//------------------------------// // Deception // Story: Elements of Revival // by ChivalrythePegasus //------------------------------// It has overcame me. I can't control anymore. It controls me, it's strangling grasp preventing me from lashing out, from warning my friends. It is too late. I have failed everypony. What kind of leader am I if I can't even solve my own problems? Twilight warned me of troubles before I left the castle, why didn't I listen? Why couldn't I do the right thing? I don't deserve to be their leader. I never deserved to be her student. I never deserved anything... Hope walked up to the staggering group, immediately looking to Morningrise. Something was different about him, his body didn't hunch, he was no longer battered and bruised. He stood much taller, and she noticed a slight glint from time to time in his eyes. She spoke softly. "So, what exactly did that do?" "Oh, that? Just a little, uh, concealment spell. It will keep us shrouded for about a week." Morningrise said, looking back to Hope instead of staring in the distance. "Well, apparently it works. What's next?" Hope said, still trying to figure out what had changed to make all of this happen. "Well, there's always more large scale scouting..." Morningrise suggested, looking again to the distance. "Large scale? Like to what extent?" Hope responded, looking into the distance as well." "Like to the more populated cities, Ponyville, Manehattan, even maybe Canterlot." Morningrise responded, getting a shocked look out of Hope's face. "Isn't that a tad dangerous?" Hope asked, getting an immediate nod from Morningrise. "Yes, but it is the risk we have to take. We need to find more survivors." Morningrise replied, looking back again to the distance. "Should I tell the others?" Hope began, Morningrise immediately shaking his head in disapproval. "No, it would raise too much concern. It is really best that only the ones we send know." Morningrise responded, the confused remark remaining on Hope's face. Finally, she mustered a nod. "As you wish, Noble Alicorn." Hope said, not getting the usual response from Morningrise, raising her suspicion. She walked out of the area, entering back into the complex, followed by many other ponies, with the exception of Timberhitch, Aluna, and Virtue. He stopped them, pulling them over to the side to converse with them. "Ah, just the ponies I was looking for..." Morningrise continued off to the side, Virtue breaking inside real quick after saying something to Morningrise. Chivalry walked alone in the foyer, all of the other ponies scattered back to their quarters when Virtue came in through the front door. She flew to him, saying something as she landed. "Hey Chivalry" She said, retracting her wings as she landed gracefully. "Yes, Virtue?" He responded, taking his eyes off of the various decorations that littered the room. She stood for a second, pensive, then spoke. "I probably shouldn't say this, but I will be gone on a scouting mission that Morningrise has me on, so if you don't see me that's why." Virtue said, getting an understanding nod from Chivalry. "I understand. Best of luck to you on your search." He said, meaning every word he said. "I must go attend to some pending matters now." He said, turning his back. "And Chivalry?" Virtue said, trying to say something of importance to Chivalry. He turned and met eyes with her. Immediately she froze, unable to tell him what she truly was going to say. "Thanks for helping me find my family." She managed to say, kicking herself inside for not telling him what she had intended to tell him. "No problem, I will talk to you later." Chivalry said, getting an understanding nod from Virtue. When he left the room, she spoke to herself. "Why can't you just tell him, Virtue? Just do it!" She said, startled by an almost immediate response by Echo, walking from the shadows. "Tell him what?" She whispered, Virtue turning around and looking to her. "Where did you come from!? What are you doing eavesdropping anyway?" Virtue responded, relatively annoyed by Echo's intrusion. "I wasn't eavesdropping, honest! I've been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes!" Echo said truthfully. Virtue sighed, looking to Echo. "It's not you, it's just I've went through a lot the last day or so. I'm just tired." She responded, looking to Echo. Echo nodded, looking back. "Well, Morningrise is still looking for you. Some kind of scouting thingy I guess." Echo responded, causing Virtue to remember and dash out of the bulding. Morningrise, Aluna, and Timberhitch stood outside of the complex, looking back to see Virtue fly back in. "Sorry I left, I just had to talk to Chivalry for a second." Virtue said, getting an expectant look from Morningrise. Finally, he spoke. "Did you tell him about this." He said. Virtue thought for a time, then shook her head. "No, just had to thank him for finding my family." She said, getting a suspicious look from Morningrise that dissipated rather quickly. He turned to everypony. "You will be scouting out Ponyville today, a high population city with a high probability of survivors...." Chivalry walked into Hope's room, seeing her deep in study of a mysterious book. He looked at her for a bit, but Hope either did not notice his presence or did not care to acknowledge it. He stood there for a minute more, still no response. Finally, he spoke. "Settling in okay?" Chivalry said, getting a response but not a look from Hope. "Yes." She seemed to be deeply concentrated in the book. He tried to get her attention again, beginning to speak, but getting interrupted by Hope again. "Did you notice anything different about Morningrise? His posture, his actions." She said, getting a confused look from Chivalry. "Yeah, I guess, why?" He said, looking at Hope confused. "Well, you see, I think I may know why that is..." She said, looking to Chivalry finally from her book. He stared back, still somewhat confused. "And that is?" He responded. Hope went to respond, but stopped. She knew something, something that Chivalry did not, and that she promised not to disclose. "Well I can't tell you." Hope said. "Well why not?" Chivalry responded, as Hope slowly began to cave. Somepony else had to be told, she couldn't make this decision on her own. "What if I were to tell you that there was something seriously wrong with Morningrise?" Hope began, getting the same look from Chivalry. "From how you are acting, that seems to be the case. Just tell me." Hope began to crack, letting out a sigh. "He made me promise not to tell, but somepony else has to be told, I can't decide how to proceed on my own...." Chivalry now looked at Hope as she finished explaining. "So he is possessed by a demon? And you think it has done what?" Chivalry said, trying to make sure he indeed heard what he thought he had heard. Hope nodded. "A demon from a textbook, may have been planted there, may just be random chance, but I am pretty sure it has taken him over now, he does not respond to anything that he usually responds and not in the same manner. "And this isn't routine? He never responds the same." Chivalry said, getting a concerned stare from Hope. She shook her head. "But this is different. This is basic stuff that he responds consistently. And I saw something in his stare.... Something evil. You have to trust me, if not on my word on my sister's. There is something wrong here Chivalry, and I cannot fix it alone." Morningrise walked into the study, seeing Chivalry standing there. "Whats going on?" Chivalry said, looking to Morningrise and noticing those points Hope had pointed out. "Nothing, just sent out a scouting party." He responded, looking almost arrogant to Chivalry. "To where exactly?" Chivalry asked, probing further into the situation. "Nowhere major, just Ponyville..." He began, interrupted by Chivalry. "Nowhere major?! That's suicide!" Chivalry said, the arrogant look on Morningrise's face persisting. He chuckled, and looked to Chivalry. "Suicide? Suicide is staying put. We need to do something or we are sitting ducks." He looked at Chivalry again, and Chivalry finally broke his rouse. "Don't play innocent, heathen!" Morningrise laughed, looking at Chivalry. His voice was much deeper, and his eyes began to fill, glowing a mixture of black and green. "I figured that you would find out sooner or later, but the damage has already been done. Your little friends are doomed." The creature finally manifested itself, exiting Morningrise's body, his body falling limp to the ground. "And I figured you'd be smarter than simply exposing yourself.... Hope, now!" Chivalry shouted ducking a fist swing as Hope bashed through the door, uttering a series of words, freezing the demon in place. "Raise, power of the light, Alicorn of justice!" Hope said, her eyes glowing bright white as her runes glowed, releasing a giant angelic spirit, which stood towering over the shadow. "It... It can't be!!!" The shadow yelled, cowering in fear of the towering spirit. "But it is, and you will pay!" The spirit casted a light ray through the shadow, causing it to slowly disintegrate, the shadow managing a sentence before it completely evaporated. "I fear not.... for SHE has already claimed what she desires...." it said, as the spirit also dissipated, leaving Hope slowly fluttering to the ground. When her hooves touched the ground, she snapped out of the trance, nearly falling over. Chivalry checked Hope, then ran to Morningrise. He began to stand, and spoke. "What... Happened?" He mustered, noticing Hope and Chivalry standing next to him. "The demon took control of you, we had to get it out of you and destroy it." Hope said, as Chivalry interjected, looking concerned at Morningrise. "Why didn't you tell me about this?" He said, a sigh coming from Morningrise in response, his body still weak from the possession. "I... I feared that you all would not except me. That you all would hate, or worse, fear me." Morningrise said, getting a shake of the head from Chivalry. "Morningrise, we accept you no matter what imperfections you have, it is what makes us us. Everypony has their flaws. I mean, I even don't like to admit my flaws, but they are things that are there. But we are your friends, Morningrise, nothing could ever change that, and we would like nothing more than to be there for you." Chivalry looked to Morningrise as he smiled. "Now, I will give you a moment to collect yourself. I will tell the others what has happened." Chivalry left the room, leaving only Hope and Morningrise. "You must be so glad to have your body back... wait, something is troubling you, more than just your secret. What is it?" Hope said, noticing the look on Morningrise's face. "Its nothing..." Morningrise began, trying to avoid the subject. Hope kept probing. "No, it's something... tell me." Hope said again, getting a shake of the head from Morningrise. "I just don't know..." Morningrise said, again trying to dodge the situation. "Don't be like that Morningrise, you know, just tell me." Hope said, as Mornignrise sighed. "It's just, It's just life... I don't know what it is anymore... I have tried so hard to please everypony, to do what is best for them, even before myself, yet, I have brought eveypony else into this. Now, life isn't just an odd concept for me, life is an odd concept for us now. We must spend every waking hour fighting, struggling to stay alive, yet we readily accept death peacefully. For me, keeping my faith is a similar struggle. I fight and fight for these ponies, to keep us alive and well, but we are met with nothing but pain, suffering, and misfortune. I try my best, but it is difficult to say that all is well when this is all we are met with. I just... I just don't know anymore. Why, with all of my power and the best of intentions, can everything be well? Why can't I help these ponies make everything well? Why can't I help? I just don't know why I should believe anymore." Hope, taking a deep breath, looking Morningrise in the eyes. "Do you remember being taught what faith was? When you were told that it was believing in Celestia and Luna, and that all would be well with faith? To be honest, faith is way different. Faith is not a warm weather, happy day concept. Faith was built for troubling days, the days when you feel you cannot do anything, and for when you truly cannot. Faith was built for leaders and commoners alike, Morningrise. Now those ponies need a leader. They need you, Morningrise, you. They need you to stand, believe, and do. They would not have made it this far were it not for you. They love you Morningrise, and the least you owe them is to believe, if not for yourself, for them." Hope finished, waiting to get a response from Morningrise. He did not speak, but took shallower and shallower breaths. She could not see his face, but knew he was crying. Finally he lifted his head, tears filling his face. He sobbed, managing a smile as he looked to Hope. "I... I had never thought.... that a Pegasus would show me all of this." He said, smiling and attempting to remove the tear marks from his face. "You'd be surprised, after all, what Pegasus uses magic?" She said, smirking as her runes glowed and she levitated an item. "How, how?" Morningrise began as Hope spoke. "This was because of you, when you saved me your power put runes into my body, now I can use them as a conduit for magic. You know that book does provide some pretty useful information. They almost look like Justice and Teal's." Hope said as Morningrise began to stop crying. He looked out of the doorway, as he saw Chivalry comforting Vela. "What is going on?" He said, as Hope began to shake her head. "Oh, no... When that thing had possession of you, it send Aluna Virtue and Timberhitch on a scout mission to Ponyville." Hope said, getting a shocked look from Morningrise. "Ponyville? That's suicide! I wouldn't even go there myself!" Morningrise said, getting a nod from Hope. "Yes I know, that's how I figured out that creature had taken over." Hope said as Vela walked in, tears still covering her face. "It's Aluna. They've got her."