//------------------------------// // The Element of Forgiveness // Story: Rise of Equestria 2: Cannon Fodder // by Israel Yabuki //------------------------------// Sunset's eyes adjust slightly as she tries to regain her sight. Once she can see clearly, she nearly panics when she realizes that she's standing on water. But there's something strange about the water, like something doesn't seem right about it. In fact, nothing seems right with what's going on in Eternal's mind. Everything around her is nothing more than an endless dark abyss from which no one can escape. But the worst has yet to come when she notices Eternal Flames lying on the surface of the water. "Eternal!" Sunset calls out. She runs towards the motionless stallion and stops in front of him to check and see if he's alright or not. Thankfully, he's still kicking. "Eternal, you have to get up and fight back! You can't let Zoor take over your mind and body so easily!" "How... can I?" Eternal asks, struggling to get up. "I tried my hardest to fight her off, but even at my strongest point, I still couldn't match up against her," Eternal's legs begin to wobble and nearly stumbles onto the water, but Sunset catches him and helps him stand up properly. "Thank you. But how am I going to stop Zoor if she's already got complete control of my mind and body?" "I think the real problem is that fact that you try to fight these battles on your own. That’s probably one of the flaws that lead to Zoor taking over your mind. You feel like the fate of the entire world is in your hooves and your hooves alone when it's really not," Sunset explains. Somehow, Sunset figured it out. Eternal's expression changes the moment she says that. "I only meant to follow my code of what it means to be a prince. And that is to protect the ponies and the land I hold dear to me, including my family, yet I failed to even save myself from being captured. You're right, Sunset, I've been trying to get rid of Zoor on my own because I thought it was my duty alone to stop her, but all I've really done is jeopardize all of Equestria because of my arrogance," Eternal says. The once proud prince groveled in misery, slamming his hooves onto the surface of the water. Eternal's frustration begins to sink in, but Sunset stops him before he had the chance to sink into a deep depression. "Eternal, this is no time to be beating yourself up! Don't you see, this is exactly what Zoor wants you to do: make you feel weak and helpless. If she wins, you might not be able to come back to your friends! Is this really the choice you want to make after everything you've done for your friends?! You're a better pony than this, so pick yourself up off the ground show Zoor how strong you really are!" Suddenly, Sunset hears an evil chuckle and gets sent flying 10 feet away from Eternal. "Don't flatter yourself, my little pony, this buffoon will never be able to overpower me. Face it, he's given up and there's nothing he nor you can do anything to stop me," Zoor says, as she is appearing out of the black mass that erupts from the surface of the water underneath. Her gloating frustrates Sunset and prepares herself to launch an attack. "Gloat all you want, but I'm gonna make sure you never enter his mind and body ever again. But first, I want to know: Our of all our friends, why did you choose to possess Eternal Flames? Tell me!" Sunset orders. Zoor stands very close to Eternal Flames who still blames himself for not being able to protect Equestria like a real prince would. "Hmph, fine. Since you're so high strung in finding out, here it is: The benefits I have of possessing other ponies is that I can probe their minds for a weak spot. And this fool's was so obvious, it gave me the perfect opportunity I needed to take control over him," Zoor explains. "To think that he holds a high amount of love and respect for his grandfather. Pathetic if you ask me." Sunset now feels fumed when she spouted that out. "You cold-hearted witch! What in Celestia's name did you say to him about his grandfather?!" Sunset was ready to blow her top off, but she knows it won't solve anything unless she gets the full truth from her seemingly unstoppable foe. Zoor merely laughs in amusement, thinking that Sunset alone can stop her. Zoor keeps her smug grin and approaches Sunset while she explains exactly what she said earlier that made Eternal mad at himself for his "failure." "You would be in the same position as he is if you were told how your own grandfather is looking down at you from up in the heavens... disappointed," Zoor gloats. Just hearing Zoor boast about it makes Sunset want to explode on her, but she knows she doesn't stand a chance against Zoor all by herself. But luckily, she doesn't have to just glare at Zoor. "You mean like how the great Starswirl the Bearded's looking down at you, disappointed? But now that I think about it, if anypony's to be ashamed of you, it should be you. What was the point of actually becoming an alicorn if all it was gonna do was consume you through the dark magic?" Sunset asks. Now it is Zoor's turn to glare. “I’ve said this before and I will say it for the last time: Never… EVER… mention the name of the decrepit old fool in front of me ever again! All he ever did was hold me back from the true power that should have been rightfully mine and no pony else!” she shouts. “That’s not true power! You’re being controlled by the dark magic in your heart! If you knew what was actually good for you, you’d have stayed away from that particular spell and be happy with what you had before!” Sunset argues. “SILENCE!!! NO PONY TALKS TO ME LIKE THAT! NO PONY!!!!!” Zoor shouts and in a fit of rage, she takes her anger out on the stallion she broke down earlier. She aims her magic at Eternal Flames, charges up her horn and shoots magic directly at him, but Sunset wouldn’t let that happen. In an attempt to save him, she teleports in front of Eternal and blocks Zoor’s attack using a magic shield. “Come on, Eternal! You gotta get up…!” Sunset grunts. Eternal only catches a glimpse of Sunset as she still tries to hold off Zoor’s attack. But she can barely keep the shield up for who knows how long. “Why? I’m a failure as both the Element of Courage… and as a prince,” he says, looking back down in shame. “You heard what she said about my grandfather and I wouldn’t put past the fact that it might be true.” “That’s not true! I overheard you talking about your grandfather and how he was a great leader of your village! If he saw that his own grandson was suffering, he’d want to do everything in his power to help you stand right back up on your hooves! You loved him and he loved you! He still loves you! You have to dig deep inside yourself and ask if he’s really disappointed in you for… becoming a true hero!” Sunset exclaims. Eternal’s eyes widen as he remembers the memories of his grandfather when he was just a young colt. *Flashback to 12 years ago* The sun was shining brightly over the mountains in the faroff distance from the Freedom Village and looking out from atop a hill in the valley, a young Eternal Flames stood next to an elder unicorn stallion who had crimson red fur with an orange mane and tail. His cutie mark resembled a fireball shooting downwards and had sapphire eyes. As the two stood on top of the hill, the young colt looked up at the elder unicorn next to him with curiosity. “Grandpa?” the young colt said, getting his attention. “Yes, what is it?” the elder asked. “If my big brother, Blue Blaze is gonna take over as king of the village one day, then where exactly does that leave me and Heat Blitz?” he asked. “Hmm, that’s a good question,” he responded, stroking his chin. “In my honest opinion, the best thing I can tell you is this: This world is a whole lot bigger than you think. There’s more to life than what goes on in the village and the valley. One day, if you decide to do so, you and your friends will get to experience the wonders of the many great things life has to offer. Though, it’s a little too soon for you. But just remember this: no matter what you do, no matter how hard it becomes, just remember that I’m always going to stand by your side, both in body… and spirit.” Eternal smiled at his grandfather and nodded before giving him a big hug. “Thank you, grandpa,” he said. “You’re welcome, Eternal. You and your brothers have always made me so very proud from the day that all of you were born… always,” his voice echoed as the memory fades to white. As Eternal regains his confidence, he looks up and notices the shield cracking up, almost about to break anytime now. Sunset’s concentration is barely hanging by a thread as it is. He turns his attention over to Zoor, who’s ready to turn up the heat by adding more power to her attack. “Say goodbye, my little pony!” Zoor shouts. At that moment, Eternal’s adrenaline kicks in and he teleports directly above Zoor, then slams his hind hooves on her back. She screams in pain and loses concentration. Sunset starts panting heavily, finally able to let the shield disappear. Eternal runs back to Sunset and helps her regain her balance. “You were right, Sunset. You were right all along, my grandfather was never disappointed in me and he never will be. I let that tyrant mess with my head and almost allowed her to win over me. And I hope you can forgive this sorry excuse for a--” he says before Sunset cuts him off. “No doubting yourself! We all make mistakes, but it’s up to us to make up for them and keep moving forward. Now stand up like a true prince and let’s finish off Zoor!” Sunset says, encouraging Eternal. He nods and prepares himself as does Sunset. Zoor, on the other hoof is getting back up and she is not looking too pleased with the two unicorns. “I will wipe you both off the face of the earth! No… I’ll wipe you both out of existence!” Zoor threatens. “Save it, Zoor! You’re down to your last remaining strength and we’re going to take you down, even if we have to go past our own limits to do it,” Sunset replies. The evil alicorn doesn’t seem to be fazed by what she said and just laughs it off. “You struggled so much to take me down when you attacked me in groups. Now, all of a sudden, you think you can beat me with just the two of you. Hah, not in a million years, but if you insist, then I’ll be more than happy to take you both down and destroy you myself,” the corrupted alicorn says, hunching back. The three ponies stare each other down for a solid 10 seconds before Eternal and Sunset charge straight at Zoor in a zig-zag pattern, focusing and channeling their magic and then shoot at Zoor. She blocked with her wings and flies up high then fires out two heat-seeking magic bullets. Sunset and Eternal block the attack by putting up shields, which break from the moment of impact. The two unicorns get sent flying a few feet away from each other. Zoor flies down at blazing speed and flies towards Sunset. She’s unguarded and is about to get grabbed when suddenly, Eternal teleports in between Sunset and Zoor, then grabs the alicorn’s horn using his teeth. He spins her in a circle and throws her out of range then fires off another magic shot. Zoor gets sent flying back even further. Eternal helps Sunset back on her hooves and the two run towards Zoor. The alicorn is picking herself up and then teleports out of sight. Eternal and Sunset try to look for her and see where she’s hiding. They’re caught off-guard as Zoor appears behind Sunset, then traps her in a magic stranglehold, electrifying her. Eternal goes in to try and save her, but Zoor sends him flying with a magic sonic wave. In order to keep him away from Sunset, Zoor conjures up more of her magic and creates a clone of herself. Eternal knows he has to act fast. “HANG IN THERE, SUNSET! I’M COMING!” he shouts. He rushes over to her, but the cloned Zoor puts up a deflector shield, sending him flying back a few inches. She does it again and again and again, not giving him a chance to advance towards Sunset. She struggles to break free, but Zoor’s hold on her remains strong and doesn’t seem to be stopping. Soon, Eternal’s rage begins to build up and lets out a battlecry. His magic intensifies and it sends Zoor’s clone flying several feet away. But something seemed strange with his magic. What peeks his curiosity is his surroundings. On the ground he can see burning flames and on his horn, it was on fire, but it didn’t seem to hurt him, not in the slightest bit. That’s when he realized what he has done. It has taken him so long to achieve this goal, but it’s finally happened. Eternal Flames can now control fire magic, just like his mother, father and his older brother. And now he is going to put it to good use. He runs forwards but is confronted by Zoor’s clone again, but he turns the tables on her and then shoots three magic fireballs at her. He keeps firing more at her until he’s close enough to jump up and land a solid blow right on Zoor's face using his forehoof. She loses her concentration and Sunset is free, but the fiery unicorn mare is still feeling the pain. Eternal summons an even bigger magic fireball and blasts Zoor with it, knocking her far away from Eternal and Sunset. Eternal rushes to Sunset and helps her up. “Don’t you give up on me now!” he says. Sunset nods and follows Eternal close behind as they chase after Zoor. The corrupted alicorn stands herself up, but she doesn’t react fast enough to knock both unicorns away from her. Eternal rushes behind Zoor, turns around and then blasts her with a stream of magic flames from his horn. Zoor lets out a scream of agony while Sunset shoots magical bullets at Zoor and sends the alicorn flying a few feet off the ground and is about to com crashing down. Zoor flaps her wings and zooms far enough away from Sunset and Eternal. Her horn becomes shrouded in dark magic, she growls in a predatorial manner. Eternal and Sunset are unsure of what Zoor has up her sleeve for them for a comeback. They soon regret their decision on waiting when their entire surrounding is covered in pitch black darkness. To make things more difficult, the darkness around them begins to light up with dark magic bullets, ready to fire at any time. With nowhere to run or hide, Sunset and Eternal resort to the next best thing. “Now… BEGONE!!!” Zoor shouts. And soon, from every direction, the dark magic bullets start hurling at the two unicorns, but they manage to protect themselves using their combined magic to form a shield that was strong enough to resist the attacks thrown at the dark magic bullets. Zoor’s attack is still going strong while Sunset and Eternal try their hardest keep up their defenses. However, due to the damage Sunset has taken from that magic stranglehold, she can barely keep her shield up as it is. The attack doesn't seem to stop and it seems as though Zoor has no intention of stopping. Just as Sunset is about to reach her limits, Zoor's attack finally comes to an end and the shield breaks. Sunset and Eternal are both feeling exhausted, but don't have time for breaks. Zoor's next move a simple force of magic to knock Sunset back, making Eternal gasp. He turns around to see if Sunset is alright. That was a big mistake. He is then levitated into the air and Zoor is about to unleash another attack. "Bye bye, your highness," she provokes. But she makes the mistake of letting her guard down when Sunset makes a hasty decision and delivers two heavy blows to Zoor's face. Sunset grabs Eternal using her forehooves and uses her back as a shield just as Zoor delivers a kick from her hind leg. Sunset feels the sting from that kick and grunts in pain. Eternal moves in front of Zoor, lights up his horn and slams her with a full-body tackle and a relentless barrage of punches and then an upwards kick. Eternal runs over to Sunset and helps her back up. Her legs are shaking and her whole body is completely rattled after all those punishments she took. "Sunset, we have to finish her off once and for all! Quick, give me your hoof!" Eternal holds out his hoof as says that, and even though she wants to do this, Sunset is too worn out. "I... I can't. My magic is too weak, I can't even perform a levitation spell," she says, barely able to stand, but Eternal connects his horn with hers via the tip. Sunset then feels half of his remaining magic transfer to her, giving her just enough strength for one last blow. "E-Eternal... you..." Eternal doesn't say a word, but does give her a nod. She nods back and connects her horn with Eternal's, both are getting ready to launch their attacks. Their horns glow and a surge of magical energy coarses through their bodies. Zoor can see what's happening and feels threatened by what they're about to unleash. With all her speed, she rushes at the two unicorns and readies an attack of her own. Though she does rush in, she isn't quick enough to dodge as Sunset and Eternal a golden magical beam of light straight at her. Zoor screams out in agony as the attack not only weakens her, but also drains her of her dark magic. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she shouts as she collapses after the beam of light fades away. Now, Eternal and Sunset have no magic left to use. Eternal and Sunset walk over to check on Zoor. She's alive, barely breathing and the darkness around her body begins to flow up and out of her. The darkness evaporates as soon as it reaches way above the two unicorns' heads. Eternal lifts up one of his hooves and glares down at the fallen alicorn. "I'll make sure you don't suffer anymore. Close your eyes and clench your teeth while I finish you off," Eternal says. "N...No... please! I... I beg of you! H-H-Have mercy!" Zoor pleads. "You... who are without mercy... now beg for it? I thought you were made of sterner stuff," Eternal says, feeling disappointed while glaring more intensely at Zoor. Eternal proceeds to slam his forehoof on Zoor, but Sunset stops him by getting in front and grabs him by the shoulders. "Sunset, what are you...?" "It's over! She's had enough! Zoor has no more strength to fight on. We've done what we needed to do, there's no point in killing Zoor," Sunset says. "After what she's done to our friends and almost all of the creatures in the world?! What reason does she even have to live after all the torment and pain she's caused others?" Eternal asks. "Ask yourself this, Eternal: Are you a noble prince who fights for justice or are you a murderer? The choice is up to you, so choose wisely," she replies, looking him deep in the eyes. Eternal widens his eyes and backs away for a few seconds and then walks back up to Sunset. "I won't betray myself or the ponies I vow to protect. You're right, I'm not a killer, I'm a prince. Even though I don't like being referred to as one, it's still a part of who I really am," he stands down. Now that he's calmed down, Sunset smiles and looks at the defeated alicorn and leans down to her. "Now, there's something I want to know..." Sunset says. Zoor nods in response. "Was it really worth giving up your sanity and title as one of the founders of Equestria, Clover the Clever?" Zoor, or in this case, Clover the Clever is filled with sadness and regret, rather than regret. "No... the truth is... all I ever wanted was for my master, Starswirl to finally acknowledge that I was growing, not just in magic, but as a unicorn, too. I guess I really disappointed him big time when he found out about what I had done to myself and probably still hates me even after all these years," Clover says. "Is that all you wanted? Starswirl's admiration?" Sunset asks. "That's only half the story. Back then... I had a little sister who was sick and needed treatment right away, but we didn't even have the right medicine you probably have today. She was dying and... I was getting desperate, so I had to resort to giving up everything I ever worked for by chanting that spell. I saved my sister, but... I never got to see her grow up into a young mare or attend her funeral. I just... I didn't know what else to do once I regained my body, thanks to your hybrid friend," Clover says. Sunset can see the pain in her eyes and in her heart. She sits down and lifts up Clover by the head. "I understand now, why you resorted to such a dangerous spell. Believe me, I went through a similar experience just like you a couple of years ago," she says. Eternal listens in on how Sunset actually tried to take over not just a school, but also Equestria, had it not been for Twilight and her friends pulling her out of the darkness. In reality, even though she wanted to have all the Equestrian magic to herself, she was actually lonely and felt isolated and tried masking it with her lust for power and greed. In that moment, Zoor's once menacing red eyes fade away and become a bright lavender color. Tears fall from her eyes and run down her face as she hugs Sunset tightly, apologizing left and right. "It's okay... I forgive you," Sunset whispers. Just then, Clover's body is wrapped up in a warm light and a beautiful white stairway is shown behind her. She turns around, Eternal and Sunset look up, however, they don't see what Clover sees. What Zoor sees next makes her gasp. At the top of the stairway was a young unicorn mare who had the same eye color as her, minty green mane and a light gray fur coat. And right next to her is a grey unicorn stallion with a long white, swirly beard and had on a blue cloak and wizard's hat, both clothings were decorated with yellow moons and stars. "I guess even I was wrong at some point. Forgive me for my ignorance, Clover. Please, come back to us so that we can finally patch things up," the eldest unicorn says. "Clover, I want you to know that I appreciate what you did for me centuries ago. Are you ready to finally come home to your little sister?" the young mare asked. Clover's eyes fill to the brim with tears of joy. She picks herself up off the ground and walks up the stair case, but to Sunset and Eternal, it looks like she's floating and disappearing. Before she's completely gone, she looks over at Sunset with a warm smile. "Thank you... for setting me free," she says. Finally, Clover completely disappears from Sunset's and Eternal's view and reunites herself with her master and little sister. At long last, the terror known as Zoor is no more. The battle is won and Equestria is safe once more. Now that they've done their job, Sunset looks over at Eternal with a warm smile and tears running down her eyes while Eternal nods with a warm smile of his own. With nothing left to say, the two unicorns conjure up their tiny bit of magic and exit out of Eternal's mind in a bright and glowing white light. Outside of Eternal's mind, the young prince and Sunset still haven't opened their eyes. Twilight and her friends only hope that Sunset has succeeded in her battle with Zoor. "Twilight? Do you think they're gonna be okay?" Fluttershy asks. "I... I don't know, Fluttershy," Twilight replies. "They have to... They just gotta be okay," Heat Blitz says, extremely worried about his brother. "I just can't even bare the thought about losing him!" Heat Blitz feels his whole body shaking. Twilight goes to comfort him, hugging him with her wings and her hoof. As much as she wants to tell him he'll be okay, she just isn't sure if that's the case. "Hey, everypony! Look at this!" Pinkie says. Everyone in the group looks at what Pinkie is seeing. The Alicorn Amulet shakes violently and soon, the entire amulet begins to light up in a bright white glow and soon, it levitates itself away from Eternal's neck and up in the air. The group is blinded slightly, but they begin to see movement from the two unconcious unicorns. Sure enough, Sunset and Eternal open up their eyes and pick themselves up, rubbing their heads and groaning. Heat Blitz and Twilight gasped. "ETERNAL!!!" Heat Blitz shouts. "SUNSET!!!" Twilight shouts. Sunset gets group hugged by the girls while Eternal gets dog-piled by his group of buddies. He grunts as each stallion pile on top of him, ranting on about how he's finally back. Eternal struggles to get back on his hooves, but the battle left him too exhausted to even get just one of them off of him. Eventually, everyone allowed their two unicorn friends to catch some air and turn their attention to the still-glowing amulet. The group watch in awe as the silhouette of the amulet slowly disappears into the bright light while taking on a different shape at the same time. None of them know exactly what's going on, but one thing was for certain, Sunset feels something strong, like the light was drawing her towards it. Naturally, the girls take notice of Sunset's actions and try to stop her. "Sunset, stop!" Twilight shouts, but Sunset doesn't listen to them and she keeps moving towards the light. Once she's close enough to the light, its rays blind everyone, as well as Sunset. Yet for some reason, she still makes an effort to see what's going on and it was a good thing she did. As the light faded, she notices that the Alicorn Amulet has taken on the form of a golden crown with her cutie mark embedded on it. Sunset gasps and watches it float towards her. She blinks in surprise and looks at the others. She feels confused over how and why the amulet changed into a crown. "Ah'm Ah the only one goin' crazy here, or did the Alicorn Amulet turn into a crown?" AJ points out. "Ah thought there was only 6 Elements o' Harmony? Or is it one o' the Elements o' Freedom?" Applejack brings up a valid point, but even the guys never heard of a 7th Element of Freedom. Everyone seemed puzzled and confused, all except for their hybrid friend. "I know exactly what it is," Melodia says. "That crown she's holding right now is actually the Element that links both the Elements of Harmony and Freedom together. Some ponies only thought it was just a waste of time going on a wild goose chase or a make-believe fairy tale. To put it simply so you no-nothings can understand, that crown right there... is known the Element of Forgiveness." Everyone put on their own surprised expressions finding out about this amazing new element and that it was the perfect element that best describes Sunset's forgiving personality. However, "I... I don't know, everypony, I'm not so sure if I really deserve this crown to begin with. Are we even sure this crown even belongs to me and not to somepony else?" she asked. In that moment, the memories of her jaded past came flooding inside her mind like a bad omen, making her shiver. All the pain and torment she caused others, just because her former teacher, Princess Celestia wouldn't turn her into a princess. Just then, she feels a hoof being placed on her shoulder. She looks to see who it is and it's of course Eternal Flames, like he was giving her some confidence. "Sunset, listen to me very carefully. Our elements chose us for a reason and yours is no different. You were chosen to be the sole bearer of the Element of Forgiveness because of what you did for Clover. You found it in your heart to forgive her as I could not. It was because of you that you set her soul free from the darkness that lurked within her damaged heart. Had it not been for your heroic actions, she might not have been so lucky and to be honest, I'm glad that it was you who made the right choice. So embrace your new element and hold your head up high because even if you don't think it, you've always been and always will be... one of us." And in those words of encouragement, Sunset's eyes light up with confidence and a sense of peace, just as Eternal has made it clearly, this was her Element. And whether it was before or after receiving she always has been and always will be a part of the group. So, with great pride and joy, she lifts the crown up and places it atop her head. In that moment, the crown begins to light up with Equestrian magic so powerful, she didn't know what to think of it. Surely, she feels her exhaustion and injuries begin to fade away. A beam of light shoots out from the crown and connects with the Elements of Harmony and Freedom before a bright light blinds everyone. They slowly regain their eyesight after the light disappears and the skies become clear again. "Whoa, what just happened?" Spike asks. "I have no idea, but it feels like my body's fully recovered. Is that even possible?" Eternal asks. "Maybe that's one of the special abilities of the Element of Forgiveness," Heat Blitz says. "That might be true, but before we start second guessing ourselves, I think it'd be best if we return to Canterlot and report to the princess about our successful mission," Tidal Wave implies. "Good idea, Tidal. But first, we've got to return our elements to the Tree of Harmony," Rarity says. "After what happened last time when those vines nearly destroyed the tree..." "That's also true. Come on, everypony. Follow me and let's head back," Twilight commanded. Everyone nodded, except for Melodia, who rolled her eyes and just flew on ahead of them at blazing speed, definitely planning on spreading the word to the princesses and Blaze Burn. Now that the terror known as Zoor has not only been vanquished, but the lost soul known as Clover the Clever has finally been set free. Having finally been reunited with her little sister and her former master, she can now happily look down at the kingdom of Equestria she and her other companions founded over a thousand years ago. And the future is only about to get even better for the group of friends once they finally reach Canterlot.