A Story Never Told

I woke to the sound of a key in the door. Unless I had misread the 8:00AM-8:00PM sign, it was an hour before the library actually opened. I decided to start reading my book, and wait for the intruder to enter.

Before I could get very far, a stallion entered the room, a soldier if the golden armor was any tell. Interestingly, although he was chocolate brown on most spectrums, he was stark white in the visible ones.

Name: Cookie Crumbles

Race: Pegasus

Age: 3.51 * 10^8 half lives of carbon-15

Intelligence: 802.3 Rellings

Language: Equestrian

Basic Abilities: Flight

It was a moment before he notice me, "Halt! What are you doing in here? The library isn't open yet," his voice was distorted, as I could hear both the disguised and undisguised versions.

I didn't even look up at the green soldier, "I'm reading. It's kind of important, so I'm pulling an all-nighter," it was technically true

Unable to find a flaw with my logic, he changed the subject, "My orders are to clear the area, to reserve Twilight Sparkle, the princesses protogè. She will be staying the night"

"I would like to meet Twilight. I'll just say I came in after you left"

"I was not given orders for exceptions. I'm going to have to ask you to leave"

I looked up at him, "Look, Cookie. I need to meet Twilight, and I'll bet she wants to see me too. You just leave me alone, and the rest will take care of itself"

Under the illusion, the stallion was pale, "H-how did you know my name? ...Are you an agent?"

"If that makes your life easier," I said dismissively.

After staring at me for nearly a minute, he got onto his work. He may have been green, but Cookie was adept at cleaning and carrying furniture. It was a good twenty minutes before opening when he had finished, and left.

Over the next two hours or so, I both improved my reading speed, and learned a great deal from the book. Although most of it was obscure references and legends about the Elements, I was able to pick up a few basic facts about them.

The Elements of Harmony were a set of six crystals with the power to dispel anything that threatened the order and peace of Equestria. They could only be wielded by a group of friends that collectively had the six 'attributes of harmony', Generosity, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, and Loyalty. The sixth was not mentioned, what I could only conclude was a deliberate censoring. Although the amount of an attribute did not have to be huge, it did have to be significant, and losing the attribute completely renders ones element powerless, which was a problem, as all six need to be used at once in order for there to be any effect. Although one person could wield multiple Elements, Celestia is was the only person to wield all six, as trying would normally kill a pony. The elements were supposedly housed in the old castle Celestia and Luna used to share, which was overrun by the Everfree centuries ago. Despite the massive superstition surrounding the place, I knew there had to be some sort of anti-robber measure if they were to be still present. I doubted that would be my main problem, though.

I racked my brain. I did not qualify for many of the elements. There was a chance I could pass for Honesty, and perhaps, in time, Loyalty. I'd need to gather a group in order to use the elements. Applejack probably qualified for Loyalty, Fluttershy for Generosity or Kindness, and Pinkie Pie would probably do for Laughter. That still left two, including the unknown one, even if I could pass as Honesty.

At that point, the door opened. I looked to see who it was, and saw a purple unicorn mare with a mane of several purples and violets. She also had a purple and green humanoid reptile standing at her side.

Name: Twilight Sparkle

Race: Unicorn

Age: 1.92 * 10^8 half lives of carbon-15

Intelligence: 3567.4 Rellings

Language: Equestrian

Basic Abilities: Class 5 Sorcery

Name: Spike

Race: Dragon

Age: 1.56 * 10^8 half lives of carbon-15

Intelligence: 678.5 Rellings

Language: Equestrian

Basic Abilities: Firebreath, Message Transmission

Twilight glanced at the book I was reading, and immediately took it in her telekinetic grasp, "This is exactly what I was looking for! At this rate, I'll have this figured out in no time!"

"Hey! I was reading that!" I immediately disliked Twilight.

"Sorry. This is kind of important, save all of Equestria important. I promise I'll give it back when I'm done!"

"You're looking for a way to stop nightmare moon," I phrased it as a statement

For the first time, the unicorn gave me her full attention. I could tell she was used to always being the smartest and most talented person around. Despite my lack of background knowledge, I'd just have to be smarter.

"How much do you know?"

"More than you do, if you still need to read that book. You can't just go and get the Elements. You need a group of genuine friends in order to wield them, and I don't think you brought any with you"

At this point, the young dragon jumped up, "Ha! I knew Celestia was right when she told you to make friends!"

"Spike, that doesn't prove anything! Celestia said herself, it's just an old mares tale. I'm going to have to take this into my own hands"

I spoke up, "You really think Celestia doesn't know about the legend, if it is true? She was the one who banished her sister. Heck, she probably wrote the legend herself! Celestia told you to look after the various preparations, so that you could form a group of friends capable of retrieving and using the Elements!"

This took her back, and she had to think for several moments before responding, "You seem awfully sure of that for somepony who just made an argument for the legend likely being false"

"I have my own reasons"

"And those would be?"

"I'm glad you asked. You see, my eyes are significantly more perceptive than that of normal ponies. To my eyes, the moon is glowing as brightly as the sun. The only possible reason for that is if an immense amount of energy was building there. I estimate that it will be enough to destroy the moon, and rain flaming death upon all of Equestria tonight"

"Flaming death is not what the legend says, but you've already brought up that we can't rely on it. Alright. I'll go and... Try to make friends, I guess"

"I'll stay here and find what else there is to find here. I don't expect to get much, but I'll try, at least," I actually intended to spend the time versing myself on pony history and culture. Twilight was extremely literate, so the conversation had significantly boosted my reading speed.

So, as twilight left, I began to read, anxious of the impending doom of this world.