially when it wasn't his decision and his alone.

     He had been in this infernal cell for two hours. He could tell because a clock hung on the wall above his bed, it's constant ticking serving only to irritate him further. He leaned backwards, laying down on the cot, his legs swinging off the edge. The light from the candle on the floor lit up the whole room brightly, more than any normal candle could.

     His sigh echoed softly, whispering against the walls. He frowned, still in denial that he was created in the Nexus. It was against everything he believed. He knew he would never be average, but at least he was normal. And then here was these creatures trying to tell him otherwise!

    He looked up as the door swung open, and Twilight and Celestia walked in. When he saw who it was, he scoffed and went back to staring at the ceiling.

    "That is how you would treat royalty AND your creator?" Celestia's voice rang out so harshly that Sonic rolled off the cot in surprise. He stood up, trying to cover his startled reaction. Even so, he saw Twilight giggling softly.

    "Not my creator, and not my ruler," was his cheeky retort. Celestia sighed, shaking her head at his foolishness.

    "You are going to have to accept the truth, and you cannot insult people to cover your own denial! Considering the circumstances, I have decided that you will stay with Twilight. She will teach you the rules of magic and energy, and you will help her with whatever she requests," Celestia reported. Sonic stared at her in disbelief. Then he laughed, a short, terse laugh that spoke volumes in and of itself.

     "You expect me to be a servant? I still have to get back home." Sonic said, sure of his argument. He wasn't ready for the response.

     "Since Lawbringer thought it wise to bring you here, I will trust his judgement. You will remain here until Lawbringer sees it fit to return you to your own world." Celestia gave him a smug look, and even Twilight looked pretty pleased with herself.

     Celestia then levitated a gold ring over and slid it onto one of Sonic's fingers. It slid on perfectly, resting at the base of his right ring finger. He stared at it.

     "And this is for what, exactly?" he asked, dreading the answer.

     "It will keep Twilight apprised of your emotional state," Celestia responded levelly. He stared at it in consternation.

     "Oh, and only I can remove it," Twilight piped up.

     "Well isn't that just dandy." Sonic complained.

     Celestia then surprised him by walking up and wrapping her forelegs around him, her wings pulling him into a feathery embrace. He just stood still and endured it, wondering what exactly was going on.

      "I know this is hard for you, but I do want to help. Trust in us, and trust in Lawbringer. He views you as a little brother, you know. He wants to help." Celestia stepped back, smiling down at him. He just gave her a dubious look, and shrugged his shoulders. She then wrapped both Twilight and Sonic in her golden aura, and teleported them back to the library. She sighed softly.

    "I hope this works."

     The moment they got back, Sonic tore off. He ran fast and hard, breaking the sound barrier, and pushing himself as fast as he could go. Twilight teleported to the top of a hill to watch. He was running in circles, looping and dodging in complex patterns, his after image spreading through the whole area. She could feel the signals coming from the ring he wore. He was frustrated and confused. He was trying to lose himself in the simple act of running, but it wasn't working.

     Suddenly he stopped, his after images fading away. His ears were perked, and his posture showed he had heard something. That was when Twilight heard the screams. He ran towards Ponyville, and Twilight teleported in front of her library, just in time to be surrounded by timberwolves.

     She shrieked, the creatures slobbering and licking their chops. In that moment, Sonic skidded in front of her, bristling his own spines at the creatures.

     "Back off, ugly! That is, if you can walk without tripping on your tongue!" he taunted, his arms spread to protect Twilight.

     In response, they leaped at him. Twilight watched as Sonic jumped up to meet them, his legs spinning to crush their jaws, sending splinters everywhere. The wolves howled in pain, and attacked with their deadly sharp claws. He ducked underneath, spinning on his hands to push himself up and driving his feet into the chest of one, and landing hard on the back of another. He reached down and wrenched its head clean off, throwing it at another. Leaping off, he grabbed one by the throat and shoved it into another, both of them exploding into firewood against a nearby wall. He punched right through the chest of one who had reared on its hind legs. He swept its legs out from underneath it by sweeping his leg along the ground. Another ran up to join the fray, only to be smashed by Sonic's Homing Attack. He spun around and roundhouse kicked another.

     "Aaaah!!" Twilight screeched. One had snuck behind the library and trapped her against the wall. She was too scared to formulate a coherent spell. Sonic leapt behind it. It spun around to face him, only for Sonic to grab it by the throat. He lifted it up, a savage look of anger on his face. He crushed its throat, and threw it on top of the growing pile of wood. He then ran off, chasing the rest of the pack out of town, killing most of them in the process.

     Twilight sank to the ground, shaking. She had nearly died at the paws of a timberwolf. Then she had been saved by Sonic, but his ferocity had scared her almost as much. Her musings were interrupted as Sonic jogged up, offering his hand to pull her up. She took it, surprised by the complete change of his emotions. Now he was relaxed, even happy. She couldn't understand.

     "Are you alright? That was a pretty close call." Sonic said, gauging her reaction. She seemed relieved and afraid at the same time.

     "You seem so happy. Did you enjoy killing them?" Twilight asked, a note of horror tinging her voice.

     Sonic frowned. "No, I didn't enjoy killing them. But I've been doing this for so long that I know when to use deadly force and when it isn't necessary. Sometimes I'm wrong, but it's pretty obvious they were out to do damage." he replied. "I just do what I have to. I did enjoy having something to do, though. It's been a while since I had some action back home." Twilight stared at him.

      "You LIKE fighting? That's horrid! Why would you enjoy hurting others?" Twilight said, confused and upset. That was when she realized she had offended Sonic. He was a little upset at her dismissal of his abilities.

     "Like I said, I do what I have to. I was practically raised to fight. I've spent most of my life doing so. I've had to. I couldn't just let whatever evil force take over. I've trained my abilities my whole life. You might say I was born to fight," he taunted, reminding her of their disagreement.

     "Still, to only know violence, to enjoy it...No one should know what that's like. I think that's our first order of business." Twilight decided.

     "Okay, though I don't know what you have in mind." Sonic raised an eyebrow.

     "So what are you going to try to cram in my head today?" Sonic asked, reclining in a chair. For the past couple of days, Twilight had been gathering resources, deciding what she would start with to teach Sonic. She wasn't sure of his academic level, so she decided to start with the basic principles of magic, and would work her way up from there.

     "Just read this. It'll be a good start to everything else I have in mind." Twilight responded. She levitated it in front of him, and he grabbed it before it hit the desk. He opened it, giving the first page a few moments consideration before flipping to the next one. This process repeated a few times before Twilight spoke up.

     "You do know you have to read that, right?" Twilight asked hesitantly. Sonic gave her a look.

     "I am reading it." He protested.

     "That's impossible," Twilight retorted. "Trust me, I'm a  speed reader, but even then, I can't read that fast."

     "When you can go as fast as I can, you have to learn to see, understand, and react faster than the other guy can blink. So I can read really really quickly," Sonic explained. Then he grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Just one more thing to give me a leg up on the competition." Twilight scowled at him. She turned around, flicking his ear with her tail as she walked away.

     "Just read it!" Twilight snapped. She stomped out of the room. Sonic laughed at her consternation before settling in for some reading.

     "Psssst! Psssst!"Sonic looked up to see Rainbow hovering by the window. He hadn't seen much of Twilight's friends since they had been first introduced, after which Twilight had ushered him inside and he hadn't seen daylight since. He had already finished the book Twilight had put him to, but she had ordered him back upstairs to reread it. It was much more boring the second time.

     "What is it?" Sonic replied, opening the window. Rainbow grinned at him tauntingly.

     "I can't believe Twilight's got you reading books. Makes ponies think you're just another wimpy bookworm." Sonic gave her a look, before flashing a grin of his own.

     "If you're trying to lure me outside, it's working." he confessed. "I hate being cooped up. I feel like stretching my legs," he continued. Rainbow smiled.

      "That's what I like to hear."

     They had raced, ending up having a tie when Sonic kept pace rather than going all out. Rainbow had argued about that but ultimately given up. Afterwards, she had left.

     Sonic looked around at the open space around him.

     "I suppose there's enough room," he mumbled. He then closed his eyes, assuming a loose pose, before beginning his practice. His body flowed from one strike to another, looking like he was dancing rather than shadowboxing. He kept up a steady motion, his moves nearly looking like ballet as he spun and twisted and struck and dodged. He weaved himself around imaginary blows, bending and contorting himself. As he moved, certain strikes would send blades of air rocketing away. Others would create mini twisters as he spun.

     Finally, after a good half hour of practice, he took off. He swerved and jumped, using trees and rocks to perform tricks. He flipped and spun and just kept moving. He ran up the side of a nearby mountain, launching himself into the air, spinning slowly. As he came up to the apex of his jump, Sonic spun himself around, until he was facing the ground. He dove, his arms tucked against his sides, a cone of air forming around him. At the last second he spun around to land on his feet. The force of his landing created a small crater. He stepped out of the swirling dust clouds only to be assaulted by a familiar purple pony.

     "Oh my goodness, are you all right? When I saw you falling, I thought you were trying to kill yourself!" Twilight had pulled him into a tight hug, standing on her hind legs to wrap her forelegs around his arms and chest. Sonic gave her a confused look when she didn't let go after the first few moments.

     "I'm not trying to kill myself. I was just having some fun," he protested. She hugged him even tighter when he said this.

     "By scaring everyone in Ponyville? Breaking the sound barrier isn't exactly quiet. Are you SURE you're okay?" Twilight pressed. Sonic sighed on frustration.

     "Yes, I'm fine. You really don't need to worry. I can take care of myself," he responded. Twilight gave him a look, but shrugged after dropping back to all fours.

     "Well, in that case, what exactly caused you to stop studying all of a sudden?" Twilight glared at him.

     The unphased hedgehog shrugged. "I was bored."

     Twilight groaned and facehooved. Using her magic, she grabbed his ear and started dragging him back to the library.

     "Ow ow ow ow ow!" Sonic yelped. He pulled away, rubbing his sore ear. He gave her the stink eye. "Was that really necessary?"

     "You're acting so immature! Can't you focus on one thing?"Twilight complained.

     "I did focus! Twice! Seriously, I don't see how rereading helps. I got it all the first time."

     "But to learn takes repitition, and constant practice. It wouldn't matter how many books I read if I forgot what they say!"

     "But I did learn it! It's not like I'm actually going to be able to use magic, so learning how to do it is kind of pointless anyways."

     "But you need to know this to be able to apply the basic laws of magic."

     "But it's just like using the Chaos Emeralds! When it comes down to it, it's a matter of whether you have the will to make it happen!"

     Twilight hesitated. "That's...right. But what do you mean, 'Chaos Emeralds'?"

     "They're powerful gems that I can use to basically get a power boost."

     "But where did they get their name?" Twilight uncertainly asked. If this hedgehog was a creature of Discord...

     Sonic frowned. "They get their name because of what happens if someone with bad intentions gets their hands on them. When they are used, they draw power from the mindset of the user. If you have good intentions, it grants you unimaginable power. If you have bad intentions, or if you're good but you are consumed with anger or fear, they corrupt you, reflecting your emotions with their power attached. Then you turn into a monster, with no control or reservations. That's when they create chaos." Sonic's gaze was intense, but the ring he wore told Twilight that he was consumed with guilt. She looked at him kindly.

     "That's happened to you, hasn't it?" Her statement caught him by surprise, and he stared at her, shocked. Then his head hung. His voice was soft.

     "Yes. It did. Every day I fight a war with myself, because I can still feel that anger brewing, which is why I can't lose control of myself. The fact that I can be taken over like Lawbringer did is unsettling. I fight so I can let my anger out in a way that helps instead of hurts. But I have friends who help, but I got sent HERE, so they aren't around. So you can understand my frustration." His voice, while soft, carried an intensity and wisdom that shocked Twilight. His gaze was fierce but open. She got the feeling he was opening up to her in a way he rarely did.

     "Why are you telling me this?"

     "Cause you would of found out anyway. On account of this thing, remember?" He pointed to the golden ring that rested on his finger. In that moment Twilight realized that the ring was hurting, not helping. She wanted him to tell her these things because HE wanted to. Not because he felt he was forced to. Using her magic, she ripped it off his finger, crushing it before throwing it as far away as she could. He raised an eyebrow at her actions, but didn't say anything.

    "Let's head back to the library. There's something I want to show you." He followed her without speaking. Something told him that this was something she felt she needed to do, and that nothing would stop her in doing it.

     Once they got back to the library, pulling out a sketchbook. In it were rough drawings of a crown and five necklaces. On other pages were pictures of a fearsome black alicorn and a creature that looked like a strange hodgepodge of different animals.

     "These are the Elements of Harmony..."