Chapter 4, All I Need's Right Here

The silence was broken by a low moan. Twilight’s head snapped up trying to find the source of the noise, ready to call upon the emergency supply of magic.

Pop! Her ears flicked towards the sound. She saw bewilderment and surprise on the faces of her companions.

Snapping, crunching, and popping started to come faster, filling the ruins with their sick wet and dry sounds. Twilight turned her head to the sound, horror filling her mind at what she saw, finally overcoming the calculator.

“Ow,” the body of Rarity groaned as its limbs twitched, realigning themselves. Her barrel was becoming rounder as her ribs reconnected. With a final wet crunch its jaw snapped back into place, and was tested with a few movements while tendons and muscles wriggled under the skin reattaching themselves.

Fluttershy fainted.

“Wait a moment, darlings,” it called, “I'll be over shortly, I just have to-” A loud snap signaled the lower back straightening, the thing let out a sigh of relief. “Oh I always hate that part.” It stood up and started to trot over to the group.

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!” Twilight yelled, her horn encased in a dark pink glow. “What, in Celestia's Holy Mane, are you. And how do we know you aren't working for Nightmare Moon?”

“I'm Rarity, of course,” it stopped in shock, “I've always been Rarity. You have to trust me, it's too long of a story to tell you all right now. But I'm not on Nightmare Moon's side.”

Applejack took a step forward. Conflicted written clearly on her face. “My logical side says not to trust anything that gets up once dead, but my other half says that I can trust you. I'm going to hope that it's right that you are telling the truth, but once we get done with this you are going to tell us everything.”

Twilight released her hold on her magic letting the energy for the spooled up spell slide back into her soul. Around her she heard a few sighs of relief. Rarity relaxed and looked at the collapsed Fluttershy.

“So now what?” she asked, spotting the gaged and bound prisoner.

“I'm hungry and tired,” Rainbow Dash announced. “Pinkie, you wouldn't happen to have any food left over would you? I know you swiped some from the celebration. That tussle took a lot out of me.”

“Okey dokie! Here you go,” Pinkie hooved Dash a cupcake “it's red velvet with a chocolate icing and surprise filling! One of my personal recipes.” Dash ate it in a few gulps.

Twilight approached the bound stallion who was watching everything with a look of disgust. “Who are you and why did you attack us?” she demanded ripping off the gag.

“I answer to no one but my Mistress,” he spat, Twilight dodged the red glob.

“I say we continue on to the castle itself,” Applejack said from where she was inspecting Fluttershy, “once Fluttershy wakes up again and we explain Rarity to her.” she shot a glare at Rarity.

“Well excuse me for being thrown into a wall,” Rarity replied, tossing her mane, “What ever happened to the sad excuse for a stallion I was flinging?”

It didn't take long for Fluttershy to wake up after Applejack positioned her on her back and held her legs in the air. It took a significant bit longer to convince her that yes, it was Rarity, no, she wasn't going to eat their soul, at least they hoped, and yes, they would get the full story later.

After some deliberation and a few more loogie dodges, they decided that they weren't going to get any useful information from the captive ‘bolt. Applejack proceeded to carefully choke him into unconsciousness, pointing out that it was safer than konking him on the head.

That settled the intrepid group approached the Castle being a little closer as a group.

The keep of the castle still stood in relatively good condition. Most of the wood had rotted away leaving no ceiling or wood supports for some walls, though a surprising amount of the castle was made of stones that Pinkey identified as granite, basalt and andesite. These were all igneous rocks that were hard and unlikely to weather unless cracked by physical means. Twilight and Fluttershy discussed how the ravine might have helped slow the spread of vegetation and animals into the castle. Though Fluttershy pointed out that there should be more trees and shrubs from bird droppings than were being seen. Pinkie suggested that the castle might have very shallow bedrock which might make it hard for deep rooted trees to take hold. Applejack pointed out that there should be more creepers.

The group decided that there was something magical when they entered the grand hall to find tapestries in good condition hanging on the wall. Rarity pointed out that in a place like the Everfree no cloth preservation spell would last a thousand years.

A brief discussion prevented them from splitting up to search. Rarity tried her gem finding spell that she claimed was her specialty but ended up with a headache.

“There's some sort of magical feedback going on in here,” Twilight concluded. “We'll have to find the elements manually.”

“My only use, down the drain.” Rarity pouted.

“Aw, that's not true.” Dash countered. “You got us past the sea serpent. I would have tried to fight him like I did the manticore.”

They turned and exited the main hall into one of the left side passages.

“They might have a special room where they were displayed," Twilight said, glancing around at the armory they had walked into, “or they could be in the vaults, wherever those are.”

“Hey check it!” Rainbow grabbed a helmet from a rack, “These babies are in the same colors as the Wonderbolts! And in such good condition too!” She turned it over in her hooves admiring the hammered and painted metal. It looked to be molded to the pony it was made for with a slot in the back to let the mane streak out. A bottom piece was attached by a strap to protect the ponies jaw in battle.

“Well the Wonderbolts do have a long and rich history of being the special air guard for the Princess. It was only recently that they moved to performing airshows and stunts as a way to fund themselves and maintain condition between action.” Twilight responded looking at Rarity who was pondering a plain white cotton suit. “Everything in here must be spelled by the elder sister.”

“We should grab a few of these, just in case Nightmare Moon has more goons." She quickly slipped the helmet on and fastened the straps before anyone else could stop her. “Whoa this stuff is super light!”

Then the rattling started.

⚡︎ ⚡︎ ⚡︎

The inside of the helmet lit up red.

“What's going on!” Dash yelled in panic, starting to scrabble at the straps holding it on her. “It's red in here!”

She dimly heard shouts of confusion from outside the helmet as an old ponish script appeared in her vision.

Improper attachment of helmet.

Please standby for suiting up.
Charge at 9% please charge armor.
What?

Rainbow yelped as something wrapped around her entirely, it felt fuzzy and weird as it slid over her and up her neck sliding under the helmet but stopped before it reached her face. “I'm being swallowed!” Rainbow yelped and started flailing.

“Calm yourself Dash!” she heard Applejack yell.

Please remain still for procedure, the script appeared again.

Something wrapped around her barrel, a few more around the base of her wings and top of her legs. “AHHHHH!” she screamed

“RAINBOW MERRIAM DASH!” Futtershy yelled. “Stop flailing! You are sending parts all over the room!”

She stopped. Fluttershy would be the last pony to be calm in this situation. And she used Dash's middle name. Rainbow Dash stopped flailing and immediately heard clangs as other things started to attach themselves to her.

Almost as soon as it started it stopped. Silence fell on the armory as Dash heard herself panting in the very snug helmet. Why were the eye holes so small? The text appeared again.

Suiting up completely.

Charge at %12 starting in low power mode.

At once the eyeholes became larger and Rainbow could see the room again.

“What. What happened?” she asked looking around at the room. It looked like a tornado had gone through the place.

“You got an upgrade Dashie!” Pinkie pronked over to Dash and rapped a hoof on the armor that now covered her from head to toe.

“I don't think we will be doing that, darling.” Rarity observed as dash started to try out her mobility. “These are all pegasus armors and I don't think Fluttershy is too keen to go through that for some extra safety.”

“I would rather not,” Fluttershy murmured.

“If Nightmare Moon didn't know we were here, I think she does now,” Twilight looked out the door into the next room, “let's keep moving.”

The next room was what looked like a small barracks. It led to a hall lined with sconces long gone out. It must have been meant for servants to move around unobserved as it connected to the kitchens, a dining hall and a few other barracks. It eventually ended in a large room that might have been a meeting room for its once lavish decorations and ruins of stained glass windows portraying long lost heroes of a forgotten realm.

Columns ringed the room reaching high to support arches of stone no longer holding a roof, letting the moon shine through to illuminate an ornate statue at one end of the room. It appeared to be a series of concentric circles, a pattern that could repeat indefinitely. Each circle had a stone sphere with a symbol carved on its surface. In the center was a stone plate that might have held something in the long past but now was bare.

“That must be it!” Twilight pointed, “The elements must be in the statue.”

ϙ ϙ ϙ

For her part Pinkey loved puzzles. The fun kind where you could spend hours coming up with many possible solutions, then once you turned your head just right and squinted before counting to 30 using the fillynochie sequence, you learned the answer. She spent hours between shifts and parties fiddling with the wooden ones where the pieces had to be put together in the right sequence. She had long ago figured out the apple, filly, timberwolf river puzzle. And this screamed puzzle to her.

“PUZZLE!” she gasped for effect before zooming over to the statue. A series of five rings around a center podium. It reminded her of a hibiscus flower, five petals around one pistil, but that wasn't right, this wasn't hibiscus land. It could be five seasons, but that was silly, there were only four.

Looking closer revealed that the orbs could come out. Maybe they were in the wrong order. Alphabetically was out of the question, these only had symbols on them. A sword, a scale, jesters cap, a flower, and a potato. “A potato?” Pinkie leaned back. “That can't be right.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight joined her at the statue.

“That!” Pinkey pointed at the statue, “Potatoes weren't in equestria until 300 years ago when they were brought over from Batstralia in 687 of the Third Era!”

“That's not a potato, Pinkie,” Twilight responded. “The symbol has been chipped off.” She lifted the sphere out of its socket, turning it over in her hooves.

Hmmmm, Pinkie thought, five orbs with five symbols, each could be connected to an idea or ideal. Six elements that are ideals for friendship, but one is missing so we only have five. I wonder. “Are these the elements?” she asked.

Twilight looked at her, “They could be,” she replied. “The book mentioned that the sixth would appear when the others are united by a spark,” she grabbed the five spheres in her magic and set them in a circle on the floor of the room before walking into the middle of them. Pinkie and the others watched as magic coalesced on her horn letting out small arcs of lightning and sparks.

Pinkie felt her left eye twitch. Oh no. Right back knee itched. Floppy ears…

“Big Baddie incoming!” She screeched and dived at Twilight as high above dark blue mist swirled and coalesced. Pinkie managed to barrel into Twilight in time, sending them out of the circle of floating elements as a black form slammed into the floor sending cracks spidering out into the polished granite blocks.

Pinkie found herself squashed between a wall and Twilight with a “Eep!” squeezed out.

“Thank you for locating the Elements of Harmony for me.” Nightmare Moon sneered at the group. “And for that I will give you a prize. Your Death!” She launched a beam towards where the other four had been standing. Rainbow grabbed Fluttershy and launched straight up while Applejack and Rarity dived in opposite directions. Nightmare Moon must have decided that two birds were a better target as she followed Dash and Fluttershy with the beam, scorching and digging into the stone walls as it passed by.

“The spark didn't work.” Twilight slumped dejected.

“Maybe it was the wrong kind of spark?” Pinkie gave Twilight a quick hug while eyeing the still floating spheres.

“I tried Static’s Statistical Spark, I tried Grounded Wire's Jump Start, I even tried targeting them with Elmo's Greater Lightning Ball,” Twilight listed, “but nothing happened. I’m a failure." Her face drooped into a flat lifeless expression that made Pinkie's heart twinge, her eyes stared past Pinkie.

Twitchy tail. Pinkie yanked Twilight to the side as an arch fell, cut in twain by Nightmare Moon's beam. Rainbow Dash must have yelled out an insult as Nightmare Moon had increased the width of her beam and was screaming something in old ponish. Applejack was sneaking closer from the right while Rarity was tossing small stones at the alicorn and screaming her own insults about the design of her armor.

“You're not a failure!” Pinkie grabbed the droopy unicorn, “You saw the signs of Black Snootie's return and took initiative. You've provided the spells to get us here." She set Twilight behind the fallen arch and handed her a cupcake from her hair. “I know you are tired from magic expenditure, Twi, so eat this cupcake and cheer up, let your friends and Aunt Pinkie deal with Black Snootie.”

Twilight took the cupcake, her eyes finding Pinkie again, “Friends?”

“What else would we be, silly?” Pinkie hopped over the arch to join in the fight.

✶ ✶ ✶

Twilight sat there for several seconds while the sounds of battle raged behind her. Something exploded and rained small rocks everywhere. A yelp of surprise that sounded like Fluttershy was followed by the sound of metal impacting flesh and cursing from an upset alicorn. She removed the cupcake and took a bite, a soft snort.

“At least I didn't fail at something,” She muttered, “I wish Spike was here right now. Dear Princess Celestia, I don't know where you are right now, but I followed your instructions to the letter.

“I managed to make sure the preparations were ready for the celebration, but that got ruined by the return of Nightmare Moon. I wish I could say ‘I told you so’ but that isn't very nice to say to a Princess and the Steward that you follow,” Twilight took another bite and swallowed.

“Eww, what is that! Get it out of my mane you ungrateful foals!” she heard Nightmare moon yell, followed by a loud thunk and snap of bones that Twilight hoped was Rarity.

Twilight continued her dictation; “Anyways, I dashed off into the nearby source of danger, the Everfree Forest, last domain of Pan, at least that's what Fluttershy says, I'll have to ask her more about him later. She is his follower and is very shy, except around animals, then she gets brave, she even saved us from a disgruntled mantacore with kindness… wait.” Twilight paused, the rational side of her brain pumped its hooves and started tossing coal into the burner.

“I got it!” Twilight leaped to her hooves. “Pinkie! You're a genius!”

Pinky stopped and looked at Twilight from where she was sitting on Nightmare Moon's back with a bottle of pain remover and towel. “Well yeah! If I remove her marks, she can't control the moon and Celestia comes back, duh.”

The entire battle stopped as Nightmare Moon twisted her head to look at Pinkie Pie, “What?” resounded around the room that Twilight noticed was missing a few sections of walls.

“ENOUGH!” Nightmare Moon roared, a blue glow encasing all the ponies lifting them into the air. She shook Rainbow Dash hard enough to send everything but the cotton undergarment flying off. “I have had enough of your antics and shenanigans, you only delay the inevitable," she stomped her hoof, the floating elements dropped to the floor and shattered. “There, your precious Elements of Harmony are destroyed and are no more.”

“No,” Twilight responded, logic was now turning cogs and gears at a fast pace, adding numbers, scratching tally marks. “You can't destroy the Elements,” logic spat out a fact sheet. “The Elements aren't constrained to stones.” she twisted in the levitation spell to look at her friends. Friends, the thought sent warmth through her. “Fluttershy despite being timid showed kindness to a fierce beast and helped it. She represents the Element of Kindness.”

A pink glow surrounded some of the shards levitating and flying towards Fluttershy. She ‘eeped’ as they seemed to dive at her. A bright flash appeared and she was wearing a gold necklace that held a pink gem in the shape of a butterfly exactly like her cutie mark.

Twilight didn't let Nightmare Moon get a word in edgewise, if she did something now it was all over. “Applejack, who was honest with me when I was in danger, and was brave enough to admit that she was a little silly represents the Element of Honesty!” This time an orange glow surrounded stone shards and shot at Applejack creating a bright flash and another gold necklace this time with an orange apple gem. A confused look spread across Applejack's face.

“But ah-” she started.

“Surely you can't be serious!” Nightmare Moon interrupted.

“She is serious,” Pinkie giggled upside down, “and don't call her Shirley!”

Twilight continued; “Pinkie Pie who showed us that laughing together makes everything better and has cared about us is the Element of Laughter!” A light blue glow, a flash and now Pinkie was wearing a gold necklace with a light blue balloon on it.

“Woooo, pretty,” Pinkie looked at her new jewelry.

“Rarity,” Twilight regained focus, “gave her tail to someone that she saw needed it more than she did, and gave her all when she saw her friends in danger. She represents the Element of Generosity.” Rarity's necklace was a deep purple diamond. “And finally, Rainbow Dash, who put her friends before her greatest dream, and was the first to jump to battle at the first sign of danger represents the Element of Loyalty!” A red lightning bolt was on Dash's necklace.

“But that is only five elements,” Nightmare Moon laughed, floating Twilight up to her face. “You lack the sixth, and without it they are all useless.”

“Erm, actually,” Twilight stopped her, “the six elements will appear when the other five are united by a spark. And if my calculations are correct, and they usually are, that spark is the spark of friendship. I am proud to call these mares my friends!” Twilight felt something stir deep inside her, so deep it felt like her very soul was expanding, her magic welling up as her vision became bright. Some sort of light was shining on Nightmare Moon's face. Is light coming out of my eyeballs? Twilight thought. “I represent the sixth element, the Element of Magic, because," Something tugged her out of Nightmare Moon's hold back to her friends, “Friendship,” she felt like her soul connected to something else, and she became aware of five others though she was looking at Nightmare Moon. “IS MAGIC!” Twilight lost consciousness.

♢ ♢ ♢

Rarity came to muzzle down on a cracked and debris filled floor. “Oooooh,” she moaned, “my head.” A quick inspection revealed that she was fine, any injuries healed while she had been out. In fact her fur and skin looked better than it had in years. Around her came the groanings and sounds of movement as her new friends stirred from their slumber as well.

“Wow!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed from her left, “I feel awesome! I mean I am always awesome but this is like twenty percent more!”

“Rarity!” Fluttershy gasped from behind her, “your tail is back!”

Rarity turned to find that indeed, her beloved tail was once again long and luxurious, shimmering in the pale light. She looked back at the others, the bruises that had been accrued by fighting Nightmare Moon had been erased.

“I guess the Elements restored us to what we were, or how we are supposed to be,” Twilight said looking up from inspecting a golden tiara inset with a dark pink six pointed star. It looked like she wanted to say more but a bright light shined through the new gap in the wall. The sun had finally risen over Equestria.

Rarity didn't need to shield her eyes like the others, so she saw a bright orb land on the floor and dissipate leaving behind Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria and Steward of the Day, standing in their midst. Rarity let out a gasp and threw herself into a bow suddenly fearful. Was this it? Had Celestia finally taken notice of the evil that she was and had come to deal with Rarity herself? What would happen to Sweetie Bell?

“Princess Celestia!” she heard Twilight say, “You are okay!”

A soft chuckle answered, “Indeed I am, thanks to all of you, you may rise my little ponies.”

Rarity dared to look up from her bow, surely this was the end. Instead of a rushing sunflare, she was greeted with a smile that seemed thankful and a little sad at the same time. Did she know?

Celestia looked back at Twilight and continued as if nothing happened. “There are two ponies here that I must extend deepest apologies to. In my two thousand years of existence, I have learned the hard way that it is important to stop and apologize for hurt before you can not anymore." She paused before sitting down and offering her hoof to Twilight. “I am sorry for pretending to ignore your findings and seeming uncaring, I can offer excuses such as ‘I had a plan’ or ‘it had to be done for the good of Equestria’ but the truth is that I manipulated you using my position and your good will towards me. Can you forgive me Twilight?”

A silence fell over the room, as Twilight sat completely still, mouth hanging open, Rarity and the others shocked that they were hearing the Princess apologize in person. Celestia herself still as if one motion would startle Twilight into bolting.

“I… don't know.” Twilight finally said. “I am a little hurt that you wouldn't trust me to know everything, even though I understand that I wouldn't have done everything properly had I known, and I still don't know all of the facts. But you have asked for forgiveness, and you always taught me that forgiveness is what makes ponies so strong.” She held up a hoof, “I just need a little time and a few more facts about the whole situation.”

“Very well then,” Celestia stood up, “We will talk more once we arrive back in Ponyville, however, there is someone else that I must apologize to.” Rarity’s breath hitched, was it her? Then Celestia turned and headed towards the far wall of the room. There Rarity could see a dent where something had been forcefully thrown against it. Below it surrounded by light blue armor pieces laid a blue alicorn with light blue hair draped around her, very unlike the ethereal main that drifted behind Celestia.

“Wake up dear sister, we have much to talk about.”

“SISTER?” Twilight squawked, “waiwaiwaiwait, YOU, were the elder sister?”

“Indeed, Twilight,” Celestia looked back at her, “and now you can see why I have much to apologize for today, despite a thousand years of planning coming to fruition.” The blue alicorn opened her eyes with a soft gasp and was promptly grabbed into a hug by Celestia murmuring something while softly glittering tears streamed down her muzzle.

“Sister!” the smaller alicorn squeaked, “I can not breathe!” Celestia’s grip loosened somewhat.

“Oh, Luna, I am so, so sorry, please forgive me.”

“Sister? What happened?” Luna demanded, trying to push away from Celestia, “Has thou raided my cookie stash again? And how did you get so big?”

This set off an even harsher wave of tears and sobbing. “Do, do you not remember Luna? Your jealousy of the ponies preference of my day? The Nightmare? The war? The thousand years on the, on the, mooohuohuoon…” Celestia trailed off into a high wail as her voice hitched on a sob.

“Verily?” Luna looked unimpressed at the display of emotion this regal alicorn was showing. “Sister, you are rubbing snot into my mane. And in front of the peasantry too.” She turned to the ponies who were having problems rectifying what they were seeing. “Forgive her, she has difficulty controlling her emotions. WOULD YOU PLEASE REGAIN CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONS, THERE ARE OTHERS PRESENT!” she screamed the last bit at Celestia.

“sniff. It's been a thousand years, Luna, a lot of things have happened,” Celestia regained a bit of composure, her horn briefly flashed and the snot and tears disappeared, “these ponies are the ones that deserve both your and my thanks. They are heroes and have saved Equestria from both your and my mistakes that we made a thousand years ago.”

“Truely?” Luna looked at her sister. “A thousand years?” a troubled look crossed her face, “Then Dough Friar is dead, this is truly something to be sad about.”

A small smile appeared on Celestia's face. “Fear not, his descendants live on and continue his legacy, though now we have to share their talents with the ponies of the lands.” her voice lowered, “And they now make them with even more varieties."

“Surely, you jest.”

“Nuh uh!” Pinky popped up between the two, “She's serious, and I would have thought you would have known her name's not Surely.” Luna was treated to a quick hug before Pinky disappeared again.

“If that is settled,” Celestia looked around at the group, “I suggest we return to Ponyville before this place crashes down around us.” A yellow glow encased them all before flaring. Upon opening her eyes, Rarity found that they were all seated in the Ponyville library.

“I must say, sister, your taste in decor has gone downhill in the last thousand years if this is where you reside.” Luna remarked looking around the library.

Celestia chuckled, “no, dear sister, this is the Ponyville library. I reside in a castle in Canterlot.”

“Verily? Twas but a small mining town obtaining gems for wizards at last I knew.”

“Yes, it has grown since then.” Celestia sat on a reading cushion, “But I believe that I must ‘spill the beans’ as some say these days, and explain everything that happened.”

“If I may, Your Highness,” Rarity spoke up, “that phrase is a little old and has fallen out of favor.” Celestia sighed and Rarity continued, “and I promised that I would give my friends an explanation for some… things that happened during our journey through the Everfree forest.”

“Very well, it seems that we will have two stories, then.” Celestia blinked as Pinkie pronked in through the door, a stack of brown parcels perched on her back.

“I brought refreshments!” she announced, slamming the stack on the ground, “You can't have a traumatic story without some nice herbal tea to calm down, and I figured that it would be a good idea to introduce Princess Luna to the new culinary delights while we are at it. You are a princess, right?” she directed the last question at Luna who was trying to get comfortable on a star embroidered pillow.

“Yes, once we are back in Canterlot, I will give her back her stewardship and reinstate the diarchy.” Celestia accepted an offered cup of tea and selected a strawberry doughnut from the opened box.

Rarity was sure that if she could sweat, she would be sitting in a puddle. She was so anxious, how would her friends react to what she had done? Forget them, how would the princess? Oh she could hardly bear it.

Author's Note

Character Q&A:
SpikeSmolder fan asked Rarity: "Where you even expecting this when you went into the forest with the girls?"
Answer: "Well no, darling, I wasn't expecting this at all. I honestly couldn't tell you what I was expecting. Losing a tail, being smashed against a wall and then becoming a bearer of an Element of Harmony and regaining my tail, weren't what I thought was in the cards for our trip."
Thanks for asking! Please ask any character a question in the coments and it will get answered here.
Anyways that's a wrap on the introduction/set up. Now I can get into the world building and story that had no previously set structure for me to piggy back off of. Who's excited to learn some secrets? Last call for theories about Rarity. Also, before anyone asks, I 100% believe that had she gone through with it, Pinkie's plan would have worked. Also the armor Dash picked up and lost was a complete accident, I didn't have any plans for it, but if you want me to use it or something, give me some ideas in the comments. According to Google docs I’ve now passed the 20k mark of total words written for this including author notes and description, soo about 18k works for the story i guess. Which means, one more chapter should pass my first fanfic length of 20k. That thing will never see the light of day. Eugh. (Don't judge. I was 12 when I started it and 14 when I finished.)

Anyways. I don't like character trauma when reading a story, but you have to add spice as a writer so…

Toot Toot! All aboard the trauma train!