Harmony: Braves of the Six Elements

Chapters

The First Journey
The Element-Killer
The Meeting of the Elements
The Strongest Mare in the World

The First Journey

As the sun rose, two mares touched down on a dirt path. Their forms seemed to glow slightly in the temperate orange of the dawn, their shadows spread out before them as if they were long dark pools. The area around them was lined with trees, although the few of their kind were a bit scrawny.

The first to land, a cyan pegasus, stretched her wings and legs. The ground always seemed inadequate to her after a particularly lengthy and satisfying flight. It always struck a cord of wrongness in her brain, as if she herself was a part of the sky and her betrayal was utter blasphemy. Regardless, even she realized when she needed a little rest. After the excitement of last night, she required a moment to sit and gather her thoughts.

Miss Rarity landed beside her. Other than the barest hint of a pant, she didn't seem as affected as Rainbow Dash. Perhaps this was due to her showing no physical signs of the flight, which in itself was miraculous. When she become a Goddess and earned her wings, she had only utilized said new body parts as much as was needed, aside from learning to fly. And being a princess, she seldom needed to use her hooves, let alone her wings.

“Oh my,” she commented, looking around. “Isn't this a beautiful place?”

Rainbow Dash grunted. Trees, dirt, and grass weren't exactly rare. One could forget these things existed if they lived in immense cities such as Canterlot or Manehattan, but this wasn't the case for her. She wasn't exactly at liberty to be impressed by nature.

“I've never seen trees this big,” Rarity continued, her eyes sparkling. “And the ground beneath my hooves….. It isn't cobblestones, is it? It's….natural.”

Apparently “natural” was anything that did not come with its own blueprints. Rainbow suspected that the trees had been planted and grown overnight by magic, the path had been specially made, and the grass had been tinted a more vibrant green than was possible in nature by hardworking unicorns. Despite thriving in cities, the elite of Canterlot were fond of having an impressive backdrop for their hunting trips. Rainbow had nothing against this, but she honestly would have preferred something that had sprung up of its own accord rather than something created and nurtured by spells. However, she bypassed mentioning this to Rarity. She instead nodded vaguely in response to the alicorn's comment.

“Did they stop following us?” she inquired, glancing behind her.

Rarity swept her long purple braid over her shoulder and across her back. She was staring at the trees as if they were the most amazing things in existence, but she managed to answer Dash.

“Oh, don't worry about that, Ms. Dash,” she replied idly. “They've most likely given up.”

Rainbow Dash agreed. Miss Rarity might have left without having her audience with Prince Blueblood, but Rainbow thought it was for the best. She smiled, imagining the look of outrage on the prince's naturally smug visage when he discovered that his precious wife had fled Canterlot without speaking to him and released a prisoner without his explicit permission.

“Let's keep going!” Rainbow urged, filled with new excitement. “We're not far from my hideout!”

The pair continued, this time following the path rather than flying. Rainbow was surprised and impressed at how quickly Rarity could gallop when she wanted to. There was no hesitation in her rapid hoofsteps, only resolution. The scenery, she noticed as they moved, was also starting to alter. It might have escaped Rarity's unaccustomed attention, but Rainbow noted that the grass was becoming less artificially green, the trees were getting smaller, and the ground beneath them even felt less polished. They were entering a world that belonged to the animals, rather than to a group of uptight, cigar-smoking social-climbers.

Steadily, the scenery gave way to yet more trees. These were taller, stronger-looking than the ones they'd passed before. They towered over the passing mares, each bearing their own share of delicious fruit. Apples, their crimson skins inviting, seemed to wink in the sunlight.

Rarity slowed down, gazing in awe at the trees. Accustomed to seeing merely the end result, rather than one of the first steps, Rarity was taken aback.

“First time in an orchard?” Rainbow Dash surmised.

Rarity nodded, unable to say a word. An actual, uncooked, unsliced, undisturbed apple, as vivid as the ones in her fillyhood storybooks. She didn't think she'd ever seen one in its natural habitat. Usually when she beheld fruit, it was cut into even pieces and served alongside rolls. She turned back to the path and noticed two Earth ponies, a mare and a stallion. The stallion of the pair was pulling a cart behind him. Her eyes opened a bit wider when she noticed that said cart was filled with apples. As her and Rainbow passed the couple, she reached out with her magic and seized one of the red fruits.

“Excuse me!” she called to the startled ponies as they passed. “I would like to sample some of your wares, if you don't mind!”

The mare opened her mouth, most likely to shout an obscenity, but Rarity silenced her by tossing a bit in her direction. The mare caught it in her hoof, a puzzled expression on her face. She glanced at the stallion pulling the cart, her eyes asking a question her mouth could not quite manage. They both shrugged at one another, then returned to their work.

“Geez, Miss Rarity,” Rainbow complained, albeit with a grin. “That's not really appropriate behavior for a princess, is it?”

Rarity took a dainty bite of the apple that was, admittedly, very fit for a princess. The juices washed gingerly over her tongue, the flavor bursting within her mouth from that minuscule bite. It was too sweet to be real, almost too sweet for her to comprehend. Nopony had taken it and somehow managed to bake the soul out of it before it came to her plate. This was a real apple.

“You must excuse any bad manners,” Rarity responded serenely. “I'm just so very excited!”

The next couple they passed had a cart full of carrots. As expected, Rarity excitedly pilfered one as they passed and tossed a bit at the bemused couple. She took a moment to figure out it was a carrot, as the carrots she normally ate were chopped up, seasoned, and placed to the side of the plate to be overshadowed by three slices of the finest bread in Canterlot. This was the first time she'd seen one whole. She ignored Rainbow Dash, who was silently laughing at the display.

The pair stopped at a river, allowing Rarity to fill her canteen. She had been courteous enough to bring two, one for her and one for Rainbow Dash. Rarity used her magic to filter water into the canteens, placing them on the ground near the river and causing the water to spiral into them. When she concluded this, she passed them to Rainbow Dash and turned her attention to the carrot. With precision that must have taken at least a year to master, she tossed the carrot into the air and conjured up several blades in a cone-like formation. The blades shot upward, each at a different side of the vegetable. Each sliced through a layer of skin in passing. The carrot dropped back into Rarity's hoof and she took a bite.

“You eat raw carrots?” Rainbow observed, amused.

She was lying in the shade of a lone tree, her hooves behind her head.

Utilizing a very simple piece of magic, Rarity sliced the carrot in two. Holding the half she'd bitten in her magic, she tossed the other to Rainbow.

“Usually I'd prefer more common fare,” she admitted. “But it's nice to try something new once and a while, isn't it?”

Rainbow chuckled. She was glad Rarity had come to rescue her from prison and they'd become something akin to friends in a short time. All of their encounters, when placed next to one another for analysis, appeared to emphasize how different Rarity was compared to others of her status. In many ways, she wasn't exactly the perfect image of a princess. With this thought in her head, Rainbow sat up and turned to the carrot that had landed next to her on the grass.

“I had no idea the Goddess of Blades was this powerful,” she commented, looking at the flawlessly peeled vegetable.

She had heard stories about the last Goddess of Blades, but they had been too factually questionable for her to believe. The Goddess of Blades was not as revered as some of the more powerful Goddesses. Truthfully, Rainbow hadn't even known too much about what it was that earned the Goddess of Blades such a title. Something to do with swordsponyship, she had once idly concluded to herself after some pondering.

“You've never met a Goddess?” Rarity inquired, raising her eyebrow.

Rainbow shifted her position slightly, crossing one leg over the other.

“I have a friend whose a Goddess,” she answered. “Her name is Fluttershy. But she wasn't happy when she ascended. She locked herself in her cottage for months afterward and I haven't seen her in a while. I've known a lot of ponies who would kill to have the power of an alicorn, though.”

“Even you, Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow Dash laughed at the common misconception. She had certainly known ponies who would have sacrificed their loved ones to become Goddesses. They would have slaved for weeks, months, years for the chance to ascend and earn the coveted wing-and-horn combination that marked them as an alicorn. But she just rolled her eyes at such ponies, understanding their ambition only up to a point.

“Why would the strongest mare in the world need the power of a Goddess?” Rainbow demanded incredulously.

Rarity laughed as well. She opened one of her saddlebags and put the half-eaten carrot inside, apparently having lost her appetite.

“Well, I plan to make good use of my powers,” she replied cheerfully. “For example...”

Rainbow had been about to close her eyes, preparing for a nap. They might have only had a limited time to get to the temple, but naps were a non-adjustable portion of her life. However, as her eyes began to close, she heard the sound of a blade cutting the air. Her eyes jerked open in panic. She turned her head to see three blades heading in her direction. Yelping in surprise, Rainbow leapt to her hooves. She ducked and one of the blades sailed over her head.

“Let's see how well you can dodge!” sang Rarity, a delighted grin on her visage.

Rainbow threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding two more blades. Her eyes followed them briefly as they shot past. Satisfied they were not tracking her, her gaze slid forward again just in time to dodge three more blades arranged into a tight arrow. She wove around them, hastily shifting her body parts out of danger as each blade flew past.

“Stop it!” she ordered shrilly.

Rarity's hoof shot to her mouth, her eyes wide. The other blades she had summoned disintegrated in midair around her. The alicorn looked almost on the verge of tears, which was perfectly fine with Rainbow. Her entire body, including her mane, seemed to droop with regret. Rarity deflated, bowing her head in quiet shame. When she spoke, her voice was filled with sincere remorse.

“I'm sorry!” she apologized quickly. “I thought you'd enjoy a little training exercise!”

Rainbow approached the guilty alicorn, fighting her emotions. She wanted to be livid, on the verge of explosion. But the look on Rarity's face made any attempts at rage unsteady. As far out of line as that little incident had been, she could not look at Rarity's visage and think she'd done it out of malice. As much as she desired to be wrathful, she found her anger melting slightly. But only slightly. There was enough of it remaining for her to give the alicorn a disapproving glare. With a frustrated groan, Rainbow turned and began galloping away.

Startled, Rarity gazed silently at the retreating pegasus for a moment. It then occurred to her that she was being left behind. Not liking this prospect, she broke into a gallop herself to catch up with the faster pony. Her limbs might have been longer and more agile, her wings larger and her horn longer than any unicorn's, but she was still less athletic than Rainbow Dash. Or at least this was true when they were both on the ground. Once Rainbow had spread her wings and taken to the sky, Rarity, with her more capable wings, was able to catch up with her. She came up beside Rainbow, a pleading look on her face.

“I know you're upset, darling,” she assured the other mare. “I can't blame you. But please don't hold a grudge! I got a little excited and made a mistake!”

Rainbow didn't appreciate “mistakes” of that nature. She was determined, for her dignity more than anything else, to remain angry. Rather than say anything in response, she kept her mouth closed. However, she did not try to put any distance between herself and Rarity. In fact, she flew a bit faster to keep up with her as the alicorn picked up speed.

Eventually, after a silent flight, they reached Rainbow Dash's “hideout”. It was actually more of a camp site than anything else, concealed by the surrounding trees and bushes. It was the remains of a mostly destroyed cabin, the roof obliterated but the walls still partly intact. Rainbow Dash started a fire as soon as they arrived, tossing a few twigs into the fire pit and setting them alight. It felt as if it had been morning less than two minutes ago, but in reality the sun was starting to retreat. Rainbow Dash lay down next to the fire, her head propped up by a log. It wasn't very comfortable, but she didn't care.

For about five minutes, the silence endured. Neither mare said a word, just as they hadn't on the flight. It at first seemed as if this quiet would be a running theme in their journey. However, after these minutes had passed, Rarity spoke.

“There was a political dispute in Canterlot a few years ago,” she uttered quietly.

Rainbow, who took “political dispute” to mean “a small scale war between ponies who disagreed with the current regime”, didn't reply.

“Prince Blueblood was almost stripped of his power,” Rarity continued. “It was around the time we got married. Even though he still has power, it's a lot less than most ponies would assume. He's basically a puppet.”

Rainbow Dash wanted to keep up the silent treatment, but she had to ask a question. The query had been burning a hole in her mind ever since she'd officially met Miss Rarity.

“How'd you end up marrying such a pompous flankhole?”

Rarity didn't seem to take offense to her husband being called a “flankhole”. She instead chuckled at the term. It helped that she herself had secretly referred to him as this and worse in the company of her servants. The things she had called Prince Blueblood behind his back would have made Rainbow Dash blush.

“He chose me to be his bride,” she explained. “My family is extremely wealthy and powerful, hence it was decided the two of us would be wed as soon as I came of age. I never thought of refusing the arrangement because I didn't know what kind of stallion Blueblood truly was. There are very few mares who wouldn't seize the chance to marry a prince, Ms. Dash.”

Rainbow Dash, who would have refused a marriage proposal from Prince Blueblood even if she didn't know his true nature, rolled her eyes. Rarity might have been their generation's Goddess of Blades, but she wasn't exactly the Goddess of Logical Thinking. Rainbow was grateful that she'd never had even a taste of wealth and power in her life. She'd had to fight for what she wanted and she would have never taken the “easy way out” if it meant being married to Prince Blueblood.

I bet that lucky bastard loves being married to a bucking Goddess, Rainbow thought scathingly. That'll look real nice in the obituary.

“Even before I married the prince, I never really had somepony I could speak to on equal terms,” Rarity continued sadly. “I never had anypony who treated me as an equal. I know you're treating me like this because I'm an Element, but that's more than enough.”

Rainbow Dash allowed a smile to creep across her mouth. The incident with the blades was beginning to strike her as less worthy of an immature grudge. She could understand Prince Blueblood's decision to take Rarity as his bride. Other than her family and her physical appearance, Rarity had a definite attraction to her. Being around her made one desire to forgive, forget, smile, and laugh, normally in that order. Rainbow realized that Rarity had at least apologized, rather than brushing it off as if it was nothing.

“If things work out with the Demon King, I'll have even more reasons to treat you like an equal!” she replied.

She knew they most likely wouldn't be around each other after King Sombra was defeated, but she let this reality drift away for a moment. She wanted to believe, as foolish a belief as it was, that her and Rarity could have the type of friendship that would endure their contrasting social classes.

“A night under a beautiful sky,” breathed Rarity, her eyes sparkling. “If only I could wrap up this peaceful, gorgeous night and give it to the entire world….”

She sighed wistfully. Nights like this were rare. Nights in which the moon showed its face bravely, the stars winking like tiny fireflies in a cloudless ocean.

Rainbow Dash tossed a spare sleeping bag in the alicorn's direction. It wasn't a particularly clean sleeping bag, but in truth nothing in Rainbow Dash's hideout was clean. She bit her lip as Rarity caught the bag, half-expecting the princess to object. She mentally breathed a sigh of relief when this did not happen.

“It'll keep you warm,” she told the other mare, smiling.

Rarity smiled back, albeit she wrinkled her nose at the filthy sleeping bag held in her magic. She would have preferred something cleaner. Or even better, a canopy bed, a nightstand, and a glass of wine. She liked the idea of sleeping under the stars, but this did not mean she was thrilled about “roughing it”. Nevertheless, she satisfied herself with some vigorous shaking of the sleeping bag prior to utilizing it.

Rainbow Dash eyed the battered trunk. She had already made a trip for Rarity's sake, but that had been out of courtesy. She wasn't anxious to return, dig around in said trunk for several moments, and retrieve her own equally filthy sleeping bag. The blue pegasus shrugged, smiling to herself. She then closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Their journey began anew the next morning. Back on speaking terms, the two ponies were in far higher spirits than they had been previous. The rising sun appeared to mirror their emotions, shining brightly as it crested the distant hills. It was like an immense ball of fire, volatile yet beautiful in the blazing furnace that was the sky.

Rarity awakened before Rainbow Dash. The latter woke up to find the white alicorn's sleeping bag rolled up, rather than occupied. Rubbing sleep from her eyes with a hoof, she turned blearily towards the “door” of the “cabin”. It was merely the broken frame of said door, the remains barely coming up to one's head. She saw Rarity standing in this “doorway”, her gaze turned in the direction of the sun.

“Morning, Rare!” she greeted the princess.

Not the proper way to address either royalty or a Goddess, but formalities could be ignored when it was just the two of them. Rainbow was pleased when Rarity did not snap at her for abruptly using a nickname. Encouraged despite Rarity's lack of reply, she stood up. The blue pegasus realized her back should be aching, but she had slept on worse and her body had become somewhat immune. When one is forced to make a bed out of literal rocks in the heat of a storm, one can endure anything. Rainbow Dash trotted to Rarity's side, her own eyes focused on the sun rather than the alicorn.

“Pretty, huh?” Rainbow Dash commented lightly.

Rarity leaned her head against Rainbow's side, a content sigh drifting from between her lips. She closed her eyes, the sunlight burning into the miniscule cracks between her eyelids. The morning was cold, almost startlingly so after the high temperature of the previous night. But she was happy about this. She pressed herself into Rainbow's warmth, into her roguish scent.

“This is all new to me,” she breathed.

Rainbow Dash, who was immensely enjoying feeling Rarity's weight against her own, chuckled.

“What, sleeping outside?” Rainbow uttered. “Fighting off all the bugs who want in your sleeping bag?”

Rarity laughed, nuzzling Rainbow Dash's side affectionately. Rainbow felt so strong, so unconquerable. Almost like a stallion, yet soft like a mare. And she smelled of the outdoors Rarity was beginning to love.

“Yes, all of those things,” she agreed. “And also…….being around somepony like you, Rainbow Dash.”

The combination of the straightforward response and Rarity's intimate position caused Rainbow Dash to blush.

After a short breakfast of cheese on sliced bread, the mares packed up their belongings, stuffing everything of value into the bulging saddlebags. As well as the usual objects of importance, Rainbow Dash took with her another set of saddlebags, these quite larger than the average ones. They held what she had been doing without for a rather unsettling amount of time in her opinion: Her array of potions, tricks, and custom-made devices. She had felt somewhat naked without her supplies. It was unlikely she'd ever be able to fight, let alone defeat, the Demon King without them. When all of this was taken care of, the two mares started out. This time they chose to trot along the path, rather than fly.

“Have you ever heard of Spike the Dragon?” inquired Rarity as they walked.

Rainbow Dash considered, going through the various names filed away in her memories.

“Leader of the Emerald Knights of Equestria?” she surmised at last.

Rainbow most certainly knew about the Emerald Knights. They were the most feared band of warriors in all of the land. The group, entirely comprised of dragons and griffons, had written entire chapters for themselves in the history books with their adventures. Rainbow Dash did not believe half of what she heard about them and their leader, but the half she thought not fabricated more than made up for the stories that reeked of sycophancy.

“A while ago, he left Canterlot to find the Element-Killer,” Rarity explained.

Rainbow Dash scowled at this. It wasn't that the title was unknown to her. She had heard it tossed around in conversation among ponies. However, she hadn't paid a lot of attention to how and why it was used.

“The Element-Killer….?” she echoed, bemused.

Rarity halted, her expression turning serious.

“For the past month, somepony has been murdering potential Elements,” revealed the alicorn. “They were trying to take out Elements before they could be chosen. Spike left on a mission to find the Element-Killer, but I haven't gotten any response to my letters.”

Rainbow Dash thought for a minute. Somepony killing potential Elements was certainly a unique bit of trouble. She had never heard of such a thing and was quite positive it had never been recorded in the years since the Demon King had come into existence. The idea worried her. She turned to Rarity, ignoring her melancholy thoughts.

“The Element-Killer might have killed him,” she pointed out rationally. “Didn't you think of that when he stopped answering your letters?”

Apparently not, for Rarity shook her head. Her eyes filled with dread at the outcome that had simply never occurred to her.

“Spikey-wikey wouldn't die,” Rarity replied, assuring both herself and Rainbow. “He's too loyal to me. He knows better than to die unless I order him to!”

Rainbow snorted at her bizarre choice of words. She wondered if the Goddess of Blades would ever realize what she had unintentionally implied with that sentence. In addition, she was amused at Rarity's nickname. Apparently, the strong, dangerous, fearless knight was known as “Spikey-Wikey”. If she ever ran into him, she was going to have an entire month's worth of teasing prepared in advance.

“You think he can find the Element-Killer?” Rainbow asked, grinning.

Rarity nodded, beginning to trot once again.

“Spike won't give up!” she answered confidently.

However, her confidence waned slightly as she remembered something. She hesitated, wondering if she dared say it out loud. But after a moment of reluctance, she decided it was best to unburden her mind. She had to tell somepony, and Rainbow Dash was the best candidate.

“Princess Celestia has been missing for a month,” she revealed.

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows, caught off guard. If there was one Goddess every filly and colt knew about from school-age, it was Princess Celestia. Ponies claimed her immense power was only matched by the Goddess of the Crystal Heart herself. And even then, some even doubted the Goddess of the Crystal Heart could defeat her in battle with ease. Even the strongest mare in the world wouldn't have dared pick a fight with Princess Celestia.

“The Goddess of the Sun?!” she gasped, astonished. “I heard that, when she was only a foal, she destroyed an entire castle with her power!”

Rarity nodded. She had also heard that legend. The story emphasized just how courageous Princess Celestia had been, how the enemy had taken down three sizable armies before they were tested by the power of the sun itself. So came into being the expression “If you challenge the sun, you shall lose”.

“She's older and more feeble now,” Rarity admitted. “But her power is as strong as ever. I doubt the Element-Killer would go after her, and if they did they'd be in for a surprise. I'm not sure if I should report her disappearance to anypony…..”

Rainbow scowled, thinking of Princess Celestia and her extensive power. She couldn't imagine even a feeble Goddess of the Sun losing a fight against the Element-Killer. If this foolish pony had gone after her, there wouldn't be an Element-Killer at all. Still, it was an odd coincidence.

The two mares passed a solemn concession of ponies heading in the opposite direction. The majority of them carried luggage of some kind. A few of them were pulling large carts filled with vegetables and hay. Others had confined themselves to bulging saddlebags. Their expressions were much the same: Mournful. King Sombra's return and the appearance of many beasts across Equestria had demanded a large scale evacuation of all the villages nearest to Tartarus. Rainbow almost laughed at the irony that her and Rarity, two ponies out of hundreds, were heading towards the most dangerous place in the land, whilst everypony else was fleeing.

“The beasts are gonna be coming soon!” Rainbow uttered, sounding a bit too excited. Rarity cringed, more at her companion's enthusiasm than anything else.

“You don't know that,” she replied sharply.

Rainbow whirled to face the alicorn, a manic light in her eye. She wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of fighting beasts, but she was ready.

“One of the first things Spitfire taught me was that beasts aren't just animals!” she countered loudly. “They can think, they can plan, they can follow orders, they can ambush! The beasts don't want us to get to the temple, do they? Nope, they're gonna try to stop us from meeting up with the other Elements. Get it, Rare?”

Rarity frowned, but she nodded.

The two mares crossed into another wooded area, the path framed by towering trees. A peaceful, somewhat concealed trail, unluckily choked by foliage in some places. A century's worth of use had quite worn down the path as well. But Rarity and Rainbow Dash could still feel it underneath their hooves when they touched down. The latter led the way, the former trailing behind and scowling at the remarkable untidiness of their surroundings.

“Um, Rainbow Dash, what is that peculiar smell?” she inquired reluctantly.

She shouldn't have asked.

“Animal feces?” speculated Rainbow Dash calmly. “Dead wildlife? Rotting food? Could be any of those things.”

Rarity looked as if she was either going to vomit or flee out of complete repulsion. A quiver of disgust skittered across her body as she looked around, half-expecting to be greeted with the horrible sight of a pile of animal leavings or a deceased rabbit. Her hoofsteps, once confident, became more wary as the threat of stepping in something disgusting rose to the top of her concens.

Fortunately, the sound of hoofsteps distracted both ponies. They looked up as one, startled as they turned toward the sound. A mare, a stallion, and a filly had just rounded a corner and were galloping toward them. The filly was sobbing, her mane unkempt and her entire body trembling with horror. She stumbled as she ran, barely able to keep herself on her hooves. The male pony scooped up the terrified filly and placed her on his back, whilst the mare trotted forward on her own unsteady hooves. As Rainbow and Rarity approached, the mare collapsed in front of them.

“W-We tried to run!” she stammered, her eyes alive with terror. “The beasts….the beasts….!”

Rarity drew back with a gasp, her hoof over her mouth. But Rainbow Dash continued forward and gazed into the sobbing face of the mare.

“Beasts?” she echoed breathlessly.

The stallion nodded, his own eyes filled with tears. He helped his wife to her hooves, his own quivering as if he too might collapse.

“We had to leave the others behind,” he explained. “The re-rest of the village...”

He couldn't go on, unable to comprehend such a horrible fate. However, he did not need to expand on the subject. When he glanced at Rarity and Rainbow Dash, he saw they were already galloping down the path, toward the screams and loud sobbing in the distance.

Could be a trap, Rainbow Dash reasoned to herself.

Regardless, ignoring those in need wasn't an option. Especially as, the closer they came to the source of the trouble, the worse the images in her head became. It wasn't merely screams and crying, as one would expect. To Rainbow Dash's horror, she could also hear, very faintly, the unmistakeable sounds of ponies being killed. She increased her pace, mentally preparing herself for the trauma.

The scene was even worse than the images she'd conjured up. Her imagination had given her pictures of slit throats, piles of detached limbs, and a lake of blood. Whilst the last of these was thankfully inaccurate, this was only the smallest mercy the mares were given in terms of visuals. Strewn across the ground were several equines, horrendously wounded. Some appeared to be showing signs of life, their limbs twitching at random intervals and odd noises coming from their throats. However, the majority of the ponies were not moving, either because they were dead or they were too injured to so much as shake a hoof. The vast majority of the villagers were fleeing in terror as they were swarmed with beasts. As Rainbow Dash and Rarity arrived, they saw a few of the villagers struck down by beasts as they attempted to flee.

Once you have described one beast, you're not even halfway to describing them all. Their only common physical trait is their hulking frames, and even those vary significantly. Some are as tall as buildings, whilst others are rodents in comparison. The closest one can inclusively describe beasts as a whole is to compare them to dragons. They certainly tend to be rather draconic in appearance, their bodies often covered with scales and their mouths very lizard-esque. But as many descriptions as you might give to beasts as a species, you cannot truly give them one universal design.

The cyan pegasus and the alicorn were not too concerned with painting a mental picture of the creatures. They were more concerned with the alarming amount of unarmed villagers being attacked by them. Rainbow Dash galloped forward with little fear, gazing at the beasts as if they were mere toys rather than dangerous monsters. She looked over her shoulder at the stunned alicorn as she charged.

“I'll slow them down!” Rainbow shouted commandingly. “You finish them!”

She didn't wait for Rarity to confirm her understanding. Adrenaline surging through her body, Rainbow Dash spread her wings and dove at the nearest beast. Startled, the creature reared its head and swiped a claw at the pegasus. Rainbow easily dodged the rather clumsy attack, pulling a tiny bag from her saddlebag as she did so. She undid the bag with her teeth and threw its contents at the beast as she passed it, spraying the creature with a foul-smelling liquid. The beast opened its mouth to growl, but its threatening growl morphed into a howl of pain as its entire body was engulfed in flames. A blade materialized and shot upward, neatly slicing off its head. Rainbow Dash turned and grinned at Rarity, who was pointing her horn as if it was a sword. The abruptly dead monster fell forward, hitting the ground just as three more dashed towards Rainbow. Laughing, Rainbow flew to meet the advancing beasts as if they were participating in a bizarre jousting match. She flipped in midair, turning her back hooves toward the beast in the middle. She hit the beast in the chest, pushing it backwards. Before it could gain its bearings, Rainbow flipped over once again so her visage was facing the beast, opened her mouth, and sprayed a yellowish liquid into her opponent's face and the faces of the other beasts. The beasts reeled, their eyes burning, only for them to be hastily decapitated by Rarity. Rainbow Dash met the next four beasts without hesitation, immobilizing them with poison needles that bought Rarity enough time to kill them. However, one the beasts charged directly towards Rarity, ignoring the pegasus completely. Rarity aimed her horn at it, slightly quivering. Thinking quickly, Rainbow reached into her saddlebag and withdrew a pan flute. The sound it made when she blew into it was inaudible to the surrounding ponies, but the beast turned and began heading towards her. Before it could reach the pegasus, a blade had sliced through its neck.

In a few minutes, the dead and dying ponies lying on the ground were joined by the bodies of no less than seven beasts, each one missing its head.

“I think we handled that quite well, Ms. Dash,” Rarity commented, a slight smile on her lips.

Rainbow Dash, never one to hold back her cheerfulness, nodded in a buoyant manner. She regretted that they could not have saved all of the villagers, but she was satisfied to have done all she could. Nevertheless, she tried not to look at all the bodies. The number of causalities wasn't immensely terrible, but it was significant. As the grateful villagers began gathering their dead or wounded and repacking their fallen supplies, she turned to a stallion nearby.

“Was anypony else in the village?” she asked.

The stallion didn't look at her. He concentrated on scooping spilled hay back into the cart he'd been pulling.

“A mare stayed behind,” he answered quietly. “I believe she's still in the village.”

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows, half-inclined to ask a question. But this wasn't the time for queries. She nodded at Rarity, as if they had some kind of silent communication, and spread her wings. Apparently the fight wasn't over yet. But she hadn't expected it to end so quickly. She was about to take to the sky, but Rarity came up beside her. Feeling a tug on her right wing, she turned in confusion to the alicorn.

Rarity looked as if she was holding back tears, but with great difficulty. Her visage had gone an even paler white. She wasn't trembling and she didn't stutter when she spoke. Her voice was steady and accepting. Yet it was tinged with guilt and misery, as if each word left a bruise on her insides.

“We can't do this,” she uttered in a soft, complacent voice. “If we spend too long in one place, we won't make it to the temple. I know you want to save that mare, Rainbow Dash. But if we don't get to the temple, millions could die. We have to keep going, even at the expense of one mare's life.”

Rainbow Dash squinted at the sky, her thoughts racing. The truth in Rarity's words was undeniable. Time was working against them in this instance. Only a set duration to get to the temple, and an even smaller one to defeat King Sombra. It was a choice she couldn't stand making: One mare's life or the entire world.

“Yeah, you're right,” she agreed with a nod.

Rarity let go of Rainbow's wing, relieved. For a second there, she'd thought her companion was going to do something ridiculous.

However, as soon as the wing slipped from the alicorn's grasp, Rainbow Dash took to the sky. The determination and that grin were back in all their glory. It was indeed a choice nopony wants to make. Therefore, Rainbow Dash decided not to make it at all.

“This is what it means to be the strongest mare in the world!” she burst out as she flew.

Rarity opened her mouth to deliver an order, something she'd promised not to do after she departed Canterlot. She felt inclined to go after the mare herself and force her to return to her senses. But the words died before they even reached her throat. This wasn't one of her servants or even Prince Blueblood. This was Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, what's the point?” Rarity groaned to herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw three beasts emerging from the trees. The universe was ensuring she wouldn't be going after Rainbow Dash any time soon.

The village, as expected, was in ruins. The buildings had been destroyed beyond recognition, their roofs caved in and their doors torn from their hinges. Splintered wood and shards of glass littered the ground, their owners impossible to trace. A particularly large building, most likely the former town hall, seemed to have been haphazardly abused by claws. In the center of the village, a lone ornate fountain stood like the remnants of a dynasty. It had somehow escaped damage in the attack. It stood there proudly, alone and untouched as Rainbow Dash touched down next to a ruined house.

Rainbow Dash gazed sadly at the destruction. Beast attacks tended to leave entire villages nothing more than rubble. She dreaded to imagine how long it would take the villagers—as they were all Earth ponies—to rebuild. If time had permitted it, she would have wanted to help. But if time was less than pleased with her decision to rescue a single mare, it would not look kindly on her helping rebuild a village. Trying to pay little attention to the wreckage, she trotted around warily, her eyes searching the area. However, as she passed a specific house, she was surprised to notice the body of a rather large beast. She jumped at first, but closer inspection revealed that it was dead.

Okay, that's weird, she thought.

Curious, Rainbow Dash trotted closer to inspect the body. It wasn't significant in its physical characteristics, she noticed as she looked it over. A standard beast, about the size of a small cottage. She leaned in closer, wondering if it had been savaged by its peers for some unknown reason. But a look at its head revealed the true cause of its demise: A small round ball the color of tar imbedded deep in its skull. The point of impact was surrounded by a circle of bloody, dented flesh that spread outwards like a flower. Rainbow Dash eased the object out of the beast's skull. She held it to her mouth and licked it, cringing at the bitter taste of blood. But underneath this, her tongue detected something else.

Gunpower? she thought.

But the wound was far too deep to have been caused by a mere gun. Rainbow Dash had never used a gun before, but Spitfire had taught her about how they worked. She was under the impression that guns could not be used on beasts. The bullet had done more than strike the beast. It had literally blown a hole in its skull, killing it instantly. No gun in existence was strong enough to do that.

A noise made Rainbow Dash jump. She peered over the body of the beast, expecting to see another one of its kind approaching her. But as she reached for the sword fastened to her side, she saw something she had not expected: A mare, accompanied by a small brown dog.

The newcomer wore a high-collared cloak that partially obscured her visage from the side. She wore a large, beautiful pink and blue flower in her mane. The mane itself, tinted red and yellow, was cut short. Strangely, she wore an eye patch on her right eye and a plain black headband across her forehead. The dog following her obediently, she trotted to a larger dog tied to a tree near the center of the village. She undid the leash with her magic, allowing the larger dog and the smaller one to meet. She watched impassively as the two canines fled, disappearing from her sight without a glance in her direction.

Rainbow Dash stepped out from her hiding place behind the large beast. She hadn't been able to move prior as she watched the scene, her mind frozen. The sight of this mare had caught her off guard more than the dead beast. She was such an odd-looking pony. Rainbow, strangely fascinated, began to approach.

The mare turned toward the pegasus, blinking disinterestedly at her. Casually held at her side by magic was a rifle. Clearly she was the source of the bullet.

“You...um……,” Rainbow stammered, unusually flustered. “Um….you like dogs?”

It wasn't the best introduction line and not the best first impression. Rainbow blushed as the words left her mouth, aware of how awkward she sounded.

“I like dogs,” confirmed the other mare calmly. “It's ponies I dislike.”

Rainbow offered a smile, although it was difficult to smile at such a cold face.

“I like dogs and ponies,” she replied, walking closer. “In fact, there's….”

She stopped as the other mare raised her gun, pointing it directly at her. Rainbow's smile, which had been morphing into a pure grin, dissolved into a frown. This mare wasn't looking for friendly conversation. She was threatening her.

“Who are you?” demanded the other mare coolly, but with a certain threat hanging in her tone.

Rainbow outstretched and then re-folded her wings, a traditional pegasus sign of non-aggression. During times of war, pegasi would greet each other this way to assure each other they meant no harm. Unicorns did something similar by bowing their heads to lower their horns. With neither appendage to use, Earth ponies settled for merely raising a hoof toward the sky.

“I'm Rainbow Dash, the strongest mare in the world!” Rainbow announced. “I'm one of the Braves of the Six Elements!”

Rainbow expected this to end any petty gun play, but to her surprise the other mare did not lower her gun. In fact, she raised it a little higher, aiming with more care.

“Are you here to kill me?” she asked.

This conversation had gone in all the wrong directions and Rainbow Dash did not understand how. Bemused, her eyes wandered from the gun to the mare's form. She was taller than Rainbow Dash by an inch or so. A single pouch, most likely filled with bullets, hung from her side. To her surprise, Rainbow Dash noticed a pair of wings tucked at her sides through carefully placed holes in the cloak. She was apparently a Goddess, which provided an explanation for the bullet having killed a beast. Although it hadn't registered in Rainbow's mind prior, where her Cutie Mark should have been there was an image of a crystal heart.

“I'm an Element, you idiot!” Rainbow responded, a little frustrated.

The other mare obviously was not reassured by this. She narrowed her eyes, apparently distrustful.

“My name is Sunset Shimmer,” she uttered serenely. “I'm the Goddess of Gunpower. If you happen to meet any of the Elements, please tell them who I am. Also tell them that I will not accompany you. I will got to Tartarus and defeat the Demon King myself.”

This announcement made Rainbow Dash laugh.

“Are you for real?” she demanded, rolling her eyes. “You can't defeat King Sombra by yourself!”

She stepped forward, chuckling at the very idea. She halted immediately as a bullet flew past her ear. Crying out, she turned her head sharply as the projectile just avoided grazing her. Rainbow Dash followed its path and saw it lodged in a wall behind her. Her smile fading yet again, she returned her gaze to Sunset Shimmer. That had unmistakably been a warning shot.

Rarity surveyed the mass of dead beasts, her face impassive. She had managed to do it alone, without aid from Rainbow Dash. This should be a cause for pride. But the more she looked at the carnage around her, the less she felt like celebrating. Especially as her eyes came to rest on the unmoving body of a stallion, yet another casualty in the fray.

The other villagers had left, fleeing hastily while Rarity distracted the monsters. She was now completely alone, standing in the middle of the corpses. Nopony had come back for the stallion. He simply lay there on his side, a long gash running down his back and his eyes wide with terror. The beasts had swarmed around him completely underneath Rarity's notice. By the time she heard his screams, it was too late to do more than kill the monsters that had attacked him. She could not even attempt a healing spell, as she herself was distracted a second proceeding as more beasts emerged. Sighing, Rarity leaned over the stallion's form. She sent a gentle wave of magic over his visage, closing his eyes. As she straightened up, Rarity heard the sound of footsteps. She turned as a figure, this time certainly not a beast, appeared from the trees.

The figure was taller than Rarity by at least three feet. He was an imposing creature, his claws sharpened to points and his purple scales glimmering in the sun. His winged helmet contained a long opening from front to back, exposing a small amount of large green spines. As a weapon, albeit one was not necessarily required, he possessed a spear. The spear was attached to the gauntlet on his arm by a chain. The helmet itself made it clear he was a member of the Emerald Knights of Canterlot. What it did not indicate was that this dragon was the official leader of the knights by way of inheritance.

“I, Spike the Dragon, have come to aid the fair Princess Rarity!” the newcomer announced sternly.

Rarity appeared less than content with this announcement.

“I knew you'd be chosen if I was, Spikey-Wikey,” she sighed.

It wasn't unheard of for dragons to be chosen as Elements. Any living creature that proved itself capable of defeating King Sombra was eligible, be it pony, griffin, zebra, or dragon. The magic of the Goddess of the Crystal Heart couldn't have discriminated if it desired to. It helped that dragons were considered the best warriors in the world, only matched by pegasi.

Spike held out his arm to reveal the image of a crystal heart located just above his elbow. Despite his scales providing more than the needed protection, he was attired in a generous amount of armor. His chest, legs, and the arm not bearing the crystal heart were covered with thick plates of armor, reinforcing the natural toughness of his body.

“I swear no harm shall befall you!” Spike uttered firmly.

Rarity sat down on all four hooves, a look of annoyance on her features. If only she had her tea to sip, eyebrow raised as she peered at Spike over the cup. It would be just the right amount of theatrics to illustrate her point. As this was unfortunately impossible, she settled for shaking her head and rearranging her features into an expression of stern disapproval.

“We're equals, Spike,” she reminded him, dropping the nickname. “We protect each other or nopony protects anypony.”

Spike shook his head, denouncing such a ludicrous proposition. His loyalty was, in its purest form, to the royal family. This included Prince Blueblood and Miss Rarity. However, the majority of his devotion actually went to Miss Rarity alone. The other knights could worry about protecting the city of Canterlot, but he would always hold Miss Rarity above everypony else.

“You are special, Miss Rarity,” he pointed out. “You alone must not be allowed to perish in battle!”

Rarity sighed, unable to bring herself to argue. Spike was just like Rainbow Dash in that regard. Certain words would never penetrate his mind. They would just bounce uselessly off the surface. She could do little except have sympathy.

“If you've appeared before me like this, I assume you've captured the Element-Killer,” Rarity uttered, changing the topic.

Spike appeared somewhat ashamed of himself. He dropped to his knees before the alicorn, his head bowed.

“I have not captured her yet,” he admitted reluctantly. “However, I have discovered some important clues.”

Rarity frowned, surprised at this confession. She stood up, regarding the kneeling dragon. Even on her hooves, she only barely came up to his head. She sometimes forgot just how much larger he was than her.

“And what clues are those, if you don't mind me asking?”

Spike lifted his head to gaze at her, although he continued to kneel.

“I have discovered her name and her appearance, but not her exact whereabouts.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. He wanted Rarity to be impressed by him, by his skills in the field of investigation. She needn't know he'd coaxed the information out of a drunken bar patron as he himself attempted to drink away his sorrows at having absolutely no leads whatsoever. Still, regardless of where the information had come from, he was suitably proud of it. After a moment or two, he rushed to continue.

“The Element-Killer is a mare with a red and yellow mane and an eye patch. She carries a gun with her. Her name is Sunset Shimmer.”

The Element-Killer

Speechless, Rainbow gazed nervously down the intimidating barrel of the gun. She had never before feared guns, albeit she had also never before had one pointed at her. In this case, the fear mostly originated from her confusion.

“Rainbow Dash?” Sunset Shimmer echoed serenely. “I believe I've heard your name before. You've become quite a celebrity since your cowardly little stunt at the tournament.”

The word “cowardly” was enough to halt Rainbow's spinning thoughts. Her expression turned from nervousness to indignation, her temper flaring at the unrestricted nerve of this mare.

“Cowardly?” she uttered, her voice throbbing with dramatic ire. “Do cowardly mares get chosen as Elements?”

Her indignation melting away any semblance of unease, she began to approach the mare as if desiring to wrest the gun from her by force.

“Put that thing away!” she ordered. “You're not making any sen--”

The next warning shot was more precise, with a touch of authority to it. It was the type of shot one fires to remind all those in range of who is the dominant party. The shot came just within striking distance of Rainbow's visage, a trail of air shooting past her cheek. The pegasus cried out, rearing back on her hind legs in surprise and fright. The bullet struck the wall behind her, leaving a sizable hole. She did not get a chance to even glance at the damage, for the other mare had already begun sprinting away the moment Rainbow was distracted.

“Get back here!” Rainbow Dash called.

Sunset Shimmer ignored the bequest, continuing her rapid sprint past the fountain and out of the destroyed village. Her cloak danced in the wind as she fled, her gun held idly at her side by her magic. She did not glance behind her as she moved, apparently unconcerned about the prospect of Rainbow pursuing her. This was perhaps a fatal error on her part, for she had completely misjudged Rainbow's character.

Rainbow Dash swore under her breath, watching the Goddess of Gunpowder retreat with a frown. With haste, she thrust a hoof into her saddlebags and retrieved a piece of parchment and a quill. She clutched the quill in her mouth and wrote a hasty message. Her writing, terrible at its best, was barely legible, but she did not waste time dwelling on it. Rainbow rolled up the parchment and fastened it with an enchanted lavender ribbon she had been given. Pegasi normally avoided magic, but Spitfire had told her that this was a shortcoming all of their race must learn to overcome. Rainbow Dash was especially pleased she had not rejected magic, for the parchment did exactly as she had anticipated: It vanished in a puff of yellow smoke. If the magic worked as if it was meant to, it would appear at another location in precisely two minutes. Satisfied, Rainbow spread her wings. She ascended upward at a quick pace, heading in the direction she was certain Sunset Shimmer had gone.

Sunset was not unaccustomed to running away. However, she was rather unaccustomed to being chased by an annoyingly determined blue pegasus who was obviously ignorant of the many ways one could say “Leave me alone!” with a gun. Increasing her speed, Sunset Shimmer rounded a corner and darted into a patch of tall grass. The grass provided utter concealment from passerby, as it rose past her head. To further conceal herself, Sunset dropped down onto her stomach. She reached a hoof before her and pressed it firmly against the ground, closing her eyes. She did not feel any vibrations from approaching hoofsteps, but she was smart enough not to give up her cover that easily.

Rainbow Dash touched down on a tree branch, balancing expertly on the thick limb akin to a bird. She pulled a spy glass from her left saddlebag and held it to her eye, scanning the bushes and grass before her. She did not see any galloping ponies, but she had not expected it to be straightforward. Her gaze swept the area rather nonchalantly, yet she at once noticed a slight disturbance in the grass a foot or so away. Naturally, it could have been the work of an animal. However, seeing as the disturbance was fresh, she chose to believe it was Sunset Shimmer. She tucked away the spy glass, smirking. Rainbow stepped forward and dove off the branch, her wings unfurling moments before she was to reach the ground. She soared upward into the sky, looking downward to follow the subtle path left by the disturbed grass.

Sunset glanced upward from her hiding spot at the sound of wings. If she wasn't mistaken, that was not an unusually large bird. Irritated and slightly puzzled, Sunset darted from her hiding place. She galloped through the grass for a few moments, weaving in an out of particularly tall patches. But these were too far apart to provide any real cover. At best, they gave her one or two seconds of camouflage that would not have tricked a foal. Abandoning the grass entirely, Sunset instead galloped onto the path. Unfortunately, before she had made it two feet, Rainbow Dash had touched down before her.

“Stop!” Rainbow demanded, blocking the other mare's path.

The two both halted, panting from their efforts. Rainbow should not have bothered giving any kind of order for Sunset to cease. Sunset was quite tired of running, sweat liberally descending her brow and her breath coming in frantic inhales.

“You caught me…,” she managed to utter. “Why...why would you go to all this trouble?”

Rainbow recovered her breath much quicker than Sunset. After a moment, she was able to reply to the other mare's question.

“Does it matter?” she responded.

She could have asked herself this very same query. She could not explain why she had felt the need to chase after Sunset. One could blame their shared status as Elements, Rainbow's own impulsive nature, or the desperate curiosity of the whole event. But these would all be flawed excuses. In reality, Rainbow was more at a loss to explain her pursuit than Sunset was.

Sunset, regaining herself both mentally and physically, held her gun aloft and pointed it at Rainbow.

“Stop following me or I'll be forced to shoot you!” she threatened.

Rainbow should have felt as if she was in danger, but in truth she merely felt annoyed. She could only have a gun pointed at her so many times before her mind saw nothing dangerous in that barrel. She was tired of Sunset's nonsense, tired of being threatened, and tired of this drama.

“Oh, shut up!” Rainbow snapped. “You could have shot me fifty times over before now and you haven't. So just shut your mouth and put that stupid toy of yours away!”

Astonished, Sunset Shimmer gazed at the blue pegasus as if she was a magical anomaly. Her gun fell to her side, her magic responding at once to her altered state of mind. In her surprise, she did not even realize that she had unintentionally shifted dominance to the one pony who wasn't brandishing a weapon. Rainbow Dash was now in charge, not her.

“Are you some kind of idiot?!” continued Rainbow heatedly. “You can't defeat King Sombra on your own and you know it!”

The insult roused the defensive portion of Sunset's mind. She raised her gun yet again, narrowing her eyes.

“Would you like me to prove my capability?” she asked, her tone venomous.

Rainbow Dash desired to roll her eyes, but she decided it was about time she began taking this a bit more seriously. With this in mind, she unsheathed the sword fastened to her side. Its blade, freshly polished that very morning, glinted in the sunlight as she held it in her mouth. A sword was no match for a gun and a normal pegasus was no match for a Goddess, but Rainbow had never been one to read into likely outcomes.

“Why won't you meet up with the others?” she inquired, the words squeezing themselves past the sword's handle.

Sunset Shimmer spoke frankly, as if the answer was obvious.

“Because if we meet, they'll try to kill me,” she replied. “The fact that you yourself haven't tried to kill me is baffling.”

Rainbow Dash almost spat out her sword in astonishment. Out of all the possible answers that had swarmed into her mind in the brief silence, none of them had been close to the one she had just been given.

“Why would I try to kill you?” she demanded. “We're all Elements! We're united by our destiny to kill the Demon King! Why would we kill one of our own and risk being less prepared for the coming battle?”

Sunset Shimmer laughed bitterly. She hadn't quite believed Rainbow's ignorance to be genuine, but now she was certain this mare really was clueless in that regard. She should have felt safer knowing Rainbow Dash didn't have enough information to be a real threat, but in truth she merely felt bad for the uninformed pegasus.

“If I told you the answer, you'd try to kill me,” Sunset responded calmly. “But even if I don't tell you, we'll end up trying to kill one another. The third option is that you walk away and enjoy your ignorance for the time being. Do whatever you want to do, but I'm going to fight King Sombra.”

Sunset Shimmer lowered her gun, confident that her point had gotten across. Surely those straightforward words could penetrate Rainbow's thick skull. She would consider herself fortunate if she could live her entire life without ever seeing this frustrating pony again. Soothed by this happy thought, Sunset turned away from Rainbow and started to depart. She left with haste, trotting along the path in the opposite direction.

Rainbow Dash watched the alicorn leave, a slight grin on her features. She loved meeting ponies who had no idea who they were messing with. She'd met ponies like Sunset while she was in school: Egotistical fools who thought they automatically had the upper hoof on the small mare who appeared childish even for her young age. Most of those ponies would have remembered her more accurately as the filly who left them bleeding and half-conscious. The smirk growing, the pegasus rummaged in her saddlebag for a moment until she located a round yellow ball. Humming to herself, she lit a short fuse protruding from the ball and tossed it in the direction Sunset Shimmer had fled. There was a brief second of utter quiet before the innocent-looking ball had erupted into smoke.

Sunset Shimmer's brain only had half a second to process what had just happened. And before she could do anything other than whirl around, a series of coughs were pouring from her mouth. Half-blind and choking on the putrid air, she attempted to aim her gun as somepony galloped toward her. But even if her aim had been halfway accurate, the window of time she left between gathering her senses and raising her weapon was too inviting. She felt a slight tug at her side as something was yanked away, the strap pulled roughly from its secure position. Sunset gasped, her hoof shooting to her side in panic. However, as the smoke cleared, her hoof landed on the cloth of her cloak and nothing else. In her moment of vulnerability, her bullets had been pilfered. Her eyes darted from her cloak to the grinning pegasus who stood before her holding the bag of ammunition in her mouth like a prize.

“What in the name of the Goddess do you think you're doing?!” Sunset demanded angrily.

Rainbow Dash spat out the stolen bag. She draped it over her hoof and held it up triumphantly, a taunting smile on her features. She gave the bag a pointed shake, rattling its contents.

“You said I could do whatever I want,” she pointed out, laughing.

Sunset Shimmer couldn't tell if she was being made fun or if this pony was the world's biggest idiot. To remind her yet again who was at a distinct advantage, she aimed the gun directly at Rainbow's head. If words couldn't get through her skull, perhaps a bullet would be sufficient.

Rainbow Dash's expression was playful, but her words were laced with sincerity.

“I'm not leaving you alone,” she informed the other mare. “If you really think you're in danger, I'm not going to just leave you behind. And if you want your stuff back, you'll have to kill me right now. Otherwise I'm going to run off with your bullets!”

She sounded remarkably similar to a filly threatening one of her schoolmates. There was even a touch of childish superiority in her voice, as if she'd just won a battle over the last cookie on the plate. Taking her seriously would have been a challenge if she wasn't currently holding Sunset Shimmer's ammunition hostage.

“I'm going to protect you!” Rainbow announced buoyantly. “I have no idea why you're worried about the other Elements killing you, but it doesn't matter.”

Rainbow lowered the bag to her side. She placed a hoof on her chest, staring into Sunset's eyes.

“I promise to make sure nothing bad happens to you,” she pledged solemnly.

Without giving Sunset a chance to respond, Rainbow seized the bag in her hoof, turned, and began trotting away. She walked with the confidence of a pony who knew precisely what was going to happen, her guard lowered.

Sunset pointed her gun at Rainbow's retreating form. Her thoughts wavered, her brain urging her to pull the trigger. She tightened the grip of her magic, putting more pressure on the trigger as if she would indeed shoot the pegasus. However, after a moment of hesitation, she sighed. Sunset lowered the gun to her side again, releasing the trigger from her magic entirely. She could not believe it, but somehow she was going along with this madness. Disliking her circumstances greatly, Sunset slowly began to follow Rainbow Dash.

When she heard hoofsteps following her, Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. Her gamble had worked.

Rarity uttered a tiny squeak as a scroll appeared before her. It hovered in the air of its own power, encased in a yellow aura of magic. After a minute, it fluttered harmlessly to the ground before the sitting mare. Rarity seized it in her magic gingerly.

“Who is that from?” inquired Spike, raising his eyebrow.

Rarity's eyes skimmed the page, her mouth soundlessly forming words. She ignored the dragon for a moment, her mind lost in the message. When it came to its end, she neatly rolled up the scroll and tucked it into one of her saddlebags. She turned to the curious knight, a smile on her features.

“It's from Rainbow Dash,” she explained. “She went on ahead with another Element and is going to meet us at the rendezvous point.”

Spike scowled at the name, but it was not merely due to the unflattering retellings of the tournament he had encountered. He did not like the fondness in Rarity's smile when she spoke Rainbow Dash's name or the tender affection in her voice. Her lips seemed to stroke the name as it departed, caressing the syllables as if they were each a lover. Even Spike himself could not remember hearing his name spoken with such blatant love.

Rarity stood up, a determined look upon her visage.

“Come, Spikey-Wikey!” she uttered energetically. “To our destiny!”

The message seemed to have breathed life into her. Her eyes were burning with energy and her cheeks were aglow, adding yet more beauty to her already attractive face. She looked akin to a schoolfilly who'd earned herself the spoils of the weekend. Rarity stepped forward, her dazzling form reflected in Spike's green eyes. She leaned slightly forward, lowering her head and bending her front legs. She then shot forward, her wings spreading as she broke into a gallop.

Spike watched Miss Rarity for a moment, a worried expression on his face. He had never known Rarity to be so accepting of exercise. He had never known her to leave with such haste, to be so abruptly full of a young filly's energy. She appeared to be enjoying herself, as if she had forgotten about the impending battle for the fate of Equestria or the cruelty of the Demon King. As if somepony had gently brushed those thoughts from her mind. Spike took a moment to follow Rarity. His mind kept going back to the message Rarity had received from the mare whose name she spoke as if it was candy.

“Um, are you sure we can trust this….Rainbow Dash?” Spike asked carefully as they ran. “I heard she used a bunch of cheap tactics to win the tournament. And the guards told me she kidnapped you!”

Rarity laughed, her hooves barely touching the ground as she moved. Wings were unmatched at giving ponies acceleration. It was a mark of Spike's dedication to athleticism and his generally muscular form that he could keep up with her. Being a dragon of the non-flying variety, he was fortunate she hadn't taken to the sky.

“Rainbow Dash is a good pony,” Rarity answered. “She's simply amazing, Spike. Strong-willed, adventurous, wise…. She might brag a lot, but I can tell she has a heart underneath all that foolish pride.”

Spike looked away. He could not believe Rarity was praising this mare so extensively. He had worked for years to receive the very same praise, to impress Rarity in the exact same manner. And eventually, after he'd driven himself to the crest of his endurance, he'd at last earned that coveted smile and those wonderful compliments from the most beautiful mare in Canterlot. But somehow another pony, a pony Rarity had only truly known for a few days, had earned that right.

“Ra-Rarity,” Spike stammered, his voice a pitiful mumble. “Are you and her…. I mean, did you….? Are the two of you…..?”

He couldn't finish the question, regardless of how he phrased it. The words became trapped in his throat, his voice devolving into even less coherency.

“What's that, Spikey-Wikey?” Rarity queried obliviously. “Speak up, darling!”

But Spike decided to leave such questions alone for the time being. He wanted to enjoy his time with Rarity. The peacefulness was something to be cherished, considering what they were to face at the end of their adventure. At the end of the road stood the fearsome beast known as the Demon King. And to the very side of the road stood a mare named Rainbow Dash. Whichever was more difficult to face, Spike had his trusty spear at his side.

Rainbow Dash hadn't “made a friend” of Sunset Shimmer, but she acted as if she had. Seeing as Sunset had spent the majority of their encounter threatening her with a gun, Rainbow came to the conclusion that any duration of time in which no weapons were being utilized was a time in which they were friends, or at least idle comrades. Perhaps if she kept up a charade of them being friends, there would be less shooting. Ignoring Sunset's indifference, she spoke cheerfully to lighten the mood as they trotted.

“You're the Goddess of Gunpower, huh? That's pretty cool. Your gun's kind of nice, too. I've never even held one myself, but…..I don't think I could if I wanted to. Hooves, you know. Hey, if you're the Goddess of Gunpower, how come I've never heard of you? I didn't know there was a Goddess of Gunpowder. Is there really an alicorn for everything these days? Oh, and if you have any explosives, I'll take the extras. I can always use some more.”

Rainbow Dash slowed down and turned to look at the mare following her. Sunset hadn't spoken a single word since they'd started out together. She hadn't had the courtesy to offer so much as a brief nod or a cough in response. Rainbow should have been put off by this, but in truth she'd endured worse in terms of conversation partners.

“Aren't you gonna answer me, Goddess of Rudeness?” she demanded. “What exactly do you think I am?”

Sunset Shimmer finally spoke. Her indifferent gaze locked with Rainbow's indignant one, her voice dripping with distaste.

“An idiot,” she replied blatantly. “An impulsive donkey of a pegasus with no common sense.”

Rainbow's ability to be offended had waned during her time with Sunset. She merely shrugged, accepting this insulting description.

The two ponies reached the top of the hill. Spread out beneath them was an immense valley. Once it had contained all that was gorgeous in nature. The very essence of life in its most undisturbed form had at one time been fortunate enough to dwell there. But the beauty of the land had been spoiled centuries previous, the lives of all but the smallest blades of grass snuffed out of existence. Crystals, each the color of smoke, rose from the ground in varying sizes as a cruel replacement of the beautiful flowers. Far beyond the valley, the sky above had been tainted a menacing crimson, the air poisoned.

“Holy Tartarus,” muttered Rainbow Dash.

The words could either be taken literally or figuratively. The poison that had overtaken the valley had indeed come from Tartarus. It was no less than the hoof of King Sombra himself, reaching out from his place of rest to turn the very environment against its inhabitants. All those who stepped below the poisoned sky died within the hour. Fortunately, the Braves of the Six Elements were protected by the magic within them. At the bottom of the hill stood a large fortress, far enough away from King Sombra's poison for those inside to be safe.

Rainbow Dash led the way to the fortress, her head tilting upward to gaze in awe at the massive gate barring their entrance. This was the largest building she'd ever beheld in her entire life. Scale models could not do this magnificent place justice. She suspected it was even taller than the royal palace.

“If any of the other Elements are in there, I'm running away,” announced Sunset Shimmer.

Rainbow turned to her with a smile and nodded. She undid Sunset's bag of ammunition, which she had strapped carefully to her side. Rainbow tossed Sunset the bag, nodding again at the surprised look on the alicorn's features.

“You can run if you want,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I won't try to stop you.”

She turned back to the gate.

“Are any of the Braves of the Six Elements in there?” she shouted.

The head of a mare appeared over the top of the gate. She looked to be about Rainbow's age, but she wore the uniform of a high-ranked guard. The altered uniform of a high-ranked guard at any rate. She had, for some unknown reason, chosen to wear a blue cape over her armor.

“Who are you?” she shouted back.

Rainbow Dash turned around, displaying her Cutie Mark. She wondered how comical it looked for her to be showing her flank to a guard in order to gain entry. If only Cutie Marks could appear on any other part of a pony's body, such as their hoof or their cheek. It would be less awkward for everypony in situations like this. However, she didn't entirely mind it. She knew full well she had an amazing flank.

“I'm one of the Braves of the Six Elements!” she explained. “Are any of the other Elements in there?”

The mare shook her head. She then ducked out of sight for a brief duration. She reappeared a moment proceeding, using her magic to open the huge gate. Magic was the only way one could open the gate, unless they were unusually strong. As such, she was the only unicorn at the fortress. The mare had heard others referring to her as a “glorified doorpony”, but she merely laughed at them. She knew she was the most important unicorn at the fortress.

“The other Elements arrived yesterday and already left,” she explained.

Her eyes fastened onto Sunset, her gaze traveling across her form with interest. Rainbow Dash's mane was a literal rainbow of colors, yet Sunset was the odd one of the pair in terms of looks.

“And who is this?” she asked in a rather uptight voice.

Rainbow Dash grasped Sunset and forced her to turn around, displaying the other mare's Cutie Mark.

“Another Element,” Rainbow answered cheerfully.

She released Sunset from her grip, aware she might have crossed a line. But again, she more blamed the awkward placement of the Cutie Mark than she blamed herself. The Goddess of the Crystal Heart must have had a perverted sense of humor.

“I'm the Great and Powerful Trixie,” the guard introduced herself.

It was the longest pony name Rainbow had ever heard. And her pompous tone overshadowed Rainbow's with ease. The pegasus wasn't certain whether she was meant to laugh or roll her eyes.

Trixie led them into the fortress, shutting the heavy gate behind them. The courtyard was a surprisingly pleasant affair, given its location. The hints of pure nature across the ground made it seem as if it had been plucked out of a storybook and placed in the heart of a nightmare. The interior was less pleasing to the eye. It was dark, the scent of bloodshed clinging to the walls and floor. Rows of bloodstained sheets lined the walls, the hooves of deceased ponies peeking out from underneath them.

“Beast problem?” guessed Rainbow Dash grimly.

Trixie nodded gravely. She took the mares past a grand hallway and into a room of about medium size. In the middle of the room stood an altar containing three separate pedestals. Two of the pedestals held stone tablets adorned with carvings of ancient symbols. The third contained a stone replica of a sword. At the far left of the room was a map. Trixie crossed the room and stood in front of the map, pointing a hoof at a location in the far north.

“This is the Temple of Harmony,” she explained. “It was built by the first King of Canterlot many centuries ago. It is protected by a barrier that was erected by the Goddess of Salt and the Goddess of Fog. When the barrier is activated, the area will be completely sealed off and shrouded in fog. Any beasts in the area will be trapped. In the worst case scenario, one of the Elements will stay behind to activate the barrier. They will be trapped there along with the beasts, but the others will be able to get away.”

Rainbow Dash, who was attempting not to giggle at the word “erected”, nodded seriously. The Goddess of Salt and the Goddess of Fog were two of the alicorns covered in basic history lessons. Lessons to do with the Goddesses and their powers were the only ones she'd ever managed to stay awake for.

“How do you activate the barrier?” Rainbow asked.

Trixie crossed to the altar in the middle of the room. She placed a hoof on the pedestal containing the sword. With her magic, she carefully removed the sword from the pedestal and held it above her head. Even though it was a fabrication constructed from stone, it seemed to glint as it was suspended in Trixie's magical aura.

“To activate the barrier, you must place the sword in the dais and say 'Fog, I summon thee!',” Trixie informed them. “The fog will blanket the area and the barrier will be activated.”

Rainbow Dash strode over to Trixie. Her expression thoughtful, she took the sword from its position above the mare's head. Grasping it in her hooves somewhat awkwardly, she placed it in the dais as instructed. It seemed an easy enough process to duplicate.

“Fog, I summon thee!” she declared in an overly dramatic tone.

Trixie scowled at her lack of seriousness, but she didn't comment on it. She instead cleared her throat to get the attention of the pair.

“I will carry out my duty, even if I must lay down my life!” Trixie pledged.

Rainbow Dash nodded, respecting her devotion. Trixie, despite appearing rather full of herself, seemed to be a real, honest soldier. She held out her hoof to the unicorn. The two mares pressed their hooves together, a typical equine gesture of cooperation and friendship.

Sunset Shimmer stared at their hooves, a slightly wistful expression on her face.

Rainbow Dash once again led the way as they trotted. She hummed to herself in a far too nonchalant manner, her mind buzzing with thoughts of the Demon King.

“Only one problem, though,” she uttered conversationally. “How are we gonna sneak past the other Elements once we get to the temple?”

Sunset Shimmer stared at Rainbow's hindquarters, her eyes focused on the Cutie Mark. Running into a pony like this was bad luck on its own. Running into a pony like this who just happened to be an Element was something else. Sunset's features did not shift, but an intense hatred was rising in her heart. The more she gazed at that Cutie Mark, the more she listened to Rainbow's cheerful attempts at conversation, the more she detested this unflattering reality.

“I have one request,” Sunset announced quietly, halting.

Rainbow Dash, who'd begun talking about proper sword repair, stopped as well. She turned her gaze from the road ahead to the alicorn following her.

“When you inevitably try to end my life, I want you to grant me this one small request,” Sunset continued indifferently. “I might look as if I can brush off anything, but I'm affected by pain as much as any other pony. I'd prefer a quick death. If you must stab me, through the heart or head would be preferable.”

The melancholy words caused the smile to drop from Rainbow's face. The grimness of them seemed to taint the air, leaving an unpleasant taste in her mouth. Sunset Shimmer suddenly appeared more...breakable. Fragile and innocent, yet no stranger to the harshness of the world. Rainbow felt bad for her. Not only due to the nature of the request itself, but because Sunset apparently had so little faith in a mare who'd sworn to protect her.

“If you have any kind of request, it should be about us fighting together,” Rainbow responded coldly.

Sunset Shimmer bowed her head, a sigh drifting from between her lips. Nopony in existence was going to honor a request like that. She'd been a fool to say it aloud. She could only hope that, despite Rainbow's refusal, her words would float to the top of the other pony's mind during battle.

“We won't fight together,” Sunset replied matter-of-factly. “We might kill each other, but we will never fight side by side.”

She strode past the motionless pegasus, effectively taking the lead. Rainbow Dash didn't understand, she thought. This “strongest mare in the world” was nothing more than another naive filly hiding behind a fancy name. Once everything came to light, Rainbow Dash would regret every kind word she'd ever said to her.

“You're way too….,” Rainbow began dismissively.

Her abrupt stop made the alicorn pause, but she had no time to look at her. Sunset Shimmer cried out as the other mare plunged into her, driving her to the ground with her force. Her body hit the rough dirt and stones hard, the two ponies landing in a heap with Rainbow Dash spread out on top of her. The impact pulled a gasp of pain from Sunset's throat. Vaguely, she heard the sound of blades cutting through the air. She jerked her head to look at where she had previously been standing just in time to notice a pair of oddly-shaped blades disintegrate at that very spot.

Rainbow Dash leaped to her hooves, her nostrils flaring and her wings outstretched. She turned hastily to the left, the direction the attack had come from. Her eyes came to rest immediately on the attacker: A white alicorn standing a few feet away, her wings spread and her horn facing towards them.

“Rarity, stop it!” Rainbow demanded.

She would have said more, but Rarity had not come alone. A spear, the weapon attached to the end of a chain, swept towards Sunset in a wide arc. Rainbow opened her mouth to scream a warning, but she needn't have bothered. She watched, half in awe and half simply confused at what was going on, as Sunset dodged the attack with agility. When the other mare raised her gun to shoot at the dragon who had appeared on the other side of the road, Rainbow Dash rushed forward yelling an objection.

“No!” she cried. “Don't shoot him, Sunset!”

She placed herself between Sunset's gun and the dragon, preventing either from attacking. She had no idea what was going on. But all she truly cared about was protecting Sunset Shimmer. It was pure craziness without reason, but keeping everypony safe was more important than deciphering the trouble.

Her gun still aimed despite the obstruction of Rainbow's body, Sunset had a dour smile on her face.

“I told you this would happen,” she uttered somberly. “I told you that we'd try to kill each other.”

The Meeting of the Elements

Rarity swept her head in an elegant arc, spots of brightness trailing from her horn. Immense blades appeared before her, each twice the size of the alicorn. Held close enough to leave only a tiny gap, they worked surprisingly well as a makeshift shield. Her face set in determination, she began to trot towards Sunset. The blades moved in front of her as she did, floating above the ground.

Sunset aimed her gun at the approaching alicorn, aiming at the blade in the middle. She was confident a well-placed bullet could blast at least the middle of the shield apart, but she'd have to be hasty in destroying the other two.

“Rainbow Dash, get away from her!” demanded Rarity, her tone laden with worry.

Ignoring the bequest, Rainbow hurriedly moved to stand between Sunset and Rarity. She glanced at Spike, aware he might seize the chance to attack. Rainbow ground her teeth, rather illogically frustrated that she could not be in two places.

“What's wrong with you two?!” Rainbow shouted, outraged. “Why are you trying to kill one of our own?”

Rarity stopped, surprise filling her visage at Rainbow's words. She did not lower her shield, but she halted a foot away from Sunset and the cyan pegasus.

“One of our own…?” she echoed, bemused.

For the first time since their encounter, her eyes roamed to Sunset's flank. She gasped when she at last noticed the other mare's Cutie Mark. She heard Spike give his own audible cry of shock as Sunset's mark came to his attention as well. The symbol of the Crystal Heart is impossible to duplicate or mistake for another. Rarity's gaze steadily traveled from Sunset's Cutie Mark to the gun pointed in her direction.

“See?” Rainbow Dash uttered triumphantly. “Sunset is an Element!”

Rarity took a step back, but she did not lower her shield. She peered through the small gap between the blades, unable to speak. She shook her head, attempting to maintain some kind of order in her thoughts. A moment passed and she was able to steady her mind to the point she could speak. The determination returning tenfold, she turned her attention to Rainbow Dash.

“I'm very sorry, dear,” she uttered sincerely. “I'm afraid that mare is the Element-Killer.”

The sound of a startled gasp escaped Rainbow's mouth without her realization. She stepped back, albeit towards Sunset rather than away. Her head was spinning, the entire world seeming to have gone into a frantic revolution around her own brain. She turned to Sunset Shimmer, attempting to read something in that indifferent face of hers. But Sunset's expression gave her nothing. Her mind in turmoil, Rainbow opened her mouth to stutter out a question. However, Sunset spoke before the words could escape her throat.

“Miss Rarity is correct,” Sunset admitted calmly. “I am the Element-Killer.”

Rainbow thought she was liable to pass out from all the spinning. Everything around her was going too fast for her to keep up, too rapidly for it to be anything other than a blur. Sunset had just told her she was the Element-Killer, she realized vaguely. Rainbow desired to hold onto that confession, yet it kept getting swept away. Even Rarity's words seemed to be spinning around her mind, refusing to stay still long enough for her to do anything with them.

“I killed them all,” Sunset continued. “Double Diamond, Tropical Dream, March Gustysnows, Night Glider, Cratus, Wind Rider… And a lot of other warriors who had the potential to be chosen.”

Rainbow Dash wanted to believe this was some kind of joke, but she knew better. Sunset Shimmer's face could tell no jokes, could find no amusement in even the cruelest of deceptions. Her heart sinking, Rainbow took a deep breath.

“A-And Celestia, Goddess of the Sun?” she practically whispered. “Did you kill her as well?”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head, her gun still pointed towards Rarity. She had not looked at Rainbow Dash. She felt a bit sorry for the unfortunate pegasus. All of her foolish promises about protection were melting before her eyes. Sunset pitied Rainbow, but she couldn't say she hadn't been prepared.

“Celestia was on my list, but I never got to her,” Sunset explained.

Rainbow's thoughts were settling. She was able to focus on Sunset's words and the implications of them. In a circumstance of this nature, she knew the obvious response was to retreat to Rarity's side. But she instead remained near Sunset, moving slightly closer to the other mare. She had one last query to ask, the most important query of all.

“Why?” she asked simply. “Why did you kill all of those warriors?”

Sunset didn't lower her gun, but she turned to face the pegasus.

“I want to help King Sombra,” she replied serenely. “With all the strong warriors dead, only those who are weak could be chosen as Elements. Therefore, the Demon King shall prevail.”

Spike had heard enough. A rough, growling breath escaped from his throat, green flame spouting from his mouth. He stepped forward, holding his spear in a position that rendered it easier to throw. His mouth ringed with emerald fire, he aimed carefully.

Rarity, her eyes burning with hatred, charged toward the gun-wielding alicorn. As she galloped, her blades bent forward. Breaking their shield formation, the blades altered from defensive to offensive. They broke away from their creator completely, sailing rapidly towards Sunset.

“STOP!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

To the shock of everypony else gathered, Rainbow darted in front of Sunset Shimmer yet again. This time she placed herself between the alicorn and the deadly blades headed in her direction. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, willing herself to remain rooted to the spot despite every survival instinct in her body urging her to move. She distinctly heard the sounds of the blades slicing the wind apart in their haste.

Rarity cried out in panic, Rainbow Dash's interference catching her off guard. She halted in her charge, her hooves digging into the dirt at her abrupt stop. She hastily paused the blades she had sent out. They stopped in the air somewhat awkwardly, inches from the pony who'd obstructed their target.

Spike halted as well, holding his spear above his head. The emerald flames steadily faded from the edges of his mouth, the restrained yet prominent bloodlust leaving his eyes.

Sunset's mouth didn't drop open in astonishment, nor did she gasp in surprise, but the look on her features shifted from indifference to mild confusion. Rainbow Dash had once again saved her life. She should have been thankful, but she was merely at a loss.

“Didn't you hear what we said?” demanded Rarity impatiently. “Sunset Shimmer is our enemy. Step aside and let us deal with her, Rainbow Dash!”

But Rainbow Dash did not move.

“Sunset Shimmer isn't our enemy!” she uttered firmly. “Somepony actively trying to help King Sombra wouldn't have been chosen, would they? That would go completely against everything the Braves of the Six Elements stand for! Whatever Sunset Shimmer's reason is for killing potential Elements, it has nothing to do with helping King Sombra.”

She turned to Sunset with hope in her eyes.

“Right?” she added quietly.

Sunset narrowed her eyes. She almost wanted to destroy Rainbow's hope with a lie, but she couldn't bring herself to speak an outright untruth again. She didn't like how Rainbow was being so kind to her, protecting her to the point of insisting she wasn't a villain without any real evidence. The kindness Rainbow was so intent on forcing on her made her want to kill the pegasus.

“You are correct,” she admitted reluctantly.

Rainbow Dash did an admirable job at disguising her relief. It was another gamble on her part, the second she had taken with Sunset since they had met. In truth, she had had no idea if Sunset was lying or not. She'd been groping in the dark with her little speech, casting her hope into uncertain waters. More confident, Rainbow turned to Rarity.

“If you really want to fight, I'm on Sunset Shimmer's side,” she announced coldly.

Spike, who had secretly wanted it that way, sneered at the pegasus. He held his spear aloft, advancing towards the two betrayers. He had no problem with killing them both, hopefully in one expert swing. Two nails out of his back were better than one thorn in his side.

However, Rarity willed the blades she had conjured out of existence with a flick of her magic. She sighed, completely surrendering. She couldn't exactly lay down her weapon, but she attempted a gesture of peace by raising her head, pointing her horn towards the sky rather than at Sunset or Rainbow.

“Very well, Rainbow Dash,” she uttered, giving up.

Spike turned to Miss Rarity, astonished by how easily she'd given in.

“Mi-Miss Rarity…,” he stammered, disappointed.

Rarity gave him a look that clearly expressed her feelings if he were to argue. It was the type of expression that immediately froze any objections on Spike's tongue. He felt it was going against his duty, but when it came down to his given task or Rarity, he had to choose the pristine alicorn. He didn't feel he had enough of a choice. With an inward sigh, the dragon laid his weapon aside.

“As you wish, Miss Rarity,” he told her with a curt nod.

But he glanced at Rainbow, a suspicious look in his eye. He did not trust the pegasus, and he certainly had no trust for her alicorn companion. He hoped that at some point, perhaps away from the watchful eye of Miss Rarity, he would be able to carry out the task he'd been chosen to do.

Rainbow Dash turned sharply to Sunset Shimmer, the latter of which still held her gun aloft as if expecting an attack.

“Put your weapon down!” Rainbow ordered. “Nopony is going to hurt you!”

Sunset Shimmer doubted this, but she lowered her gun as instructed. She looked at Spike, reading the intention of killing her at the first opportunity in his eyes. The distrust was mutual. He wasn't like Rainbow, whom apparently required very little to warm up to a pony. Sunset made a mental note to keep an eye on the dragon, just in case he stabbed her in the back, literally and figuratively.

Rarity trotted forward, overtaking Sunset's possible lead before it could be established. She hesitated before she passed, her eyes on the road rather than on Sunset. Her tone of voice was concise, her words frozen at the edges.

“Let me make one thing clear, Sunset Shimmer,” she told the other mare quietly. “I do not trust you. You have proven yourself untrustworthy in several ways from the moment we've met and I have no intention of changing my mind. But even though I don't trust you in the slightest, I trust Rainbow Dash. Do not get the wrong idea, Ms. Shimmer.”

Rarity spoke Sunset's name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. She resumed her trotting, unaffected by the disenchanted reaction of Sunset. Her short, honest declaration of her stance made her feel slightly better about her choice. And she imagined that, if Spike had heard, she had put him at ease. Still, she declined to look back as she trotted on ahead of everypony else, her head held defiantly aloft.

Rainbow Dash rushed to catch up with Rarity without reluctance. She knew Rarity had only given up for her sake, but she didn't care. They were starting out on their journey as, at least in outward appearance, friends. Rainbow Dash could take solstice in that until the next hurdle.

“Another dispute solved by the strongest mare in the world!” she announced loudly, her voice filled with that insufferable pride.

The forest between them and the temple was rather eerie. Immense trees rose on either side of the path, practically blocking out the sunlight. Tiny cracks of illumination provided a fair amount of light, but not quite enough to offset the creepiness. The effect was intensified by the silence between the four of them. Only the sounds of their hooves could be heard, the normal woodland creatures strangely absent with their usual noises.

“The temperature is good, isn't it?” Rainbow commented.

The other three grumbled, refusing to be baited into a conversation. None of them were in particularly good moods after their encounter. Spike kept glancing at Sunset with blatant distrust in eyes, Rarity concentrated on trotting as if she was a newborn foal learning to walk, and Sunset herself remained indifferent.

Rainbow Dash surrendered after that single attempt, accepting that she was beaten. She turned her gaze to the sky, or what little could be seen of it through the trees. She did not believe she'd see anything of specific interest, but it was better than trying to entertain herself with one-sided chatter. She squinted, her eyes coming to rest on several animals with wings flying high above them. Particularly large fowl, she surmised. Nevertheless, Rainbow Dash retrieved her spy glass and pressed it to her eye, pointing her gaze at the odd birds. However, she saw immediately that they were not birds.

“Flying beasts!” she cried in panic.

The others looked upward as well at her words. The airborne creatures above them did indeed appear to be merely fowl at first glance, but after a few seconds the misconception became clear. They were far too immense to be regular birds, their wingspan unmatched by any other flying animal in existence. Furthermore, even without the aid of a spy glass it was possible to notice the reptilian aspects of their features that did not quite match those of a dragon. And as the group watched, these “birds” started to release the small golden balls they held in their talons. As these dropped, an explosion echoed through the forest and smoke rose from the point of impact.

Finally aware of how much danger they were in, the three ponies and the dragon turned and started to run. Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings as she galloped, rising steadily from the ground. She soared above the heads of the others as they fled, her survival instincts screaming at her to get as far away from those bombs as possible. She wondered for a second if Sunset Shimmer, being the Goddess of Gunpowder, had anything to do with this. But she shook away the thought, focusing on keeping herself alive. She was ahead of everypony else when they burst through the trees as one, panting as they ran away from the explosions getting closer and closer behind them. Rainbow Dash halted immediately, her ears flattening at the scene before her: Beasts. What seemed like hundreds, but couldn't have been more than thirty, of them. Teeth bared and their eyes swimming with a lust for combat.

“We're trapped!” Rainbow burst out shrilly.

Rarity strode towards the beasts that blocked their path, a confident look on her face.

“Then we'll just have to get past them, won't we, darling?” she serenely rationalized.

Spike, who'd already worked out a battle plan in his head, nodded in her direction. Then he faced the beasts, narrowing his eyes at those in front. He couldn't ascertain the number at a glance, but he estimated there were around twenty, perhaps even thirty. He smiled, barely feeling challenged. He'd faced more threatening numbers when he was training. Spike leaped forward, landing in the very middle of the beasts. Before any of them could do more than snarl, Spike had swung his spear in an arc and decapitated all those within range. Brandishing the spear, he turned to a few other beasts who were daring to approach. Three of them met the same fate prior to reaching the dragon, this time at the horn of Rarity. Another beast was an inch from Spike's side as he sliced through the neck of another. He turned quickly to the new attacker, but a bullet straight through its head killed it instantly. Two more beasts met his spear in their attack, their claws just missing his armor, whilst a third and fourth were first shot through the chest and then decapitated by a single well-placed blade.

“Get to the temple, Rainbow Dash!” yelled Rarity over the cacophony. “We'll be fine!”

Rainbow Dash dodged a beast as it swung at her and jammed her sword into its chest. She pulled it out as the beast lurched forward, blood spraying from the wound. The next time she thrust her sword forward, it went straight through the creature's neck. Rainbow Dash pulled her sword out yet again and turned to gallop towards the temple as she had been told. Her heart racing, she narrowly avoided two more beasts as they attempted to close in on the running pegasus. Rainbow jumped into the air, landing on the head of a fourth beast and launching herself over it. With her wings to help, she picked up enough speed to successfully escape.

The temple was a welcome sight compared to the eerie forest. It was a large, somber building that rose up authoritatively. There were no irregularities to its design, yet it radiated dominance. Perhaps this was in part the effect of the stone pillars that lay before it in an arrangement almost befitting a garden. These were the pillars built by the first Goddess of Salt. Beasts were not capable of passing them.

As Rainbow Dash approached, she noticed a mare lying just outside of the pillars. She was attired in a long white robe and wore a blue veil over her eyes, the traditional clothing of an equine nun. She appeared to be injured and in pain. Shocked, Rainbow Dash rushed to the mare's side. She dropped down beside her, quite relieved to notice the rise and fall of her chest.

The mare spoke, the words delivered in a choked whisper. Her eyes could not be seen through the veil, but a trickle of blood ran from the side of her mouth. She managed to force words out past her agony, her whole body shaking with the effort of forming them.

“Y-You have to get to the t-temple,” she told Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash didn't want to leave this unnamed pony in this state, but she had no choice. She nodded in understanding and reluctantly got to her hooves. Rainbow Dash galloped hastily up the steps, forcing herself not to look at the wounded mare at the base of them. She dashed between the pillars, her mind vaguely registering ancient glyphs carved into them as she passed. Rainbow Dash reached the door of the temple, a massive entrance carved in the very middle. She pressed her hooves against it, but it did not open. Growling in frustration, Rainbow Dash turned and slammed her back hooves against the door. It still refused to yield, remaining as undisturbed as if it was merely part of the wall.

“Of course it's locked,” she muttered in complaint.

Rainbow Dash thought of asking the mare for the key, but decided she had a better, more immediate idea. Rainbow hurriedly pulled several explosives out of her saddlebags. They were about the size, shape, and color of apples, but they packed a solid blast. Rainbow slipped them into the small opening between both sides of the door. She carefully swept her hoof across them, lighting all of the fuses at once. She then turned and galloped away, taking cover behind one of the pillars.

The explosives went off as one, creating a larger blast than they could have individually. Although it appeared that it hadn't worked at first, after a moment the door began to open. Each side withdrew into its respective share of the wall, revealing the darkness of a long hallway.

Whooping with joy, Rainbow Dash charged forward to enter the temple. But she paused at the sound of armor against the stone floor. Puzzled, she squinted into the darkness to see if somepony was inside. Rainbow leaped back in astonishment as three figures emerged from the hallway. They appeared to be equines of about her size, their heads and bodies covered entirely in old-fashioned armor mostly known to ancient pegasi armies. Crying out, Rainbow galloped forward to meet the unexpected attackers. She flew past the one at the front, spreading her wing to hit the armored pony as she passed. It toppled over with surprisingly little resistance. Rainbow thrust her back hooves at the second, bucking it directly in the side. It too fell away with very little effort, reacting to her hooves as if it weighed nothing at all. With the other two down, Rainbow faced the third. She swung a hoof at its helmet and, too her surprise, it toppled off. Underneath was nothing more than empty, blank air. The remainder of the headless suit of armor collapsed to the ground in a heap. Frowning in confusion, Rainbow seized the helmet she had knocked off. A faint yellow glow was coming from it, the remnants of an enchantment.

It's not as fun if they're fake, Rainbow thought bleakly.

She was distracted by the sound of laughter. She dropped the helmet and turned toward the sound. The laughter had come from the injured mare at the foot of the steps. But she no longer appeared injured. She was standing on her hooves, a hideous cackle emerging from her throat. As Rainbow watched in bewilderment, an emerald glow enveloped the mare. The glow melted away her vibrant equine coat, leaving behind a dour black. The veil and robe evaporated, the former revealing a pair of insect-like eyes. The creature bared its fangs at Rainbow Dash, then took to the air with its short, rather transparent wings. It disappeared into the trees before Rainbow Dash could move.

A changeling?! she thought, astounded.

The rumors about Changelings working with the Demon King were numerous. There had been talk around Canterlot and Ponyville about the possibility of an alliance between Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra, perhaps even an alliance forged through marriage. Chrysalis, one of the many villains who'd failed to take over Equestria, was considered likely to ally herself with the Demon King, yet many ponies thought it unlikely a creature who fed on love would want to team up with somepony whom desired to slaughter all of the inhabitants of Equestria.

Rainbow Dash wanted to go after the Changeling, but she never received the chance. She was completely distracted from its departure when she noticed a change in the environment. A thick fog was spreading across the world before her. Its tendrils rose steadily over the pillars, the steps, and the head of the frozen blue pegasus. Rainbow Dash could only be an observer, her mouth open as the fog started to choke out the picturesque landscape. She could still see everything, but it was being viewed through a smoky veil. Somepony had activated the barrier, she realized. Leaving behind her shock for the time being, Rainbow turned away from the fog and darted into the temple.

The dark hallway gave way to a room identical to the replica Trixie had shown Rainbow and Sunset. Except unlike the replica, the room was almost completely devoid of light. Illumination was provided by the circle of pedestals and the walls, all of which glowed a bright sapphire of magic. The effect was akin to walking into a moonlit clearing.

Rainbow Dash quickly approached the pedestals. She noticed the sword had been placed in its home, just as Trixie had shown her. However, there was nopony in sight. Rainbow Dash cast her eyes around the small room, but saw nothing she deemed odd. There did not seem to be another entrance to the room or an escape route, unless both were concealed. The only thing out of the ordinary was the sword having been placed in the dais.

There were hoofsteps from the hallway, along with the tap of claws on the stones. Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, and Spike burst into the room.

“We got past them!” Rarity panted, looking quite disheveled.

She directed a flow of magic at her mane, which had come undone in battle. She carefully rearranged it into a more suitable style, pulling leaves and twigs from the currently messy braid. She turned to Rainbow Dash with a slightly confused expression. She glanced at the sword in the dais.

“Why did you activate the barrier?” she inquired.

Rainbow Dash too looked at the sword again. It looked so natural in its position, almost as if it had placed itself there. Rainbow shook her head, turning away from the sword to look at Rarity.

“I didn't,” she answered. “Somepony else must have done it before I entered the temple.”

Rarity frowned, dropping the braid from her magic.

“But…,” she started, puzzled by Rainbow's answer.

A high-pitched greeting interrupted the alicorn. Everypony looked toward the dark hallway as another figure emerged. She had wings and a horn, just like Rarity and Sunset Shimmer. But they seemed bizarrely out of place on her pink body. It was clear she had been an Earth pony prior to her ascension, therefore the wings and horn came off as slightly awkward accessories. Her visage, framed by a medium-length pink mane, had a rather childish look to it. There was a bright innocence in her eyes.

“Hello!” she greeted everypony brightly. “I am Pinkie Pie, Goddess of Sugar!”

Despite her title being “Goddess of Sugar”, Rainbow hadn't expected somepony like this. She'd always thought Goddesses, regardless of their title, were inherently serious and mature. Pinkie Pie didn't seem like either of those things, as Rainbow judged by the buoyant smile on her face.

Still smiling happily, Pinkie Pie pointed her hoof at Sunset Shimmer.

“We'll start by killing Sunset!” she announced brightly.

Rainbow Dash, who'd been about to make a sarcastic remark, closed her mouth immediately. She stepped in front of Sunset protectively, paying no mind as the other mare raised her gun. She had no idea what powers the Goddess of Sugar possessed, given her silly title. But ponies didn't become Goddesses for chewing bubble gum. In addition, she'd heard that the Goddess of Sugar was extremely powerful.

“Do excuse me, Goddess of Sugar,” Rarity uttered politely. “If I may ask, why do you want to kill Sunset?”

Pinkie Pie opened her mouth, but her reply was cut off by the arrival of yet another pony.

The wings and horn looked more natural on this one, most likely because she had actually been born with the horn. She appeared as regal as Miss Rarity, albeit more serious than either her or Pinkie. She had the stereotypical appearance of a librarian, except she lacked the spectacles. Her one saddlebag was adorned with the symbol of a star. She grasped the bag in her magic and placed it aside as she stepped into the light.

“Be patient, Pinkie Pie,” the newcomer ordered. “We need to sort out a few things before we do anything hasty.”

The pink alicorn pouted, but she didn't object. She sat down on the floor, crossing her hooves and shooting a venomous glance at Sunset Shimmer.

“Aren't you Twilight Sparkle, the Goddess of Knowledge?” Rarity uttered, recognizing the purple alicorn.

The newcomer nodded. She strode to the center of the room, her eyes on the sword in the dais. She did not comment on it, but there was a scowl on her features. She stared at the sword as if its purpose was eluding her, her eyes traveling from its handle to what could be seen of its elegant curved blade. Queries, only half of them having to do with the barrier, were swarming into her mind. As the Goddess of Knowledge, she disliked unanswered questions.

“I'll release the barrier,” Spike declared to the silent room.

He walked to the center of the pedestals himself, his hulking form appearing somewhat eerie in the glow. He wrapped his claws around the sword and pulled. He released it from its resting place without any defiance. He held the weapon aloft, examining its exquisitely designed blade with the interest of a dragon who'd seen quite a few.

Sunset Shimmer, who stood nearest to the entrance, looked outside.

“The fog isn't dissipating,” she announced.

Spike looked from the dais to the sword, perplexed. Being one of the non-magical races, he didn't know much about magic.

Rarity trotted over to where the dragon stood, a frown on her visage. With a polite bow of his head, Spike released the sword into the grasp of her magic. Rarity stood before the dais herself, examining the opening meant to hold the sword. She hovered the weapon directly above the opening, a strange look on her features.

“Release the barrier!” she ordered, her voice ringing out with authority.

Sunset resisted the urge to laugh. Nobles were all the same to her: Egotistical fools with no life experience whom expected everything to yield at their command. She took a bit of selfish pleasure in informing the uptight Miss Rarity the barrier remained. A moment of silence passed, then she turned her head sharply at the sound of a wild cry.

At first, it seemed that Rarity was having some kind of fit. Then it became clear she was flailing around in a rather desperate manner, the sword following her movements as if on a leash.

“Release the barrier!” the white alicorn was screaming. “Let us go, you damned thing!”

Spike reached to take hold of the alicorn, but stumbled backwards as the sword came within injuring distance of his face.

Rarity jerked her head downward, using her magic to plunge the sword into the tablet atop the pedestal. A burst of emerald magic rippled from the edges of the impact. The tablet split in two, the pieces separating into two awkwardly placed rectangles. Emerald sparks rose from the center of the pedestal.

Sunset Shimmer reached with her own magic and seized the panicking alicorn. A golden light engulfed Rarity. The glow faded from her horn, Sunset's own magic pressing sternly into her own and extinguishing it. The sword fell to the floor in front of her, sanity returning to her eyes. Sunset waited a moment, holding Rarity in the secure grip of her spell. When she was satisfied there would be no more hysterics, she released her. She watched Rarity closely as the glow faded, but there did not seem to be any hints of a relapse.

“I'm...I'm sorry,” Rarity apologized, seeming rather bewildered by her own actions. “I've never done anything like that before. I just...lost my head. I do apologize sincerely, my friends.”

Rainbow Dash sighed with relief. She understood the cause of Rarity's panic. This wasn't merely them being trapped, which would have been a tragedy of its own class. This was them, the only heroes capable of restoring serenity to the world, being imprisoned. Rainbow Dash shuddered, imagining what would occur if they did not escape in time to face the Demon King. They would most likely be the last to perish, the final silence to fall when King Sombra rose victorious from the ashes of a doomed resistance.

“What is all this noise?” a voice spoke from the entrance.

Everypony turned quickly to the hallway. The figure of a pony was emerging from the darkness, her tail swinging back and forth nonchalantly as she did so. She was the most distinct of them, seeing as she possessed neither horn nor wings. She was a regular Earth pony. Her long yellow mane appeared strikingly feline in its unrest, the corners of it turned upward to mimic the ears of a cat.

“I was wondering when you'd get here,” Twilight commented, displeased.

She addressed the rest of those assembled, scowling as she added up their number in her head.

“This is Applejack of the Apple family, one of the Braves of the Six Elements,” she introduced the new arrival.

Rarity gasped, raising a hoof to her mouth. Her reaction was shared by everypony else, eyes collectively widening as they focused on the Earth pony.

“Everypony, please show us your crest!” demanded Spike.

Each of the assembled ponies turned around, revealing their flanks. Pinkie Pie added a few playful shakes of her own. Spike followed suit by brandishing his arm, showing the group his own crest. There could be no error, as Twilight had noticed when she'd begun examining all those assembled. Every single one of them had the unmistakable image of a Crystal Heart on their body.

Rainbow Dash swallowed, her eyes roaming from one crest to another.

“There are seven of us….,” she observed quietly.

The Strongest Mare in the World

Over one thousand years ago, a powerful and malevolent creature appeared in Equestria. It was known as “Sombra” or “The Demon King”. Soon after it appeared, it began to attack the inhabitants of the once-peaceful land. It would slaughter hundreds and then split its body to create beings known as “beast who would kill even more. All of the great armies were defeated in mere days, unable to stand up to the power of the Demon King and his minions. The empire was destroyed, the royal family killed, and the villages mere ashes in the wind. It appeared as if the Demon King would be victorious and all who remained were doomed. But then, to the astonishment of the citizens who had lost all hope, a beautiful alicorn appeared. She bore the image of a crystal heart on her flank and was therefore known as “The Goddess of the Crystal Heart”. With her immense power, she drove the Demon King to the edge of Equestria. After a long battle, she succeeded in defeating King Sombra. She returned to the few survivors and they all rejoiced over her triumph. However, after the festivities had ended, she spoke sternly to the gathered ponies. She claimed the Demon King was not dead. He would return in precisely three hundred years' time. Hence, the Goddess of Love split her power into six parts. When the Demon King resurrected, six heroes would appear, each bearing a portion of her power within them. They would be known as the “Braves of the Six Elements” or simply “The Six Elements”. Their mission would be to drive the Demon King away and then defeat him. Those chosen would have the mark of a crystal heart appear on their flank, replacing their Cutie Mark. As promised, three hundred years later the Demon King revived. Six ponies, the very first Braves of the Six Elements, appeared in Equestria. They were Commander Hurricane, leader of the Great Pegasi Army, her subordinate Private Pansy, Chancellor Puddinghead of the Earth Ponies, her adviser Smart Cookie, Princess Platinum of the unicorns, and the great intellectual Clover the Clever. Working together, they managed to defeat the Demon King. Three hundred years after this, again the Demon King revived and the next Six Elements triumphed over her, although they lost a few of their numbers in the process. It is always six ponies who are chosen. Those chosen will assemble along with their comrades at the gates of Tartarus. Thus the battle for Equestria against the Demon King shall begin!

“Apples! Get your fresh apples here! Best in Equestria! Favored by the royal family!”

“Apple pie! Apple pudding! Apple cider! We've got it all! Only five bits!”

The shouts of vendors promoting their wares filled the bustling city of Canterlot, serenaded by the loud clinking of bits being passed from hoof to hoof. The wonderful scent of apples dominated, overtaking any competition with ease. Canterlot was known for having the best fruit, especially apples, in all of Equestria. Ponies came from far and wide to sample the historically praised red fruit. On this day, the forever-moving groups, seldom less than thirty ponies, had flooded into the city at dawn. One could hardly move in the absolute mob of ponies gathered in the streets, blocking access to stalls and escape routes alike.

A blue pegasus wove expertly through the crowd, silent and unnoticed. She trotted with the dexterity of a snake, sliding between closely packed groups. Occasionally she would brush against a still body in the chaos, but she managed to slip away like a shadow before the victim could turn their head. Although her wings were folded, her hoofsteps were so light and precise it was as if she was hovering an inch or so from the ground. A smile crossed her mouth as she made her way to the arena at the edge of the city.

Meanwhile, at the destination of the cyan-colored equine, a pair of trumpets blared to signal the beginning of an event. Cheers rose from the immense crowd seated at the edges of the arena, a few young pegasi taking flight in their enthusiasm. There were ponies from all over Equestria, as well as dignitaries from the esteemed Griffon Kingdom and the Dragon Lands. They occupied the most envied of seats, directly next to his Royal Highness Prince Blueblood in a box seat magically elevated above the rest. As the crowd watched in anticipation, a grey-maned Earth pony stepped to the edge of the box and addressed the crowd in a booming voice heightened by an enchantment.

“Welcome, fillies and gentlecolts, to the moment you've all been waiting for! Today, the two warriors who've proved themselves the mightiest will face each other in combat! They are evenly matched physically and mentally, the very best fighters of their respective villages. Fillies and gentlecolts, I introduce to you…...”

A barred gate at the right side of the arena lifted as the bespectacled mare paused. The crowd erupted in yet more cheering as a large stallion, a blue-maned unicorn attired in gold-plated armor and a matching helmet, emerged from the darkness and into the sun's illumination. He trotted slowly to the center of the arena, bathed in the admiring shouts of the audience. Reaching his goal, he came to a halt and offered the gathered citizens a confident smile. Held aloft in his magic was a spear, the tip gleaming a menacing silver.

“…..Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor!”

A few of the mares in the audience screamed, overcome by excitement at the name of their most beloved stallion. Shining Armor had built up quite a fan club in recent years. It had grown significantly when he publicly announced his plans to enter the competition. If one could be chosen as an Element through popularity alone, he would have been a front-runner.
“And facing him in this sacred arena, we have yet another specimen of power and determination! Fillies and gentlecolts, I introduce to you…...”

From the left entered a red Earth pony, his straw-colored mane tied back in a manageable short ponytail. He was larger than the unicorn, his coat and hooves those of a stallion who'd battled farm life and won. His build was thicker, his muscles more prominent than those of Shining Armor. He may not have had magic, but he gave the impression of one who could tear a unicorn's horn clean off with a mere snap of his hoof. The intimidation was illustrated by his choice to wear a helmet adorned with what appeared to be the head of some vicious lupine creature. He had chosen, perhaps as a silent mockery, to do without a weapon.

“……...Leader of the Ponyville Mercenaries, Big Macintosh!”

This time the cheers mainly originated from Big Macintosh's comrades in the audience. He was good-looking, but hadn't amassed the enviable female following of Shining Armor. For this, he was surprisingly grateful. Being constantly fawned over by adoring mares was his idea of troublesome.

The announcer, known in her less professional work as “Mayor Mare of Ponyville”, gestured to another magically elevated box seat. This one contained several ponies, the majority of them gathered around one who was seated on a throne-like chair in the center. The mare in the center waved at the crowd as all eyes came to rest on her. She was attired in a long flowing white gown, her visage and mane obscured by a veil. Many beautiful jewels hung from her neck and she wore bright golden anklets. The other ponies in the box were keeping the heat away from her with immense fans.

“The winner of this duel will receive the privilege of facing Miss Rarity, the Goddess of Blades!” continued Mayor Mare dramatically. “A pitiful weakling does not deserve such a right!”

The sound became almost deafening as Miss Rarity's fans screamed their support for the beautiful Goddess. Although her face could not be seen, the crowd could not fail to notice the unicorn horn protruding from her forehead and the long, elegant wings aloft at her sides.

“Remember, warriors!” declared Mayor Mare sternly. “You are fighting one another in the presence of both the Prince of Canterlot and the divine Goddess of the Crystal Heart Princess Cadence! Cheating will not be tolerated in the slightest! You will have a clean fight and accept victory or defeat with dig--”

She stopped, frowning at a slight commotion in the arena.

A mare, attired in a cloak and a hood over her face, was rudely shoving her way through the assembled guards. Her mouth sprouting insincere apologies, she pushed each surprised guard to the side, ignoring their sputtered protests. She trotted to the center of the arena as if she belonged there, halting in front of the two bemused warriors. The sudden intrusion caused the entire crowd to go unusually silent, each puzzled face turned to the brash newcomer. The mare threw back the hood of her cloak to reveal a cyan-colored head topped with a dazzling, yet unkempt, rainbow mane. Underneath a pair of eyebrows bowed in determination sat two rose-colored eyes. Seemingly unconcerned by the disruption she'd caused, she directed a wide grin at the audience.

“Excuse me!” she uttered cheerfully. “I think it's about time we changed the rules! Whose with me?”

Mayor Mare took a moment to find her senses, her shocked silence mirroring that of the crowd. She shook her head, barely able to comprehend such abrupt, unexpected insolence. But despite her bemusement and her astonishment, she arranged her features into a stern expression as she gazed down at the disrespectful pony.

“And who are you?” she demanded, dropping all semblance of manners.

The pony's grin widened as the question she had been waiting for was finally asked. She stood up even straighter on her hooves, thrusting out her chest slightly. A pair of wings unfurled from the inside of the cloak, smaller than those of the Goddess of Blades but standard size for pegasi. The mare held her head higher, her eyes alive with defiance.

“My name is Rainbow Dash!” she announced confidently. “I'm the strongest mare in the world!”

She turned her gaze to the immense statue at one side of the arena. This was one of the most sacred objects in all of Equestria. It towered over them, overseeing the proceedings with its vacant stone eyes. It was the statue of Princess Cadence, the Goddess of the Crystal Heart who'd constructed the arena thousands of years previous. Supposedly, despite having been deceased for many centuries, she still watched over the citizens of Equestria as her lingering magic chose the Braves of the Six Elements.

“I'm here to make a very important announcement,” continued Rainbow Dash, her voice turning completely pompous. “You know the Goddess of the Crystal Heart? Well, she's going to choose me to be one of the Braves of the Six Elements!”

She turned back to the two warriors, smirking at their astonished faces.

“But first, I'm gonna have to humiliate you two colts! How about it, Prissy Armor and Little Macintosh? Do you think you can take on a real warrior? Do you think you can win against the strongest mare in the world?”

She laughed at the very idea, a loud mocking sound that echoed through the silent arena. She spun to face the audience as if she expected applause, but naturally received nothing except an enduring quiet. This did not seem to concern her, her grin remaining strong even as she was met with nothing except gaping mouths and wide eyes.

Shining Armor casually laid his spear aside, his astonishment fading. He had been utterly at a loss for words before, but now he saw this newcomer as she really was: A gutsy, childish braggart. It was plain to the eye that both stallions towered over her. She was small, even for a female pony.

“Can somepony please get rid of this idiot?” he requested of the surrounding guards.

The guards, who had been staring dumbly with their spears laying uselessly at their sides, snapped out of their trance. Each seized their weapon, their faces hardening as they regarded the intruder. Shining Armor and Big Macintosh stepped away, giving the guards a clearer space for action. The guards moved in closer, their spears outstretched in threat. They surrounded the completely serene pegasus, forming an impenetrable circle as they closed in.

Rainbow Dash casually thrust a hoof into one of her bulky saddlebags. As the guards closed in, she retrieved what appeared to be a small, round green ball. Laughing, she tossed this ball to the ground at her hooves. Smoke, carrying the foul smell of strong chemicals, erupted from the interior of the bomb. It spread with haste, covering the area around her in an instant. As gasps rose from the audience, the suddenly blind guards stumbled around, coughing heavily and dropping their spears. Rainbow Dash's back hooves lashed out almost rhythmically in the relative chaos, each blow making contact with a solid body. One guard stumbled forward and attempted to seize her, only to be met with a slight pinch on the side of his neck. The unfortunate stallion lurched backwards, what remained of his vision going blurry as the poison took effect. The other guards were met with much the same fate as more darts flew, whipped from Rainbow Dash's saddlebag and thrown with startling accuracy. By the time the smoke cleared thirty seconds later, all of the guards either lay on the ground unconscious or were stumbling around in a daze as their stomachs heaved.

Shining Armor and Big Macintosh remained, neither hurt by the needles or struck by Rainbow Dash's hooves in the melee. The former held several of the projectiles in his magic, whilst the latter calmly removed one of the poison needles from his forehead and flicked it away as if it was a mosquito. Their expressions had rapidly shifted from amusement to contempt. Shining Armor, his face set gravely, released the needles from his magic and stepped forward. Big Macintosh followed, his nostrils flaring as he neared the mare. Both stepped casually over the fallen guards and weaved through the dazed ones.

Rainbow Dash charged forward, her wings outstretched and her head bowed in a common pegasus attack pose. Shining Armor's spear was poised to meet her as she charged, the tip glinting menacingly in the sunlight. Flashing the unicorn a smile, Rainbow Dash leaped forward, her wings giving her a needed boost. She landed briefly on the handle of the spear, using it to successfully vault over the startled stallion. As she did so, her back hooves closed around his mane, her momentum pulling him backward along with her. Skillfully, she flipped herself and him in midair, threw him to the ground with unexpected strength given by her wings. Not entirely phased, Shining Armor seized himself in his magic and righted himself before the impact. In less than a second, he grasped his spear in yet another portion of his magic. Rainbow Dash avoided the wide arc, the blade lightly brushing her mane as it passed. Her hoof darted into her saddlebag yet again, this time pulling out an odd, fuse-shaped device. This she placed in her mouth and bit down on. Shining Armor leaped back in fear as a tail of flame erupted from her mouth. As he stumbled backwards, Big Macintosh lunged forward, his hoof aiming for her side. Rainbow Dash avoided the attack with ease, ducking underneath the stallion and rolling onto her back. She slammed her two back hooves into his underside, propelling him over her. But the Earth pony landed on his hooves and charged, sweeping one of his front hooves in her direction as if swatting a fly. A burst of sparkly emerald liquid exploded in his face, causing him to jump back. Meanwhile, Shining Armor, recovering from the flames, ran for the blue pegasus, his horn aglow with an impending spell. Rainbow Dash dodged yet again, her hoof connecting with the spear held in his magic. She successfully knocked it away, catching the unicorn off guard. Before he could attempt another spell, Rainbow Dash had dropped another bomb, forcing him to envelop himself in a magical shield. Regardless of the shield, the explosion sent him flying across the arena. Rainbow Dash flew to the other side in a blur of color to meet him. She spat a poison needle in his direction before he landed. To his further astonishment, the needle penetrated his magic shield and buried itself in the back of his head. The shield flickered out and he fell to the ground, unprotected and barely conscious. Rainbow Dash landed next to Big Macintosh, whom was grimacing in pain, several bald spots dotted across his coat.

“Sorry about that,” she apologized, her voice sincere. “They'll grow back in a few weeks!”

She turned to the box seat occupied by Mayor Mare, her grin returning in all its glory.

“Do you see?” she demanded, her voice heavy with feeling. “The Goddess of the Crystal Heart has to choose me, for I am the strongest ma--”

She never got a chance to complete her speech. The rainbow-maned pegasus was abruptly tackled by no less than five guards who'd arrived a moment previous. As the wind was knocked out of her, she vaguely heard the booing of the crowd and the venomous shouts of Mayor Mayor demanding her imprisonment.

Mayor Mare regarded the pegasus as if she was an insect beneath her hoof.

“You don't feel any remorse, do you?” she accused, seething with wrath. “You ruined a sacred tournament, completely disrespecting the rules laid out by the Goddess of the Crystal Heart herself, all to satisfy your ego! Are you happy, Ms. Dash? Are you proud of your unforgivable actions?!”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, the chains on her hooves rattling. She was decidedly nonplussed about the whole thing. She hadn't said a word of objection as she was forcibly ejected from the arena, the audience cheering loudly as she was taken from the premises by the guards and followed by a livid Mayor Mare. She had not even protested as her saddlebags were confiscated, even though she suspected the contents were to be destroyed. She stared at Mayor Mare with quiet rebellion in her eyes, seemingly unaware of how much trouble her little stunt had caused her.

Mayor Mare's ire grew at the lack of a response. They were going to blame her for this, she just knew it! Prince Blueblood would find a way to make it seem as if this entire thing was her fault, as if she'd no less than invited Rainbow Dash to the tournament with her actions in mind. Her voice hard with anger, she turned to the guards.

“Lock her up!” she ordered. “She is not to leave her cell until tomorrow morning, when her sentence shall be decided!”

She emphasized the last four words, hoping to strike at least a small amount of fear into Rainbow Dash's heart. However, the pegasus merely gazed at her calmly as if she couldn't bother to be afraid. This mare's insolence was truly infuriating! If there hadn't been witnesses, Mayor Mare would have taken a few swings at her.

Rainbow Dash was led to the somewhat crowded prison. She went complacently with the guards, ignoring them as they jabbed at her with their spears to inspire haste. The filthy room contained only two cells, one tightly packed and the other vacant. She knew that days like this were ripe for street brawls and drunken confrontations, hence the uniquely large number of occupants. She was taken to the vacant cell, which she noticed was rather cleaner than the other. Rainbow Dash locked eyes with many of the other prisoners as she passed, occasionally sticking out her tongue at them. The larger of the two guards pushed her roughly into the cell and slammed the door behind her. Rainbow watched with little concern as he made a point of turning the key in the lock. If he was trying to make her feel isolated and trapped, he was doing a mediocre job. When the guards had left, slamming the big iron door behind them, Rainbow Dash lay down on the cell's lone untidy bed and closed her eyes. Prisons weren't new to her. In fact, she found it much easier to sleep in a place like this because she was more used to it than slumbering in an actual house.

Rainbow Dash awoke more than five hours later when the iron door opened. Jolted from a lovely dream about ice cream and beasts, she opened her eyes and turned toward the sound. She saw that a young mare had entered the room. She looked to be about Rainbow's age, although a lot more well-kept. A long, purple mane flowed down her shoulders, liberated yet carefully styled as it framed her head. A unicorn horn was clearly visible on her head as she stepped into the moonlight flowing from an open window. She wore a dark blue dress, the hem adorned with a few tiny gemstones and a single large crystal shard sewn at the front of the neck. She frowned at the array of prisoners in the crowded cell, but turned with a smile to Rainbow Dash and approached as if they were old friends.

“You're that brash pony from the tournament, aren't you?” she greeted her.

Rainbow Dash jumped off her bed and trotted to the bars, grinning at the newcomer.

“Why, yes, I am!” she confirmed proudly. “Let me guess…. You're one of my many admirers who wants an autograph from the strongest mare in the world?”

The unicorn didn't seem bothered by her lack of modesty. She sat down on a bench outside of the cell, holding a glowing lantern in her magic. This she placed beside her, then turned back to the egotistical pegasus.

“I guess you could say I'm becoming an admirer of yours,” she replied. “You really were excellent at the tournament. I've never seen anypony fight like that before. Who trained you, if I may ask?”

Rainbow Dash, who was drinking the praise as if it were apple cider, paused for a moment to bask in the adoring words. In truth, this pony was the very first one to compliment her over her tremendous skill at the tournament. She hadn't exactly been showered with fan mail since she was locked up. But she hadn't expected to be, what with how uptight the citizens of Equestria were.

“You've probably heard of her,” Rainbow Dash answered pleasantly. “Her name's Spitfire. She taught me everything I know!”

The unicorn frowned as she placed the name. She'd heard it before, years previous, in connection with some less than savory opinions.

“Spitfire?” she echoed. “I think I have heard of her.”

She didn't elaborate. She instead moved on to the next question, giving the other mare an indulgent smile.

“What made you decide to enter the tournament?” she asked curiously. “Why did you want to be one of the Six Elements?”

Rainbow Dash's bravado faded slightly. The confident, grinning mare who'd fearlessly infiltrated a sacred tournament, who'd spoken bravely to a statue of the Goddess of the Crystal Heart, who'd faced her imprisonment with indifference, seemed to waver, as if there was something underneath trying to claw its way out.

“I'm the strongest mare in the world!” she responded pompously. “I have to be one of the Six Elements!”

She adjoined, more to change the subject than anything else,

“How'd you get in here, anyway? I didn't think servants were allowed.”

The unicorn waved a hoof, brushing away the question. Rather than answer, she stood up from the bench. She grasped the lantern in her magic, allowing it to follow her akin to faithful bird as she moved. She trotted to the other side of the bars, her eyes remaining on Rainbow Dash and the lantern casting a warm glow over her visage.

“But what if you aren't chosen?” she asked, her voice light. “What will you do then, strongest mare in the world?”

However, Rainbow Dash shook her head firmly. The grin had returned with all its overwhelming confidence. She was able to, as if she was used to it, slip back into the role she'd given herself as if it was the skin of a snake.

“I'm gonna be chosen no matter what!” she answered firmly. “The Goddess of the Crystal Heart knows how strong I am. If she doesn't choose me, she'll be making a big mistake!”

The unicorn laughed, but without cruelty. She laid the lantern aside, placing it on the bench and shrouding herself in relative darkness. The only illumination was provided by the moon, casting a surprisingly pretty glow on her features. Her blue eyes had a fire to them unlike anything Rainbow Dash had ever seen. A slightly innocent, yet intense, fire that seemed to engulf her entire face. She looked as if she was prepared to go on a journey. Prepared to jump into the aggressively churning waters of a storm-battered ocean. She reminded Rainbow Dash of how she herself must have looked as she entered the arena.

“Will you shake my hoof?” asked the unicorn.

She stuck her perfectly manicured hoof through the bars, flashing that indulgent smile yet again.

Rainbow Dash blushed at the offer. Nopony had ever asked to shake her hoof before. Granted, it wasn't an extensively meaningful request, but it was the closest thing to a gesture between herself and a fan that she had ever experienced. This pony was a very odd servant. Barely able to keep the quiver out of it, Rainbow Dash reached forward and pressed her own hoof to the unicorn's. She found her senses drawn to the other mare's heartbeat that was just barely keeping pace with her own.

“You're blushing, darling,” observed the unicorn teasingly. “Are you not good with mares?”

Rainbow Dash yanked her hoof away as if burnt, annoyed that the unicorn had noticed the color on her cheeks. She reddened even more, backing away from the bars as if worried she might faint from being so close to her first official fan. This mare was undoubtedly attractive, despite being dressed in what passed for “plain” in the flamboyant city of Canterlot. But Rainbow coughed, hoping she'd be able to keep a tremble out of her voice when she spoke. Trying to ignore the unicorn's beauty, she offered her her signature grin.

“I'm good with everything!” she assured the other mare.

The unicorn raised a hoof to her mouth as she laughed again. She returned to the bench where her light source rested, her blue eyes bright with amusement. To her, Rainbow Dash's ego, or at least the ego she pretended to have, seemed even bigger than she'd made it out to be at the tournament.

“So, what happened with the tournament?” inquired Rainbow Dash.

The unicorn ran a hoof through her mane as she answered, her gaze shifting from Rainbow Dash to the moon through the open window. It was a big moon. The biggest there had been in a long time.

“They had to redo it,” she answered casually. “Shining Armor won. Of course, Miss Rarity beat him in the final round.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. Shining Armor was obviously a skilled fighter, although she thought Big Macintosh was the stronger of the two. She'd seen others like him in Cloudsdale: Warriors of great loyalty and prowess only restrained by their lack of magic. And even then, not having magic made little difference to them in battle. Magic was so rarely a force of aggression, Rainbow Dash had realized at an early age. It could create and it could manipulate, but it was not necessarily a weapon any more potent than a crossbow or a spear.

“We're running out of time,” commented the unicorn gravely. “The Orb of Fortune has turned red. There are screams from Tartarus. Foals are having horrific nightmares filled with crimson. The Demon King will revive before the year is over.”

Rainbow Dash, who had heard all of this from Spitfire, nodded in agreement. She hadn't even been alive the last time the Demon King revived, but she had heard stories. Terrible, chilling stories of villages destroyed, their inhabitants slaughtered by beasts. Stories of voices, malevolent and strong, echoing through the heads of those unfortunate enough to live near Tartarus. Stories of the Six Elements, weapons poised and will strong, driving the Demon King away from his innocent victims and defeating him with the power granted to them by the Goddess of the Crystal Heart. She had grown up with these stories, as had every other foal in Equestria.

“The Demon King is in for a surprise!” Rainbow Dash uttered, smirking. “And that surprise is me!”

The unicorn stood up again, seizing the lantern in her magic. The graveness had left her face, washed away by a smile.

“If you do become one of the Six Elements, I wish you good luck,” the unicorn uttered by way of farewell.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. She flopped down on her bed yet again, staring at the ceiling above her. It was cold in her cell, the temperature having dropped significantly in the night. But in truth, the cold did not bother her at all. She felt surprisingly warm.

“The world's strongest mare doesn't need good luck,” she scoffed. “Especially from a servant.”

The unicorn paused, appearing baffled. She regarded the blue pegasus as if she was some kind of alien creature. After a moment of staring, she put a hoof to her mouth and laughed. It wasn't the sweet, controlled laugh of before. This time she nearly bent over in her mirth, her hooves sliding forward slightly as if she would fall. It took her a while for her to reign herself in, tears of laughter swimming in her eyes.

“A servant?” she choked out, highly amused. “A servant?!”

Still chuckling to herself, she swung around and headed for the door. She glanced back as she trotted, shaking her head at the pegasus. But she did not elaborate on the cause of her mirth. She merely transferred the lantern to her mouth to carry. She seized the door in her magic and opened it. She hesitated as she slipped out into the passageway, peeking through a crack in the iron door at the rainbow-maned braggart.

She's not very smart, is she? she thought.

Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, delivered Rainbow Dash's sentence with perhaps more enthusiasm than was needed. He read from the scroll held in his magic, his eyes alive with victorious menace. They were direct orders from Prince Blueblood delivered into his hoof that very morning. He'd somehow managed to contain his excitement when he read them over. As it was, he spoke them with relish as he regarded the prisoner.

“Rainbow Danger Dash, you are sentenced to solitary imprisonment,” he announced. “The sentence length is…….indefinite.”

He spoke the last word with unconcealed satisfaction. That would teach her to disrupt a sacred tournament! He lowered the scroll, nodding at the two guards that stood at either side of the mare. He would have preferred it if she appeared at least somewhat remorseful or worried, but alas Rainbow Dash showed no emotion at all as her sentence was read out. He has to satisfy himself by imagining she was screaming on the inside. Armed with this thought, he couldn't keep his grin entirely under control as he and the other guards escorted her to the solitary imprisonment cell.

The cell was more of a hole in the ground than anything else. It was comprised of a deep opening, too deep for any Earth pony to simply climb out. Iron bars lay across the top, preventing pegasi from utilizing their flight to escape. Invisible, yet able to be sensed whenever a hoof passed over it, was a force field meant to suppress magic. The force field countered a unicorn's attempts to teleport out of the cell, as well as made it impossible for them to blast the bars apart or otherwise create an escape route. In the two centuries it had existed, nopony had ever escaped. This was made blatantly obvious by the equine skeleton lying in one corner.

As she peered into the cell, Rainbow Dash was abruptly shoved from behind. Caught unawares, she plunged downward into the hole that awaited her. The mare landed on a bale of hay strategically placed at the bottom, albeit it made the landing only slightly less painful. Whoever had thought to place it there had put safety first and comfort second. Rainbow Dash rolled over onto her back, all four hooves in the air. Her vision was slightly wobbly at the edges, but she noticed the bars of the cell being returned to their original place. Even if she'd been able to fly out, her chance had escaped her. She groaned in agony, unhappily aware of the fact that her wings were tied up. Shining Armor had insisted on doing it “as a precaution”. Naturally, they hadn't had the courtesy to untie her before pushing her in and leaving her to this fate.

Nice guys, she thought sarcastically. Remind me to give them flowers next time we meet.

Rainbow Dash waited until the guards left. They lingered for ten long minutes before she heard their retreating hoofsteps. Satisfied that she was alone, she rolled back onto her stomach. Her wings were beginning to ache from the ropes that bound them. She wondered, slightly panicked, if having them tied up for too long would make them less cooperative in the future. As she pondered this miserable prospect, she surveyed her new home. Fortunately, the bale of hay she had landed on could double as a bed, therefore saving her the hardship of having to sleep on the floor. Unfortunately, this was literally the only perk. The cell was grimy, damp, and smelled horrendous. In addition, the equine skeleton wasn't the best decoration. Sighing, Rainbow Dash stepped off the bale of hay. She could have shouted obscenities at the walls, but that wouldn't have made her feel better. Resigning herself, at least for the time being, she dropped to all four hooves and began doing push-ups.

Over the course of several long months, nothing of real interest happened. Rainbow Dash kept herself in shape with a strict training regimen. The guards tossed down food for her, usually raw potatoes and nearly spoiled fruit and vegetables. She became accustomed to bitter tastes, cringing whenever something sweet passed her tongue as a result. She found herself grateful whenever she could capture enough rain water in her hooves to drink. Rain, especially the heavy variety, came only between long intervals of beaming sunlight. Rainbow Dash was rapidly growing tired of the solitude, tired of the cell, tired of Shining Armor's sneering face above her almost every morning as he enjoyed his freedom. But most of all, she was tired of not being able to fly. Yet, despite all of this torment, Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to throw insults at the guards, to completely break down and begin ranting at the unresponsive skeleton. She remained quiet over the course of her imprisonment, almost defiant in her silence. Whenever a collapse seemed imminent, she increased the intensity of her training. Pushing herself until she nearly passed out somehow made her feel better.

On a dark night, nearly a year after Rainbow Dash was sentenced and imprisoned, she dreamed of the Demon King. Like most of the citizens of Equestria, his face had forever scarred her nightmares. His menacing depiction from the story books came to her in this dream, his mouth emitting the growls of a caged wolf. He gazed at her, his dark essence billowing behind him like a cape as he turned the sky a malevolent crimson. Rainbow Dash, gripped by a sense of terror she'd never experienced in her waking life, could only stare, motionless and quivering. The Demon King opened his mouth, revealing a pair of sharp fangs amongst his otherwise normal teeth. But he did not stop there. He opened his mouth wider, far wider than it was possible, a red mist pouring from his throat. Rainbow Dash screamed and flailed as the mist swirled around her, choking her. As it began to seep into her eyelids, she felt a strange burning sensation on her flank. She knew she would die if she did not focus on the mist, yet she could not stop herself from turning around as the burning shifted into pure agony. Another scream, this one borne from the pain in her flank, was ripped from Rainbow's throat. As the light faded before her eyes, she saw a single blue orb throbbing where her Cutie Mark should have been.

Rainbow Dash awoke with a cry. She sat up on the bale of hay, her chest heaving and her hooves shaking. It had been years since she'd had a nightmare so intense. Normally her dreams were confined to long adventures with her favorite heroes or battles she had yet to face in her lifetime. She could not remember ever having such a horrible dream, even when she was a filly. Panting slightly, Rainbow Dash collapsed on her makeshift bed. Images from the dream lingering, she reached behind her and touched her flank.

What the…? she thought, startled.

Her flank was warm. Almost hot. As if somepony had applied heat to it less than a moment ago. Surprised, Rainbow Dash leaped off the bale of hay and landed next to it on all four hooves. Moonlight was streaming into her cell from overhead, bathing the room. She turned to examine her flank, scowling in confusion. However, her scowl steadily turned to the exact opposite.

I knew it! she thought excitedly.

The Crystal Heart. The sign borne by the Braves of the Six Elements. Rainbow Dash, the strongest mare in the world, had been chosen to fight the Demon King.

“Hey, is anypony out there?” she called. “You'd better let me out of here! I've been chosen as one of the Elements!”

For a second, there was silence. Rainbow Dash worried that nopony was in the vicinity and she was going to be left there until it was too late. However, soon enough, there was the sound of shouting and frantic hoofsteps. It sounded as if somepony was trying to get past the guards, but the guards were reluctant to let them through. Eventually, after much pounding of hooves and a shrill voice yelling protests, the guards were apparently overwhelmed by this single pony and forced to allow them passage.

A figure appeared overhead, gazing down through the bars with an indulgent smile. It was the mare who had visited Rainbow Dash when she was in prison. Except her mane no longer cascaded down her shoulders and she no longer wore a rather simple dress. She was instead attired in an outfit more befitting of a warrior, albeit with more glamor to it. Her mane was styled into a long purple braid that hung over one shoulder.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly,” she greeted the pegasus. “I am Miss Rarity, Princess of Canterlot and the Goddess of Blades. I've been chosen as one of the Six Elements.”

She presented her flank to Rainbow Dash. Indeed, it bore the image of a crystal heart.

“M-Me, too!” stammered Rainbow Dash, somewhat overwhelmed.

Rarity nodded, as if she'd suspected it. She utterly ignored the guards, whom had been objecting to her visit. Now they stood completely quiet, gazing in astonishment at the rainbow-maned pegasus.

“Shall we go?” Rarity proposed.

Her horn began to glow. She concentrated on her powers, reaching past her regular magic to access the portion of her that held the Goddess of Blades. She seized this extension of her magic and yanked it forth into the very front of her brain. A thick, flat blade, about the shape of the head of a spear but much larger, appeared next to Rainbow Dash. It darted towards her, causing the pegasus to wince. But rather than cut her, the blade easily sliced through the ropes binding her wings.

For the first time in months, Rainbow Dash could move her wings. As the ropes fell away, she could feel the wind gently stroking her feathers. She stood up, balancing on her two back hooves, and for a moment allowed herself to simply enjoy the feeling of being liberated. She could smell the clouds again. She could envision worlds rushing past underneath her, cities coming and going in an instant as her speed increased. She hadn't quite realized how much she longed to feel the sky around her.

“Let me get those bars for you, darling,” offered Rarity, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Several blades, each larger than Rainbow Dash's hooves, materialized around her. As she stared, awed by the spectacle, the blades shot upward in flawless unison. They shifted their positions as they went, slicing effortlessly through the bars of Rainbow's cell. Many of them remained intact from the concentrated onslaught, but a pegasus-shaped opening had been created.

Whooping with joy, Rainbow Dash leaped into the air. Her wings reacted instinctively to the elevation, hastily spreading at her sides. Laughing, the pegasus soared out of the cell, into delicious freedom. The cold night air whipped around her, greeting her with the familiarity of a sister. Steadily, as if it was a mere dream, the aroma of the cell melted away.

“Mi-Miss Rarity!” stammered one of the guards, flabbergasted. “Your audience with….”

A wild laugh of uncontrolled mirth in her throat, Rarity turned and broke into a gallop. Blades came into being as she moved, circling around her in a somewhat beautiful display. In darkness only broken by the moon, she looked like a solar system moving rapidly through the night. The effect was heightened as she spread her wings, scattering the blades a little further out in their rotation. With one mighty leap, she took to the sky, trailing fresh blades as if they were smoke from a newly launched rocket. Despite how deadly it appeared at close range, far away it looked absolutely gorgeous. This mare was clearly one for showing off when she was suitably excited. She looked over her shoulder and saw Rainbow Dash catching up with her, the blue pegasus expertly dodging the trailing blades.

“You're quite fast, dear!” Rarity complimented her. “If we keep up this pace, we'll get to Tartarus in no time!”

Rainbow Dash drew up beside the alicorn, grinning.

“First we'll stop by my hideout,” she replied. “Then we'll meet up with the other Elements at the temple. Then...to Tartarus!”

The words sent a thrill of excitement through her body. They were going to meet the other Elements. They were going to see Tartarus. They were going to fight the Demon King. It felt so unreal, so much like a fairytale.

“Yes,” agreed Rarity with a slight smile. “To Tartarus….”

The two mares exchanged a grin, then turned their gazes to the moon overhead. It was a beautiful night. A truly beautiful night.