//------------------------------// // Epilogue - A Prophetic Warning // Story: The Elements of Virtue // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// After the events in Arimaspi’s territory, the group returned to Ponyville, where they started a party that was so overdue. All Ponyville came to celebrate not only the end of the threat that was the Pony of Shadows, but also the return of some of ancient heroes of Pony World. Having learnt about the return of their old teacher, the alicorn sisters arrived to the party, reuniting with Star Swirl. The other Pillars and Stygian were also with them. “I simply cannot believe how tall you have gotten” Star Swirl commented to Celestia and Ingrid. “Well, it has been over a thousand of years” Celestia replied, with a chuckle. “A lot has changed” Ingrid added. “I, for one, am a mother of a beautiful filly.” “Really now?” Star Swirl asked. “Well, I can’t wait to meet her.” “What are you going to do now?” Celestia asked to her former teacher. “Do you want to come to Canterlot and teach once again? My sisters and I have such fond memories of our lessons.” “As long you don’t ask for those essays we owed you before you disappear” Luna commented, causing Star Swirl to chuckle. “I’m not certain Canterlot is where I belong” Star Swirl commented, while passing his hoof through his beard. “The realm has grown and… I believe I’ll have a look around before I settle in anyone place.” “We understand” Celestia said. “But we’ll have a place for you in case you change your mind.” “Thank you, princess” Star Swirl replied. “I appreciate that.” “What about all of you?” Luna asked to the others. “Well, I think we all agree we’ll also look around” Flash Magnus replied. “Yeah, I want to see how my home is doing” Rockhoof said. “So do I” Mistmane seconded. “Well… I also want to spend some time for myself, now that I’m free of the shadows” Stygian replied. “It will help me to clear my thouhts.” “In that case, I hope you all can return to Canterlot on an occasion and share the wisdom of your greatest experiences with the next generation” Celestia said. “We would be honored” Star Swirl replied, while making a slight bow to Celestia. “But if it is wisdom you seek, I guess you don’t have to roam that far.” He turned to Twilight and her friends who were talking happily with each other and the same was happening with Star and his friends. “They all have showed me that friendship is a magical force indeed and that turning away from others you hurt yourself as well” Star Swirl said. “Yeah, we can only have great pride of the young generations” Celestia agreed. Star and his friends were happily talking about their adventures. They had lent their Elements to be kept in the Light Kingdom (except for Star who was still holding his) until it was needed for them to use them again or after they finished school. But they didn’t feel disappointed for that, as they knew they have earned those Elements because they have shown they already possessed them. “That was so great!” Gunter exclaimed. “Seriously, you should have seen me taking down the king of the Mountain Dragons. I was seriously impressive.” “We know, you’ve been telling that story over and over and over…” Galena replied. “That’s because I just defeated the king of a bunch of buff dragons who was twice their size” Gunter replied to her. “Are you going to tell me that’s nothing?” “Perhaps a little…” Galena teased. “But I for one find what Jona pulled off more impressive. I mean, he did fought a giant five-legged monster and won.” “Oh, that was nothin’” Jonagold said. “Ah only manag’d to do that with dah help ov dah Element ov Strength.” “I think you don’t give too much value to what you did” Gleaming Shield said. “After all, the Elements represent what we are.” “Yeah, I mean, I wouldn0t have gotten mine if I didn’t trust on Freonus” Dusk told. “But, if it’s amazingness you want, then we must turn to Star.” “I agree, Star gave a lot of himself” Moonlight said, looking to his boyfriend. “Guys… you don’t need to say that” Star said, blushing. “You were all great.” “Excuse me…” a voice said. And it was then that Discord appeared beside them. “I, for one, couldn’t disagree more” he said, with his arms crossed. “What do you want, Discord?” Star asked, while rolling his eyes. “What, can I express my opinion about the recent events?” he asked. “I don’t know if you know, but I had a big role in the recovery of Mistmane’s flower.” “Yeah, Moonlight told us about that” Dusk said. “I don’t know that serving as a changeling decoy, only to be caught in the oldest trick ever, can be considered a big role.” “And what do you know about it, pirate prince?” Discord asked. “All you did was sailing around on your little boat and face a stupid maze… which is a big cliché and a total rip-off of what I already did with your mother and her friends.” To make his point, Discord made a toy boat with wheels appear beneath Dusk while putting on him a pirate hat, which Dusk quickly get rid off. “But, any who, what I wanted to tell is that none of you is complimented the best one here that is…” Discord said, before causing a pillar to raise Moonlight and making a flower blanket appear on her shoulders, a medal appear on her neck and making Moonlight be holding a big cup. “Moonlight, of course!” “You know what, Discord… you’re totally right about that” Star said. “Moonlight did not only recovered the Element of Beauty, but she also reformed a race that, for a long time, has been our enemies.” That caused the others to nod in agreement. “Oh, guys, there’s no need for all this” Moonlight replied, while putting down the flower blanked, the medal and the cup and descending from the pillar. “Nonsense, and I am only starting” Discord said. “After I’m done, all Equestria… no, all the Pony World will know what you did and…” Wanting to spare his marefriend of Discord’s shenanigans, he came up with a way to make him stop. “You know, Discord, I run with a bunch of someones in the Spirit World that you may know” Star told. “Oh, really now?” Discord asked, while turning one of his ear into a hearing horn. “I so want to know all about it.” “One of them is called Cahu…” Star started, before having a gag magically placed on his mouth. Discord then grabbed him and teleported away to a further part of the party and then asked, while holding him: “Are you nuts?! What’s the big idea of saying that name in front of everypony?! Did your trip to the Spirit World has made you stupid?!” But Star didn’t say anything, as he still had the gag, proceeding to point at it. Discord just rolled and snapped his fingers, making the gag disappear. “Thank you for that…” Star said sarcastically. “Okay, for your information, I didn’t even know you had siblings. Cahu was the one to approach me about you.” “Ah, Cahu…” Discord said. “Honestly, she was the hardest one to beat. The other three are not very bright.” “I don’t understand, Discord, why did you do that to your own siblings?” Star asked. That question caused Discord to release a big laugh and then he told Star, while circling him with his body: “Obviously you didn’t know me back in the day, mini-Twilight. During that time, I didn’t have any intentions in sharing an all world with any of them, not to mention that with their power I would become more powerful than ever. So, I tricked them, took their powers and sealed them in the Spirit World for all eternity!” He was now with his face nose-to-nose with Star’s who had being pushed back a little by Discord. “Ah, Discord, I think you’re too close” Star told. Realizing that, Discord retreated and then said: “The thing is… if you think I’m was bad, that’s because you don’t know my siblings. They’re so much worse than me… especially Cahu. Wait… you didn’t tell her my name, did you?” But seeing Star’s face, he realized he did and said: “Oh, crap… There it goes having a secret identity.” “Hey, if you want, you can return to your original form and name” Star said. “I am quite curious about it…” That only caused Discord to drop a laugh and then reply: “You can keep on dreaming” Discord replied, before teleporting away. Despite a bit disappointed that he didn’t get to know Discord’s true identity, Star could only get more relieved that he went away. Gleaming was talking with her friends when she then noticed someone. Excusing herself, she approached that someone that turned up to be Golden Paladin who had come to see the party. “Hey there, Golden” Gleaming said. “Young princess… I hope you’re having a great time” he said. “I am, but… I need to talk with you” she said. “With me?” Golden Paladin asked, surprised. “Yeah… I have a message for you… from Quita Moz” Gleaming told. “Quita Moz?” Golden Paladin asked. “You mean, the quetzalcoatl oracle that lives in Serenity Valley?” Gleaming nodded and said: “He saw something in the flames after I got the Element of Healing, something that can change the order of all Creation.” “And he told you to tell me this?” Golden Paladin asked. “Yes, because you make part of that change” Gleaming Shield answered. “Really?” the General of Peace asked. “How so?” “Quita Moz was not very specific…” Gleaming said. Golden Paladin thought for a few moments. For Quita Moz to say something like that, it was because it was something really important. “Okay, Princess Gleaming Shield, what is that message?” he asked. “Quita Moz said that, in a near future, you will have to make a decision and that decision will change everything” Gleaming told. “Just… that?” Golden Paladin asked. “Pratically…” Gleaming replied. “Quita Moz said you’ll get it at the right time and it will be a moment that will make you feel like you have fulfilled your duty as General of Peace.” That left Golden Paladin quite puzzled for that. What could that mean? However, one thing he was certain: it couldn’t be a good thing. In Discordia, the Lord of Chaos was sitting on his throne, watching the party through one of his mirrors. Despite feeling an immense rage because his plan to cover the world in darkness had failed, he couldn’t help but remaining calm. “You fools may have stopped my plans once again, but don’t ever think for a second you’ve won” he said. “You’ve just delayed my eminent return. I don’t care how long it takes, but I’ll break free from this chains and bring chaos to all corners of the Pony Reality… and I even have the tools to do just that.” Extending his hand, he caused fragments to appear. Those fragments were none others than the Elements of Chaos. “The Elements of Chaos may be shattered, but their magic still remains” the Lord of Chaos told. “And I’m certain I can use their magic to better serve my plans.” And he started chuckling evilly. The End