Chapter 21: Greed
The fact that the Elements change their physical forms to reflect their bearers was of particular interest to me in my early studies. I personally observed this phenomenon when my friends and I acquired them during the Nightmare Moon incident, where they changed from the shattered remnants of stone spheres into their current forms. It was seen again in spectacular fashion when we passed the Elements on to our 'successors', and then for every Proxy bearer since.
The mechanism for this change is as unknown and unknowable as the Element's physical structure, but the metamorphic nature of the Elements has itself displayed some interesting peculiarities. The first is that when borne by ponies they prominently incorporate the form of the bearer's cutie mark, or rather a simplified version of it. This does not hold for non-ponies, obviously, but the Elements still take a form that is approximate to a simplified cutie mark. For instance, when Spike bore Loyalty it took on the form of a heart-shaped red gem, which was quite appropriate for him.
The second peculiarity is that after my friends and I became bearers, the Elements seemed to use the forms they took for us as a kind of 'default'. Whenever a Proxy relinquished their Element, or it was left unattended for a time1, they would revert to these default forms. This perplexed me at first, but I soon came to realize that it was connected to the differences between True and Proxy bearers.2
The third peculiarity is tied into the first. At several points the Elements have displayed the ability to alter the cutie marks of their bearers. The first time this occurred they switched the cutie marks of my friends, at the same time inserting them into each others' lives without similarly altering their skills or talents to cope with their new situation. While I was focused on resolving this crisis, I did manage to note the change that had come upon the Elements themselves. The cutie marks of the bearers had changed, but the forms of the Elements had not. Loyalty remained a lightning bolt, Honesty an apple, etc. What had changed was the color of the Element's central gem, nothing more. It is essential to note that my friends had not changed in personality or abilities, only in situation.
This was a major clue that led me to discovering the true traits that the Elements represent, and how deeply the connection to their bearers runs.
1 The length of this time seems to vary from a matter of minutes to over a year without discernible reason.
2 This leaves the question of why they took the form of stone spheres when we first found them.They did not do so when used in the first era of the Royal Pony Sisters, only during the interim. Was that their true 'default' form? As far as I can tell, the answer is no, and I have found no concrete reason for why they took that form in the first place.
-From the second section of Harmony Theory by Twilight Sparkle, including footnotes
Chapter Twenty-One: Greed
Charisma looked around the library with trepidation. It wasn't as if the space would be bad to fight in, quite the opposite. The freestanding bookcases and the high, domed ceiling allowed for a mix of cover and mobility that actually made it ideal for a pegasus. No, what worried her was the owner of the library, who had spent centuries in it and would know it like the back of his scaly, immensely strong claw.
Dragons were not something even she would take lightly.
Unfortunately for her, there appeared to be nothing at all that her employer wouldn't take lightly. So she found herself in the lair of one of the oldest and most powerful creatures in the world with only a dozen ponies and a couple Dogs for backup, none of whom were carrying the firepower needed to deal with the potential threat. Despite what she knew of the plan and what she had learned of the Elements Cash carried, she couldn't share in his confidence.
"This is a nice place," Cash said, whistling as he regarded the statue of Celestia at the center of the room. "You think he does all his own decorating? My gut says no, but my appreciation for his work says yes."
"Does it matter?" Charisma asked.
"Oh, don't be grumpy," Cash said, chuckling. "It hasn't even been a week since our vacation, you should still be basking in the afterglow."
Charisma rolled her eyes and looked to her troops, such as they were. They were scattered along the edges of the library, ostensibly watching all of the exits and waiting for word from her or Cash on where to go next. Their shoulders slumped and their eyes were dull, all of them were tired from the breakneck pace they had set in getting here. Cash had insisted on moving things along as fast as possible, and with the carnage they had left behind in Precious Corners, Charisma fully agreed with him. The toll of that rush was obvious in the sloppy way they were guarding the room, drooping eyes glossing over several places that a more alert mind would be paying attention to.
"Sound off!" she shouted to the room, jerking the guards to attention.
"Squad two, all clear!" the most alert of the guards barked out. The others joined in soon after, four squads of three ponies each. Charisma was pleased that most of them looked embarrassed at their inattention. Most of her soldiers were military trained, and for those that weren't she had put some effort into instilling proper discipline. They all knew their places and what was expected of them, with the very real threat of her displeasure should they fail to live up to those expectations.
"How's the cargo?" she asked the Dogs once the squads had finished reporting.
"Docile," came the response from the one of the two Dogs holding their guest's leash. "But getting grabby."
"Almost time, then," Cash said. "Isn't it exciting? Like waking up on your birthday knowing that there are presents waiting to be opened."
"Let's just get this over with," Charisma said. "Whatever 'this' is. You still haven't explained to me exactly what requires us to invade a Dragon's lair." Charisma didn't bother to hide the apprehension in her voice.
"Watch and learn." Cash chuckled as he scanned the several entrances to the room. "That one," he said, pointing a hoof at one tunnel. "Charisma, you and I should be up front." Charisma quirked an eyebrow at him. "Safety reasons," he replied. "The rest of you, make sure our guest doesn't get into anything. Well, not yet, at least."
The 'guest' in question blinked slowly in response to Cash's disturbingly wide grin. The drugs they had given him were fast wearing off, but he would remain quiet for a little while longer.
Charisma stepped up to her employer's side and the both of them walked into the tunnel he had selected. It sloped downwards quickly, the floor losing the tiled appearance of the other passages she had seen and attaining a simpler, though still clearly worked, appearance.
"What made you pick this one?" she asked.
"Resonance," Cash replied, his violet eyes rapt on the tunnel in front of them.
Charisma narrowed her eyes at him. "Something else to do with these 'Elements'?" He smirked at her, all the answer she would need.
"Oh, Charisma," he said, his tone lightly mocking. He looked like he was going to continue the thought, but before he could say any more he suddenly stopped in his tracks, holding out a hoof to bar her way. "Whew, I was worried for a moment," he said. His horn lit up, illuminating a shimmering field of green and red across their path.
"Another one?" Charisma asked, incredulous. Cash had stopped them several times in the leadup to the lair, using his Magic Talent to bypass fields just like this one. Wards that alerted the Dragon to anyone approaching. She hadn’t thought that he'd lace the inside of his home with them as well, but here it was. "I knew Dragons were supposed to be paranoid, but this is ridiculous!"
"Only if you don't know what he's got down here," Cash said. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When he spoke again his voice held utter conviction, taking on a strangely solid quality that Charisma had to take a step back to avoid feeling crowded. "Oh, this is a nice one," Cash said, touching his horn to the field, adding his magenta light to the red and green already there.
"You can get around it, though. Right?" she asked.
Cash chuckled. "Sure. Not the same way as the others, though. This is old and complex. Layered. Someone better at magic than I am built the foundation for this ward a long, long time ago."
"Anyone we know?"
Cash's smile was bright and far too eager. "I hope so," he said. The light of his horn went out. "There we go."
"You got it?"
"Not yet," he said, staring at the still-glowing field of magic. "But here's a piece of advice for you: If you want a lie to be believed it isn't so much how you say it as what you say that's important. For instance, if I told this ward that we weren't here, it would know something was up and trip. However, if I say, oh, 'we are expected'." The field shimmered, flashing on and off rapidly for a few seconds before opening a hole that quickly widened to allow easy passage down the tunnel. "Well, you see the results."
"You didn't even use magic there," Charisma said.
"Practice makes perfect," Cash chuckled. "Come on, we don't have much farther to–"
Cash was cut off by a new sound, one that for a moment cut through noise and stillness with equal power. Charisma shuddered as it rolled through her, her coat standing on end at the unnatural feel of it. It was a scream, that she was certain of, one not dulled or muddled by walls of stone and dozens of echoes. It was a mare's scream, but there was something fundamentally wrong with it, something that made her guts twist and her breath come in short gasps. It sounded like fear and it sounded like anger, but there was something else in there as well, an emotion that didn't express itself so easily. An image came to her as she listened to that scream, wandering in a maze made out of mirrors, every path a mirage. It sounded like the scream of someone who was hopelessly lost.
It wasn't the first time she had heard a scream with this much power.
"Did someone step on a cat?" Cash asked as the scream faded, quirking a confused eyebrow. He turned to his entourage, a dozen ponies and Dogs and one very special addition. They were shaken, but recovered quickly. Only their guest seemed to have been affected as strongly as Charisma; he clutched his sack closer and stared wide-eyed at the world. "Anybody? No? Okay, I guess. Charisma, where would you say that was coming from?"
"Deeper in," she answered, taking deep breaths as she shook off the lingering feelings that the scream had conjured up. "Still connected to this part of the complex. Close."
"That's a relief," Cash said, gesturing down the tunnel. "I was worried we were going the wrong way for a moment there."
"That scream. That was Rainbow Dash, wasn't it?" she asked.
Cash shrugged. "Maybe, who knows?"
"It was her last time."
"If it is, no killing," he warned her. She didn't look at him, refusing to meet his gaze and risk being captured by it. "I know, I know, you're disappointed. But hey, why don't we depopulate a nice little village on our way back to the Storm? Come on, doesn't that perk you right up?"
"Why don't we just finish what you want to do here and get going?" she growled.
He laughed, but started walking. The tunnel split and twisted, but Cash was confident on which way to go, and it wasn't long before he had led them to a large cavern. Worked and level, but obviously natural, it had tall rows of crates and barrels with various labels stacked throughout it. A storage room. Charisma signaled to her soldiers to have their weapons ready and be on alert, her own eyes scanning every angle for positions of attack and defense. They walked down one of the paths through the stores, their hooves echoing against the stone with every step. One turn later and they were faced with the back of the cavern, where the master of the lair sat waiting for them, gazing up at a statue.
“Max Cash, I presume,” the Dragon said, turning away from the statue to glare at them, his eyes gleaming with reptilian cunning. Charisma didn’t like that look, it had the air of someone who knew more than he should and was already well prepared for her. It was better than what she was seeing from Cash, though. He had the wide, happy grin that she had come to associate with the worst sort of glee. Even faced with an angry Dragon, he thought things were going his way.
“Spike,” Cash said, leaning forward as if he were about to run up to the Dragon like an obsessed fan. Charisma tensed to stop him if he tried anything of the sort. “You knew I was coming.”
“I was informed that you might drop by unannounced,” Spike said.
“Lady Star?” Cash asked. Spike didn’t answer, but Cash nodded as if he had. “Good to see she’s getting around. I was worried Charisma had done permanent damage to her. Have you met Charisma?”
“I know of her,” Spike said, sparing her a glance that told her everything she needed to know about his combat experience.
“That’s great!” Cash said. “Introductions can get so tedious. Anyway, is Lady Star still around? I’d like to ask her if she’s considered my offer any.”
“What do you want, Cash?” Spike asked. Charisma could see his strong muscles tensing and his claws curling ever so slightly, ready to attack.
Attack en masse, her Talent whispered. Find solid, pointed weaponry. Do not attack with hooves. Guns are ineffective, use them to distract rather than kill. Use squad one and three as flankers and harriers. Have the rest rush in to give more opponents than he can easily keep track of. Wait for opportunity attack. Aim weapon for eye or roof of open mouth. Do not stay still, fly erratically to prevent being targeted by dragonfire. Do not allow quarter. Do not aim to wound.
She could see it playing out in her mind, could envision the move and countermove of fighting a skilled, ancient and incredibly tough opponent with a built-in flamethrower in a confined space. In the best case she would lose half her soldiers before they brought him down. It was more likely that she would have to sacrifice all of them for the kill shot. In none of the scenarios could she guarantee the safety of Max Cash.
She relaxed, forcing her Talent to silence. She had no choice now, it was trust Cash’s plan or nothing.
“The Element of Generosity,” Cash said, his eyes flicking to the statue behind the Dragon. Spike rose protectively, blocking the gleaming statue. Charisma shook her head, she had barely noticed the statue was there, had completely ignored it in her mental calculation of the battlefield. It didn’t change anything, but it was disturbing that she could have missed it so completely. “I’d very much like it if you would hand it over. We could avoid all sorts of awkwardness.”
“I’m not giving it to you,” Spike said.
Cash chuckled. “Oh, but please,” he said, a false simper twisting his voice. “You and I both know that Generosity is all about giving.” Spike didn’t respond, his eyes going to Charisma and her soldiers, evaluating them. “So come on,” Cash continued, his demeanor switching to a familiar, cajoling tone, as if he was trying to convince a friend to accompany him to a party. “Let’s skip all the theatrics and the name calling and the murder and go right to the part where I get the necklace. I’ll give it right back when I’m done with it. I promise.”
Spike ignored him, rearing up to display his full, towering height and staring straight at the soldiers. “One of you is going to burn to death,” he said. It wasn’t a growled threat, more a statement of simple fact. He almost sounded sad. “Some of you are going to get torn apart; some of you are going to be crushed. But at least one of you is going to burn, and all of you are going to die. So before we start, I want you to ask yourselves if it’s worth it. Is what Cash has promised you worth dying for? Because If you follow the orders of this madpony, that’s just what’s going to happen. Think about it. Think hard. Because the first one of you who makes a move towards this statue is going to end up as a greasy soot-stain on my floor, and I’m not liking the odds of the second guy, either.”
There was a long moment of silence as his words sank in. Charisma found herself smiling; she was beginning to like this Dragon. Cash shuddered theatrically and leaned towards her. “Wow,” he said in a stage-whisper. “That was intimidating. If I was wearing pants, I’d probably have wet them. Anybody else think that was scary? Show of hooves?” He turned around to the soldiers, who, if they were intelligent at all, were probably thinking very hard on the Dragon’s words. “No one?” Cash turned back to Charisma. “We’ve got a courageous bunch here. You do know how to pick them.”
“Max!” she snapped. “No games. He’s shown us his. Let’s show him ours.”
“Spoilsport,” he chided, but put a hoof to his lips and let out a piercing whistle. The soldiers moved to either side, clearing a path between, though they were careful not to move any closer to Spike and the statue he was protecting. Out of the tunnel came the two Dogs, and waddling between them on two legs, pulled along by a leash around his neck and clutching a burlap sack full of random odds and ends, was a blue and green adolescent Dragon.
Spike’s eyes went wide, his intimidating stance faltering as he saw the new arrival. “No,” he breathed, barely loud enough for Charisma’s ears to catch.
“Hey there, little guy,” Cash said, stepping up to the baby Dragon. His horn flared as he detached the leashes, causing the Dragon’s amber eyes to latch on to the glowing point of light. “How are you doing?
“I…” the Dragon said with a high, scratchy voice. He blinked slowly at Cash, reaching out with one claw to touch at Cash's glowing horn. “I… want...”
Cash chuckled. “Yes, I bet you do.”
“Don’t do this, Cash!” Spike called out, a sharp edge of fear and desperation cracking his voice.
"What's your name?" Cash asked, ignoring the ancient Dragon for the child.
"Boomer," the young Dragon replied, his eyes leaving Cash's horn to wander with increasing awareness around the room. "Want," he repeated, serpentine tongue darting out to lick his lips as he spotted an open crate full of uncut emeralds.
"Okay, Boomer, you want what's in this room?" The Dragon nodded vigorously.
"Cash!" Spike roared, smoke billowing out of his toothy maw.
"Ah-ah, careful there," Cash admonished. "You know you can't hit a target accurately at this distance." Spike looked confused for a moment, but shut his mouth. There was a sound, like a shriek that cut off before it really got going. Charisma spared a glance away from Spike to search for it, but it had gone silent so quickly that she couldn't find a source. "So, Boomer, how much do you want it?"
"Want!" the young Dragon cried, and Charisma took a step away as she heard his voice drop an octave.
"Boomer, don't listen to him!" Spike cried out, but was ignored.
"Really, really want it?" Cash asked.
"Boomer want!"
"Cash, please don't do this!" Spike pleaded.
Cash looked over to him. "Going to give me the necklace?"
Spike looked stricken. "I can't," he whispered, barely loud enough for them to hear.
Cash shrugged. "Fine with me. Boomer, you want it?" The small Dragon nodded. Cash looked at Spike, meeting the Dragon's eyes and locking him in place. He chuckled, a sound too gleeful by far. "It's yours."
The reaction was instantaneous. Boomer doubled in size, his limbs elongating and his face taking on a more bestial cast. He reached out with a claw that was now as large as Charisma's head and tore the side off of a crate. Small multicolored gems spilled out, scattering across the floor. Boomer scooped up a clawful and threw them into his sack before turning to another crate, his size increasing by the moment.
Cash broke eye contact with Spike, tugging at Charisma with his magic as he moved away from the rampaging Dragon. Charisma didn't need any more encouragement. "Retreat to the exit!" she called to her troops. "Set up a defensive position!" Her forces moved with swiftness borne of fear, galloping back to the tunnel that led out of the cave. Charisma's wings extended, but she didn't fly, making sure that Cash was behind the soldiers before turning and looking at the confrontation.
Boomer was expanding like a balloon being filled with air. Every new handful of gems or other detritus seeming to fuel the transformation. She couldn't see him clearly through the stacks yet, but with every new spurt of growth she was catching greater and greater glimpses.
"Boomer!" Spike screamed out, and a wall of barrels crashed down as the older Dragon slammed into the younger. Spike held Boomer down, fighting the struggling youth. Charisma watched in appreciation as the ancient Dragon quickly subdued his inexperienced opponent, locking limbs and forcing him into a position of no leverage. Spike knew his stuff.
"Give them up," Spike hissed in Boomer's ear. "You have to give them up. Remember what your caretakers taught you! Remember what they said about greed and giving! Please, Boomer, listen to me!"
"Boomer want!" the young Dragon cried out, struggling vainly.
"I know," Spike said, anguish filling his voice. "I know you want it. But it's bad for you, Boomer. You have to let them go. You have to give them up. Remember your caretakers. They were nice to you, werent they?" Boomer's struggles slackened, his gaze going distant. "You love them, don't you?" Boomer nodded slightly. "What would they think? What would they say if they saw you like this? Think about it, Boomer, please. Do it for them, Boomer. Give it up for them."
"Boomer!" Cash called out, catching the attention of both Dragons. His horn flared as he slid a small pile of rubies over to the prone Dragon. "For you."
Boomer's eyes fastened on the gems, all traces of thought gone from them. His muscles bulged with new growth, and Spike was thrown away to crash into a stack of crates, spilling chalk and raw ores everywhere. "Boomer want!"
"This is so fun!" Cash crowed as Boomer tore into another stack of boxes. "I wish I had brought some popcorn. Do you think Spike has any in his kitchen?"
"I don't think we have time to check," Charisma said.
Spike climbed out of the debris he had landed in and launched himself at the other Dragon. "No!" he roared. "Listen to me! Stop before it's too late!"
Boomer was twice Spike's size now, and with a swing of his massive tail he knocked Spike across the cavern and into the wall. Spike barely seemed to notice the hit, rushing right back at the other Dragon as soon as he could. Spike dodged another swing of Boomer's tail, scrambling across the ground with great speed and leaping onto Boomer's back. He sunk his claws into Boomer, holding on as the larger Dragon began to buck and roll to shake him off.
The carefully sorted and labeled stores were in complete disarray now. Crates and barrels had been smashed to flinders, their contents spilled across the ground and then scattered further as the two Dragons struggled against each other. Both of them were bleeding, Boomer from the claw wounds Spike was inflicting and Spike from the little gems that cut into his scales every time Boomer rolled over on him. Neither were hurt badly, though.
"Feel this, Boomer!" Spike shouted before sinking his teeth into Boomer's shoulder and ripping out a chunk of flesh. Boomer reared back and let loose a scream that shook the cavern. "Focus on it! It hurts! You don't like pain, you don't want to keep it! You want to get rid of it, to give it away! Focus on it! Focus on giving it away!"
Boomer didn't listen. He rushed at the wall, turning and smashing Spike into it with all his strength. Spike yelped at the impact, his claws coming free from Boomer's scales. Boomer, now more than five times Spike's size, grabbed the at the attacking Dragon and slammed him into the floor.
Spike squeezed himself free of Boomer's grasp with a serpentine wriggle, gripping the stone with his claws and rushing up the wall. He avoided a few smashing blows from Boomer to hang from ceiling above the adolescent Dragon's head. "Boomer, you're too big," Spike pleaded, staring into empty eyes the size of his head. "You have to stop. You have to give it away or you're going to die."
Boomer responded by slamming his tail into the ceiling, causing rock to crack and stalactites to fall. Spike dropped too, twisting to avoid debris and Dragon, but he wasn't fast enough. A massive claw crashed down on him, brutally crushing him to the floor. Boomer then lifted Spike up and smashed him into floor ground again. Spike cried out at the impact, his green eyes wide and dazed. Boomer repeated the move, battering Spike against the ground like a craftsman taking a hammer to a stubborn nail.
Draconic blood splashed across the debris-strewn floor, sizzling in the open air. Boomer lifted Spike's limp form up in front of him, inspecting the other Dragon before casually tossing him aside. Spike crashed into the wall opposite the statue and fell to the ground, still.
Boomer paused and looked around the room. His teeth showed in a monstrous approximation of a grin. "Mine!" he roared, and grew until he had to lean over to fit in the cavern. He hung his head and gasped, obviously struggling to catch his breath. "Mine," he said again.
"That's our cue," Cash said. He turned to the soldiers. "You should all probably stay put. You know, workplace safety standards and all that. There's a lot of debris out there, a pony could slip and fall. Charisma?"
"Right beside you," she said, and they both walked out into the cavern. She picked her way carefully through the broken remains of crates and barrels and the glittering, sharp objects that had once been their contents. Cash was all too eager to get to the heaving behemoth that Boomer had become, ignoring the cuts and scrapes that he picked up while forging his path.
Boomer saw them coming, twisting to face them. "Whoa, there little guy," Cash said, chuckling amiably as he came to a halt. "I'm not here to steal your treasure."
"Mine," Boomer growled. This close, Charisma could actually hear his heart pounding.
"Yes it is," Cash laughed. "But I think you've missed the greatest treasure in this room." Cash's horn lit up for a gentle magenta push that directed Boomer's eyes towards the statue that had miraculously survived the rampage untouched. "See that?" Cash asked, and his voice became so intense and focused that Charisma shuddered at the sound of it. "Do you see it?"
"Want," Boomer breathed, his voice rattling with every heaving breath.
"You want it?" Cash asked, his magic sifting through the debris around him. "Go get it."
Boomer took a step towards the statue, but as he put his weight down on the leg it snapped with a sound like a whole tree splitting in half. He collapsed, shaking the cavern. He moaned in pain, but his eyes never left the statue. With a grunt of effort Boomer stood again, but this time it was one of his back legs that folded under him, his bulk falling down once again and crushing his limb beneath it.
Cash sighed, walking up to Boomer's head, a prybar suspended in his magical grip. "You know, I'm beginning to think you don't actually want it," he said.
"Want," Boomer rumbled. Charisma could hear his heartbeat speeding away, could practically feel it, and it did not sound healthy.
"Well, then why aren't you taking it?"
Boomer reached out with his good forelimb. He seemed to lose strength as he held the leg aloft, his head coming down to rest on the ground. He huffed in his breaths, in obvious agony, but remained absolutely focused on the statue. He reached as far as he could, and with one careful talon he touched the gem at the statue's throat. Purple light flared from the gem, reflected in Boomer's eyes. His breathing eased and he seemed to gain strength. "Mine," he said.
"No," Cash interrupted, stepping between Boomer and the Statue. "It's mine." With a flare of magic he rammed the prybar home, right into Boomer's eye. There was a sick squelching sound as the length of metal burst the eye and penetrated the Dragon's brain. Charisma shuddered as a feeling of bubbling warmth rolled through her. She had to resist the urge to close her eyes and bask in the sensation.
Boomer shuddered, his muscles moving with too little coordination to shift his immense bulk more than slightly, and he began to shrink. Within moments the enormous beast that had destroyed the room had become a small, portly, blue Dragon no bigger than a ten-year-old filly. A final, rattling breath left the Dragon, and he lay still.
A moment later there was the tinkling sound of falling metal. Charisma looked over to see that the golden necklace had fallen from the statue, and now lay atop the pile of debris at its hooves.
"Three down," Cash said, and let loose a wild laugh as he scooped the necklace up with his magic and secreted quickly in his saddlebag. He turned to Charisma. "That was bracing," he said, grinning widely. "He was a good kid. Did I get any eye gunk on me?" He turned so that she could see him clearly.
She gave him a cursory examination. "No. You're clean." She turned to where Spike lay. "But he's waking up. He might still be dangerous, stand back while I take care of him."
"Nope," Cash said, giggling like a schoolcolt with a secret. "He's on the list, Charisma. No killing."
"You can't be serious," Charisma snorted, but one look at her employer told her that he was. "He'll come after us, Max. We've got a chance now. I do not think he'll let us get another one."
"Fine with me," Cash shrugged, then scrambled over the piles of loose stone and wood towards the prone Spike.
"Max!" Charisma called out, taking to the air to keep ahead of him. "What are you doing?"
"Going to have a little chat," Max chuckled, continuing forward before Charisma dropped into his path, blocking him.
"Then have it from here," she said.
He gave her a long, steady look before grinning again and looking past her towards the prone Dragon. "Spike! You awake yet?"
"I'm going to kill you," came the growled answer. Spike shifted to glare at them, but Charisma could see he was in no shape to fight.
"Great!" Cash replied, sounding like he meant it sincerely. "Though that probably means I can't get your autograph, right? Yeah, okay. Hey, did you know Rainbow Dash is alive again?" Spike didn't respond, but Charisma thought she could detect a hint of recognition in the way his body tensed. "It's true! I thought you might like to know. You two should get together, you know, so you can hang out, catch up, plot revenge, all those things friends do. Could you give her a message, from me? Tell her I'll be waiting for her in the nightlands. Tell her I've still got something for her, but she's going to have to come to me to get it. She'll know what I'm talking about. You good with that? You think you could pass that along for me? Thanks a bunch!"
"They aren't what you think they are, Cash," Spike said as Cash turned to leave.
"Oh?" Cash asked, pausing. "So what are they, then?"
"I don't know," Spike replied. "But whatever you're thinking? They aren't that."
Cash laughed. It began as a quiet chuckle, but quickly progressed to a wild, braying laugh that grated at Charisma's nerves. Then it cut off suddenly and Cash went cold, all expression lost as he stared at something only he could see. "I know," he said. Then his smile reappeared, crawling across his face like a spider crossing its web, and his eyes focused on the world again. "Stay strong, Spike," he said, strolling towards the exit. Charisma followed, keeping a careful eye on the downed Dragon in case he had enough strength to try something. "I'll be seeing you."
***
The wall cracked open, a seemingly natural seam in the stone splitting to reveal a small second room adjoining the storage cavern. Rainbow Dash worked a wheeled mechanism, puffing as she had to put her full strength into turning the wheel and opening the door to Spike's secret chamber. The moment it was wide enough Star Fall shot out, wings carrying her over the destruction to land by Spike's side.
"Spike! Are you alright? Are you... I..." she shook her head. She didn't know what to say.
Spike slowly, painfully pulled himself up to a sitting position. "I'll survive," he said, but he didn't sound happy about it.
"What happened out here, man?" Dash asked, flying over to them. "Did he throw a ton of bombs at you or something?"
Spike made a choking sound, his shoulders hitching and shaking as he raised a claw and pointed. Star Fall looked where he indicated and saw the tiny form of a dead Dragon. Her eyes widened as the implications hit her. "Oh, Spike," she said wrapping her forelegs around the Dragon in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry."
"I couldn't save him," Spike said, staring into the middle distance. "I almost reached him, almost talked him down, but Cash..." he trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a shuddering breath.
"I don't understand," Dash said, but she sounded lost. "Why is this little guy dead? What happened?" Spike tensed up, becoming harder than rock under Star Fall's embrace.
"Dash," Star Fall admonished gently. "Let me talk to him." Dash blinked at her in confusion, but nodded and flew back to the secret room to help Applejack. "Did you know him?" Star Fall asked Spike, indicating the fallen Dragon.
He shook his head. "I'd never heard of him. I haven't kept up with all the hatchlings for centuries. I don't even meet them until they're almost adults. Now there's one less that I'll ever get to know."
"Did you...?"
"No," Spike said. "Cash. After Boomer got too big to fight back, Cash killed him," He coughed, spitting out a glob of blood and phlegm that bubbled and smoked as it hit an errant chunk of wood. "Not before Boomer did a number on me, though."
"What are you going to do now?"
"Kill him and his little pink errand girl," Spike growled, eyes narrowing with hate and claws digging into the stone.
"No, I meant about... Boomer," Star Fall clarified.
Spike relaxed. "Oh." He looked around, surveying the devastation. "He didn't deserve this," Spike muttered. "Not this." He stood, walking on unsteady, limping legs to where Boomer lay. Gently he picked up the body, cradling it close. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.
"Spike, you okay?" Applejack asked. She was coming out of the secret room with one foreleg thrown over Rainbow Dash's back, her limbs wobbling and her head drooping. Her eyes, however, were alert and trained on her friend, full of compassion and a need to help.
"No," he answered. "I'm not."
Applejack accepted that with a slow nod. "Anythin' we can do?"
Spike was silent for a long moment before nodding. "I could use some help digging through this stuff. I need to find a sack. A brown, cloth sack. It's full of random junk but... but it was his random junk. I also... I want to find a few gemstones. Big ones, clear ones."
"Of course we'll help," Applejack said, pushing off from Dash's back and managing to stand on her own. "But what're we gonna do with all that stuff?"
Spike looked down at the body he carried. "We're going to give him a funeral. And then we're going to go after Max Cash."
***
The sky was clear and bright, a waxing moon hanging over the world like a pale beacon. The rocky hills before them were calm, merely blank, dark humps of bare earth stretching towards the deeper shadow of a forest in the distance. The mountains behind them were silhouetted against the stars, shadow puppet versions of themselves. She stretched her wings out to test the air, feeling the cold stillness of it. It was quiet, and it was bugging Charisma to no end. Only the sound of hooves against earth broke the silence.
"Sound off!" she called out.
"Squad one, forward clear!" came the immediate response.
"Squad two, left clear!"
"Squad three, right clear!"
"Squad four, rear clear!"
"Eyes open, weapons loose!" she commanded.
"Something wrong?" Cash asked, sidling up next to her.
"I don't know," she told him, but kept her eyes searching up and ahead. "Something's wrong. Could the Dragon have called allies to intercept us?"
"Spike's practically a hermit. There's no settlements for a hundred miles," Cash mused. "But I'm certain Lady Star and her friends are close by. So there could be more. Do you think we're being followed?"
Charisma shook her head. "Something else. Do you feel the air?"
"As breathable as ever," Cash said, taking a deep breath. "What's wrong with it."
"It's oppressive," Charisma said, flapping her wings a couple times. "Like something's weighing it down."
Cash's eyes narrowed. "Describe it to me, exactly what you're feeling right now."
"Apprehension," Charisma replied. "Uncertainty. Fear. The air is too still, the night is too quiet. Is this you?"
"No," Cash said. "I'm not feeling it now, but I have felt something like that before." He looked up at the sky, searching. His violet eyes looked black in the moonlight, but his graying mane shone silver against the brown of his coat. He looked otherworldly, inequine, and Charisma had to fight extra hard against the voice of her Talent demanding that she end him right then. "Be ready. If this goes badly, we're going to have to run."
"If what goes badly?" Charisma demanded, but Cash was silent, simply scanning the skies. "Max! What is it?"
"Contact!" the lead pony of squad one called out.
"Identify!" Charisma snapped, taking to the air to catch up to the forward scout.
"Pony, dead ahead," the soldier said, pointing out into the darkness with his flashlight. Charisma squinted and managed to make out a vaguely equine shape standing in their path, too far for the light to fully illuminate.
"Everybody stop," Cash said, and for once his tone had lost its jovial edge. They came to a halt, the soldiers falling back to a tighter formation around their employer. "Let her come to us."
"Her?" Charisma asked, but at that moment all their flashlights flickered and died. There was a moment of ominous silence, then the ground shook and bucked under her hooves and the air howled as a whirlwind dropped from the clear sky to swirl in front of them, glowing like a pillar of embers in the darkness. Charisma leapt away from the smoky column, dropping down beside Cash. He stared at the burning tornado unmoving and unafraid, a wry half-smile playing at his lips. "Weapons hot! Light it up!" She screamed to be heard over the wind.
Her soldiers leveled their guns and opened fire, staccato bursts of light flaring from the weapons at their sides every time their mouth pressed the trigger. The bullets tore into the cloud, but it was obvious within moments they weren't doing any good. "Cease fire! Fall back!" she commanded, grabbing Cash to make sure he moved and hauling away from the whirlwind.
"You Will Not Escape," the whirlwind said, and the sound of that voice alone almost made Charisma drop to the ground. Some of her soldiers weren't able to keep their hooves, stumbling and tripping as their legs suddenly no longer obeyed them. Their retreat stalled, and Charisma turned to face the funnel. It roared and writhed, twisting around itself at impossible angles. Tendrils of ashen wind whipped about, scoring the earth where they touched and leaving the scent of charred flesh in their wake. With a convulsive wrench the whirlwind folded in upon itself, gaining definition, becoming a solid form. An extremely tall pony mare, with wide, dark wings and a long, wickedly pointed horn. Her mane was translucent, but turned the world seen through it gray and barren and lit with a sickly half-light. Her Glyph was a heart of thorns pierced by a sword, and her eyes burned brightly, white within gold within black.
Charisma knew this mare, this fallen Goddess. She had heard a description of her from one who had seen up close. She knew that this was the Destroyer, Nightmare Umbra. She stared at the revealed Goddess with wonder, not because of the power of the being before her, not because of the terrible weight of those burning eyes. No, what had captured her attention and seemed to make the whole world fall away from her was something else: Her Talent was silent. For the first time since she had gained her Glyph it was not demanding she kill, was not providing her with the best way to accomplish that. She looked upon the Nightmare, and it had nothing to say.
"I Seek Only Maximillion Cash," Umbra said. Her voice was barely a whisper, but Charisma heard it as clearly as if it was spoken in her ear, and it brought her mind back to the situation. "I Care Nothing For The Rest Of You. Leave, And Live."
"Hold fast!" Charisma warned her troops, looking to Cash. "I can't kill her," she said, still amazed that she could ever make such a statement. "Now what?"
"Now we roll the dice," Cash said, then he raised his voice to address the Destroyer. "Umbra! Can't say it's nice to see you again, but, hey, we got off on the wrong hoof last time."
"You Cannot Distract Or Dissuade Me," Umbra said, taking a step forward. The soldiers jumped at that step, a half-second from breaking. "Your Words Will Not Save You."
"Are you sure about that?" Cash asked, chuckling. He fixed the Nightmare with his eyes, his voice taking on an intensity of focus that she had only heard from him when he was straining with a particularly complex spell. "Because I'm not the pony you're looking for. What you want is back in the capital. You should go there."
Umbra screamed in rage, the sound thundering through the air and knocking the ponies back as if they had been hit with a hurricane gale. They went skidding across the bare ground, Charisma planting one hoof into the soil to halt herself. She looked around to find her soldiers scattered, but mostly unhurt, clambering back to their hooves. She spotted Cash a short distance away, being helped up by one of the Dogs.
"You Think You Can Use The Elements Against Me?" the Nightmare roared, rearing up and spreading her wings.
"Uh-oh," Cash said, looking at Umbra with all traces of his usual cheerful demeanor gone. For the first time since she had met him, Charisma saw Max Cash look worried.
"You Do Not Know What Power You Attempt To Wield!" Cracks ripped open in the earth, lightning flashing up from them to the sky. Ember clouds formed in moments, swirling in a dozen burning infernos that began to extend glowing fingers down towards the ground. "Arrogant Foal! Die For Your Hubris!" With a wave of her horn, black fire washed over the battlefield towards Cash.
Charisma didn't spare the time to think, leaping from her position to tackle her employer, sending them tumbling away from the magical fire. She felt a sting as a tongue of clinging flame licked at her leg, burning with intense pain that quickly began to spread. The Dog that had been helping Cash screamed as the fire engulfed him, turning him into a dark torch. His screams only lasted for a moment, though, his body falling apart into ashes that swirled through the air towards the Nightmare, becoming part of her gray coat.
"Charisma," Cash said, quiet and commanding. "Don't move, don't struggle. Don't try to fight the pain, don't try to put out the fire. Stay perfectly still." It was an effort of will, but she complied, stilling herself. Cash's horn lit up and Charisma felt her leg go numb, but the crawling, burning sensation went away as well.
"This isn't worth it," a nearby soldier said, his eyes running with tears, his voice shaking with fear. "Luna please save me! No amount of money is worth this!" A quick look from Charisma showed her that the rest of her troops seemed to have similar sentiments.
"You Have No Hope Against Me," Umbra said, her rage once more contained, controlled. She walked forward, each step sending out tendrils of black fire that ran in snaking lines towards the soldiers as she addressed them. "Run Or Die."
"She doesn't look so tough!" Cash called out before the ponies could start running. They stopped, looking around them in confusion, as if they had forgotten why they were running. "You guys can take her!" Umbra's gaze snapped to Cash, her eyes flaring bright. The soldiers looked at the Nightmare, and their fear was gone. "Also, she's got your paychecks, and I know you want them!"
"Do Not," Umbra warned.
"So go get her," Cash said.
"Give us our money!" the same soldier who had been begging help from a Goddess moments ago yelled, rushing at the Nightmare. The other joined in, charging the living Goddess and demanding money that she clearly did not have.
"That'll give us a moment," Cash said as Umbra began fighting back. She kicked out and a soldier went flying, landing with a dull thud.
"Can I move yet?" Charisma asked.
"What? Oh, right," Cash chuckled. "Yes, I took care of the Ashfire. You should be fine now."
Charisma rolled to her hooves, wings flaring. "We have to get you out of here," she said, watching as the Destroyer demolished her soldiers. They were fighting in earnest now, soldiers blasting her with their guns, using proper tactics, keeping her from just obliterating them all with magic.
"Absolutely," Cash agreed. "Say, that was a good save back there. You could have died for me."
"So?" She searched for an exit. The fiery tornadoes were swirling about them. She could probably evade them in the air, but Cash was nowhere near nimble enough to do so on hoof.
"So that was pretty darn loyal of you. Want some new jewelry?"
"What?" Charisma turned to Cash, and saw him removing the necklace with the crimson lightning bolt from his saddlebag. "Max. What are you doing?"
"Improvising," he replied. "Now do you want it or not? By the way, saying yes will possibly save our lives, and saying no means we're both dead right here."
Charisma stared at the necklace. She knew, somehow, that it was a much bigger decision than he was making it out to be. Yet if their survival depended on it, there could be only one answer. "Yes. Of course yes! Just give it to me!" She snatched the necklace from his magic and had it around her neck in an instant. "Now what?"
"I do hereby declare you a Proxy bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Now get us the hell out of here!" Cash said. He glanced over to the fight, and Charisma followed his gaze. Umbra stood uninjured despite the firepower being leveled at her. Half the soldiers were down, and the other half looked like they might be reconsidering the lie Cash had forced them to believe.
"How?"
"Pick me up and fly," he said.
She glared at him. "Are you insane? No, don't answer that. I can't carry you!"
"Try!"
She grabbed him with her forehooves, her wings pumping in a futile effort to take off with so much weight.
Except it wasn't futile. Her wings caught at the swirling air like sails, lifting her up with a greater ease than she had ever known before. They shot skyward, rocketing towards the burning clouds faster than she had ever flown on her own. She adjusted, furiously flapping as she fought her own momentum and tried to direct them between the fiery pillars that twisted through the air. It was astounding, the ease with which she flew, and what was more surprising was that it didn't feel strange to her. No, for some reason it felt right, like she should always have expected to fly this well.
She angled them between two ember funnels and shot out into a clear, starry night. Her breath came easily, her muscles worked tirelessly, Cash's weight was nothing, and the chill of the northern air was a forgotten thing. She felt like she could fly forever.
"Faster," Cash said.
"I'm going as fast as I've ever gone!" she snapped, glaring at him incredulously.
"She's coming," he said, looking back. She turned her head, and saw that the Destroyer was indeed following them, her fire-storms spread out vertically behind her like hellish portals, reaching out sideways towards them with burning tentacles. "This'll probably work better if you go faster."
She worked harder, her wings finally beginning to burn with effort as she pulled out all the stops. She felt something in front of her, like she was pushing against a gelatinous barrier, giving but more solid the harder she pushed.
"A little more," Cash urged, his horn flaring so brightly the normal magenta began to look white. "Come on, give it a little more!"
Charisma pushed harder. One glance back at the Nightmare rapidly closing the distance and she put the last of her energy into it. She pushed against that strange barrier, then with a mighty surge of effort she forced herself through it. It hurt, like every part of her was being crushed at once. She cried out at the pain, but then they were through, and she found that she barely had to flap her wings to maintain her speed. A trail of light followed her, striped pink and red and glowing like a rainbow in the night.
"Yes!" Cash crowed, and his horn flashed as he completed his spell. A dozen copies of herself and Cash split off from them, each leaving their own ethereal trail. "Veer randomly!" he screamed at her, his voice strangely faint for being so close.
She did as he asked, shooting off to the right. The images scattered, flying in a dozen different directions. Umbra shrieked in rage behind them, the sound of her voice making Charisma falter for a moment before she recovered and put a renewed effort into flying. She laid her ears back and blocked out the rest of the world, focusing on flying as fast and as far as she could. Her wings ate up the miles, every frantic beat of her heart marking another league gone by. She didn't realize how long she'd been flying until Cash smacked her with a hoof.
She blinked, shaking her head. She looked down to see Cash pointing a hoof towards the ground, mouthing something. She flared her wings to brake, which turned out to be a mistake when traveling this fast. The wind suddenly hit her wings like cement walls, nearly wrenching them from their sockets. They began to fall, and she only barely managed to hang on to Cash as they tumbled through the air. She bit her lip to focus her mind away from the pain in her wings, forcing them wide to catch the air and control their descent.
It hurt. A searing agony that made her scream at the effort of maintaining it, but she did it. When they came to earth she had managed to slow them to a reasonable speed and maneuver them over a wide pond. She dropped Cash into the water before folding her aching wings and diving in herself. The water was blessedly cold, numbing her burning joints. She swam towards the shore and pulled herself up to the grass, lying there for a long moment and watching as the sky gradually lightened in the east.
"Nice work," Cash said, walking up to her. His horn was glowing, his magic stripping the water out of his mane and coat. "Could use a bit more practice on the landing, though."
"How did I do that?" Charisma asked him. She looked down at the necklace. Its central gem had changed. It was no longer a lightning bolt; now it was a teardrop shape, just like her Glyph. "What are these things?"
"Well, for the first question, there are some serious benefits to being a bearer," Cash said, sitting down next to her. "For the second?" he chuckled, winking at her. "Well, that's a good question." They sat there looking towards the coming dawn for a long moment before he spoke again. "You are going to have to give it back." She pulled the necklace from her neck without hesitation, holding it up to him. His magic caught it, and the moment it did the gemstone reverted to its original form. There was no transition, no visible change. It was simply a teardrop one breath and a lightning bolt the next. "Thank you."
"The guards," she said, remembering the fear in the voice of the soldier begging for salvation. She didn’t know where her thoughts were going from there. He had used them as a distraction for their escape, but she had been casually contemplating sending them to their deaths against Spike a couple hours earlier. Somehow, for some reason, what he had done seemed worse.
"To be fair, I was going to have you kill them anyway," he said with a giggling laugh. "They'd seen too much. Umbra just saved you the effort."
Charisma accepted this with a nod. "Is the Shadowed Alicorn going to come for us?" she asked.
"Probably," Cash admitted. "If she ever figures out where we are."
"Couldn't she have seen through those images? Wasn't that a big gamble?"
He shrugged. "Oh, certainly. But I figured that if Deceit wouldn't work on her directly, it should be able to shore up an illusion so that she couldn't easily ignore it. Looks like I was right."
Charisma sighed, rolling onto her stomach and laying her head down on the grass. "So it's not enough to have the Secret Service and the RIA after us, now we have to have a Dragon and a Goddess too?"
"The whole world's going to be against me, Charisma," Cash said, patting her shoulder. "That's just the nature of the game."
"This game is going to kill you."
"Eventually," he said. "But we're almost home free, now. Come on, we've should get moving."
"To the nightlands," she said, slowly getting up. "The next Element."
"Yes indeed, but we can afford to take our time," Cash said. "If my guess was right we've still got a couple weeks before everything's in place down there. Hey! We could visit my old hometown while we wait! You look like you could use a vacation. What do you say, huh?" He nudged her, grinning again. "Visit the homestead, see the sights, look up some old chums and murder them messily. Sounds nice, right?"
She didn't bother to respond, instead rolling her eyes at him and walking away. She started towards the south with her head full of questions and the sound of Cash's wild laughter in her ears.
***
The sun rose as Spike was putting the last touches on Boomer's funeral pyre. It stood at the foot of his mountain, an iron crucible stacked with wood and coal. The small body of the fallen Dragon was nestled in a bed of jewels at the top of that stack, curled around his sack of meagre possessions. Spike stood over the pyre with a bagful of his best rubies, slowly swallowing them one after another, stoking his flames high. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Star Fall stood a little ways off, watching him.
"Should we say a few words?" Dash asked, pawing at the ground in quiet worry.
Spike shook his head. "None of us knew him. None of us has anything to say."
"Should... should we stay and watch with you?" Star Fall asked, hesitant to impose. He smiled at that, she was still as sensitive as ever, even after working for the Secret Service and studying under Twinkle Shine's tutelage. It brought him incredible comfort to know that she hadn't changed.
"Fire hot enough to cremate a Dragon is fire that will burn a pony even as far away as you are now," he told her. "I'll be alright. Go inside, rest. It's been a very long day for all of you."
"If you ever need us, man, we'll be here, okay?" Dash assured him.
"Darn tootin' we will," Applejack agreed. "If you need to talk to someone, Spike..."
"I got it, guys," he said, waving them off. "I'll be up when it's done."
"We'll be waitin'," Applejack said, then turned and began the walk up the path to his lair. Star Fall followed her after one long look back at him, clearly wanting to stay but trusting his word that he'd be fine. Dash just gave him a curt nod and shot up into the air, flying into his home and leaving a prismatic trail behind that glimmered as it faded into the morning light.
Spike watched them until they were halfway up the switchback trail before he began. He inhaled deeply, mixing the air with the magic he had gathered from the gems he'd been eating. Then, with a roar that shook the loose stones around him, he breathed dragonfire. It wasn't the same kind he used for carving his statues, or the kind he had once used to send letters across the world. This was a dragonfire devoid of any power other than heat. It splashed like liquid into the crucible, igniting the pyre in an instant and engulfing it in red flame.
He breathed until his flame ran out, then began stuffing his face with the remaining rubies, quickly refilling the magic until he could send out another gout, stoking what was in the crucible even higher. He couldn't see Boomer's small body anymore, only flames. Once he had run out of fire again he fell back to his haunches. He spent a long time like that, sitting and staring at the burning pyre, occasionally keeping the flames stoked high. He might have been crying, but if he was the heat evaporated any tears before they could fall.
He felt her coming long before she arrived. The feeling manifested as a premonition of doom, an apprehension that he had long ago learned to associate with one being. He stood, walking partly around the pyre, and saw her. She appeared as a cloud of billowing ashes, obscured from view on the mountain side by the smoke of the fire. As he watched the ashes formed into the familiar, cruel face of a unicorn mare. Spike's eyes narrowed and his teeth ground together as he looked at her.
"Spike," the Nightmare said, her whispering voice clear though it was no louder than the mountain breeze. "You Have Failed."
"Shut up, Umbra," he growled.
"The Element Of Generosity Has Been Stolen!" Umbra hissed. "You Were Its Guardian. You Bear Responsibility."
"Sure, and since you’re talking about it, you must have seen the thief on your way here. So, did you manage to get it back from Cash?" Umbra swirled in silent rage. "Yeah, didn't think so."
"He Is Proving Elusive," she admitted. "Which Does Not Absolve You Of Your Failure!"
"No," Spike sighed. "I’m not doing this. I want to talk to Twinkle Shine."
Umbra sneered at him. "You Think You Have The Power To Demand Anything Of Me?" Dark fire played about her ashen horn.
"I'm not afraid of you," Spike said. Umbra twitched as if she had been slapped. "I hate you, but I'm not afraid. Twinkle Shine. Now."
Umbra snarled, but her features melted away to be replaced by the smaller visage of the Professor. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's been hard. The plan's so close to fruition, but everything's been falling apart. What happened here, Spike?"
Spike let out a deep sigh. His blood surged at the raw memory, but he forced himself to stay calm and relate only the cold facts. "Cash brought an adolescent Dragon. Fed his greed, played on it. He used it to activate the Element, and then killed him to take it."
"Boomer!" Twinkle Shine gasped, ashen face looking stricken. "He kidnapped a Dragon and I was so preoccupied I never even saw the connections. But to use him to release an Element? That... that shouldn't be possible!"
"How would you know?" Spike grumbled.
The Professor flinched, taken aback by his question. "I wouldn't," she said, her gaze falling to the ground and her ears drooping. "Not for sure. But that spell was created to last through everything. It shouldn't be that easy to just... bypass it!"
"It happened," Spike said. "That's all that matters."
Twinkle Shine was silent for a moment. When she spoke again she had regained her composure, her voice steady and calm and her eyes once more meeting his. "The two mares, you must have met them, one claiming to be Rainbow Dash, the other claiming to be Applejack."
"I know," Spike said, cutting her off. "It's them."
She frowned. "How can you be sure? I wasn't able to find any evidence to confirm it, and I did a full examination of Rainbow Dash."
"Come on, Professor," Spike chided, smiling slightly. "You think a couple of ponies could show up at my lair claiming to be my old friends, knowing about the Elements, and I wouldn't test the resonance?" He shook his head. "It's them. Young and innocent and missing a lot of memory, but according to the supposedly foolproof methods Twilight left, it's them."
Twinkle Shine's frown deepened at this news. "How?"
"I'm tired of asking that question," Spike said, looking towards the fire. "If we're just going to worry about the how of all of this, we'll be here forever. They're here, they're real, what are we gonna do about it?"
"I don't know." Twinkle shine shook her head. "I was so sure Rainbow Dash was a trick of some kind. Something aimed at disrupting the plan. Part of the reason I came here was to kill her," she admitted.
Spike let out an exasperated sigh. "Typical Umbra. Deciding to just wipe out anything that looks like it might remotely get in her way. No alternatives considered or taken.”
“A Rainbow Dash lookalike appearing out of nowhere? With my student? At this precise time?” She scoffed. “Spike, without knowing what Cash was doing, how could that seem like anything other than an attack? One aimed at anyone who might remember her. Like Umbra. Or you.”
“Whatever. Killing them isn’t an option."
"No," Twinkle Shine agreed. "It isn't."
"What about Umbra? Is she on the same page?"
"I don't... I can't say."
"Well, get her there," Spike growled. "Cash is the enemy now. We've got to put everything we have into stopping him."
"Spike, the plan is nearly done," she said. "It is my purpose. It has to be my priority."
"To hell with your plan!" Spike snapped.
"If I don't monitor it, it could lead to a world-wide war!" she snapped back. "How easy is it going to be to catch Cash when that's going on?!"
He snarled, but calmed quickly and nodded. "Fine. You keep your end under control. I'll find Cash."
"Agreed," she said, then let her gaze drift over to the pyre. “I’ve been trying to get you down off this mountain and into the world for a long time. Any victory would have been empty without you. I knew you’d join me eventually, but I didn’t want it to be like this. I’m sorry, Spike.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Me too. And I’m not joining you. This is about stopping Cash. That’s all it is, that’s all it will ever be.”
They spent another minute in thoughtful silence. "How is Star Fall?" she eventually asked.
"Good," Spike said, his shoulders relaxing. "Tired, worried, but good." He chuckled. "Flying four days straight to get to me. I think Dash is rubbing off on her."
The Professor snorted. "I'll have to nip that in the bud. I don't want her becoming the new Scootaloo."
Spike smiled. "No chance of that, Star's got a different hero."
Twinkle Shine smiled. "Yes she does." Then her face fell. "How much have you told them?"
"Some, not all," Spike said. "I'm not going to lie to them."
"No, but some of the truth..."
"Yeah. If they don't ask, they don't have to know." He sighed, watching the fire for a moment. "I hate talking to you like this," he said, gesturing at the ash cloud. "You remind me too much of her."
"Transforming takes too much out of me to just switch back and forth at will, Spike," the Professor said. "But if the plan works, it won't ever be a problem again."
"If the plan works," Spike repeated, shaking his head. "Eight hundred years, and you pick now, of all times, to put it into motion."
"The world is ready, Spike," she said. "Finally, truly ready."
"Yeah, we thought that before, remember?" He turned to face the waning fire. "Turned out real great that time, didn't it?"
"This time will be different."
"And if it's not? What then?" He turned back to her, only to find himself faced with the hateful visage of the Nightmare.
"Pray That It Is," she whispered, her cinder cloud already falling apart and drifting into the sky. "For If The Power Of Friendship Fails Again I Will Be There, And All Will Be Turned To Ashes." With those final words she swirled away, taking a few flecks of ash from the pyre with her as she left.
Spike watched her go. "Good luck, Professor," he said. "Something tells me you're gonna need it."
***
Rainbow Dash sat staring at the statue of Rarity, quietly willing something to happen.
The storeroom had been swept up, most of the debris settled into neat piles around the edges of the room, leaving the floor clear. The statue still couldn't be moved, they’d found that out soon enough, but Star Fall had talked about 'fading residual effects', which Dash took to mean that it wasn't going to stay that way much longer.
She was still amazed at how quickly it had all happened. Applejack's scream had knocked her for a loop, and the next few events were confused in her mind. She knew that Spike had recovered first, but the first thing she could recall clearly was him shoving her and Applejack into the secret room and Star Fall whipping out her spell sheets and drawing furiously. Dash had just gotten her hooves under her again when Applejack had started another scream. Star Fall had activated one of her spells, and the whole room had gone completely silent.
They had huddled together after that, Dash protectively curling her wings around the other mares, feeling the impacts of the titanic struggle that had taken place just a thin layer of rock away. She had wanted to open the door, to go and help, but she knew that it would only expose Applejack and Star Fall to whatever was going on, and with Applejack out of commission that would be too dangerous. So she had stayed, and they had waited.
When the vibrations finally stopped, Star Fall had still held Dash back. It had seemed like an eternity waiting in the dark, only the light of Star Fall's magic to see by, and no sound to indicate what, if anything, was happening. When Star Fall had finally indicated that it was time to leave, Dash had been all too eager, but unprepared for what they had found.
If she hadn't hated Cash before, she did now. There was no kind of pony who would kill a child like that. He was a monster.
"You just gonna sit there?" Applejack asked, walking up next to her.
"Waiting for Rarity to show up," Dash replied.
"You think that's actually gonna happen?"
Dash nodded. "Cash got Loyalty, I showed up. Cash got Honesty, you showed up. Notice a theme here?"
"Yup, that strikes me as a pattern too," Applejack agreed. "But it ain't for certain, and you've got to be as tired as the rest of us. Star's sleepin'. Went out like a candle the moment her head hit the pillow. You should be joinin' her, not sittin' here starin' at stone."
"Spike's still down at the funeral, isn't he?" Dash asked, a little more roughly than she had intended.
Applejack paused, but nodded. "He is," she said. "And if I could get him to rest some, I would. But the way he took it, he basically just lost his kin, so I don't got that option with him. Instead, I'm doin' what I can for you."
"I am resting," Dash said, slapping at the ground. "See? No flying, no running, no heavy lifting or anything. Totally restful."
"Not what I meant, and you know it," Applejack huffed. "It's been hours, Dash. If Rarity were gonna show up, she'd have done it by now."
"Oh come on, you know Rarity," Dash said with a forced chuckle. "She's always gotta be fashionably late or something. She’s just waiting until it’s all dramatic."
"Dash, what if she doesn't show up?" Applejack asked. "What then? How long are you gonna wait?"
"I don't know!" Dash shouted, then took a deep breath to calm herself and continued in a quiet voice. "I don't know, okay? Maybe she'll show up, maybe she won't. Maybe it'd be better if she didn't."
"Why's that?"
"Do you think she'd want to be brought back like this?" Dash asked. "Because somepony got killed? Do you think I wanted that? Did you?"
Applejack shook her head. "No. I wouldn't have wanted it. But what's done is done, and the best we can do is keep it from happenin' again. And you can't do that if you're sittin' down here waitin' for a friend who may never be comin'. And you can't do it if you're refusin' rest when you need it. I learned that one the hard way, remember? I ain't gonna see one of my friends make the same mistake without tryin' to stop her."
"I thought you learned to ask for help and not let your pride get in the way?"
"I did learn that. I also learned that tired ponies are stupid ponies," Applejack said, giving Dash a light shove. "I can learn more than one thing at a time. Now get to bed."
Dash reluctantly got up. "What about you?"
"I'll be joinin' you 'soon as I let Spike know where we are."
"What about Rarity? What happens if she appears?"
"Then she'll be confused and wonderin' what's goin' on," Applejack said. "But she'll also be in some of the nicest caves I've ever laid eyes on, with friends sleepin' not too far away and a friendly Dragon just outside the only exit. She'll be fine."
Dash's head drooped, her wings falling. "Yeah, you're right."
"Yup."
"Just... can I have ten more minutes?" Dash pleaded. "I just really wanted somepony to be there when she woke up. Not be all alone, like what happened to me."
Applejack set her jaw, ready to argue, but her face softened as she looked into Dash's eyes. "Alright, sugarcube. Ten minutes. I'll go and tell Spike what we're up to, but when I get back you're heading to bed if I have to drag you there myself."
"Thanks, AJ." Applejack just shook her head and left.
Dash sat back down, staring once more at the statue called Generosity. But her concentration had been broken, and she soon found herself fidgeting. Her wings stretched with idle energy, and after only a few minutes she stood. "Sorry, Rarity," she said, sighing. "Applejack's right. It didn't take her or me this long to wake up in the future. Maybe you aren't coming back. I don't know whether that's good or that sucks, but, well, I think we could use another friend here."
She turned and began walking towards the door. She hadn't made it halfway before she heard a faint sound. Nothing much, just a small intake of breath. She spun around, wings flaring, and her eyes widened as she looked at the dais.
Rarity opened her eyes, blinking and frowning at the cave around her. Then her gaze landed on Dash and she smiled in relieved recognition. "Rainbow Dash! Do you know where in Equestria we happen to be? Because for some reason I don't have the faintest clue how I got here."
"Rarity," Dash said, unable to keep the hitch from her voice, but answering the unicorn's smile with her own.
"My goodness, Dash!" Rarity said, stepping down from the dais towards her. "Whatever is the matter? You look as if you're about to cry!"
"It's a long story," Dash said, grinning through the tears that blurred her vision. "But I'm glad you're here."
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Waiting for update...
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UPDATE!!
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So all the elements are coming back to life. Is Cash trying to restore magic into the world the way it was before?
Max Cash will burn...
Shar, you son of a bitch. Stop making me shake with anger. I almost need a cigarette.
And I TOTALLY STILL SAY TWINKLE IS TWILIGHT IN SOME WAY!!!!! Let it be fucking known that I have been saying that for ever.
I feel like I should be able to predict what's going to happen or how Spike and Twinkle Shine are in cahoots somehow, but it's escaping me. Will someone smarter than me please explain what's going on?
3228938 I agree
Spike really dodge a bullet, but once again MORE questions... analysis time
3228992
Well, I think Twinkle is a descendant of Twilight and Nightmare Umbra is Twilight.
Something tells me sparks are going to fly once the gang learn whatever it is this plan is. Also still have no idea what is going to happen, can't wait for more!
Great Chapter! Riveted all the way through
Woohoo! Rarity! Glad that Spike wasn't sacrificed, though yeah. What Cash did was sick.
And hints about Umbra too. Nice.
... well the statue thing is confirmed, at least.
Everything else? I haven't a clue. Not any more. I don't know if I can wait for the next update without exploding.
s1131.photobucket.com/user/Fashtar/media/Squee.png.html][IMG]http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m544/Fashtar/Squee.png
This here is my reaction to this update. Great chapter. Action filled scene? Check. Urge to murder Cash in ways unsuitable to bring up here? Check. Intrigue and Conspiracy? Check. Another pony of the Mane 6 showing up? HELL YEAH!
You just made my day, I can´t wait for the next update.
3228977
Maybe, he doesn't strike as that altruistic. I actually think it's Umbra who wants magic back, however strange that sounds.
Oh the possibilities! The plot reveals! I am going to be spending way too much time thinking about how this all connects.
As far as I can tell, twinkle shine is trying to restore magic to the world, and may or may not be celestia or luna given mortal form. Umbra's role is, well, complicated, she is helping but is also ready to cause eternal night? An inner conflict maybe? Maybe she is Luna and they are battling for control!
Honestly, I don't think I have enough information to accurately predict or decipher the plot. It's very possible that I'm missing some clues though.
When this is all done, assuming you have notes or something on the plot, could you maybe publish them? I am very curious about the planning behind this.
As always an amazing chapter, and I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm looking forward to the next one
3229557
I don't think he would bring it back to be nice about it. This is a guy that looked into the abyss and went mad from forbidden knowledge...probably.
Holy crap, so Magical Mystery Cure is canon to this story. I don't remember, was Twilight’s statue back in Ponyville a unicorn or an alicorn?
Hmn, sounds like another potential Element bearer stand in, gives me hope that Spike isn't going to be the sacrificed Generosity/Greed proxy. Assuming Charisma is one as well, that is, but I'm fairly convinced she is at this point.
I love how seriously Charisma's talent takes Spike as a threat.
So awesome. Only quoting that last bit, but that entire monologue was just fantastic.
Oh shit, it's another dragon, being tempted towards greed growth in a cave full of gems. I have a bad feeling about what's going to happen to the kid if that happens in a magically sparse world.
The suggestions here about dragons and greed and generosity are fascinating, especially once you take Spike's instant attraction to Rarity into account. I wonder if something magically deeper was going on with that. Actually, even in the context of just the show itself that's an interesting idea.
There are no words.
Damn, I just don't know what to feel. On one hand, I am so happy that our theories last chapter about Spike being the sacrificed proxy for Cash getting his hooves on the Element of Generosity were wrong. But on the other hand, the alternative that actually happened was the murder of a child, and one that started and ended looking much like the Spike we know and love from the show. .
Anyway, three things struck me from the end of the fight. First, Boomer started to gain strength once he had the proxy connection, makes me wonder if the Element would have been enough to sustain his larger size. Second, Charisma's "feeling of bubbling warmth" when Boomer was killed, an effect from her potential proxy status or just her being a psychopath? Third, the necklace only came off of the statue after he died, that order seems potentially significant.
I suppose it's too much to hope that the pony that just found Cash is our friendly mad alicorn Umbra, and that she's just about to kill him, right? Huh, well it wasn't Cash, but turns out that Spike wasn't wrong to predict that someone was going to burn to death. That bit about his ashes being absorbed by Umbra reminds me of her earlier claim about who she is made of.
Okay, there we go, being a proxy absolutely makes you stronger (I assume how that played out means a standard uptime pegasus normally cannot carry a pony?). Woah, strong enough even for a little sound barrier breaking.
Hmn, maybe his own death is a part of his plan. Is he the future Magic proxy sacrifice, perhaps?
Holy shit, Spike knows the Nightmare, that she is inhabiting Twinkle Shine, and that there is a Plan.
Okay, how the hell would Twinkle be familiar enough to make that comment. That you, Twilight? Princess Twilight, maybe even?
Rarity! Yes, YES! Best unicorn has arrived!
On a side note, I listened to about half of this on my drive home from work using a text-to-speech app I found when I saw the update email right as I got into my car. It worked surprisingly well.
Well, my hatred for Cash grew even more than it has before, that for sure. Seriously need to die, an infinite amount of times. As for Umbra and Spike, this is a rather interesting plot twist. I wonder how this will play out...
This story seems interesting...
Thus, I shall read it!
Onward!
3229904
That's the best decision you could make on this site. Just do yourself a favor, and read through the prologue AND first chapter before passing judgment. You won't regret it. This story's a blast.
3229956>>3229904 Woodstock is correct!
3229692
Twinkle Shine is a researcher in the elements and the ponies who wielded them. I bet Twilight mentioned Scootaloo in a couple of her letters.
Will Boomer make it out okay!?
BOOMER WILL - OH! Ummm . . . we'll get you another Boomer.
Now here's something interesting. You had me at
Aww yeah! Finally updated!
Whoa, quite a few things happening in this chapter. I think I'll have to wait for the dust to settle before I can really speculate one things. Nice to see the theorized method of removing the elements confirmed. Also nice to see Max lose his cool, if only for a moment.
And BOOMER WILL- not live, apparently.
Things We Have Learned
* The Element of Loyalty is capable of granting its user the ability to fly faster than the speed of sound. Note however, that Rainbow Dash was capable of supersonic flight before becoming bearer of the Element of Loyalty, and is capable of flying at such speeds without wearing the Element. This suggests that this power is not inherent in the Element, but is due to its bond with Rainbow Dash.
* So Rainbow and Applejack are apparently the genuine articles, at least in some form. Though, on the other hand, Spike warns Cash that Rainbow and Applejack weren't what he thought they were, though Cash apparently knows that.
* Twinkle Shine has been planning this for eight hundred years. She's way older than she appears, so her connection to Umbra is probably extends further than the current day.
* Spike is aware of Umbra and Twinkle Shine's plan, has some connection to it, and is personally connect to them.
* It is definitely Max Cash's activation of the Elements that awaken the bearers, and not Umbra's actions. He awakens them by causing acts that are in opposition of the Element's current "setting" (greed for generosity, betrayal for loyalty, dishonesty for honesty). Boomer's greed activated Generosity, and Cash's killing of his "best friend" and loyal subordinate was an act of disloyalty. I can't recall what he used to activate the Element of Honesty though.
New Questions
* What is it about the mane six that made them true bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Even now, hundreds of years after the mane six, their Elements reflect their cutie marks. Even when the Elements swapped their cutie marks, they retained their essential form.
* If Rainbow Dash and Applejack (and no doubt the others) are the real deal, how were the preserved? According to "Chapter 20: Generosity," Spike had begun creating the statues before the Elements were retired, and the mane six all decided to retire the Elements (so they were alive).
This line strikes me as more interesting in hindsight. This may indicate that a greater sacrifice then merely retiring the Elements went into this plan. And considering the bond between the Elements and their true bearers, it occurs to me that the mane six's souls may be bound to the Elements beyond death, and while their current bodies were once the statues, they have the same souls.
* The Twilight Sparkle-Twinkle Shine connection looks stronger, but Twinkle Shine is unlikely to be Twilight Sparkle herself, since her familiarity with the Element bearers comes from historical records.
* What is Twinkle Shine planning? Via personal communication with Sharaloth, I have learned that the Schism takes place 200-300 years after the show. If this 800-year plan began around this point in time, this suggests a connection between Umbra's appearance and the plan. Is it possible, as warpd suggested, that Twinkle Shine and Umbra are trying to bring magic back? If so, than Umbra's plans have changed since her first appearance, as the loss of magic was due to Umbra being sealed by Luna and Celestia. Their plan might be a response to the Schism itself, because Umbra herself did not appear until after the Schism.
* Twinkle Shine's comment that if she does not maintain control of the plans it will end up becoming a war suggests that she has either been stoking tensions between the two countries. To what end?
* Spike is aware of Umbra's plan, but is he involved? On the one hand, the fact that he has been isolated from the world for hundreds of years and that he considers going after Cash more important suggest that he is not involved in the plan. On the other hand, it appears that the plan relied on Spike protecting the Element of Generosity, and Twinkle referred to the plan's success as Spike's victory as well. This suggests he had or has some connection to the plan.
* Twinkle Shine, now knowing that Rainbow and Applejack are the real deal, no longer wants them dead. Is this because they can be useful or even integral to the plan? Or is it because Twinkle Shine realizes that they aren't cleverly disguised/created saboteurs, and thus there is no purpose killing them? Twinkle Shine doesn't appear to be the pony to kill people for the sake of killing, so the latter option is possible.
* When and why did Spike use the Element of Loyalty (it wasn't "The Return of Harmony, Part 1" since Twilight explicitly states in her book that the process failed not due to inversion but Rainbow Dash's absence, suggesting that he was not yet a Proxy bearer).
* This is an interesting quote, with a bunch of stuff to analyze. This suggests that the plan relies on the power of friendship. The "again" part indicates that Nightmare Umbra's appearance was due to the Schism's strife. This fits her motif as a goddess of war. Additionally, the fact that Umbra is working with Twinkle Shine in the plan and her comment "Pray That It Is" indicate that she may not want to destroy the world, but will be compelled to do so.
3228992
It really says something when you hate this guy more than you hate the main villain. Seriously, this guy needs to die. Kudos to Sharaloth for creating one of the most reprehensible fictional characters I've ever come across.
I can't help but wonder, is the plan to bring Twi back?
That's what I was thinking about most when reading this. "<character>, why wouldn't you just break the story Arc!"
3231058
Interesting thing to note:
This would suggest a need to verify the identities of the true bearers of the elements of harmony or the identities of Twilight Sparkle's friends. It could just be a side effect of her research and possibly the changeling invasion, but my gut leads me to believe that Twilight planned for the eventual return of the Mane 6. It's speculation, but I'm dying to know what it all means.
Also, if you're correct that the elements draw power from the original bearers (and the excerpt from Harmony Theory in chapter 20 adds a bit of support for your claim), that would explain why everyone is suddenly putting the time travelers on a no-kill list. All the known benefits would be lost... and... I just had a diabolical little thought about the strange inert state of the elements, but it doesn't reflect well on Celestia. Might come back to this after mulling it over. Really gets you thinking just why the author chooses which quotes show up at the beginning of each chapter.
So much to say after this chapter, but first I must note that after watching military bronies react, I could vividly imagine you saying that 3228992. Many lulz were had that day.
Though in all seriousness, some of my theories after reading this chapter are as follows:
1. It seems that my theory a chapter ago was more or less correct. Boomer displayed an act of greed, and upon coming in contact with the element of generosity, which I will note that greed is the inverse of, there was a shine, supposedly the element unlocking.
2. Umbra absorbing the ashes gives me more reason to believe that she is, quite literally, made of the ashes of the show's Elements. Another idea to add to the wall is that their souls were bound to the statues, so in times of desperate need of heroes, they would return to life in order to save the world.
3. If Umbra was born of their literal ashes, and she is also connected to, or even, in a sense, a part of Twinkle Shine, then it may be that she is in essence Twilight, though not the real thing. The way it would work is Twinkle being a semi-autonomous intelligence in the Psyche of Umbra, a way to check her power so it doesn't get out of control, but still holding intelligence and power of its own. This is not the best explanation of what I mean, but It will have to do for now.
4. Rarity taking so long to appear when the others did so pretty quickly is interesting. The most logical explanation I can think of is that they cannot appear when being observed, seeing as how she only arrived to the future when Rainbow was leaving.
5. The Elements always return to the forms they took when Twilight and co. became Bearers. I have a feeling this is because they were the most strongly connected Bearers the Elements have had, so even when proxied or Born by another group they are still connected to the Mane 6, who I will henceforth call 'The Original Bearers' (or if I'm short on time 'TOB', or 'The OB'. Not a good acronym by any means, but it's the best I can do).
This and more is what floats around in my head after reading this chapter. Great job Shar, for giving me some food for thought. Now it's time to try to slog through The Scarlet Letter. Joy.
Hobey ho, let's go.
-Mane6
P.S. I use a lot of commas, don't I?
3231058
On point number two, I thought spike was telling cash that the elements were not what he thought they were. Maybe rereading that bit in the morning will change my interpretation.
As for your last point, wrt umbra, I am definitely getting the vibe that she doesn't necessarily want to end the world. In fact, my initial thought there was that she desires to be unmade.
3230317 Based on:
I suspect that I was incorrect I guessing Twinkle to be Twilight, it doesn't make sense that Spike would refer to her by name like that if it was actually a conversation with her. Still, I don't buy the researcher explanation. If she's been working on this plan for 800 years, she might as well be a thousand years old instead of just 800.
YAY update! ... So guess the theory about death and negating elemental power with it's opposites. Also Cash is gonna die realising the element of magic... Or no that's probably Star but considering he said he would die...
Some interesting developments in this chapter, but first of all, Spike is still alive!
The fact that the elements change for Proxy bearers seems to suggest that Cash isn't actually proxy for the elements, supported by the power boost Charisma got. This means he is somehow using their powers without being connected to them. Then there is both Spike saying that the Elements aren't what he thinks they are, and Nightmare Umbra saying he doesn't know what powers he's messing with. However, given his reply to Spike, I think there may be a possibility of a more worrying thing, he does know what he's doing, and he's doing it anyway. His statement that he is going to die makes me suspect that he might be planning on sacrificing himself to release the element of magic. If this is the case, it raises the question of why he is doing this, seeing as he won't be around to benefit from any results.
As for Nightmare Umbra and Twinkle Shine, my current theory is that they are both fragments of Twilight, but not the whole thing. Spike's involvement with them makes me suspect that their overall intentions are good, although he doesn't seem to agree with them completely. As for his involvement with the plan, my theory is that he is not directly involved and does not fully support it, but is willing to help with parts in which they share a mutual interest, such as stopping Cash.
Rarity has arrived. It will be interesting to see how her memories match up to RD's and AJ's, and how she reacts to finding out about the situation, and also how Spike reacts to her.
So the plot thickens!! That bit between Spike and the Professor was unexpected and totally awesome.
Loved it. 
And I have to say that little bit with RD at the end where she was waiting for Rarity.
3231067
Oh, Max Cash totally is the main villain. Umbra is bad, or at least terribly destructive and dangerous, but Cash is both totally crazy and very, very evil.
So... Umbra's a good guy, but, like, not quite. Twinkle's good, and she's kinda working with Umbra towards a common goal, and even Spike's on their team, which sort of makes Umbra good, but Umbra will still destroy the world if the goal fails, and that's not nice...
Blargh! Webs within webs within webs!
One thing I'm at least somewhat sure of is that the original cataclysm (whatever the name for it was), was caused by Spike and Twilight attempting something that the world "wasn't ready for". They failed in whatever it was, resulting in Umbra appearing and going all "Umbra smash!" on... well, everything.
Since Twinkle wants to try to do the same thing, it's reasonable to think that Twinkle is literally Twilight Sparkle. Her being Nightmare'd into Umbra would explain why she's still alive.
(Side note: Her mention of Scootaloo is practically proof that she was at least around back then, even if she wasn't Twilight.)
So that's one thing supposedly figured out for certain. Max and his motivations, on the other hand... I'm not even going to attempt that just yet.
)
(Side note: He's still discord
3232047
I think you're right, I think Spike was referring the Elements, and not the bearers. Good eyes.
Someone already posted a theory stating the future Dash and AJ were constructed by the Elements using a piece of the originals' souls.
That theory is making sense to me now, especially with the keyword 'piece'. The term 'soul' can refer to an accumulation of knowledge, sensations, and memories experienced throughout one's life. The fact that future Dash & AJ have incomplete memories supports this theory which, if true, means the Elements used their souls gained up until their memories stop which, interestingly, are both after falling asleep in preparation of events from the show. Anyway, Spike's reaction to learning his statues are coming alive will help immensely with determining how far his awareness of the situation extends.
On a completely unrelated note, Rarity is best pony.
And I'm SOOO looking forward to seeing her experience futureshock. 
3231058 As I recall, the guy Max killed to get Loyalty was known for being a double-crosser, and Conrad, the guy Max killed to get Honesty, was a pathological liar. This seems to suggest that the sacrificed being must represent the inverse if the Element's trait.
3235025
Conrad! That's right. That's who he killed to get Honesty. I think you're right, this is out it went. Makes me wonder who he intends to sacrifice for Kindness, Laughter, and Magic...
3235182 I have a suspicion the inverse sacrifice of Kindness is going to be Charisma...
It's also possible that Max intends to sacrifice himself for Magic, the inverse of which is Magic. As for the inverse of Laughter (Anger), I have no clue.
3229854
Yeah. They need to separate Charisma from him and then stealthily stab him in the back/chop off his horn. I wonder how he'd feel about being crushed by a boulder.
I'm guessing Rarity actually being the statue had something to do with the magic securing the element of generosity.
3229557 I think Umbra is Twilight. The end of the 'first era', was a spell gone wrong it seems.
Notice the key wording. "For If The Power Of Friendship". Sounds a lot like Twilight. Also with the little hints given at the beginning of each chapter, I think the Elements are evil, so Cash collecting them and using them as he is, I think he is going to kill everything, while Twilight wanted to destroy or get rid of them, and it backfired.
you just HAD to end it as rarity showed up... i DEMAND the next chapter to be posted in the next 3 weeks
you cant leave me on such a cliff hanger
The story has been generally well-written so far, but... (Time for spoiler tags, just in case.)
Max Cash is a big exception to that. He is rapidly becoming completely unbelievable just as a character in general, let alone as a bad guy. Everyone fails and makes mistakes occasionally, so he needs to also. Otherwise, he simply won't make for a good, well-written character.
And just in case anyone thinks to bring this up, no, Max Cash eventually losing in the end wouldn't be enough if that were his only failure. In fact, it wouldn't even make sense. For a character to be the perfect planner and manipulator, have everything go exactly as he intended for the entire story, and yet still lose in the end is simply not good writing. Occasionally, he needs to fail to obtain the elements of harmony, or lose the ones he's already gotten, or something like that. And it has to be an actual failure, rather than a sneaky plan where he's playing 11th dimensional chess and still manipulating everyone like a master.
3235977
I don't think they're evil, just perhaps too easy too misuse.
3237825
This would have been better if Charisma had actually suffered some damage/burns. Granted that it might have become a problem later? I feel like it was intimated that Ashfire has long-term effects, but I can't remember. It would also have given her more reason to be pissed off with Umbra. I concur completely on that second bit. Cash is a villain overdone. If he never fails at all and/or can't fail what is the point?
3238115
Well, if I remember right, off the top of my head, one of the big warnings Twilight gives is to not use them. The universe has rules, laws, walls built around it that define it, and every use of the Elements breaks those rules, laws, and walls, doing unimaginable and unrepairable damage.
Sounds evil to me.
Edit: Stuff to support my theory!
And a big final one
Its been said before for this and many other stories, but for no other story is it as true:
This story needs waaay more views and thumbs
Keep up the great work, and please... Update more often,
oras ill track you down to throw money at you