"It's..."
"Uh..."
"What did you call us for again?"Rainbow spit,an edge of detachment.
"Morever the reason,it doesn't look any better than the Rune of Ages displayed in the Manehattan museum...,"Rarity huffed,in peculiar revolt.
"I mean,"Sunburst poked a the old mineral,"it just looks like a..."
"Wait,are you sure?"Fluttershy glanced at the mishmash,ancient grimoires and scientific material included,in the sole purpose to research her discovery,"Um it couldn't possibly be...,"she set her focus on a certain grey mare,"Maud?"
"It's an aggregate of minerals,orderly held together by chemical bonds,"Maud unblocked in her usual deadpan,achieveing their entire wanders,"it is a rock."
The group set their sight back on the oval stone like a single entity,disposed on Sunburst's work table between a multitude of ithems.A certain yellow pegasus claimed,no swore,she saw it glow independantly in the Everfree forest,with no other source than a unrefined mystery.
"And what were we expecting?"Rainbow snapped,"It's not like it couldn't be I dunno,the sun or anything..."she turned in a scowl directed to Fluttershy.
The latter's eyes widened,so imperceptibly one would merely qualify it as a blink.
"Oh-h,well excuse me Rainbow,"the thin thread of a smile countered her politness,"but what could make you say that?Except for the fact that you didn't find it."
"You're right."the cyan retorted,"Except for the fact that I don't go wandering in a dangerous forest without informing my friends about it."
Now did Fluttershy realise the extent of her deeds.Her pegasus friend slipped through the air,to sulk in a corner.Sure,Fluttershy wasn't alone at that moment and knew well enough how to manage by herself.But she made her worry.And could she consider reversed roles?No,no she couldn't.
"Sorry Rainbow,"Fluttershy approched the pegasus besides Rarity,occupied with the dubious task at ignoring her,flipping trough a book,"I should've told you the truth at first so you won't be worried,and sorry to you too Rarity,"she pleaded,luster of tears stinging her eyes,"even if...if you weren't there..."
"Hey,hey,"Rainbow wrapped a comforting arm around the pegasus,"It's nothing,Fluttershy..."
"Wait what?"Rarity snapped out of her lecture,"Oh no darling,far from that.I was just wandering why this odd rock on this volume looked familiar to the one you foun-..."
"WHAT?!"
The sudden outburst startled the pristinely crafted atmosphere,breaking in desolate shreds.Rarity nearly dropped her book.And even if she didn't,it was rudely snatched from her in a turquoise aura.
"Okay,so...let me see..."Sunburst mumbled in a franzy,trying to find where?Where?"
Uh...,"he turned to Rarity as he drew a nervous laugh,but not for the anticipated apology,"could you remind me the number of the page again?"
"Fifty-one,"the unicorn flipped her curls indignantly,ungratefully,"and you're welcome..."Sunburst mumbled a modest thanks before returning to his duty,unaware of the yellow pegasus who crept up behind him.The page Sunburst stopped at was graced with the illustration of colourful gems.
Their elegant cuts didn't have an ounce of ressemblance to the dirtied stone she found.Even then,more illustrations were shown.Depicting changes of an oval stone to the same precious gems.
"Actually...,"Sunburst began as Fluttershy tried to peek at the title,"they have no ressemblance between them."
"It's not possible,"Rarity defended,"if we actually cared to clean this stone from the dirt it would look like a carbon copy of the one below,"she pointed at the designed image.
"Yes buuut,"Sunburst flipped trough more pages,"you chose a section dedicated to legends,the chapter you were reading is about 'the Elements of Harmony'."The mentioned title in capitals stared back at the blinking eyes of the three friends,Maud complying at miticoulously wiping the stone.
Everypony's attention was directed at the elements of the legend.And the foolish mistake that followed.
"The legend huh?"Rainbow turned to a lost Rarity,"You mean the one about Nightmare Moon?Where they defeat her with the elements?"She flew closer to the strange dull stone,now clean of all traces of dirt.
Maud moved back and nodded in approvement,her face wearing signs of concern,somehow.
"There's a particular figure carved on this rock."she pointed to the butterfly shaped hole in the stone,"It has been cut perfectly,almost as if the magma solidified in this form..."
"Even then,"Rainbow shrugged,impatient,"there's no way that old thing is an Element of Harmony,I'm telling you!"She snapped her neck at the stone urgently.Staring at the grey matter,she awaited for something.
"No way!"The stone seemed to go stiffer by the time.And duller.Anything.
"Okay,I give up!"she threw her arms,defeated.
"So I just brought this rock for nothing!"Fluttershy imitated her movement,equally deseparate,"This has been a waste of time..."she reached instinctively for the book Sunburst was reading,flipping trough "Artifacts that can break any curse",wondering what the title desired to provide.
"Darling no!"Rarity soothed in comfort,rubbing circles on her back,"You can start a...eh...a rock collection!"
"Yes but no,"Fluttershy rose her eyes from the volume,a flat look plastered as she pointed at their expert in geology,"Maud already beats me at that."
The grey mare turned to her,in what could be described as compassion in her prefered language:"It's okay,we can share the passion."
The yellow pegasus couldn't feel more ashamed,losing herself to the heavy pages of legends and myths of old.It was true.They had no similarities between them,and that dusty old stone of hers.What was she awaiting for?
To find the artifact worthy of a legend?The defeater of Nightmare Moon?The raw power that no alicorn could rivalise?That could banish any being into the Moon,the stars and the contellations?
The constellations?
The constellations...
Wait,if she followed the book's inscriptions,the elements held as much power regarding any form of spell or incantation.Therefore,banishing a being in a prison of celestial bodies reflected a reversed effect.Translating why they could break any curs-...
"Ha,I knew it!"
This was from Rainbow.And it could mean only one single darned,cursed thing.
"Eeeek!"Fluttershy shielded herself with the book wide open above her face,a massive light blinding her.The cover shook as a solid mass baldly bumped into it before bouncing forth.The cover slipped from her,as she blinked the last of the sparks around her eyes.And opened them.
It all hapened in slow motion.
The rapid strike of spark traced a curved trail above the air.Before bumping against a heavy volume brandished by Rainbow.To shocking against a quickly conjured barrier from Rarity.For its track to be cut by the mechanical dodge of Maud to meet the wall.To finally bounce back and tinckle and roll in the pit of a jar held high in a turquoise aura.
Sunburst,not taking his chances,bottled up the bright 'stone' inside before anymore damage could ensue.His stare somber as he raised his eyes to meet theirs:
"None.Of.This.Ever.Happened,"he whispered dangerously,the emaning light curving shades across his sharp features.Rainbow frowned slowly at his warning,crossing her arms in resignation.
"What?No way,did you see what happened?This could be the discovery of a millenium!"she reached a hoof towards the jar,before it slipped away in the unicorn's magic,"Come on,we could even make it public!Tell about it to Prince Sombra..."
"Not the least!Do you want us to risk committing a crime of lese majesty!"Sunburst pushed,his eyes subduing into fear,a strange fear no one seemed to catch.
"Why would the Prince feel insulted by a rock?"Rainbow asked with her candid genuinity.And she did mean it.Really!Their governer wasn't of the tempestuous temperament.But already,Sunburst recoiled in his warning.Deviating by an alternative.
"I m-mean...we don't even have any confirmation,"he laughed in confidence,wich erupted in a rough wheezing,"imagine having to present only but a dull rock to his royal court!Sure would be...uh...embarrassing."
At the sole mention of royal displeasure,Rainbow let her arms fall heavily to her side,defeated by her own prejudices.
"He's right Rainbow,"Rarity empatised slowly,"we don't even know if it could hold any danger.Well,I can't say it didn't brush off any mane..."
"Dangerous?"piped in Fluttershy's voice behind the unicorn.She threw nervous stares around,cautiously avoiding the bottled stone:"I literally touched that thing,"she lowered her eyes to her shaking hoofs,"d-do you think it could be radioactive or anythin-..."
"No,no,"Sunburst cut in with a smile he intended reassuring,wich just came out stiff,"I mean,we haven't examined every pattern constituing it,Rainbow no!"he scolded the cyan hoof reaching for the jar,before facing Fluttershy,"this stone holds no harmful caracteristics...until proven otherwise."
"Oh well,thank you Sunburst!"she blinked,with a smile she intended ironic,wich just came out the sweeter,"I could've never went on whitout this piece of information!"
The scientist nodded contently,before his eyes widened at a slight detail having slipped:"Right,...you're the one who found it,"he giggled nervously,"maybe you would want it back?Do you want me to return it for some time?"
"Please don't."
"Just one last question,"Rainbow made a full-spin,revealing the jar in her hold,to Sunburst's outrage,"what about Spike?He's a dragon!He can probably sense that it's a gem or something."she hovered above the scientist's protestations,"Take it with you Flutters!Take it!"
Fluttershy pushed away the cursed objet being crudely shoved into her visual field.Far from view,far from any direct contact if you please:"I am not doing this..."
"Come now Rainbow,"Rarity chimed in,interjecting beteween them,"if he did have any sixth sense on this advantage,this 'stone' wouldn't turn out to be some fantasmagical gem!"
"Wait,that thing is supposed to be a fantasmagical gem?"Spike pointed to the stone,standing on the libarian's office,"You can't tempt me with those engaging informations!Let me make sure of it!Maybe a teeny bite?"his claws grazed together in demonstration.
The librarian,and solitary ruler of this kingdom,rubbed her temples to avoid breathing out the logic.Piles of vague documents reached the heavens.The flight of a book bumped trough them and broke the entropy of balance.
"Spike,"she caught the fallen papers in her magic,by custom,"I regret to inform you that it's not possible.My memory can falter at any moment and I need a visual representation of the Element."Spike watched the documents levitate back into pristine,immaculate order.
"So you found it?You found the Element of Harmony?"
Her squribbling interrupted once to give a discreet nod,then back to business.The drake's worries only grew inches,he collapsed on the wooden furniture in a sitted position,flying out paperasserie.
"Guess that means you won't return again?"he sighed,barely audible.
"Why?"she followed in a whisper,ears pearked,"Of course I will return,why else not?"
"Well,I dunno,"he plung a spoon inside a bowl,wrapped in his claws,"why are you using my 'spiritual plane' as you call it to conjure libraries and 'illusive first drafts'?"Spike naggingly waved the spoonful of strawberry cream above her muzzle.
"So I can remind you that you can manifest as many ice creams as you please in return."A smug little smile decorated her answer.The spoon froze dreadfully in time.
"All fair and square!"Spike concluded,resuming his midnight collation,"That's why I like working with you Princess!"
"The pleasure is mine,"Princess Twilight said,"now,do you notice this pattern carved on the stone?It's almost resembling a clue we need to decipher.Any idea?"
Of course she would ask him.Him,her number one assistant!At least in crafted dreams.One he reads as a further reality.
"Heh,it just looks like the butterflies in Fluttershy's cottage,"Spike detached trough a mouthfull of ice cream.The princess rested her face between her hoofs,staring intensly at the stone.He tought she just spaced out.Blinking endlessly in a hazed state.Until...
"That's it!"she declared,in her 'eureka' reveal.Almost costing Spike to drop the browl."Oh,sorry Spike,but I'll have to excuse myself for the moment,"Princess Twilight began assembling her furniture in one big pile of nothing.He forgot she could take this with her,"I just remembered a great visit I need to attend to.Are you good?"
"Never better."A bookshelves metamorphosed into an ice cream cone,dripping in pastel hues,next to a proud dragon.The princess rolled her eyes,conjuring a portal wih a half-mind.The vortex basked its light onto the newly crafted kingdom.A single step,and she was gone.
"Hey!"Spike called out"Don't go too far into the cosmos!"he impishly warned,a hint of genuine worry.
"Never,"she smiled.And with that,she vanished.