//------------------------------//
// 22 - EVERY DAY COUNTS 
// Story: Mantles 
// by Ponky 
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CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
EVERY DAY COUNTS


“I-I don’t understand.” Razorwing touched the blue stone around his neck. “Element of Laughter? I don’t deserve this.”

Twilight smiled gently. “Do you make your friends laugh?”

“He makes me laugh,” Spritemare said.

Twilight nodded. “Then you deserve it.”

“Loyalty…” Spritemare said, stroking her own necklace. “I don’t feel very loyal.”

“You were the first to ask us for help,” said Razorwing, “and didn’t hesitate to fly all the way from Manehattan to help me with Falcon. That’s loyalty to me.”

Spritemare took off her mask and smiled at him.

“And you, big guy?” Razorwing asked, turning to Harness. “What’d you get, the Element of Beefiness?”

“Kindness,” said Twilight.

Razorwing snorted. “Psshh. Figures.”

“I am honored,” said Harness, bowing his head.

“So I got Generosity?” asked Facetfire. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Sometimes we must earn what we are given,” said Twilight. “My friends and I often strayed from the Elements we bore, but that only made the lessons we learned more meaningful in the end.”

“You kept Magic, I see,” said Razorwing, staring at Twilight’s crown. “Which leaves….”

All eyes turned to Apple Bloom, sporting an orange gem.

“Honesty,” she said flatly. “Must run in the family.”

“You told a difficult truth today, Apple Bloom,” said Twilight. “Without it, I may never have realized the error of my ways. You deserve that Element most of all. Thank you.”

Apple Bloom blinked away tears. “So what now? You’re good again, just like that?”

“I have much to learn,” said Twilight, “and much to sort out. Many of us have blood on our hooves.” She glanced painfully at Synapse’s body in the center of the throne room. “And there are many lives to honor. At the very least, you have reminded me of who I am and what Equestria needs. Perhaps you would even be generous enough to help me further.”

“Is that aimed at me?” Facetfire asked. “Or is it more of a group question?”

“Equestria needs to heal,” Harness said. “Having a strong leader will help, but it won’t go back to the way it was overnight.”

“It will never be exactly as it was,” Twilight said sadly.

“But we’re here,” said Spritemare. “And now we’re on the same page. You’ll help us make Equestria well again, Princess?”

Twilight looked to Apple Bloom. “Will Mare Do Well?” she asked in return.

Apple Bloom felt like she was going to vomit. Pinkie’s blue eyes wouldn’t leave her mind. She couldn’t look at anypony. “I’ll… I’ll try,” she said, unable to stop more tears from falling.

Twilight nodded, her expression solemn. “So will I. Even after all of you have gone, I will remember what you’ve done for me today.” She looked longingly at the throne. “My life is newly dedicated. I will prepare the world for the return of the Princesses.”

“Whoa. For a thousand years?” asked Razorwing.

“A little less than that, now.” Twilight sighed. “Every day counts.”

Apple Bloom nodded at that. She wiped her tears away and stood a little taller. “Let’s start with somethin’ simple, then. Mending fences, I guess you’d call it.”

Twilight winced. “Oh no. Is Applejack outside?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No. We’ll both have to get to that eventually. For now, you’ve got a surprise waitin’ for ya outside. A very big surprise.”

Twilight’s magic carefully lifted Synapse from the floor and laid him over Harness’ back. The Elements of Harmony left the throne room side by side in hopeful silence, ready—or nearly ready—for all of the changes their futures yet held.