//------------------------------// // The Element of Magic Restored // Story: Journey of the Spark // by LordMalevar063 //------------------------------// The ponies and Spike enter the house rapidly. Once they've all entered, the door slams shut causing them to gasp in shock, and Fluttershy yelps loudly and locking noises could be heard from the door. Applejack runs to the nob and tries to open the door to no avail. She turns around and proceeds to buck open the door a few times but it remains unaffected. "Shoot! Looks like we're stuck in here." "I'm scared," gasping Fluttershy. "It's dark." "Seems like something doesn't want us to leave," said Rainbow Dash. "Does anyone have a light?" asked Fluttershy. "Please!" Rarity lights up her horn to slightly illuminate the room. Then she sees a light coming up some stairs. "Look! There's a light at the top of those stairs." The group slowly walks up the staircase, seeing an open door in front of them. Applejack slowly opens it, the door creaking loudly. There was soft crying being heard perfectly clear. A pony hid in the darkness, crying her life away. "Twilight?" whispered Applejack. "Who are you?" asked the pony. "What are you doing in my house? GO AWAY!" They knew the pony in the dark was Twilight Sparkle. "Twilight, don't you recognize us?" asked Spike. "Spike?" gasped Twilight. "We're all here, sugarcube," said Applejack. "Come on out." "No… don't look at me," Twilight nearly yelled. "Twilight…" said Rainbow Dash. "DON'T LOOK AT ME!" Twilight shouted. The whole group is taken aback, minus Fluttershy. Fluttershy walks up to Twilight and tries to comfort her fallen friend. Please, Twilight, come on out," whispered Fluttershy. "There's no reason to be afraid." Twilight hesitates for a long moment. She was afraid to to reveal herself to her friends. But from out in the open light, Twilight reveals herself: she has become a marionette, with thick black strings attached to all of her limbs. In her grey state, she was no longer under the influence of freedom. The girls and Spike looks at Twilight, terrified of her transfigured form. Twilight, ashamed of what she's become, covers her eyes with her two hooves. "Please… don't look at me." "Twilight, what happened to you?" asked Fluttershy. "It was Discord, wasn't it?" asked Rainbow Dash, angrily. "This has him written all over!" "No," said Twilight. "Discord didn't do this. I did." "What?" gasped Spike. "Twilie?" said Pinkie Pie, uncomforting. "I couldn't stand living with the fact that it was my fault Celestia's gone," said Twilight, tearfully. "Discord offered me a way out and I took it… now look at me. A doll that's nothing but a hollow imitation of what I used to be. I was so selfish… and this was the price I had to pay for it. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this place before it happens to you too." Rainbow Dash refused to belief this. "No! We didn't risk our lives traveling all over Equestria to go home empty-hooved! None of this was your fault, Twilight. You were set up!" "You want me to believe that!" said Twilight. "But it's true!" said Spike, agreeing with Rainbow Dash. "Even then, I can't let go of the mistakes I made!" stated Twilight. "I put innocent ponies in danger! I ran away from my friends. I failed Celestia…" "Twilight, I know you don't want to believe us but… Celestia is alive," said Applejack. Twilight looks at Applejack angrily, her emotions starting to peak. "You're lying!" "Twilight, you have to believe us!" said Rainbow Dash. "NO!" Twilight was refusing to believe her teacher was alive. She raises her hoof, ready to strike Rainbow Dash. She suddenly stops herself, completely afraid of her anger. Twilight sees a mirror not too far from her and notices her reflection. She walks towards it, horrified of what she has become. She breaks down and begins sobbing greatly. Fluttershy walks up to Twilight and hugs her tightly. "Twilight, it's okay to make mistakes." "She's right," Rarity agreed. "You can't expect to achieve perfection every time." "That's just silly and even I know that!" Pinkie Pie said. "Making mistakes just means that you're like everypony else," said Rainbow Dash. "The Twilight I knew always found a way to learn from her mistakes and fix them, even when things were rough," said Spike. "I don't understand," said Twilight. "Even after the way I acted, how I completely disregarded all of you, you still came back for me?" "Of course, we came back for you!" said Applejack. "We've traveled all over Equestria looking for you," Rarity added in. "We came here just to tell you how much we need you and that we forgive you," said Fluttershy. "You really forgive me?" asked Twilight. "After everything that's happened?" "Remember, Twilight, none of us would be together if it weren't for you," said Fluttershy. "But Celestia's gone," argue Twilight. "How can anypony forgive me for that?" "Twilight, the Princess wanted me to give this to you," said Fluttershy, holding out the locket Fluttershy hands Twilight the locket. "I think she wants you to open it." Twilight, very slowly, opens the locket. Suddenly, a great surge of magic erupts, causing Twilight to vanish. The purple unicorn finds herself in a great sea of stars, lights, and other ethereal entities. "Where am I?" Before Twilight stands a great light shining bright as the sun and the size of Celestia. It was the light that led Spike and the ponies to Twilight. "Who… who are you?" gasped Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle," said the light. "I am the spark that ignites the magic within you. The part that you long since abandoned. But now that you have discovered the key, you have found your way back." Twilight has realized what the light was. "You're the Element of Magic. You're the manifestation of all magic in Equestria." "You must return, Twilight," said the Element of Magic. "You must restore harmony to Equestria before it falls into the ruinous hands of chaos again." "I can't," protested Twilight. "I'm not strong enough to help anypony alone. I failed to save someone important to me once. What if that happens again?" "You have the potential to do great things, Twilight," said the Element of Magic. "I am proof of that power. But don't misguide yourself into believing you must do this alone. There are others close to you who are willing to guide you. Even Celestia." "Celestia?" The light suddenly forms a small portal showing Celestia's current condition. Celestia weakly calls for Twilight in her cell. "Twilight… Twilight!" cried Celestia, weakly. Twilight's eyes widen as tears stream down her face. Twilight tries reaching out to Celestia, but only manages to make the vision disappear. "No! No… no…" Twilight sobbed. "She is waiting for you, Twilight," the Element of Magic continued. "She has faith that you will return and come to her aid. But you must find the courage within you to end Discord's tyranny. If you ever hope to restore the balance, you must be willing to take the first step." "Then I know what I have to do," said Twilight, standing straight. "I'm just scared that I might fail." "It is alright to be afraid, Twilight. But failure is only the key towards success. Don't let the spark die out. Ignite it, and should you need my help, I will be there." The Element of Magic fade and the light turned off. Suddenly, Twilight finds herself back in the room with the girls, back to her normal self. A smile forms on Twilight's face as the confidence in her friends and herself regains. Twilight places the locket around her neck. "Alright, everypony," determined Twilight. "Let's go save Equestria. Together!" As Twilight looks towards her friends, she sees a smile on each of their faces. All of Drocsid vanishes around them, revealing to be nothing more than an illusion.