Finding the Path
“This new armor is cool looking and all, but I wonder what else I can do.” Rainbow Dash said. “I felt stronger in that fight earlier, but I haven’t been able to do anything like Rarity’s or Fluttershy’s magic.
“Well, it looks to me sugarcube, that all yer pretty much doin is swingin that sword of yers around how like Ah am with mah ax.” Applejack said.
Aside from Kain and Rarity, the group had made their way to the main room of the library. Rainbow Dash looked over her friends, wondering what kinds of powers they’d received.
“AJ and I are wearing armor, so I guess it means we’ll be doing the dangerous fighting. Oh, and Kain too.” Rainbow Dash said. “ It’s just weird that I didn’t get anything like Kain’s ability to jump in the air and crash down.”
“Ya can already fly.” Applejack said, deadpanning.
“Oh, right. I mean, there’s gotta be something different you feel, right AJ?” Rainbow dash asked.
“Apart from this here armor,” Applejack said. “Ah don’t feel all that much different.”
“Well, the tree did call you a fighter, so maybe it means you can fight…better now?” Rainbow Dash said, offering ideas.
“Ya mean like with mah ax?” Applejack said. “Hadn’t really thought about it, but I really never used one for fightin, only the chores around the farm.”
Applejack brandished her weapon and gave it a look over. “It actually felt kinda natural using it. What about you Rainbow Dash? Ever swing a sword before?”
Rainbow Dash was taken aback. “Well I did practice a few times when I was given Canterburn.”
“So ya don’t know how to use a sword?” Applejack said.
“Well, no.” Rainbow Dash said, looking at her sheathed sword. “But hey, how about we spar a bit and see if we’ve really got new skills?”
“I’d rather not have you tear my library apart.” Twilight said. “We’ve got more important things to worry about.”
“Ugh, I really missed out on everything, didn’t I?” Spike said, entering the room.
“You do bring up an interesting point though Rainbow.” Twilight said. “We really don’t know how much of an affect the tree had on us. But what we should do is focus on what we can do right now. Spike, I’m going to need to research all the important points of leyline energies.”
“I was about to put those books that you’d been looking over the past few days.” Spike said. “But they’re still on the table.”
“Excellent.” Twilight said. “From here we should be able to discern any areas that have large quantities of magic. I’m sure these, what were they called again?”
“Eidolons.” Kain said, returning to the group with Rarity. “It was a word I have not heard for a long time.” He took off his helmet and put it at the corner of the table.
“I recall that in my world, they were great spirits and beasts who resided in a hidden realm.” Kain said. “A comrade of mine had the power to make pacts with them and summon them with magic.”
“That doesn’t sound like what we’re looking for.” Twilight said. “At least the summoning part. The only studies we have of invisible realms are like the fey realm where those tiny breezies live.”
“Indeed.” Kain said. “Of the gifts the tree bestowed, none were of the powers of a summoner. These eidolons sound like powerful allies however, and they are said to have affiliations with elements of sorts.”
“Kain, is there anything else you can tell us about eidolons?” Twilight asked.
“I’m afraid not, the summoner I knew, Rydia, did not willingly speak with me often.” Kain said.
“Oh? Why not?” Twilight asked.
“It’s a complicated matter for another time.” Kain said.
“Was it because of your dark self?” Rarity asked.
“No, it was more of an accident, but something I’m still regretful of.” Kain said.
Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were in the main central room of the library planning out what they were going to do next. The hour was late, so Twilight had sent Spike to bed.
“So what are we supposed to do Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“I really don’t know Applejack.” Twilight replied, looking through at the latest books she’d cracked open.
“It’d be really nice if we got more than a message to ‘find some special ponies’ out there.” Applejack said. “Somethin useful, like a map.”
“As it was, it looked like the tree of harmony used a great deal of energy to help us.” Twilight said. “It’s up to us now to finish what’s been placed in our hooves.”
“Didn’t the tree say that the eidolons would be closely related the elements of?” Fluttershy asked timidly. “I mean, wouldn’t they be like our elements?”
“What kind of elements did it mean anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked. “All I remember it saying was stuff like fire, wind, and some others. Not loyalty or kindness.”
“You’re right, Rainbow.” Twilight said. She moved over to a chalk board that had notes written and began to write more upon the unused section. “Let’s see, we’ve got fire, water, wind, and earth. The classical elements in magic.” She used her magic to tint the chalk differently as she began to write down the elements.
“But the tree also mentioned light, shadow, ice, and storm.” Twilight said, continuing her notes and adding doodled symbols for each element.
“Water?” Applejack asked. “Does that mean we have to search the ocean as well as every other nook and cranny in Equestria?”
“What about air?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That’s gotta mean the eidolon is a pegasus right?”
“There are other creatures in the air Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said.
“The tree did say to seek out individuals rather than ponies.” Twilight said.
“Ooh! So maybe the eidolon is a griffon, or a parasprite, or a dragon!” Pinkie Pie said.
“But wouldn’t a dragon be better known for all that fire breathin they do?” Applejack asked. “Y’know, like the one Fluttershy asked to leave?”
There was a break in movement from everything around Rainbow Dash. She’d seen things slow down around her when she was filled with adrenaline for a race, but this felt different. It felt like she had a flashback of some sort, and she’d been hit with one of Twilight’s spells.
“Whoa…” Rainbow Dash said.
“What is it Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked.
“That’s funny.” Rainbow Dash said. “Everything felt weird all of a sudden.”
Twilight’s ears perked and she lifted into the air and down in front of Rainbow Dash. “What kind of weird?” she asked.
“I dunno, like somepony behind me let out some thunderbolt behind me.” Rainbow Dash said. “Right at the time you all started talking about dragons.”
“Can we please not mention them anymore?” Fluttershy asked. “I still can’t forget about the one that blew all of the smoke near Ponyville.”
Another pulse.
Rainbow Dash’s head jerked up, but no one else seemed to sense the energy. “Please tell me you felt that, right?” she asked.
“Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said. “I want you to concentrate again on that dragon.”
“Okay.” Rainbow Dash said.
////
She recalled the event when she and the others first went up to the mountains near Ponyville to deal with the dragon. Flashbacks of each of the mare’s attempts to “persuade” the dragon unfolded. As Rainbow Dash relived her own direct, but unsuccessful approach, she focused on the dragon.
The scenery around faded into blackness; both she and the dragon retracted from the stances they held and Rainbow Dash found herself flying idly as she stared at the great beast, and it looked at her.
The dragon began to glow with a red aura and soon the both of them were above the cave in which the confrontation had taken place. Rainbow Dash was puzzled at first, but then noted the activity occurring below.
She heard Fluttershy scolding the dragon and saw herself and the others in the background. Then the copy of the dragon below lifted into the air between Rainbow Dash and the glowing dragon in front of her.
The dragon from the flashback took flight and headed west, and a stream of smoke followed in its wake. Rainbow Dash looked at dragon that was floating in the air with her, the one that part of this crazy dream she was having.
The dragon flew over a swamp-like area with fire erupting form the distance. It then landed in a mountainous area nearby.
“Wait a second, are you like the eidolon of fire?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Rainbow Dash.” A voice pierced her mind. “Are you okay?” it sounded loud, but muffled. It was Twilight.
Rainbow Dash then realized her friends were calling out to her from the waking world. “Wait! I didn’t get your name!” she cried out just before finding herself back in the library with everypony else.
////
“Are you okay?” Twilight asked.
“You were just standing there, we were getting worried.”Fluttershy said.
“Whatever did happen to you Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked
“I think I know where to find the first eidolon.” Rainbow Dash said. “That dragon is probably the ‘somepony’ we need to find, and he just showed me the way!” She buffed a hoof against her chest. “Well, I guess that takes care of one eidolon, I’ll just fly out there and be done-“
“Now just hold on there girl.” Applejack said. “Do ya even know where this dragon is?”
“Uh, not really. “ Rainbow Dash said. “All I saw was the dragon flying away from me at the cave where we met him. He kept going over some area that looked like it was on fire, but it wasn’t a volcano, it was on the ground”
“Huh, that sounds like the swamps near where I sell to the Cajun ponies.” Applejack said. “There’s a mountain area near there. Ah reckon that the dragon is probably somewhere there.”
“It doesn’t sound like a good idea to be headed there all by yourself Rainbow Dash.” Rarity said.
“So why don’t we instead,” Twilight said. “try to form a plan.” Besides, I don’t think it would be wise for all of us to head out to one location, we need to be searching for the other eidolons.” She moved over to a map on the table. “Something tells me that we don’t have the luxury of time.”
“But Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “You’ve just stopped Rainbow Dash from leaving, does that mean we’re going to go our own ways?”
“Yes and no.” Twilight said. “There’s enough of us to divide our efforts into two groups of four and three.”
“We’ve always gone on these adventures together.” Fluttershy
Twilight put a foreleg on her friend. “Even if we aren’t together, our friendship still means something. Even a few of us can help each other.”
She turned to the others. “Besides, we don’t have the elements of harmony with us anymore, so it’s not like all six bearers have to be together.”
Fluttershy remained apprehensive for a moment before regaining her composure.
“The point is, we’ve been through a lot together, but I think that the truest test of our friendship will be how we overcome this journey separately.” Twilight said.
“Ah don’t know Twilight,” Applejack said. “Ah can think of a few times we spent in mazes or caves…”
Like a burst of energy from a source unknown, Applejack felt a connection to her past. Not a memory of when she was a filly, but a recent memory she had with her friends.
////
Months ago, she’d set out yet again for another adventure that tore her from her life on the farm, but it wasn’t something that personally bothered her. No, it was the fact that her sister had been foalknapped by Chrysalis. She trusted her friends; at least she thought she did until they had a fight in the abandoned diamond dog mines.
Somehow, they’d gone from a group of best friends to a bickering group of ponies divided, each one feeling unappreciated by the others. But they managed to reconcile, something Applejack had no doubt that they’d always be able to do in order to overcome any problem.
But something just wouldn’t let Applejack forget the mines themselves. Like the earth beneath her hooves at the farm, somehow being in those mines, even in a memory, gave Applejack that same nagging feeling that something was up.
////
“Twilight!” Applejack said, snapping from her trance. “Ah think that there’s one of them eidolons in those old diamond dog mines we went to before.”
“Really?” Twilight asked. “I didn’t expect anypony to get a magical message so soon after Rainbow Dash had directed us to an eidolon.”
She turned from Applejack to the others. “Well, I guess that settles it then, we need to split up now.”
It had already been well into the night by the time everything had been revealed. Twilight had sent Spike to bed during Applejack’s trance. He had begun to yawn and she wasn’t going to have a drowsy assistant.
“We need a reliable set of teams. “Twilight said. “One to search for the dragon and another to go to the abandoned mines to find whoever it is Applejack connected with.”
Kain stood up. “I shall accompany Rainbow Dash. This matter involves dragons and I believe that I can be of use.”
“I’m coming with you as well, Kain.” Rarity said. “This doesn’t seem like it will be a safe journey. Though, I’ve only begun to practice using these healing powers, I would like to be there to make sure anypony that comes with us might be safe.”
Twilight looked at the two volunteers. They’d only known each other for a few moons and already she could see how readily Rarity wished to help Kain.
“That’s all fine and well, but what am Ah supposed to do?” Applejack asked. “What if somepony gets hurt in mah group, which nopony has yet to volunteer for?”
Twilight was taken aback. “Wait a second! I know we all just got these new powers, but don’t count me out just yet, or have you forgotten about the time I healed your leg with the magic I studied?”
Twilight wondered about the new powers the tree had given them. Certainly, using books as a battle implement had been one shocking boon for Twilight, but she wondered about the amount of “assistance” they’d received on this quest.
“Girls, I now we’ve been given gifts, but I don’t think we should forget about what we could do before all of this began.”
“I think I’ll join you and Applejack, Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “I don’t think I want to go anywhere near any dragons.”
“But Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie said. “You were the one who talked to the dragon got him to leave!”
“She.” Fluttershy said. “The dragon we met was a dragoness.”
“But why not?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“I just don’t think I can talk to her again, after embarrassing her when I asked her to leave.”
Twilight hadn’t considered it that way. Then again, a huge dragon being verbally forced out of its home would probably have left it feeling that way. Especially if other dragons asked what happened.
“Okay Fluttershy.” Twilight said. “You can come with us.” She turned to Pinkie. “So who are your coming with?”
Pinkie Pie put a hoof to her chin and gave the question only a brief thought. “I’m gonna go with Dashie!” she said. “Somepony’s got to bring a cake to offer the dragon!”
“Okay Pinkie.” Twilight said, restraining a chuckle. As strange as Pinkie’s methods were, she knew that her friend always offered a good idea, in her own bizarre ways.
“We’ll need to leave tomorrow if we’re going to make good time on finding the eidolons.” Twilight said.
“Ah’ll get the wagon we used in the Unicorn Mountains.” Applejack said. “Never thought we’d be usin it again so soon.”
“And I’ll get the food!” Pinkie Pie said, springing forward. “I’ve made loads of pre-made, prepare, Pinkie Pie rations! We’ll be set for some long adventures all over Equestria now!”
“Darling, please tell me that not every single one of your ‘rations’ Is some confectionery treat?” Rarity asked.
“Don’t ya worry sugarcube, “Applejack said. “Ah’ll bring some food from the farm for us as well.” She glanced at the armor on her foreleg. “Still, its gonna be strange getting home lookin like this and tellin the family that Ah’m headin off to save Equestria again.”
“I know right?” Rainbow Dash said. “Now we get to look awesome while doing it!”
“If that’s everything, then I suggest we get to preparing what we need.” Twilight said.
And with that, everypony departed the library.
////
With only a few hours left before daybreak, she set to the task of preparing for the trip. Maps, books on eldritch magic, they all went into her saddlebags, ready should she ever need them.
This time, it felt so different, all the previous times she’d brought her “essential” supplies, she’d felt like she was going on a field trip. Albeit somewhat perilous field trips, but this time it felt different. As if there was much more at stake.
Back in the chamber with the Tree of harmony, she recalled the tree’s words, telling her she’d received the “light of knowledge” give her the powers of the “scholar”, which seemed silly a long with the robes she wore and hadn’t removed, at least until she noticed the power in her tomes.
“Light of knowledge.” Twilight spoke to herself as she continued to prepare things for the morning.