The 7th Element

Rarity sat at her desk drawing new dress designs and humming softly to herself as she did so. After taking a moment to examine her work so far she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. The dress she had designed was very formal like a ball dress and layered five times towards the back. The only question in her mind was the color. “Hmm…maybe the-“Her train of thought was derailed as the front door shut. The fashionista pony sighed as her magic released her quill. “Sweetie Belle”

“Hey Rarity.” A young white unicorn filly smiled and placed her saddlebag by her room door.

“So how was school?” She asked as she attempted to regain her focus. Rarity glanced over to the clock. “You were a bit late coming home.”

“Sorry, Applebloom was talking all day about this stallion that is staying at her family’s farm and she wanted to show us. He wasn’t there though.”

“Oh she must have been talking about Crimson.”

“Is he as scary looking as Applebloom says?” She asked curiously.

“Now that’s a horrible thing to say.” Rarity scolded. “He has had it quite rough in the past.” Sweetie Belle looked up at her sister with a soft apologetic look.

“I’m sorry Rarity, I know talk like that hurts others.” Before Rarity could speak further there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.” Rarity sighed. She trotted up and opened the door to her boutique, behind it was a pale yellow mare with a bright pink mane and a gray stallion with a scarred left eye. “Oh Fluttershy, Crimson, good afternoon.” She stepped aside and motioned for them to enter. “Please come in.”

“You sure this isn’t a bad time?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course not.” The unicorn motioned them in. “Sweetie Belle, could you please come in here?” It was more of command, but her little sister entered just the same. The first visitor she saw she of course recognized as her sisters friend Fluttershy. The filly was about to greet her when she caught sight of the gray stallion next to her. One look at his bright red reptile like eyes and she darted behind a nearby pile of discarded materials.

“Who’s that?!” She shouted.

Rarity sighed as she slowly shook her head. “Sweetie Belle, this is not the proper way to greet guests. This is our friend Crimson.”

The young unicorn popped her head out from her hiding place, a roll of sewing tape loosely wrapped around her horn. “That’s him?”

“Is this your sister Rarity?” Crimson asked.

“Yes, she is staying with me for now while our parents are traveling.” She shot a quick glance at the still cowering filly. “Now come out from there young lady.”

Sweetie Belle wiggled her way out and moved to her sister’s side. “Sorry.” She said softly.

Crimson bowed his head down to get closer to eye level with the young filly. “I’m not one to be afraid of. I’m harmless, promise.” Sweetie Belle smiled as she felt her face get warmer.

“O-okay.”

“Why don’t you go to your room and do your homework Sweetie.” Rarity urged the filly back with her saddle bag. “Now Crimson if you’ll just follow me we can take your measurements.”

“Measurements?” The stallion tilted his head.

“For your suit dear, remember?”

“I thought you were kidding.”

“Oh I never kid about fashion.” She said as if it were completely obvious while she practically dragged Crimson to the room where she made her dresses. “Now as I said, I have a wonderful idea for you. It isn’t anything extravagant; I figured simplicity was just the right match.” She took her tape with her magic and started out with measuring his torso. “Something that could be worn to high class gatherings, but also won’t be too dressy for dates. A stallion like you will have mares chasing after him in no time.”

“Rarity, I appreciate the thought but I’m not really one for formal wear. The closest I ever came to that was my armor.” Crimson came clean as she stood in front of him and measured around his neck.

“Well you’ll like this.” She stated as she jotted down the measurements on a slip of paper. “Now it won’t be ready for a while so I need to get started now so it will be ready in time.” She said quickly as she hurried her friends out the door.

“Wait. Ready in time for what?” Crimson asked.

“Tut-tut. I must be busy now; I will meet up with you all later.” Rarity then shut the door behind them before any more questions could be asked.

“Call me naive but it would seem she knows something that I don’t know.” Crimson said blatantly, causing Fluttershy to giggle.

“Well come on. Maybe Twilight isn’t too busy.” Fluttershy trotted off, Crimson following.

“So she lives in the local library?” Crimson asked once they reached the large hollowed out tree. “Sounds like quite the bookworm.” He chuckled as he reached for the door.

Fluttershy attempted to stop him. “Wait, she may be practicing-.” Crimson was hit with a beam of purple magic that sent him flying away from the door several feet, skidding across the dirt. “Crimson!” She yelped as she rushed to his side.

“Oh my gosh.” Twilight rushed out of the library. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry.”

Crimson groaned as he attempted to get back to his hooves. “What in the name of Faust was that?” He asked as he rubbed his temple.

“I’m so sorry, I was working on a new spell and you startled me when you opened the door.”

“Spell? I’m not going to grow a second head am I?” He attempted to shake off his dizziness.

“No, it was just a mind mapping spell.”

“Mind mapping?” Fluttershy asked, quite curious.

“Come in, I’ll show you.” She led them inside where a young purple dragon hatchling stood.

“Is everything alright?” The dragon asked.

“Yeah, I just missed my mark Spike.”

“Judging from that hit, I’m kind of glad you missed me.”

“That spell hit my friend.” Twilight sighed. “Crimson, this is my assistant Spike. Spike, this is our new friend Crimson.”

“Oh, so you’re the one she mentioned yesterday.” Spike concluded as the stallion approached him.

“I guess so.” Crimson said as he shook Spike’s claw. “So a purple dragon, huh? A pretty rare species if I remember right.”

“You know about dragons?” He asked.

“I knew a few in the military; this is my first time meeting a purple dragon in person though.”

“Here’s the spell.” Twilight interrupted as she levitated a fairly large book into view. It was a light sky blue with a brown boarder and gold lettering engraved on the front.

Fluttershy took a look at the books cover. “Mind and Matter: Advanced Unicorn Spells for the Gifted.”

“It was a birthday gift from the princess, I finally had some free time to try one.”

“Says here the spell is supposed to reveal the dominant personality traits of another’s mind.” Crimson said after reading the description.

“Did it work?” Spike wondered.

“No, I don’t think so. I didn’t get anything when the spell hit Crimson. I probably just didn’t do it right and it just turned out to be a regular blast.” She concluded as she lowered her head.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it Twilight, you’ll get it.”

“I guess.” She mumbled as she closed the book and placed it neatly back on the shelf.

“Hey my head is kind of buzzing right now.” Crimson said. “You wouldn’t happen to have any aspirin anywhere would you?”

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve been meaning to go out and get some more. Straining my eyes reading sometimes gives me a migraine.”

“I’m probably going to go back to the farm then. If I get bad headaches I can barely function.” He said making his way back to the door.

“I’m really sorry about that Crimson.” Twilight repeated.

“No big deal, I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow then.” Spike gave a quick wave.

“Bye.” Fluttershy squeaked just before the stallion made his way out the door.

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot a certain sun princess sat in the immense royal library. Her eyes scanned the pages of seven books floating around her using her magic. She had been feverishly reading old texts and legends since she raised the sun that morning when she asked her sister to take care of most of her royal duties for her. Her eyes were bloodshot from barely blinking the entire duration. If not for the reasons for this intense reading she would otherwise find it humorous that she was behaving like her own student. “No, this script doesn’t tell me any more than the others.” Celestia said to herself as she tossed the book aside.

Just then one of the guards entered the room. “M’lady, I’m sorry to disturb you but Princess Luna wishes to speak with you.”

Celestia blinked rapidly before shaking her head. “Yes, of course. That’s fine.” She looked to the door as the dark lunar princess entered with a concerned look on her face. The guard quietly shut the door behind her to give the sisters privacy to speak.

“The royal tasks for the day are complete, at least until it comes time for you to lower the sun. Sister are you still going through those old tales?” She approached her elder sibling and looked at the covers of the books. “You have yet to tell me the reason for such a search.”

Celestia sighed as she kept the books afloat. “I had a dream last night. I could make very little of it out but I believe it has to do with the seventh element of harmony.”

Luna was momentarily taken back. “But sister, this is just a legend. We only found the six. Any speak of another was quickly dismissed as a mere story, an old mares tale.”

“Perhaps you can understand it better. Do you still know that dream walker spell?”

“Of course.”

“I want you to use it on me tonight while I sleep, see what you can make of it.”

“You trust me, to run freely in your dreams?”

“Please Luna, I want your opinion on this, you were always the best when it came to reading dreams. I feel it is a vision about the future of Equestria and I think it has something to do with the seventh element.”

The princess of the night nodded in understanding. “I will help in any way I can. For our kingdom and for your peace of mind my sister.” She trotted to Celestia’s side and gave her a soft hug.

“Thank you; if you’re not busy could you help me in my research?”

Luna groaned. “You know I never liked reading very much.”

“Please Woona?” Celestia begged with wide puppy dog eyes.

Luna huffed. “Very well.” She said before pulling a few books off of the shelves for herself.

“So…Where have you been going lately after you raise the moon?”