//------------------------------//
// Chapter V - Long time no see! 
// Story: A Legend Returns 
// by 654_nosneb 
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"Are you sure about this, sis?" the sun alicorn asked to Luna. "I mean, I did felt a powerful presence at the forest, but I'm very sure that Osvaldo died a long time ago."

"Yeah, but Sasha said that he saw a bald human at the forest; who else could it be?"

"Maybe... Maybe she just saw a unicorn afected by... poison joke?" she replied.

"Well," Luna spoke, "if that's the case, it's an enormous coincidence."

After some seconds of uncomfortable silence, Celestia decided to break it.

"I think we should focus on more important issues," the white mare spoke, "like, for example, what's exactly that 'new' element of harmony known as the element of hope?"

"Well, maybe... Maybe it's... I don't know. We never fully understood the elements after all," was the night princess' reply. "Wait, Tia, don't change the topic at hoof!"

"You know me too well don't you?" Tia replied. "But, am I right?"

After deeply exhalating from her muzzle, Luna said, "I guess you are. You can send a letter to Twilight. I think that element is now kept inside her castle."

"Indeed Lulu. Now that that's solved, I think we should..."

"Hey, but what about the Osvaldo problem!" Exclaimed Luna. "Stop avoiding the problem, Tia."

"Since that wasn't confirmed yet, technically I'm not avoiding any problem," Celestia lied, not just to her sister, but also to herself. She was terrified about the idea that Director Osvaldo could still be alive, and her mind desperately tried to avoid the topic, even if it was irrational. "You're the one who's forcing this topic."

Both mares stared at each other for a long, and uncomfortable time. Luna was the one that decided to break the silence first, and spoke: 

"I think it's getting late. Maybe I should go keep checking on the dreams of our subjects."

"Yeah, maybe you should," Tia replied. 


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"So the Little Prince just gave it to you?" Twilight asked me.

It was Monday, and because of it, I was back at Ponyville for my studies. Twilight recently received a letter from Tia in which the white alicorn practically begged her to see if she could at least try to understand what was that 'element of hope' that once saved us from Owlen.

When I arrived, I saw the purple mare holding the pendant on her purple aura. I knew that she wanted to keep it in order to study it, but she never did that, until now.

"Yep," I answered. I was now holding the new element/pendant on my hands. Its white bright now was a bit less strong than before, but it was still shining. "He briefly told me that he found it during one of his explorations in an asteroid, but that explains nothing. Does the book of the elements explains anything?"

"Not anything that we don't know yet," she said. "At least it states that it was once part of the others, and was here on earth."

After she said that, I tried to make the element react to my magic. I focused really hard, and even got to make it shine, but my efforts were worthless; nothing happened. 

"Well, maybe the Little Prince can tell us more about it," Twilight stated. "How about we go to B-612 to ask him?"

"That's not likely to happen soon, not until you find another alicorn that can help us," I answered. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, B-612 is pretty far from earth, and since more far means more magic, we need the magical power of three alicorns in order to go there. I have the magic of an alicorn, you as well but... we need one more, and Tia and Luna are kinda occupied right now; they've a kingdom to rule after all."

"Oh, I see," she said.

I kept playing/testing with the element of hope, until the purple mare exclaimed:

"Wait, how about Sasha?"

"Hmm, that's... not actually a bad idea!" I shouted excitedly. "She returned to her home at Ponyville, or at least that's what I know. Maybe you could give her a little visit and get her help."

"Why don't you go? She knows you better than me."

"Twilight, I just came from an exhausting train trip, I didn't sleep in the whole night, and I'm having a horrible headache. May I sleep for some hours please?"

"Sure, but... why didn't you sleep in the whole night?"

"That's... a bit complicated, I'll tell you later, ok?"

"... Ok," she replied. 

After an awkward silence, and a yawn, I spoke, "Well, I guess that I should go to sleep now."

"Ok, in the meantime, I'll see what Sasha is up to."


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After leaving William sleeping in the castle, I went directly to Sasha's house. It didn't take me long to find it, after all, I was the one that helped William to find Sasha in the first place. 

I knocked on her door, and waited for a response. It took her a long while, but eventually she showed her face as she opened the door. 

"Oh, Twilight, I wasn't expecting you," said she, "is there anything I could help you with?"

"Indeed there is," I replied. I was about to explain her what it was, when I saw something, something was wrong. Her face was wet, her eyes were red, and liquid was escaping her nose. "Wait, Sasha, were you crying?"

"No," she lied. "... Well yes, I was."

"Why?"

"Well, I... I was... I was just sad and stuff because... because I remember Poppy, my friend that died, but I'm ok, don't worry."

That answer was weird, "Are you sure that you're alright?"

"Yeah, very sure. Now, you said that there was something in which I could help you."


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Two hours before:

Sasha was now at her home, preparing a hay soup for herself. She started the preparation by holding a knife with her magical aura and crushing the hay. The next step was to boil some water, mix it with the hay, and then add any vegetables she wanted.

She was sad because she lost Poppy, but the visit she made to the princesses helped with it a little bit. It was so nice to actually meet alicorn that weren't just like...

"Sasha! Long time no see," a mare voice that the green alicorn didn't hear in a long time, but still recognized spoke.

Sasha stopped cutting the hay and, slowly, turned to face the mare that was in her house. She was a purple mare but, to her horror, she wasn't Twilight. 

It was her mother, Opaline.

She was still in her alicorn form, but probably just to intimidate her; most likely she was just a unicorn during her normal days. She wasn't wearing her usual Armour though; probably she lost it after all those years. 

Sasha's heartbeat started to go wild as she was just frozen in place, too stunned to even speak, but she had to. She thought that this mare was dead, and she wanted to find a way to make it truth again. Best thing she could do now was to get answers. 

"How... how did you...?"

"'How did I survived' You ask? Well, at World War II, I guess I was just lucky not to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. If you ask for the humanity extinction thing, well, it was pretty easy. I'm sure it was also easy for you."

"And why do you show up now!" Sasha reclaimed. "To torture me, to yell at me, to complain or something?"

"Again, you got it all wrong my dear child." she calmly replied. "For the first time in your long, boring, and meaningless life, I'm here to congratulate you."

Sasha's face got confused, "Co... congratulate me?"

"Yeah, I wasn't the pony who finally achieved the extinction of the human race. Neither the princesses; I've seen how they care for their human friend called William, even before his return. They wouldn't even hurt a human baby. It wasn't me, and all my companions are dead so that leaves you as the only possible option. 
I admit that you were really hard to find. Specially since you never showed up to Canterlot's castle and say, 'Oh princesses look! I have a horn and wings too,' until now."

"Even then, how did you find me?"

"I always keep an eye on the Equestrian government, mostly because I'd love to see those princesses loose their throne. I don't want it... yet, but I just can't tolerate that ponies that were friends with humans, and, due to recent events, still are, rule over me," she paused for a second, then she continued. "I wish I could kill William. Unfortunately, he's always in companion of rather the elements or the princesses. It would make too much noise, and would ruin the position I've been constructing during thousands of years.
Well, at least I helped others to overthrown, or at least try, Celestia and Luna. Who do you think that gave all the information required to Chrisalis for her invasion in exchange for a comfortable position as a general? Who do you think that told Tirek that he had a free road to escape when his guard momentarily left? Who do you think that wrote the prophecy that stated that Nightmare Moon will return, and then slowly, but surely, started to move the stars? Who do you think that lowered the magical protection that imprisoned Discord in stone so even a little bit of chaos could free him? I'll give you a little clue: it was me!"

After more seconds in which the tension in the air was breathable, Opaline spoke one last thing, "I came here to congratulate you, however, by the look in your face, you didn't even do the one thing I'd be proud of. What a waste. See ya later! I hope next time we see each other will be for me to see at least some kind of apology from you, or for me to congratulate you for something remotely remarkable," and with that said, her horn lighted up and she vanished. 

And with that said, Sasha collapsed and cried.