With the introduction made, a second murmur reverberated through the crowd and the host stepped down from his podium. Trixie could just barely hear the clack of hooves and tinkling of bells above the whisperings of the assembled ponies, as none other than the legendary Star Swirl the Bearded made his way to the central podium. In her studies, Trixie had stumbled across the name once or twice. The books she read and/or ate always seemed to make a very big deal out of the character, but Trixie had always thought the name sounded a little silly, if not ostentatious. She was about to say as much to Doctor Hooves when she noticed the look of undiluted admiration on his face. Maybe Trixie did not know much of who this Star Swirl was, but Doctor Hooves did. Clearly, the colt was star struck by Star Swirl. It was the kind of look Trixie would have reserved for someone like Sapphire Shores or Celestia herself.
In fairness, even Trixie had to admit that the aged unicorn had presence. He did not look a great deal younger than the previous speaker, but there was something about him that would not allow Trixie to ever picture him as the doddering codger his apparent age might imply. Clearly, this was a pony who had carried himself amidst the elite of Canterlot, or, rather, Cantaerloth. Even his fashion sense, Trixie admired, looking at the hat and cape that were not so dissimilar from her own, was impressive. The bells jingling around the brim of his hat even suggested a sort of whimsy that would have looked simply foolish on a lesser pony. However, it was the white beard, longer and thicker than most manes, that truly marked him as a pony apart from the herd.
“Greetings, everypony,” came a voice of rich depth. All murmuring ceased. The voice could not help but demand everypony’s full attention. “I wish to thank you all for coming today, but there is little time for pleasantries. I am sure many of you know that it was my own apprentice, Clover the Clever, along with Queen Platinum and the rest of their party, when finding this very land, who rediscovered the ancient Fires of Friendship.” Trixie searched the crowd, looking for the mumbling to resurface, but it never came. She wondered if maybe she could get some quick tips on dealing with an audience before she had to leave this time. “I am also sure that many of you know, it was the research of myself and my apprentice that revealed just what this spell could yield. Specifically, I speak of the capacity to use the Fires of Friendship to forge into existence the Elements of Harmony.”
Clearly, these specifics were not completely known by everypony. Not even the commanding presence of Star Swirl could stifle the muttering this time and even Trixie felt herself joining in.
“What does he mean, Doctor? These Elements were actually forged in a magic fire?” She was not completely sure why she felt such surprise, but there it was. When Hooves had mentioned the Elements of Harmony, she had not known exactly what to expect. Obviously, it was some sort of magic and, of course, she had heard of the proverbial ‘fires of friendship’ spoken of in the Hearths Warming Eve stories her father told, but something about this all sounded so strange. None of the magic she had learned had anything that sounded like what these ponies were discussing. More than anything, Trixie, realized with a fright, it sounded somehow dangerous.
Doctor Hooves remained silent. Silent and stern.
“Fillies! Gentelcolts! Please!” Star Swirl boomed, refocusing the crowd’s attention on him. “Since the beginning of our age and long before, it has been known that the Elements of Harmony, Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic, have shaped our world and held all life together. Up until now, of course, these have been merely in the abstract; intangible forces that shape our world, but elude our own influence. The process we have discovered would indeed allow us to redefine these rules that we have lived our lives by since time immemorial. Simply put, we now have the means to harness the Elements of Harmony.”
Star Swirl stopped then, most likely expecting to be interrupted by chatter once more. No pony spoke. None made even a squeak. Within all the palace, not a sound could be heard, save for the anxious breathing of those waiting for Star Swirl the Bearded to continue his speech.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, my friends, I tell you this now so that you may know exactly what I ask when I make this request: Do not allow this forging to take place.”
Trixie was not alone when her jaw dropped to the floor. This unicorn had basically just explained why this would be the greatest thing ever, literally controlling the powers that shaped all of ponydom, just to say they shouldn’t do it. Any ideas about learning public speaking from this guy dropped right off. Obviously, this pony had no idea what he was doing, commanding presence and infinite wisdom aside.
Looking to check on what the Doctor thought of all this, she wished she could have been more surprised to see a cunning grin. Contrary motherbucker.
“Understand,” Star Swirl continued, when he seemed sure no pony would confront him directly just yet, “that I do not disavow the potential that this discovery holds. However, I hope I have also made it clear that I am not ignorant of what this process entails. When I speak of the potential this discovery holds, realize that I mean exactly that: It is potential. We have discovered this beautiful land and we are slowly realizing the potential it holds, but we have been lucky. There are still many things we do not yet know of our new home. Imagine that potential for disaster magnified a thousandfold and you may have just an inkling of what might go wrong should we harness the Elements without being fully prepared. If we, as the representatives for all ponydom, decide to go through with this endeavor, then we will have one chance and one chance only to do so. Should the correct balance of all six Elements not be exact, it is my belief that the magic may very well be corrupted and our very world thrown into discord. Until we know more, the risk is simply too high. Thank you.”
A few ponies mildly stamped their hooves in applause, but the effect was diminished by the otherwise quiet hall. Some ponies here and there, mostly unicorns it seemed, were whispering quietly amongst themselves with severe looks in their eyes. Trixie was not quite sure what to think, except that the latter portion of the unicorn’s speech had scared her. She looked to Doctor Hooves, only to find him still grinning madly.
“Doctor,” she leaned over for a conspiratorial whisper, “what is going on? First we were going to a different time, now this Star Swirl is arguing not to make the Elements at all, and you grinning like a pony out of his mind the whole time. Trixie wants an explanation!” she quietly screamed.
“That’s Star Swirl the Bearded!”
“Yes,” she groaned, unamused, “Trixie got that much.”
“The first ever unicorn to develop actual time travel.”
“Doctor Hooves, please!”
“Sorry,” he apologized, grin finally making way for a look of concern, “you’re right, sorry. Um, honestly, I’m not exactly sure what we’re doing here just yet.”
“What do you mean?” Trixie cried, anger starting leak into her tone.
“Time is always in flux. It can be rewritten. I’m just not sure if it has been. Like I said, this is a not very well documented portion of Equestrian history, but, beyond a few inconsequential alterations, it seems like everything is going how it’s meant to. He’s absolutely right, you know. What they’re talking about, what the Elements of Harmony actually are, the artifacts themselves, are cages. They trap and hold the powers that shape your world. Among a million, billion worlds, yours is among the few to actually have inhabitants capable of shaping reality. Unconsciously, these abstracts are actually manifested as a means of governing your reality. By containing these forces in the physical realm, they would, in a way, be denying these ideas from the collective unconscious of every pony. They could literally destroy themselves, without having an analogous presence in the world.”
“Analo . . . what?”
“That’s why the Elements didn’t come to exist as they are until the princesses began their rule. They are the first ponies capable of supplying all of the Elements in balance.”
Trixie was beginning to understand. Even so, the question remained: Why were they there? If everything Doctor Hooves said was true, then nothing had interfered here after all. Why did the TARDIS bring them here?
“For the counterpoint, the floor is yielded to Menlo the Mustachioed.”
A sandy colored unicorn stepped up to the podium and cast an almost disdainful glance around the assembled masses. He was no young colt, but he was not so old as Star Swirl. His eyes were world weary and proud. Where Star Swirl wore his embellished wizard hat, Menlo rested a mighty dark turban, adorned in the center with a glistening ruby. Across his shoulders was a half cape, once more black on the outside and red within. Like Star Swirl though, his most distinguishing feature was his uncommon facial hair: Two long grey mustaches, drooping to just above the nape of his neck.
“What?” Doctor Hooves certainly did not look as happy to see this fellow as he had been for Star Swirl. In fact, he did not look pleased at all.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, allies new and old, I come to you today to beseech you to consider the same thing my friend and rival, Star Swirl the Bearded, has: Potential.”
“What?”
“Potential for a world full of Equestrias. Potential for a world free of enemies and full of harmony. Potential for, perhaps, even a world beyond.”
“WHAT?”
“Friends, none among us assembled here today has more respect for Star Swirl the Bearded than myself. I will be the first in recognizing the ability, the ingenuity, and the wisdom of this great stallion, but this is not an occasion to mince words. If I must sing his praises, then I must also tell you his faults and they are simple: He is old and he is scared.”
This set the crowd off for certain. The awed muttering of before returned and mixed with the indignant rumblings rising from the crowd, as well. Doctor Hooves remained stock still, seemingly flabbergasted.
“My mature, adult ponies, please. I speak of the great Star Swirl’s faults not to shame or discredit him, but to honor him.”
Everypony was all like “What?”
“Any other opponent today, I would not resort to personal confrontation. Any other opponent today, I would not need to. However, the truth of the matter is that Star Swirl the Bearded is the better pony in this debate. He knows it, you know it, and I certainly know it. But I cannot let that fact cloud your judgment today. Star Swirl the Bearded may be the better stallion, and on any other issue I would implore you to heed his guidance, but this is not any other issue. The Elements of Harmony are the one and only most important discussion that our generation will ever have. Something that big, even the great Star Swirl fears. That is why today, on this one occasion, must I say that Star Swirl the Bearded is wrong. He is wrong to deny us the potential of which he admits is possible and you would be wrong to share in his fear.
“His own example disproves his theory. Our incredible new home of Equestria has boundless potential. It is early yet, but, before long, we will master it all and ponydom will prosper for it. If the Equestria party, his own apprentice among them, had been too afraid to seek out new potential, then we would all still be suffering under the wretched Windigos and our own fear. Make no mistake, my friends, fear and hatred are two sides of the same bit. If we give in to fear now, if we do not allow ourselves to take hold of the power that is ours to claim with our own hooves, then we will be foisting a hatred upon ourselves that will not be undone, no matter how much time and preparation is taken.
“Tomorrow, Star Swirl the Bearded will be the greatest unicorn of our generation. Tomorrow, he will be right. But do not forget what he is today: Wrong. Filled with hate for what great heights we might reach. Do not let his fears sway you. Today, do not believe in his potential for fear. Believe in your own potential for greatness. Believe in the potential of Equestria!”
This time, there was no mistaking the thundering hooves that signaled the ponies’ applause. Every unicorn, it seemed, was stamping wildly. Most of the pegasi, too. Even a decent portion of the earth ponies in attendance appeared swayed by the mysterious Menlo.
As he stepped down from the podium, Trixie could have sworn she saw a sly smile flicker across his face before he resumed a somber expression, the host of the ceremonies returned to the podium.
“Now that we have heard the opening arguments from both speakers, we will adjourn for a brief recess. When we resume, there will be a chance for a representative from each delegation to speak their piece, before we proceed to a vote. Dismissed.”
“Wow. Who was he?” Trixie asked, still focused on the podium where the ominously convincing unicorn had been. She had almost offered some light applause herself. “Doctor?” But he was already off.