***
30 minutes ago
***
Taking a seat in a side booth, Rainbow and Rarity began chatting with Pinkamena. “How long has it been Party Girl?”
Pinkie just stared at Rainbow, her eyes widening upon hearing her old nickname. Too long. It’s been far too long.
“Ten years, Rainbow. Ten...Years.”
“So...Where’s that cider?”
Rarity rolled her eyes and smacked Rainbow’s shoulder with her hoof. The unicorn’s voice clearly showed her disdain.
“Rainbow what did we talk about on the way here? Pinkie I’m sorry; she has no filter.”
Pinkie winced. The sound of Rarity’s iron hoof hitting Rainbow’s shoulder made a sickening CRACK, yet Rainbow barely budged. A look of annoyance crossed the weathered mare's grim face. She turned slowly to look at Rarity and began to lay into the hapless unicorn. Strangely enough she wasn’t mad at being struck. No, something else about it bothered her.
“Rarity! That barely tickled. Next time give it your all!”
Rarity shook as a grimace appeared on her face; the impact caused the shock to radiate up her metal limb and into her own body. Still, a knowing smile graced her lips. Her response wasn’t irritated, instead it carried a tone of support.
“Rainbow, that was my all.”
“But I barely felt it! AJ could hit harder without even trying!”
“Rainbow, Dah-ling. I’m not her.”
“Rarity...I...Know that. I love you for you, but I...Just can’t let her go.”
Pinkamena’s pulse quickened and her blood ran cold as she heard those words. Applejack’s strength was the stuff of legend; even rivaling if not surpassing Atlas’s. During their time together, Rainbow and Applejack had secretly been seeing each other; hiding it behind “competitions” in feats of athletic prowess. She misses her, even now.
Pinkie watched as Rarity nuzzled Rainbow.
“I don’t want you to let her go, Rainbow. She meant a lot to you. I get it. Just don’t forget that I’m still here for you. And I don’t plan on going anywhere sweetie.”
The muscles in Rainbow’s body visibly tensed. Rarity must have seen this because she hurriedly added.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Rainb-.”
She stopped mid sentence and stared in disbelief at Rainbow’s wings. For the better part of half a decade; the cyan color of Rainbow’s body had been dulled to almost no color at all. The loss of Applejack, her friends, as well as her own family, had taken its toll on the mentality of the once proud Element of Loyalty. Now however, before her friend's eyes, the smallest fleck of cyan was beginning to glow and spread down her wingtips.
“Rarity, Pinkie do...Do you feel that?”
Pinkie’s pupils dilated in shock as she watched the color grow brighter, spreading quicker.
“Rainbow what’s going -”
“Listen!”
Rainbow’s urgent tone stopped Pinkie’s train of thought. Following their friend’s hoof, Rarity and Pinkie found themselves staring at Applebloom and Pumpkin in the corner booth. It was then they noticed what was being said:
“That’s right! One of th’ six elite soldiers in th’ Princess’s Royal Guard! They were codenamed ‘Elements.’ Mah sis, used to tell me about how the six of them were the closest of friends and they were, no, Ah can’t say that, they weren’t nuthin’; they still are the greatest ponies Ponyville has ever known.”
“Are? I’ve never heard of any ponies known as Elements. What exactly made-er makes them so special?”
“Mah sis told me how each of them is gifted with a special principle. The Elements for which they are named aren’t just for show. Each is the ponysona of an aspect of Harmony. Mah sis, for instance known as the Element of Honesty, is able to see through the veil of deception. She can see the true motives of any pony and creature. After she figures it out, she capitalizes on the good of the motive while making them realize the flaws in it as well. Mah sis is also the strongest pony there is; it’s rumored she went up against Atlas and beat him hooves-down in a hoof-wrestling match.”
“But what about the others? Surely such beings wouldn’t just vanish, right? They would still be around or at least known by somepony.”
“They are! Still around Ah mean.”
“Alright then, what’s their names?”
“Well...Ah dun know all their names; the identity of ‘em is a bit classified, but Ah do know one! Her name’s Rainbow Dash; Ah know cuz Ah caught th’ two of ‘em rollin’ in the hay pretendin’ ta’ be wrestlin’.”
Rarity held back a snort and turned to Rainbow to tease her.
“Rollin’ in th’-”
She stopped abruptly as she watched the eyes of Rainbow well up with tears. The fur coat of the Pegasus was still filling in with color; a cyan sheen was becoming more and more evident. It had been years since she had witnessed Rainbow show any emotion; now that same mare was about to cry. And it was breaking her heart to watch.
Pinkamena sat there watching in silence as Rarity stared at her companion. For a split-second she saw a look of annoyance cross the Unicorn’s face. It was more than justified. After all Rarity had been by Rainbow’s side for years, her being annoyed about not being noticed would easily have been overlooked. As Pinkie watched however, Rarity just smiled and gave her a loving nuzzle.
“It’s alright Dar-ling, I miss her too.”
Pinkamena watched in complete shock as the dull, almost gray, of Rarity’s mane began to slowly fill in with a rich amethyst. What’s- Wait a minute could this be- It had been ten years, ten years to the day; since that horrible homecoming. We seven left together but only four came back; our colors gone, our desire to carry on...Gone. There is no way it could be- At that moment her thoughts were confirmed.
Rainbow turned to look at Rarity and nuzzled her back; both breaking down in laughter. Pinkamena couldn’t help it; she stared at her two friends giggling like they had back then. Back when laughter rang through Ponyville, and she too began to chuckle. That chuckle turned into uncontrollable giggling, and she noticed her friends staring wide-eyed at her as their fur slowly filled in with its natural color.
“What-Why are you staring at me?”
Rarity could only stammer in shock.
“Dah-Dah-Darling your mane! It’s-”
Rainbow interrupted with an almost shout.
“Celestia’s ghost Pinkie! Your mane is poofy again!”
Pinkie didn’t hear them though, she was busy staring at her hoof. The normally muted pink tone was starting to brighten more and more as a huge smile graced her face. It's been so long since I’ve seen my friends. This is so much fun!
“Ev’rypony has their breakin’ point, an’ that day, those legends met theirs.”
That’s when it hit the ears of the three of them, the words that could never be said; Applebloom began to speak of that day and the fate that had befallen the once-legendary Elements. Immediately the three at the table went silent and listened as the scenes replayed in all four’s minds.
“Chrysalis had predicted th’ Princesses plan to stop her invasion and so she did something no villain ever had. She broke the Elements in the most permanent of ways…”
***
Ten Years Ago
***
“Let meh go! When mah sister gets here, y’all-”
Chrysalis stared at the struggling filly with an amused grin. Her voice carried an almost singsong swagger.
“Your sister coming here for you, little fool, is exactly what I am waiting for.”
The little filly had been tied up using an almost web-like slime and went wide-eyed as a slimy glob covered her mouth. She began to struggle in vain against her bindings, frantically as the Queen of the Changelings gave a sinister chuckle.
“It’s just a shame when she gets here, it will already be too late. Lock her with the others while the preparations are made!”
As the tied-up filly was dragged away, she watched strangely chiseled stones, with oddly shaped holes; almost the shape of ponies, being placed around the cavern.
Thump
Still struggling she was thrown bodily into the hard rock wall of the captive’s cell. Her body radiated with agony as her helpless form slid down the cold stone face. Her vision blurred with pain, she could barely make out other forms around her. She wasn’t alone. The faces of her bound neighbors and own family, greeted her. The mood was grim, and a rattling on the nearby iron bars, caused her heart to sink.
***
25 minutes ago
***
“Five of them stood in th’ iron doorway, and they wasted no time. Th’ little filly watched as they picked up and hauled off ‘er friends, family and those she had known all ‘er short life. Ya wouldn’t think such slenderly-built insects could be so strong but one easily lifted ‘er brother over its head and carried him away as he struggled ta no avail.”
The entire diner was deathly silent as Applebloom told her tale. Rainbow, Rarity and Pinkie were no longer the only eavesdroppers; the lunch rush had arrived but instead of ordering they all sat, silent as a tomb. Each was listening with earnest at the young mare’s tale.
Pumpkin sat in disbelief. Her story is too detailed, it can’t possibly be real how would she- It was then she noticed a thin, long line running down Applebloom’s neck.That’s some scar, almost like a claw slit- wait a moment, was she- No way.
“It wasn’t long until th’ filly heard the harrowin’ screams from ’er kinfolk echoing back down th’ stone tunnel. Th’ screams ricocheted in her ears for wha’ seemed like hours. And then there was just silence…Nothin’ but ‘orrible silence for the poor filly.”
***
Ten years ago
***
It was completely silent, everypony was gone and the filly lay in the cell; bound and alone. The horrific sounds of torture that had been echoing off the stone cavern walls for the past few hours, had been silenced. Using her teeth, she managed to free her mouth from the slimy gag. Coughing and gagging at the horrible taste that filled her mouth; she resisted the urge to retch. Quickly, and ignoring the rancid taste, the filly chewed through the bindings that tied her. It took a few minutes, but finally she was free. That’s when she heard it.
Her eyes went wide in fear as the clapping of two hooves could be heard behind her.
“Oh my, aren’t you the resourceful one.”
The voice was a slithering hiss, yet it was gentle and silky. The filly winced as she turned her eyes towards the doorway and her blood ran cold. The Queen of the Changelings herself, stood there watching her in amusement. Sighing, she took a step towards the terrified filly.
“I told them to make sure ALL prisoners were accounted for. Oh, they are. None are in the cell. We grabbed them ALL! Why are my children so incompetent? As usual, I’ll have to do this myself.”
Stopping just in front of her captive, Chrysalis stared at her with a scornful glare.
“Hello again, little fool. I see you have managed to free yourself, quite impressive. And you still have that stupid hat upon your head as well. How wonderful. I think you’ve earned a reward for such ingenuity. And here it is.”
Lowering her head to be mere inches from the filly's face, Chrysalis grinned, revealing rows of crimson stained, sharpened fangs.
“You have a choice to walk with me willingly to your doom, or I bind you once more and carry you. Make your choice, now.”