“It is the deep breath before the plunge”
-Gandalf, The Return of the King
"Stop moving so much," Twilight snapped in annoyance, her hoof glowing a soft white as she gently ran it along her brother’s brow. The magic seeped from her foreleg like syrup, flowing along the white stallion's face and filling his veins with vitality. "Shining, I swear you are acting like a foal! No, worse than a foal… a foal might actually listen to me.”
“Thanks Twilight,” Shining said.
“No need to be sarcastic.”
“I wasn’t being sarcastic… thanks Twilight.”
Even after she had used her magic to heal him Twilight had found her brother dangerously underweight. She'd been ready to teleport them someplace safe when Shining had knocked her horn with his hoof, shaking his head furiously as she and Spike stared at him.
"I'll explain when we are hidden...” he’d told them, “but you can't risk teleporting, not unless it is getting us farther away and even then I wouldn't risk it."
He'd refused to go on in further detail and Twilight had huffed before lifting him onto her back and galloping towards an inn she had spotted a few miles back.
Now they were safely secured in a room, Shining taking the bed while Spike kept watch out the window. While the starry alicorn knew that the guards that had beaten her brother were gone she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that there wouldn’t be more coming. Twilight had set herself up as a nurse and was trying to get her brother healed, despite his warnings about magic.
"Twilight... Twilight you need to forget about me. Now that you are here the mission is all that matters."
"Shining, I don't know what this so-called mission is but it is not more important than you. Not to me, anyway.”
“I thought you hated me,” Shining said softly.
Twilight shook her head. “I’ve grown up a lot, Shining. Discovered new things and… well, it doesn’t matter at the moment but I’m not angry anymore. I will be if you keep shifting though, so be good and just lie there, ok?"
The stallion closed his eyes, his body tense as Twilight worked her magic. "This isn't the right course."
"It is the one I have chosen, big brother, and I am the one with the strength and endurance here." She smirked slightly, pressing him down against the bed. "Even without the whole alicorn thing I don't think you have the strength to make me do anything I don't want."
"You do remember your siblings, right?" Spike said, gagging slightly at the sight of Twilight practically straddling her brother.
Twilight and Shining rolled their eyes. "Hush up, Spike," the two both said.
"Yeah yeah..." Spike grumped, turning back to the window.
"Shining, what the hay happened?" Twilight asked as she began working on restoring some of his muscle mass. "Did Discord escape or something?"
"No... I wish it were Discord. We stood a chance again him." Shining settled again the bed, letting his little sister work her magic. “I wonder what would happen if he was here… some of us even discussed letting him out, to fight fire with fire… but I was worried that he’d be amplified like the rest and then we’d be in trouble.”
"Shining…. what happened?"
"You aren't going to like it."
"I do not like it right now, so you might as well make it worse," Twilight stated with a huff.
"Alright." Shining yawned; the stress of the day was getting to him. "It all started... maybe a week after you left? It's hard to remember... feels longer than that and yet shorter... you know what I mean?" He took several deep breaths and Twilight could see her brother's heart beating rapidly in his chest. "It wasn't like a bang or anything... I think that's why we weren't prepared. If it had happened suddenly, without warning, we could have managed. But it was more insidious. It was like the changeling attack; it was subtle and silent and the master stroke didn't fall until it was too late. None of us had time to react and we all paid the price."
"Shining... what happened?" Twilight urged.
"Your friends... they were going about their lives like normal. After you left, I mean. We all kinda took it hard but they were the best of the group. They just kept reminding us that you needed to leave to get your head on straight and that you’d come back and they looked forward to it. It was hard to doubt them when all five of them were looking at us with their wide eyes and cheerful smiles.
“ The princesses and I got letters from them and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They would talk about what they learned about friendship and what they were doing… occasionally they would talk about missing you.” Shining, despite himself, smiled. “They also talked about other friends that they had suffered falling outs with and how they wanted to make it right. I think you had more of an affect on them then you realized with your whole vacation, Twiley.
“One day Fluttershy wrote and asked if they could come and look at the Elements of Harmony. She was real sweet about it, saying if we were busy they could wait but... but your friends had decided to look into the Elements, after what happened with Doubt. Celestia agreed, of course; I think she was trying to make things right after the way you two parted and she was hoping for some brownie points." Shining chuckled when he saw his sister's scowl. "Yeah, sounds funny to me too but that was my impression."
Shining reached over, grasping a glass of water between his hooves and taking a long drought. Droplets ran down his chin and onto his chest but he showed no sign of noticing or caring. Now that he had begun his tale it was like a runaway wagon and there was no way to stop it till it came crashing down.
"I first realized something was wrong when they appeared in court. They looked... different. It's hard to describe... there was a maturity about them. I know they are fully grown mares but still... it was like they had truly become adults. An innocence was gone from them, liked they’d lived a lifetime. They were still polite and kind but something was off. I wish I had pressed them more but... but I guess there isn't much I can do about that now, right?
"Princess Celestia greeted them warmly enough and I was barely paying attention. The whole court was there and we all assumed it would be a quick meeting and then Celestia would begin with the normal activities of the day. Except Applejack cleared her throat and told the princess that the five of them had been thinking about things. Bad things. Mistakes and wrongs and things that had been done that hurt Equestria. She spoke about Nightmare Moon and Discord and the changelings and Doubt and some things that I don't even get but it seemed to leave Celestia shaken...
~49 Days Ago...~
Celestia stared at the farmer, trying to maintain the veneer of nobility and grace. "My little ponies... why do you bring up such things?"
Applejack’s face was as hard as a plow’s blade and her gaze could have cut through stone. When she spoke it was with all the brutality of a war club smashing into a face. "Because we realize that all of them can be laid at your hooves, Princess, and the hooves of your sister. The two of you have caused so much pain and suffering these last 1000 years and the five of us believe that such faults must be corrected, swiftly and with precision."
Celestia shook her head. "Applejack, all ponies have faults, even you. I am not different than any of you... and I have paid the price for them."
"You are wrong, Princess," Rainbow Dash said, moving to stand beside Applejack. The others joined the two, the same look of resolve on their faces. "You are nothing like us..."
There was a great crash as if a bolt of thunder had cracked through the air above their heads. The light was blinding and ponies cried out in shock, shielding their eyes against the brilliant glow that invaded their line of sight. None were immune to its effects, not even the princesses. Celestia and Luna, controls of the sun and moon, fell back against the intensity of the light.
And as swiftly as it had come it ended... and in the fading illumination it became clear that the five friends had been affected as well... but not as any would have suspected.
Where once had stood five average size mares there were now grand alicorns, each radiating with power and dignity. All that saw them found they could only stare for a moment, for the beauty of the five was so awe-inspiring that they could not bear it. And as they looked away they looked upon themselves and were ashamed of their ugliness and fell to their bellies and wept.
"Please... there is no need for tears," Fluttershy said softly, her long pink hair billowing out like great curtains caught in a breeze. "This is not the time for sadness or despair. So... please stop."
Pinkie Pie bounced foward, her grin so large it was hard to image how she managed to maintain it. "That's right, you sobby sobs! Today is a wonderful day! Don't worry... we'll have you laughing and cheering soon enough!"
Luna, who had remained silent for all this time, slowly inched her head up so she could stare at the five mares. "What... what have you done?"
"Hey, we've done nothing that wasn't needed to be done!" Rainbow Dash declared proudly, puffing out her chest. "We figured that Twilight had the right idea... even if she did it for the wrong reasons!"
"Twilight allowed herself to be corrupted by Doubt and now thinks only of herself," Rarity stated nobly. "But we forgive her... it is not her fault. We all played a part in her fall and when she returns we will save her and make her like us.” The fashionista leveled a cool gaze upon the sisters. “Still... though the ends are tainted the means by which she went about them held merit."
Applejack nodded and her newly formed horn flared. The crowd gasped as the five elements appeared around their necks, flashing in sequence before they transformed into royal jewelry. Each of the new alicorns now wore a gold crown, necklace and shoes; all of these bore their cutie mark upon them.
"For far too long all of you in Equestria have suffered! Suffered because you have not had the right guiding hoof lead you into the light. But that time is now over!" Applejack rose in the air, as did her four friends, addressing the crowd. "We, the remaining Elements of Harmony, declare that we shall take our rightful places as rulers of Equestria!"
Celestia and Luna step forward, their eyes dark and heads held high. The solar princess stared up the five alicorns and spoke. “Girls… your ideas are noble but your methods are foolish. If you want to enact change then do so in your towns and neighborhood. But to come here and make such a declaration… it speaks of just how little you truly know.”
“Change must come and it must be swift… and that change must start with you.” Applejack took a challenging step forward. “Stand down or we will make you stand down.”
“Don’t make us hurt you, please,” Fluttershy pleaded.
“You will try,” Luna said, charging her magic.
~MC~MC~MC~
“I’ve never seen a battle like that, Twiley. Never.” Shining swallowed, his tongue working along his chapped lips. His gaze was elsewhere as he remembered that terrible day, the memory of those sounds of battle echoing through his ears. “You… you can not image what it was like to witness it. Nightmare Moon was nothing compared to that… Discord was terrible beyond measure and yet with him it was not as frightening. And the changelings… I’ve always thought that would be the worst day of my life, the day I lost you and nearly lost Cadence. And yet… and yet that day, Twiley… that day was the worst.”
“What happened?” Spike asked.
“War,” the captain said. “War happened.”
One of the things this story will explore is how grand ideas can be twisted and corrupted and become horrible, horrible things. The girls have good points, and in their hearts they believe they are going to do the right thing... but already we can see that the power has affected them and is leading them to perform actions that will not end well.
Some will cry out that this is all so sudden. I will counter and say that is the point. It was sudden and it was startling and as the story goes on I will rewind the clock and you will all see how the girls got the power to be alicorns and how they arrived at this decision. There is more at play here than you can possibly imagine.
I decided to use the term amplify as one of the terms to describe having the queens brainwash a pony and make them a zealot. It is similar to being Discorded and yet the opposite: one of the five elements in a pony is brought out to the point that it is that pony's defining trait and causes them to act as they normally wouldn't.
Glad to see how they saw Twilight during her period of time. I'm actually getting pretty interested by the development of the 5 elements.
Though I'm curious as to how one of the five elements is chosen within a pony, is it their defining trait, as if they were loyal but became far more loyal? Do they force the weakest to become the strongest,Someone a bit greedy becomes far generous? Or is it a random chance brought forth by who does the "amplification"
This is kinda like the Illusive Man from Mass Effect... how he says he's doing things for humanity but his actions (manipulated by Reaper Indoctrination) has lead to humanity nearly being extinct...
[youtube=s4s7yVnfaQ4]
Oh yes, we've all heard where good intentions lead.
Verry intereshting.
There seems to be some sort of logic jump or disconnect though. They say they approve of what Twilight did, which was to distance herself from everything. She didn't set out to conquer. Plus, are they all completely forgetting the redemption of Doubt into Faith? Yes, Twilight needed to get her head on, but I'm having a very hard time connecting her actions, to the inspiration the 5 are claiming.
The other abstracts too seem to have completely ignored the fact that Faith is around, redeemed and if not, everything returning to normal, at least in a good place. I can see them blaming Celestia for the troubles Equestria's gone through though.
1583180
The disconnect is on purpose and will be a big plot point. Something is going on that is shading history and memories different than they are.
Just as Faith and Doubt's main shown us that Dark is no Evil, The Abundance will defiently show us that Light is no Good, I'll be lookinf forward for the next update
1583185 - Ahh... ok, well then I guess I'll have to wait and see. I guess this feeds into Luna's little vision.
1583185
Something or Someone is playing manipulator
Well, the road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions. You have to wonder who or what has the power to corrupt the bearers and the abstract to turn into Well-Intentioned Extremist... Unfortunately selective hearing\memories are far to common in this types of stories for this type or characters, can only hope you don't disappoint this time, then again you pulled off Faith and Doubt I can give you the benefit of the doubt...
1570862 *spits out his tea*
What dafuq is that?!
*falls out of his chair*
Good intentions,
Bad course of action...
Awesome chapter as always mr. Author sir :3
1583187
Ever played Kingdom Hearts?
This is amazing, but I noticed some your/you're mixups in these chapters, along with some other grammatical hiccups. Did you lose proofreaders in the story transition?
Also, how have people already forgotten the scene in the final chapter of Faith and Doubt, which you neatly recapped in the first chapter, where the other Elements don't realize that Faith was reborn?
1583256
The Mane 5 refer to Faith as Doubt... so the likely hood that their memories and common sense has been tampered with is pretty high
Nice chapter and eager to see how this will play out.
1583256
Pretty much, yeah. No offense to those that were helping me, but they went radio silent for a time, so I am just proofing it on my own.
If you find mistakes, PM me or let me know and I will correct. As long as you are polite about it I will be thankful.
A quick thanks to all of you, as The Abundance is now featured! The Many Origins of Scootaloo, God Squad, Faith and Doubt, and now The Abundance... thank you for enjoying!
So how did Shining Armor become "dangerously underweight" in less than 2 months?
im looking forward to seeing how this will play out, right now i get the feeling that twi will find celestia and luna and join them in the fight (not that straight forward of course, but you get the point), but considering who you are and what you've said; im not so sure. i wonder how "brainwashed" the girls are and where the princesses are now. im also kinda looking forward to seeing celestia talk to twi again!
and btw; where is faith? wasn't he supposed to be with twi?
1583283
Have you ever gone without food for a while? It doesn't take long... your body begins to litterally eat itself in an attempt to save itself. And that is assuming you don't move around... Shining has obviously been on the run.
1583297
Faith is around. Now that Twilight is strong physically and mentally he doesn't need to be around her at all times. He drifts in and out, coming when she needs him and then scurrying to other projects and plans when she doesn't
1583309
oh, i was a little confounded there for a while
Good intentions, wrong reasons, and wrong methods. I guess war really does never change.
1583180
And you certain they are the actual mane six? Remember the cut with the Elements...
1583241 Eenope, Never, Ever Played Kingdom Hearts, however I am not stranger to those concepts... good thing that those are also tropes
1583346 They probably are, but the Elements might be influencing/possessing them or something... this looks like the dark side of CyborgSamurai's The Powers of Harmony. As such... / (both at once), ... in other words, the animal hair has been shredded by the rotating ventiilators and threatens to choke Equestria with air pollution unless Twilight, Faith, and "Shiny" can find a way to solve this problem...
Great conflict setup, defender!
1583217
Interesting Trope there. Gotta take a look at it.
1583375
That was exactly what I was reffering to.
One of the few things that can drive me to anger is a zealot who belives the harm they are doing is for the greater good and are blinded to the suffering they cause and that there is no point in a greater good if people are hurt on the way there.
And this isnt just any anger, but a blind bloodthirsty rage. It is one of my few buttons that could drive me to harm someone, and you just pushed it.
Carry on
1574612 Darn it, why'd you have to go and tell me that? I spent the entire game wanting to throttle the protagonist. >.<
Once again.....
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbpiszWWHw1r05905o1_400.jpg
1570716 Dude, best meme ever.
weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/shit-just-got-real.jpg
Now
meh.ro/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/meh.ro6394.jpg
And I thought WandererD's idea of sic'ing four nightmares on Equestria was a major "oh shit" moment but this...
Oh yeah. :D
War so fast, wow, those elements realy not waste time when they do not waste time, but I quess when they were watching and not doing much for hundreds of years, they kind of try to pay up for it by rushing into action ASAP.
Still it suprice me that elements do not see that they actions are like Discord ones, how can Laught watch how her army is maknig ponies sad, how can Kindness ignore how her army is hurting and killing, how can Generousity tolerate when her soldiers are stealing resources for war, and how can Loyality withstand leading soldiers who under her magic betrayed they own country and comrades, as for honestly, I got nothink yet, but still those elements practicaly go again thamself to accomplish they goals, at this rate soon they will start blaming one another, for example Kindness can get angry that Loyality forces were killing instead of capturing enemys, somethink like that.
ANyway I m looking foward to this story, especialy Twilight and Princesses reunite.
Awesome
Also epic fight coming possibly?
You know what they say.. War... War never changes
Twilight just can't leave the elements alone for five minutes, can she?
1583206 I am guessing its the Personification of Order but thats my guess and that is if someone is actuly pullling the stringes to these puppits.
another chapter...abit low on feeding and information in my mind but I'll have to wait for the next THRILLING INSTALLMENT OF THE ABUNDANCE!
May a gentle breeze guide you home and a warm smile to keep you from sorrows cold.
1584275 Only Ze Major does war better than anyone else.
hey defender i have 1 question do you write these like as soon as you put 1 chapter up or you are already several chapters ahead and posting just a few?
1584091
Is it not kindness that lets volunteer nurses watch addicts suffering withdrawl, making them physically comfortable while they suffer intense, easily curable agony? Is it not a kindness to break and reset a bone, so the patient can resume life with full use of it?
Is it not honesty that destroys the foundations of society, which is constructed from social niceties and white lies? Many honest people use their honesty as a weapon, dealing both blunt and piercing remarks.
Can't laughter be derived from schadenfreude? If you just want to make people laugh, why not magically replicate Joker gas, or it's effects? Everyone would be smiling and laughing all day long!
Generosity is giving of something you have, usually to those who need it. If you feel that people are lacking in purpose, and need the solution you are helping with, it's almost the definition to generosity to donate your time and money to make it easier for people to help themselves and become better for it, with virtually no reward besides the satisfaction of a job well done, and happier people.
Loyalty to a greater cause usually necessitates sacrifices, both to the upholder and of those who "selfishly" defend the old ways. It's easy to use the phrase "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" to justify virtually anything in the name of a glorious cause.
After all, don't the ends often justify the means? "Well, it's a shame we slaughtered a bunch of innocents. At least we now have complete control over the weather!" And so past mistakes are glossed over, and eventually forgotten.
Yes, I realize that these are all poking strawmen, and you make some valid points, but that's the thing. The Elements are fixing a problem that doesn't exist anymore. But they're sticking to it, ignoring the facts that contradict them.
(And I feel my generosity argument is the weakest. Thoughts?)
Equestria should certainly hope that the element of Faith doesn't join the ranks of the queens. Out of all the elements, blind extremist faith is the most powerful. History is stained with the blood of those who fought and died for faith. Whether it be in a person, religion, or ideal.
1584444
Well, I m just worried that elements are taking extreme actions to fast, I was hoping that what they represents will slow tham down or make tham angry on one another, I did not expected that they will start war and take almost all of Equestria in 1 month.
1583663
you haven't answered my question, what have got against Alicorns?
if all you can say is that the story concepts is 'cliched and silly' then your opinionated 'criticism' is weak and makes you look contrarian for the sake of it...
1584700
They're a very annoying plot device. If the story has alicorns, then SUDDENLY everyone has to pay attention to it because alicorns are oh so important. And forgive me for rolling my eyes at the mention of the word, but I've been bitten too many times by bad Alicorn stories. Whenever alicorn happens, stories usually plummet because they have uninteresting personalities and deus ex abilities. I've seen so many half baked, asinine...yeah. I have a grudge. You got me. But I'm not one to judge a fic before I've read it. I'm holding out for this one being good because the author writes well. He does have knack for putting interesting twists on things, and I hope he does the same here.
God damn it girls using the elements as weapons is well
closes thing I could find to describe it
Damn, the elements don't fuck around that's for sure.
i don't see the queens beating twilight in a magic fight anytime soon because for one thing twilight in her unicorn form was almost just as powerful as Celestia now that she is an alicorn her power has doubled making her the most powerful alicorn to ever exist not to mention the fact that she also has faith on her side so the five against two thing gets completely blow out when it comes to a magic fight. now i can see them beating her in a physical fight, that sounds more practical. one more thing i forgot to mention to those who are asking about Celestia and Luna and wondering where they are i can probably give the best guesses in saying they are either turned to stone or they are in hiding, liking their wounds and preparing a plan but i would probably lean on the latter. great story so far look forward to more chapters.
Did...did they kill Celestia and Luna?