Chapters "You know, since we discovered that we're, like, the Elements of Harmony - yeah, bearers, whatever. I've grown a little... fond of you. You know? Gee, I don't know how to say it... I love you."
Rainbow Dash sighed. It was all so easy, in front of the mirror. She still couldn't muster the courage to just outright confess to the mare of her dreams, even after practicing for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Believe me, whenever I think of your beauty or how you always speak your mind, no matter..."
Her honesty? Come on, Rainbow, you can do better compliments than that.
"I always feel like I'm sweating, and sometimes I really am."
"You're all I can think of. I can't imagine life without you. I..." If Rainbow as much as pictured the earth pony mare before her in the mirror, she lost focus. She couldn't do this, it'd end like all of the other times.
"I can do this. I'll just ask her out, maybe even a date, and not leave until I can finally say what's been bugging me for so long. Maybe she'll start the topic..."
Why did it have to be so hard?
"What is going on here? Everypony's scattered and behaving like crazy, it's like..." A spark cleared up Twilight's mind. "Of course! It's a little thought into the open, but it's the only rational explanation."
She didn't even bother to assemble her friends before requesting transportation to Canterlot and an audience with the princess in urgent matters. *Grab Elements, return, stop him. Easy three part plan.*
"My faithful student, I take it you have felt his presence too?" Twilight was in Princess Celestia's throne room. She hadn't even had to request an audience, as the princess had felt the matters at hand herself.
"Yes, Princess. At first, I thought it to be simply some ache, but then ponies began to act weirdly."
"Show yourself!" Princess Celestia bellowed at the empty room, making Twilight jump at the unexpected sound. All that returned was a soft cackle.
"Can't a lord of chaos go about his business unnoticed here? I hadn't expected for you to find me already. Or maybe I did. Probably, or else I wouldn't have passed right by, would I?"
"Let's get it over with. Do your long introduction speech, then try to discord us Elements, then get your spell disabled by me and be turned into stone again."
Discord laughed. "I genuinely like you, filly. So charming, almost like Celestia. I'll even save myself the trouble of turning your friends into antiments one by one. No need to stop what stops itself."
"What do you mean by that?" Twilight was confused.
"I'm sure you'll find out. If you'll excuse me, I have some more balance to tip. Thanks for finding me, by the way. Now I can act in the open." He disappeared.
"That sure was something. Now, my student, we must find the Elements of Harmony, then get you back to Ponyville, where you can assemble your friends and use the Elements against him."
"Well, how about looking where they're supposed to be?" Twilight's approach seemed almost too easy, but just in that box behind the magically sealed door were the six Elements. "That was easy. I wonder if he WANTS to be stopped."
"Do not assume the rest to be so easy. You never know what he may have in mind. Good luck, Twilight Sparkle."
"Hey Twilight! What's going on?" Pinkie Pie looked less happy than normal, but her mouth still had the slightest of smiles on it, and her mane and tail were still puffed up, so Twilight didn't assume anything bad.
"Can't you see it? Discord's on the loose, everypony's already starting to change, and oatmeal prices rose by two bits per bag!"
"Oatmeal? Are you crazy? That's a serious rise!"
"Of all times, do you have to take me overly serious NOW? Okay, I lied, oatmeal prices are normal, but the things before that are true! We must find the others and stop Discord!"
"Yes! Let's go!"
Twilight noticed something strange and froze. "Erm, shouldn't you be bathing in the chocolate rain or something now?"
"Why? Twilight, dear, I realised something lately. I'm taking things way not serious enough! Since when I busted in on them and thought it was a joke..."
"What? Who? When? That's not like you at all, Pinkie!"
"Oh, um, just Applejack and Dashie talking about something serious. I thought it was all a joke, but when they told me it wasn't, I realised how I think everypony's always making jokes and being happy when they just sometimes aren't."
"That sounds like a reasonable explanation, I think. Maybe even something you should write to Celestia about. But let's focus on the task at hoof. You wanna come assemble our friends?"
"Nah, I think I'll keep walking and think about where I went wrong in my life. Much to think about. You'll find me when it's time, I suppose."
"Alright then, I'll go collect the others then. See you later!"
Closest after that was Rarity's boutique. Twilight headed there, in good spirits.
"Hello, Rarity? In case you didn't know, Discord's on the loose again and we have to find the others and stop him!" Twilight did not get an answer. She decided to force her way inside (Which was easy through an open door) and look what was going on.
Rarity was there, lying rather uncomfortably, stroking Opalescence. She spoke with a slow, lower than usual voice. "Hello darling. Coming into other ponies' houses like that is not very kind, you know. But I'll let you, with the task at hand."
Twilight was confused at Rarity's way of speaking. "Um, okay? Great, come along and we'll go collect the others."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Rarity's voice had a soothing tone, sounding like everything was in order.
"Why not?"
"Because giving always leads to greater pain than it could ever compensate. I give - or sell - ponies dresses, they struggle over them. I give ponies hope, they fall even higher when they're disappointed. I can't stand it any more, Twilight."
"Now you're exaggerating. You're not already hypnotised by Discord, are you?"
"No, no, I'm not keeping, I simply... Don't see the point in giving. Anything you give somepony else has less use for them, in the best case. Gems, dresses, hope... I don't want to come with you, because we'd only disappoint you. Hasn't he already won?"
"Not if you would stop the nonsense and come with me!" Twilight was losing patience.
"I can't. I can't give you hope. Not after all the others, not after... Rainbow."
"Huh? What happened with Rainbow Dash? She's fine, right?"
"Physically, yes. Why don't you ask her about the rest yourself?"
"If you insist... You stay right here, I'll come get you when the others are together."
Things were not progressing that good. Twilight didn't let that discourage her. As soon as she had Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, everything would sort out, she was sure.
On the way to Fluttershy's cottage, she even ran into Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow! You're just the pony I was looking for."
Dash held her head low, a hopeless expression on her eyes. The skin under those looked unusually soft, as if she'd been crying. Before Twilight could inspect her closer, though, Rainbow turned her head so that she didn't look directly away, but could hide her eyes.
"Hello Twilight. What's going on?" Her voice was slow, missing it's usual energy.
"Discord's off again! That's what's going on! And for some reason, both Rarity and Pinkie lost their qualities... But not because he hypnotised them, they just seem to have... Some problems. The Elements should still work, though. Come help me rally everypony and put an end to this nonsense."
"Does it have to be right now?"
"Yes! What's going on with you not being there for your friends? Did you suddenly grow such problems, too? Wait... They both mentioned you when they talked about why they don't want to be the elements any more. Is there something I should know?"
The pegasus' eyes became just the slightest moist they could. "I don't want to talk about it now. This can wait until we've stopped Discord. Sorry I can't do more for you right now, but I'll be there as soon as you call."
Twilight grew tired of getting rejected. "Because I can just fly right up to your cloud home and tell you it's time, right?"
Rainbow Dash indicated towards a small gem she wore in her mane. Twilight had given her a way of receiving a magical message exactly because she couldn't fly and tell her the regular way. "Oh right. At least that's going somewhat according to the plan.
Motivated by the small success, Twilight knocked on the door to Fluttershy's home. The response she got was unexpected. What came out of the cottage were a series of sobs, then Fluttershy calling. "Yes? Come in, if you must..."
If Rainbow Dash looked like she'd been crying, it was nothing compared to the yellow pegasus. Her eyes were red, dripping with shortly restarted tears. The pillow she was curled up on had a small taint on it, right below her head.
"Fluttershy? What's..." Panic and a bit excessive crying was nothing irregular for her, but this seemed out of order. She even interrupted Twilight to sob out hardly audible words.
"Oh no no no, she's d- done it and you've come to tell me. Just tell me right now. Perhaps I will come over it in a hundred years."
"Huh? What do you mean? Who's done what?"
"Dash! She... She has jumped, that's why you're here. Don't lie to me!" Even though she was already crying hard before, more and more tears ran down Fluttershy's cheeks in accelarating frequency.
"Ju... No! I'm honest, she's fine, I talked to her minutes ago." That seemed to calm her a bit. Fluttershy still had troubles speaking, though.
"Uh, silly me. I'm sorry, I've let my imagination run too freely."
"Why SHOULD she do such a thing? Fluttershy, if there's something troubling you, tell me!"
"I can't. Please, don't make me relive that. Remember your manners, Fluttershy. Why have you come to visit me?" The pegasus wiped her eyes. The liquid on her cheeks and pillow remained.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? Because we can't stop Discord if you're just crying all the time. No offense."
"Oh no! Discord? We're screwed. How should we even have a chance of stopping him?"
"Erm, I don't know, like, the Elements of Harmony? I've even got them here, look!" She opened the chest, revealing five necklaces and a big crown thingy.
"But he's still just so powerful. Not even Celestia could stand against him."
"That's why we gotta stand TOGETHER. In HARMONY! With united power! Besides, last time he broke free, you looked like you could beat him up in a direct melee fight, remember?"
Fluttershy gave a small chuckle, drowned in liquid in her throat. It sounded nothing but sad. "Oh yeah. Maybe we could stand a chance..."
"And now you're going to tell me you'd like to come with me, but can't and that I should return once I have the others?"
"How did you know?"
"Intuition. It's only Applejack left on the list, though. Stay ready."
At last, Twilight reached Sweet Apple Acres. The earth pony mare that was her goal was just coming out of her barn.
"Heya Twi'! What gives me the honor?"
"Let's skip the introductions and go straight to where you deny me your help because something just completely messed up your mind. Wait... You don't sound messed up. Oh, please tell me you're normal."
"Er, normal as can be, I think. Why shouldn't I?"
"Discord's running undercover operations to send all of Equestria into chaos AGAIN and so far, everypony has been too busy with their own problems and... Oh, Applejack, I'm so glad at least you are okay." To the unicorn's surprise, her stomach grumbled rather loud. Her eyes were drawn upwards from the ground to where the sun was located, which was not that far above the horizon any more.
"Not THIS too! I've been running around all day, trying to solve this crisis, and must have lost track of time... Why can't my body wait with such things until after we've defeated him? Whatever, come with me, and we'll be done before dinner."
"No, you come with me. I won't let you run around with an empty stomach, and we need to plan things carefully. Just dashing straight into action won't help."
After quickly, but not rushed, preparing an apple for Twilight to snack on, Applejack sat down with her inside the farm house.
"Thanks." Twilight wanted to bite right into the slices, but hesitated for a moment. It didn't look rotten, but there was a slight brown taint to the white inside, concentrated on the former outer areas.
"I just bucked that apple today, if you're wondering. At least I think so..."
"Oh no, I'm not complaining. It simply looks different, but no less tasty." To prove it, Twilight threw her head down onto the plate and grabbed a piece. It tasted a bit odd.
"Heh, Sweet Apple Acres apples, making even unicorns forget their magic."
Twilight looked up, chewing with an embarassed smile. After swallowing, she brought up the important topic at hoof. "Okay, what do we do now?"
"Grab Elements, call everypony together, buck Discord's butt back where it belongs?"
"Believe me, I tried that. They're all too busy with their own problems. It seems that those problems are all somehow linked to Rainbow Dash and... You. Applejack, is there something you should tell me?"
Applejack thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't think there's anything relevant."
"Are you sure? Whatever, we have to go. Whom do you think we should visit first?"
"Pinkie. She should be easiest, and the biggest help for the rest."
The unicorn jumped up. "Great, let's go."
They ran into Pinkie little outside Ponyville.
The results they got were dissatisfying. Pinkie got a bit happier, but she was still far from her usual self.
It was late, and they decided to rest through the night and go on a full assault on their friends' problems the day after.
As Twilight dropped into her bed, there was a small, unknown voice, whispering messages in her mind.
Friendship is magic, but where are your friends? You are all alone...
Twilight woke up after a night of senseless dreams. She felt hardly relaxed. The misadventures of her mind during her period of rest still roamed around in her head. She dismissed them without looking for meaning and clumsily rose to her hooves.
The whispers from the day before resumed.
You are alone... Your friends have left you for their own affairs...
"Where's this dragon when you need him?"
"You called?" Spike's head popped up from the door. "He actually reacts to that?" Twilight thought. "You have no idea how grumpy you can get in the morning." The assistant explained.
"What's the schedule for today?"
"Oh, you know, the usual stuff. Find Applejack, get everypony back to normal, stop Discord."
"Awesome. If I'm quick, we'll have the afternoon off. Bye." She stormed out of the library.
"Applejack?" Twilight was once again at the Acres.
"Hello there sugar. Time to reharmonise?" The earth pony suddenly appeared behind Twilight as she called for her. Pinkie Pie would be proud.
Twilight jumped a small distance. "Uh, yes. But before we start... AJ, things just don't add up. What really happened between you and Rainbow?"
"Ah don't want to talk about it. Not now. Can't this wait until later?"
"That's what Dash told me. But 'later' won't be any different unless you help me figure out what's blocking everypony! He'll have free reign if he doesn't even have to do anything against us because we stop ourselves!"
"But it was nothing important, jus'... fixing a time fer the next contest. Ya know, us constantly competing against each other?"
"Applejack, even when you want to lie, you're a terrible liar. Perhaps... Did you feel any influence from him? Strange behavior? Whispers in your mind?"
"Why, Ah did hear some strange whispers. Honest truth now. They told me nothing Ah didn' already know, though."
"Maybe... Just to make sure." Twilight prepared a spell and lowered her horn onto Applejack.
"Save yerself the trouble, sassy. Ah can remember everythin' jus' fine."
"But then... How can you lie to me about something this important?"
"Sometimes, the truth simply is hard to take. Shouldn't we be doing something important now?"
"Okay, if you don't want to tell me voluntarily, I'll MAKE you help me. Stand still, and make sure my body remains safe."
Applejack twitched and fought the rising urge to run away, but found magical shackles binding her to the ground. Twilight was determined to bring that spell through. "What in tarnation are you..."
Through high concentration in spellcasting, Twilight spoke. "I said, I'll make you help me. Don't worry, we'll be fine. I think. As soon as I'm done, the bindings will release. Bring me to Ponyville in the meantime."
"But what..." Before Applejack could ask any further, the unicorn collapsed before her. Her eyes were moving, but didn't seem to react to outer impulses. "Oh well. Might as well do what she said..."
Twilight stirred little after Applejack had carried her back to the library and made herself at home there.
"That sure was something..."
"Sugarcube? Mind telling me what exactly you did?"
"Only what I told you I did. Oh, looking back at it, I'm sorry for the rude approach, but it worked out, I think. I would never have imagined that'd have happened. This changes everything."
"What now?"
"Applejack, you can stop hiding your feelings from me now. I used some mostly safe, experimental magic to see everything. I can understand why you're acting like that, I'd do too."
The earth pony turned to hide her tears. "Yes. Did you... see my feelings too?"
Twilight shook her head. "I only moved through your memory. I might have been able to see exactly how you're feeling, but why don't you tell me that? You started lying... right after she asked, right?"
"Darn, yes! I just couldn't take the truth. I couldn't be honest, even if I had to hurt Rainbow Dash. Why did I have to do that? Why did I hurt both of us, when true joy was just around the corner?"
"I don't know, but you know what? It doesn't matter! We can fix all of this now... Wait, the whispers are gone. Did Discord give up?"
"Now that you mention it, they sure are. 'Everypony welcomes the truth... If you can handle it.', ha, my rump!"
"Same plan as before, only successful?"
"You bet! Start with Pinkie, work down the line, defeat Discord. Easy four part plan. Don't you use yer fancy mathematics to muddle the issue!" She added the last sentence just as Twilight had opened her mouth to correct.
"Pinkie, a word. Please." The two were at the Sugarcube Corner, cornering Pinkie Pie.
"Alright, if you must. Let's go to the kitchen." Her hair had deflated just a bit more and an attentive pony might spot her losing a bit of color. The same had happened to Applejack, however they were all confident that she was in her right mind and would regain those colors before sundown.
"Thanks. Um, Pinkie, listen. I know many things have been said and done that may make you feel like your talents are misplaced, but they ain't! There're no situation where a little laugh won't help. Not even an unexpected confession of love..."
Pinkie hushed her. "Didn't we make this our secret, for both of us? Twilight's gonna hear!"
"I am right next to you, in case you didn't notice."
"Besides, she knows everything. Just puttin' away your problems deep down somewhere they're gonna eat you up from ain't the way to deal with'em Pinkie. You have to stand up tall, learn to face your fears. You'll see that they can't hurt you..."
"Just laugh and make them disappear. You know, you're right. What was I doing, all soaked up in boring self-doubt? Sadness is nothing that's gonna solve itself without a little laughter! Whee, let's go!" Pinkie bounced out of the bakery, back in full colors.
"That sure WAS easy. Let's hope it's the same with all of the others."
"Won't. We don't know what has really happened between them, so it's either find out, for which we need Dash... or try to cure them with what we do know. Either way, it'll be tricky. What do you want?"
"Do I have to face RD right now?" Applejack wasn't sure if she could face the truth already.
"It's probably the best way. She might really jump if we don't hurry."
"Jump? Oh, she's been doing Leaps some time now, she'll be..."
"No wings."
"Oh no! Find her, right now!" Both ponies stormed ouside.
"On it. I knew that gem was a good idea, we'd have to search her all over town. Strange, I've sent a signal, but the resonance shows her at a distance where she'd have to be here already. Like, on that cloud up there."
"Did it occur to you that she might BE on that cloud?"
"Rainbow? Are you up there?" Twilight called up. There was no response. "Is she napping or hiding? Rainbow, come down, or I'll come up to you! I've got AJ here with me! She's got something to tell you!"
"Go away! You might find it funny to come back and hurt me more, but I've realised I need you for nothing. Give me a reason I should come down." The cloud suddenly responded.
"How about eternal happiness with the mare of your dreams?" Applejack shouted. Rainbow Dash was halfway to another cloud, when the words struck her. She dropped down almost immediately.
"What did you say?"
Twilight intervened. "Let's get you girls some privacy, no? Come on, library, right over there."
Rainbow Dash didn't need privacy, she wanted to sort those things out right there and then. But Applejack was already galloping towards the hollow tree, so she followed.
Things didn't go as easy as planned. Dash had a counter for every argument Applejack had.
"You told me days ago! What has changed so much?"
"As I said, I don't need any of you. What tells me you're not just fooling me so we can stop Discord?"
"Would Ah hurt my beloved pony like that?"
"You already did once. As soon as this is over, you'll leave me, I know it."
"Not 'til death do us part, sweet."
"Suicidal, now?"
Applejack groaned in annoyance. "Twilight, got any help for convincing this stubborn little peggy over here?"
The unicorn looked up from the book she had at least been pretending to read. She had been within earshot all the time. "Magic doesn't hold the answer for everything. You'll have to solve this on your own, unless... Dash, is there something that's got nothing to do with AJ that makes you behave like that?"
"Maybe. Do you want to mob me for my foalhood, too?"
"Alright, that's it. You've had your fun, but I'm ending it here. Hold still, and you won't be hurt. Applejack, prepare yourself."
"Hey hey hey, what are you doing? Stop it!" Rainbow's survival instincts kicked in, but Applejack held her down.
"Don't you go kill yourself while we're gone."
Applejack opened her eyes. Her surroundings were no longer the library. "Wow. Just wow."
"That's about what I thought when I first entered you, Applejack." Twilight appeared next to her.
"It looks... empty." She was right. They were in a giant hall, five hallways going out of it. A window in the ceiling let in some light, even though the sun wasn't anywhere to be seen. Nothing was in the room except for a statue of Rainbow Dash. None of the doors seemed to be an exit.
"At least we know you're not discorded any more. Yes, it seems Dash has some control over herself. No offense, but when I visited you, there was just so much more going on. There was this school house or something, and all around it were growing apple trees, and every single member of your family and friends was present..."
"Nice of you to tell me, but ta be honest, Ah kind of already know how Ah look on the inside. Aren't we here to fix RD or something?"
"Not fix, explore. I hate to use this spell, partially because it's unsafe by itself, but also because it'd technically allow to alter her mind. We could completely destroy her psyche or even kill her!"
"So we make sure not to do nothin' with her an' jus' find out what's keeping her back?"
"Yes. But why would she focus her mind like that? I mean, look around, almost all of her feelings are suppressed. That's not how a regular pony'd look like."
"You sure they're not just someplace else? Like, 'Emotions room?'" Applejack pointed towards the end of one hallway, where a wooden door had that written on it in golden letters.
"That's what I meant! There's a seal over the door! Unless she wants it, nothing gets out. But it's supposed to flow freely. Just why?"
"Maybe she's trying not to go crazy and do something stupid 'cause Ah rejected her? Just how will I get her to believe me that Ah've loved her all along and simply was too much of a little coward to admit it when she asked?"
A small hatch on the emotions door opened and two beings a little smaller than Spike came into the main room. One was a deep blue and tear-shaped, the other red and heart-shaped. They were joined together by multiple straps that seemed much out of place.
"Oh look, she can hear you. Here come... Sorrow and Love? And why are they forced together like that? Interesting..." Twilight investigated the creatures closer.
"Ah sure can think of why. How could Ah let myself hurt her like that?"
"Now, don't go releasing those blues yourself. It's done, you apologised and told the truth, now we have to find out why she won't accept the apology. Or you. These changes are too deep to have been formed how long ago now?"
"With today, it's four days ago."
"Exactly. First, she'd have overflowing emotions, then perhaps a little repressing, but this is a complete blockage. There must have been something years ago... something deep. Hey, can you hear him too?" She perked her ears up to listen.
Your friends need you. But do you need them? What have they ever given you other than pain?
"Shut up and get out of Dashie's mind! You're the reason she's hurtin' like that!" Applejack snapped at the bodyless voice.
"We will find a way to shut him out, I promise. Now, look for anything that could be of use. Memory section or something."
"There."
"How did you find that so quickly?"
"Always go south, Granny taught me that."
"But we don't even have any means of determining... Whatever. That actually looks right. Let's go!" As a parting gift, she undid the straps and allowed the creatures to run around freely. "That's not going to do anything, don't worry."
"Oh wow, that's a big lock."
"Worse even than the emotions room. Good thing I can pick this, physically and magically." Twilight's horn briefly lit up, then the lock clicked, granting them entrance.
"I didn't expect... That!"
"That's a standard structure. Most of the memory flows look like this. What did you expect, a library or something?"
They were on the border of a small river, barely big enough for two ponies to swim next to each other. Right behind them was the door they came in. The ceiling was about three ponies high here. A featureless wall stretched along the both sides of the river, including the sidewalk. It did not end it's pattern anywhere in sight.
"Erm, how are we supposed to access any memories? Ah don't see anything 'round here."
"I'll show you in a second. Now, reference time. Tuesday, one PM... Okay, I think we should be able to find our way back. Wanna go for a dip?"
"Erm, Ah..."
"Oh, yes, I forgot. Sorry for intruding your privacy like that, but I couldn't come around seeing that when I visited you. I promise, this is safe. Look, we can stand in it!"
Applejack walked into the waters towards Twilight. The slow stream tickled at her throat. "Now what?"
"This is the Flow of Eternity. Going up means past, going down future. There's no point in going down, it's just blank space there. So let's go upwards and calibrate our scale." Twilight took a small step forward, then left the stream again.
"Twi'? We didn't move at all, you know that?"
"Sure we did! Repeat my movement and you'll see."
Applejack took a step, then moved out directly towards Twilight.
"See? The door's still here, right in front of us."
"It always is. Look, I've marked it's position in the dirt." The unicorn pointed towards a line on the ground, which was not entirely in front of the door.
"So the door's moving. Awesome, we don't need ta worry 'bout getting out then."
"It's doing more than that. We've moved up the stream, and thus backwards in time. Why don't you take a look?"
Applejack walked through the door. Instead of the hall she expected, however, she saw the sky. Around her were rooftops, below there was white mass.
"That should be about half an hour ago. Do you understand now? When one step is half an hour back, then we should get back four days in..."
"A hun'red an' ninety-two? That's a bit of a distance."
"Aw, don't worry, logarithmic scale. When one hour from where we started is two steps, two hours are only three steps, and so on."
"Wow, mathematics. So how far now?"
"Seven."
"That was easy. Wait, do you really want to visit that memory?"
"It's our only lead. Come on, we have to. For her good."
"It's just, we've known each other for quite some time now, and I... I feel like I want more from you. Applejack, I want to be forever together with you."
"Uh... Sugar, that's sweet and all, but... Ah'm sorry, Ah can't do this. Sorry..."
"'T was bad enough from my perspective, why did I have to see it like Rainbow too? I feel even worse for ditching her now." The real Applejack shifted around. She wanted nothing but to leave this uncomfortable memory.
"Love as a construct of time divided by distance squared." Twilight said drily. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to say that. Now, when learning new things, you link them to old ones you already know. That's how you remember stuff. Point is, we are inside Rainbow right now, so whatever is holding her back should be linked to this memory."
"Should?"
"Yes, should. If we're very unlucky, it's got no connection and we have to search all of her foalhood - I assume it's something back then - for the incident. Must have been something tragic. So when you denied her, it ripped open the seal she put over it, and everything flowed back out."
"Or Discord did it. He's still roaming 'round."
"He probably did, but, not to blame you, of course, something must have weakened her defenses. Like something that feels very close to it. A ha!" A door appeared close to them.
"That's the linked memory?"
"It's a linked one. But I think it should be the one, yes." Twilight went back into her usual personality, which had been distorted a bit from her focus on finding the link.
"Then let's go!"
"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I'm much less... close to her, emotionally. I could take a look on my own and save you the trouble she's going through."
"Are ya kidding? Ah want to find out what's wrong with Dashie, now!"
"If you say so. After you, lady."
They found themselves in a cloud environment. The big hall they were in had been decorated. The sun was long below the horizon, making the sky a clear night blue.
"Where are we?"
"Prom night."
"How do you know that?"
"It says that, right up there! Now, where's Dash?"
"Over there, right?"
A young Rainbow Dash slipped out of the doors. She wore matchingly colored braids in her mane. Her dress made Applejack desire her much more than usually. She was so beautiful.
"Follow her!"
"It's just, we've known each other for quite some time now, and I... I feel like I want more from you. Rainbow, I want to be forever together with you." A steel gray pegasus with golden mane and tail stood nervously in front of Dash when they found her.
"Uh, I... Glimmer, that's... I'm sorry, I can't do this. I... Sorry." Rainbow Dash turned her head away from the filly.
"O... Okay, Dash. I'm sorry to have said such a silly thing. I'll just..." Glimmer couldn't finish her sentence as tears overtook her. She stormed away and took flight shortly after.
"If only you knew..."
"Oh. My. Gosh. Can you feel this?"
"We've stirred her emotions, now they're soaking into us. She lied in the confrontation, away from making herself and her crush happy. She didn't have the courage... Just like you, hm? But look at this. I can't find any memories with Glimmer in them after this one. I suppose they lost contact. So much pain..."
"And now Ah idiot have brought all of that up again. Stupid stupid stupid stupid..."
"And now you can help her come over this, and achieve what both of you were too shy for. Don't you want to do that?"
"Get us out of her, and we'll talk. And Ah promise to whatever ya want, Ah will not let her go 'till she lives with her feelings, and me."
"Rainbow Dash! Don't you dare do something stupid or I will KILL you!"
The pegasus sat on her haunches on the edge of the library's roof. "Oh, I didn't have in mind to jump straight down. Perhaps I did. Since when do you give a buck about how much I'm hurting? You were lying to solve this crisis so you could get back to your work, I know that. He tells me the entire truth."
"Awesome. His influence has expanded. Rainbow, come down and we'll free you of that curse!" Twilight was prepared to pull her down if she had to.
"What curse? Free thinking? Finally seeing the truth?" Quietly, Dash whispered to herself as she rose. "After you synchronise... Leap of Faith." An eagle passed by. She gave him an aknowledging nod and started running.
"Now what in tarnation?"
Rainbow reached the edge and jumped, legs spread wide. She intended to give the other ponies a good scare for her. Only that, when she opened her eyes, she noticed she had enjoyed the feeling of freedom much too long. The ground was right in front of her.
It was too late to use her wings. Time froze. This wasn't what she had wanted. Maybe it was? Wasn't this the only way out of the pain she had always experienced, sooner or later, with those so-called friends?
It took her a few seconds to realise that the ground actually was not coming closer. Her mind cleared up again and she looked around, seeing Twilight's horn glow with the same color she could make out from her hindhooves.
"Erm... Thanks, I guess. Sorry, didn't want to do that. Or did I? Maybe that'd be even the slightest taste of the pain I'm experiencing for you. Hey, let me go and don't catch me this time!"
"Dash! How do you dare even thinking something like that! Think about yourself! Think about... me." Applejack shuddered at the thought of what'd happen if Twilight's reactions were just a bit slower.
"That's Discord speaking out of you. But we now know what let him in, Rainbow! We can help you!"
"Yay. As if those memories weren't killing me on the inside already, now you have to bring them up too. Put me down, please? I promise I won't fly off." Twilight released her magic.
"So, you're saying that Discord is manipulating my every move 'cause something let him in?" Rainbow Dash had been talked into speaking about the general state of things, as long as they weren't trying to cure her yet.
"The single seed that let him in. Admirable control that you had there. Even though complete repression isn't the way to go, or else the old wounds will just tear up and hurt you much worse. Q.E.D., I'd say."
"Yeah yeah. So what now?"
"Erm..." Twilight had no idea. She had intended to have a talk with Rainbow about that repressed memory and free her mind that way. She hadn't expected such an open reaction. "I'm afraid we can't avoid talking about Glimmer."
"If you have to."
"Yes, I have to. If we work out your psychological problems that came with that incident, he'll lose his grasp on you. Then everything else will fall into place."
"Bring in Applejack. It seems there's still some feeling for her left in me. I want her to be present."
"Yes, of course. Applejack? You can come in!"
"Hey sugarcube. What more do I have to do to convince you I'm sharing your feelings?"
"My feelings right now are nothing but pain and cold fury. I believe you're sharing those."
"No, fight him! Don't talk like that, you're making it easy for him to control you!"
"I am very well in control of myself. Now, I know I'm repeating myself, but convince me that you honestly love me back, no matter the circumstances."
"Such a stubborn little... Hey, Ah know something. When Ah was really little, even younger than Applebloom today, Ah once saw ya speeding through the sky. What a talent, flying like that at yer age! Ah wasn't sure if Ah hadn't mislooked, but mah heart told me what I saw was real. Oh, believe me, I couldn't stop thinking 'bout you."
"Cliché." Rainbow was not out of her cynical stance, but sounded genuinely interested.
"That little blue dot, flying around, barely visible except when in front of a cloud. Now here's something Ah never told nopony. 'Twas cause of you that Ah once missed everything while swimming. Ah could catch a glance at ya, so Ah beamed upwards towards the sky forever. When Ah came back to the ground with mah mind, all Ah could see was that wave."
Rainbow moved her head closer to Applejack.
"That wave that caught me so badly by surprise I had nothing against it. There Ah was, submerged deep, no idea where up'n'down were. Ah was so afraid. Not fer my life, mind you. Ah was afraid of never seeing the sky again, with you in it. Good thing Mac had some rescue training and got me just in time. That was when Ah got mah... problem with water."
"Wow. If I had known I'd almost killed you, I'd have cut off my wings with a rusty knife just to never risk something like that again. I... Damn, I love you."
"Ah waited so long fer you to say that." Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash in and pushed their lips together. There was no resistance.
"Do you two want some privacy? I don't mind spending a minute or two hours up in my room reading, really. You can have my room, too."
"Ah, that can wait 'till later. We still got some butt to kick."
"Perfect. Then let's go. We should probably visit Fluttershy first. She's a little way off, but that poor little thing will die from worry if we keep her waiting for liberation much longer."
"Fluttershy? Come out, I got a nice surprise for you!"
"Uh, okay. If you say it's nice..."
More locks than Twilight remembered the door having unlocked. Fluttershy pulled it open. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh..."
"Yeah, I know, they're quite... Wait." Twilight's smile faded a little. She looked over her shoulder where, behind her, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were already deeply kissing again. "Okay, I mean, why stick to the plan. Didn't seem to miss your effect. You alright, Fluttershy?"
"She finally... Oh, I'm so happy for her!"
"Looks like it."
"A little kindness can go a long way... All the way down from a cloud." Fluttershy whispered, even more quiet than what was usual.
"What was that?"
"Uh, I don't know why I said that. It's been haunting around my head for so long, but now it's finally gone. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Now it's just Rarity and we'll FINALLY be ready to go."
"I think I can handle her. Leave her to me."
"If you want, 'Shy."
"Rarity? Let me in, please."
"Fluttershy? What are you doing here? Come in, it's open."
"Should we?" Twilight asked, but Fluttershy only motioned for the other three ponies to stay where they were. "I'll be right back."
Truly, no ten minutes later, both Rarity and Fluttershy came out of the boutique. Rarity had a bright smile on her face, replacing her usual hopeless expression Twilight had learned to fear.
"Generosity is a gift... Depending on how justified that gift is." Rarity breathed out with a sigh of relief.
"Glad to know his magic finally left you too." Twilight happily welcomed her friend back.
"So am I, dear. What was I thinking? Oh, nothing at all, most likely. No situation that couldn't be brightened up with the right portion of hope. Good to know you never abandoned yours as I did mine."
"Show yourself, demon!" The six ponies were ready for battle, each wearing their Element.
"Lord of chaos and disharmony, please." Discord grew out of the ground, then suddenly lost interest and restarted from the head, joining the two parts at his knees. "Oh, how nice, the Elements are together. Depression, Cowardice, self-proclaimed Rationality, Hysteria, Hopelessness and... I'm sorry, what's your problem, my dear?"
"How about Magic?"
"Oh no, that's what you're supposed to be. Excuse me, I have to finish a joke."
"Stay right here!" Twilight conjured magical shackles for Discord.
"How brute. A simple request would have been enough. But I'll play your game, you've failed this before. Fire when ready."
"You bet. Girls?" The ponies powered up their necklaces. Discord's eyes flinched with fear.
"Wait, what? You're not supposed to... Not yet! Not at all!"
"Hold still, and it'll be over quick."
Discord strained at his bindings, only to find them not giving any way. "Noooooooooo..." Once more, his physical form turned into stone.
"Perfect. I'm proud of all of your girls. I knew we could overcome everything if only we worked together with all our force."
"PART FIVE! Pinke, ya got them gears?"
"Sure! Which one do you want first?"
"Ah'll let you pick."
"Girls? What's going..." Twilight's voice trailed off as Pinkie pulled a jackhammer out of thin air, then hoofed it to Applejack.
"Now, we're gonna make sure you never even try ta make RD and all of us hurt like that. Ya hear me?" The earth pony was furious. Dust flew around as more and more pieces fell to the ground. Four ponies watched in surprise, Pinkie looked at them with an innocent smile. Discord's head flew in a high arch and crashed into the ground just before Twilight's hooves.
"You wanna try too?" Pinkie said as she offered the unicorn a sledge hammer. Twilight hesitated, but then her emotions overwhelmed her and she took the hammer into her magical grasp, intent on enjoying every bit of it.
Long minutes later, they were done. Everypony had their own tool and piece to work with, until Discord was reduced to nothing but pebbles.
"That was satisfying. You think he's finally going to stay away?"
"I think he should. Why didn't anypony come to this idea before?"
"Congratulations on your success, my little ponies. Let us hope that this creature has now finally returned to it's home realm." Princess Celestia stepped over the pile of stones as she suddenly appeared. Five ponies lowered their heads in respect. All but Twilight.
"Twilight! What are you doing? Show the princess some respect!" Pinkie hissed.
"Oh, that's alright, I suppose. My priced pupil doesn't need to stick to such outdated protocol. Neither do you, elements. Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight did not react to the princess at all. She kept turned away from her, eyes closed.
"You. "
"Yes?" The princess was visibly confused by Twilight's behavior.
"Oh, I'm so glad you came just in time to rescue us from collapsing to Discord. No wait, that was the other time he escaped because you put him into your garden. No wait, it was when we faced Nightmare Moon, who could have killed us in an instant if she had wanted to."
"My faithful student, what is the meaning of this?"
"Oh no, silly me, it was when a dragon threatened to kill all life a hundred miles around Ponyville. Or was it the Parasprite infection that was just about to spread to your sorry castle and all of Equestria?"
"I..."
"Oh. I forgot. You didn't fix any of those crises. It was all at least one of us six. Tell me, Celestia, what have you done more than me to deserve the title of the ruler of Equestria? The only true deed so far that survived the test of time was sending your own sister to the moon. Why did you do that, I wonder?"
"Nightmare Moon was..."
"Undefeatable? Maybe for you, but not for six random ponies who had just met each other and who had no idea what the were even doing. What does that say about you? Tell me, please, I can't figure it out. When you're at it, tell me, why exactly didn't you say anything about, like, how the Elements work, why I should make friends..."
"Twilight, stop, please!" Fluttershy's meek voice was filled with fear, reduced to little above a whisper. Twilight ignored her.
"How Nightmare Moon would try to stop us, how Discord would try to stop us, how we could counteract that... So many questions, right? Good thing I figured everything out by myself, hm? Not like I HAD TO!"
Celestia opened her mouth, but couldn't form a response in time.
"So many thing I've learned from you, as your personal student. Such as THAT CELESTIA'S PERSONAL STUDENT MUST NOT EXPECT ANYTHING BUT ADDITIONAL WORK FROM THE PRINCESS! So many years, and NOT ONCE did you do ANYTHING for me. Aren't you supposed to give me further insight? Naaah, just sit around all day while I work my flank off trying to fulfill your assignments ON MY OWN."
Twilight wasn't even trying to restrain herself from shouting any more.
Years of piled up pain and minutes of shouting later, Twilight was coming to an end in material and control. Her horn was glowing bright. One by one, all of her friends had lost their courage in the face of her and retreated backwards.
"THEY CALL YOU TROLLESTIA, AND LOOKING BACK, THAT'S DAMN JUSTIFIED. DID YOU KNOW THEY ALSO CALL YOU MOLESTIA? WHY DIDN'T I EXPERIENCE IT, I WONDER? BAD PUBLICITY? GIVE ME ANOTHER REASON, I CAN'T FIND ANY!"
Celestia had stopped trying to speak back and now simply looked at Twilight with a dignified expression on her face and spread wings for additional volume. Even she was surprised as bursts of magic erupted from Twilight's horn and shot off in every direction. One of them glanced her left wing and seared it black where it made contact.
"AND..." Twilight opened her eyes and saw the damage she had caused. "Oh my gosh, Princess, I am so sorry! I don't know what came over me! Whatever judgement you have for me, I accept it. Just be quick." She completely lost her momentum. Twilight lowered her head almost all the way to the ground. Tears dropped into the grass.
"Twilight Sparkle, in more than a thousand years of my rule, you are the so far only pony to ever dare take arms against me..." Her voice was calm. It bore no hint of Celestia's emotions. "And survive unpunished."
"But... What? Don't you want to publicly execute me, then banish me somewhere far off in the kingdom, then transport that to the moon, then throw my body into a dungeon on the moon in the place you banished me to?"
"Unless you want me to, I shall not. You do not deserve punishment for your actions, Twilight. It is I who does. All of those long minutes, you were saying nothing but the truth, expressing justified fury about how terrible I have been. Especially at the part about when I was supposed to teach you something, I am afraid."
"But... I... I'm sorry Princess, let me heal that!"
"Healing spells? Without training? Your talent always surprises me. But no, Twilight Sparkle, this must not be restored. I shall carry this mark, as a symbolical, because much too little, punishment for the sins I have commited against Equestria... and you. I can only hope you can forgive me how much of the kingdom's defense I have passed onto your undeserving shoulders."
"Thank you, princess..."
"Feel free to keep shouting at me, in case my inability to dodge interrupted you prematurely. You have seen two instances of what repressed emotions can cause. Your little outburst... and what happened to Rainbow Dash. Do not believe I was not watching. No, I knew what was going on. What I did not do was act, and I can only hope for you to forgive me. For all of the times I remained passive where action was called for."
"What are you talking about, Princess? There is nothing we couldn't work out, if only action is taken. But still, one question remains..."
"What is on your mind, my student?"
"The same thing as before. Why? Why did you leave me for myself all my life, why did you not tell me everything to begin with, why did you not assist me in times of dire need?"
"I am afraid I have no answer. I must have thought the business of all of those decadent tea sippers more important than actually saving the kingdom or properly educating the one destined to do it, sitting down with her and talking about everything there was. In a way, I was like an earlier you. The difference being that you at least did something else productive."
Everypony was calmed. Pinkie Pie hopped between Twilight and Princess Celestia and shouted. "You know what time it is? It's time for an
EPILOGUE! Author must be too lazy to think of a proper story conjunction again."
Due to how he was trying to hide until his victory was unavoidable, Discord's influence could easily be shaken from everypony's mind once he was defeated.
Twilight was promised, by royal decree, regular study sessions with one of the princesses to tell them what she had learned in person, demonstrate and be taught deeper or related knowledge.
Pinkie Pie got away with a warning after annihilating the fourth wall, mostly because nopony aside from her actually knew what that was.
Fluttershy never said how she had gotten Rarity free from Discord, but when the latter pony hadn't been able to control herself during a come together dinner at a restaraunt and kissed Fluttershy on the cheek, Twilight could guess.
Rainbow Dash had moved in with Applejack. Her excuse that she could simply perform her weather duties, which were mostly Ponyville, easier from there was accepted, but secretly everypony already knew the truth.
On those orchards, two ponies walked back home in the sunset after a day of work.
"Nice work outta there. Ah didn't think y'all pegasi could do some serious buckin', ya know, jus' flyin' around all day an' not usin' yer legs."
"Well, yeah, I'm awesome all around." Rainbow flapped her wings to float just above the ground, then flexed her muscles in boasting. "Doesn't hurt to have those babies for the ones that stay up, either."
Applejack giggled at Rainbow's behavior. "If ya can't buck 'em all down, ye. Ah prefer relyin' on Bucky McGillycuddy and Kicks McGee."
"Honestly, don't you sometimes wish you'd be born a pegasus or unicorn instead?"
"Nah. Then ah wouldn't have been down here an' fallen in love with you as a filly. We wouldn't got all this! Simply catching a look at you speeding 'round is worth more ta me than any magic or flyin' ever could. Truth."
"Farmer and a poet. I love you anew every day. Kiss me, Applejack."