//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: The Elements // Story: Remnant // by Ebonyglow //------------------------------// Sunny rolled to her side, the slightest of movements bringing with it a resounding ache that resonated across every last inch of her body. The initial blast of magic had taken her off guard, and the fall from the stairs to the floor below certainly accentuated the pain of it. She couldn't fathom what had just occurred. The sensations that went through her, the figures she saw, and the burning feeling of whatever magic swept over her rejecting her. Still, she managed to snap out of her stupor. Struggling, she forced her legs to bring herself up, then desperately rubbed her eyes to grasp onto her surroundings. Surveying the area, she was shocked to see the room and stairs looking relatively unscathed. The sheer force and sound of the explosion gave her the impression that it'd have done some form of damage, but that seemed anything but the case. Her worries still weren't sated, as her anxiety spiked hearing her friends above groaning. Panicked thoughts ran through her mind as she floundered up the stairs, her body protesting with each grueling step she took. She prayed they were okay, that the explosion was as harmless to them as it was to the home. Fear plagued her thoughts, adrenaline pushing her through her ascent. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Sunny peeked her head out into the Brighthouse's gallery, anxious of what'd meet her. Spread around, lying on their sides or backs, were her friends. They each looked unscathed, but she could only assume they were experiencing the same pain as she was from the sounds they were making. Though, there was a notable difference between them and her. Each of them, even Misty, had a radiant, flowing arcane aura dancing over their bodies. Sunny could only assume, but to her it seemed as if whatever magic the crystals had unleashed was within them from head to hoof. Hoping they weren’t experiencing something worse than the burning sensation that came with the magic’s rejection, she hastily ran over to them. "Are you guys okay?!" she asked, helping Izzy to her hooves. "I think so," Izzy replied, her legs shaking below her. Once steady, she smiled over at Sunny. "Thanks for the help. I think I'm okay to stand on my own." She rolled her shoulders, snickering. "That was a doozie!" "A doozie is putting it nicely…" Managing to sit on his haunches, Hitch rubbed the back of his head while cracking an eye open. "But…yeah, I think I'm okay too…" "Same here," Pipp meekly replied, shakily leaning back against the balcony's edge. "What…what was that?" Misty shook herself off, still lying on the ground. "T-that…wasn't anything like the magic overloads I've seen before…" Zipp managed to stand on her own, and quickly at that. Without having yet replied to Sunny, she looked over herself in awe. She could observe the magic flowing through her, and upon realizing that her eyes widened before she hastily scooped up her notepad and began jotting down notes. Seeing the pegasus' reaction and noting that all her friends still had that magic effect over them, Sunny raised a brow. "Wait, you're all fine? That magic isn't hurting you?" "Besides a little tingling, no, it isn't! I've got some aching, but I'm pretty sure that was from the force of the blast and not the magic," Zipp quickly replied, wincing and rubbing her head. "But, whatever the hay this is, it hit me right on the head." "But it hurt me, so why -" Sunny's words ceased as she turned to Zipp, the pegasus presenting her with a small, golden necklace. Emblazoned within it was a gemstone carved in the shape of a lightning bolt with a faded, dull red color. It shimmered with what looked like the same magic flowing through Zipp, though, oddly enough, it seemed to avoid the gemstone itself. Sunny was awestruck. Seamlessly, her anxieties and pains faded into the background and in its place grew excitement. She kept her eyes locked onto the necklace, lasering in on the gem in specific, her ability to speak suddenly eluding her. "I know we're okay…but - uh - is she?" Pipp asked, pointing over toward Sunny's dumbstruck state. "I have no idea what that thing is, but, whatever it is, it looks like it broke her." Izzy glanced around. Before long something on the ground caught her eye, and after leaning down to scoop it up, she visibly perked up. "Hey, look! I found one too!" She waved it in the air, showcasing it for everypony. "This one's got a balloon or something on it! That or a marshmallow tadpole? I’m pretty sure it’s a balloon though!" That warranted a reaction from Sunny. She whirled around to eye the jewelry and somehow her eyes managed to expand in shock even more than they already were. Within her pupils a sense of childlike wonder shined. "One over here too," Hitch grumbled, lifting another necklace. "It's got a gem shaped like an… What is that, an apple?" He tapped the gemstone curiously, raising a brow. "The hay is this thing?" Sunny looked like she was nearly going to faint. Misty fidgeted, shifting to the side and spotting another necklace where she had just been lying. "Oh…mine's got…a butterfly!" Upon seeing the necklace's gem, her face morphed into a broad smile, ushering her to glance back at the false cutie mark Opaline cast on her before she left to visit Maretime Bay. "If it isn't obvious already, I just love butterflies!" Sunny's excitement only grew to further unfathomable levels. "Right. Uh huh. So…that whole explosion thing? We're just moving past that?" Pipp grumbled, lifting up a necklace of her own. "Over these? I mean, it is gorgeous and all, but what just happened?!" "The Elements of Harmony…" The group whirled their attention towards Sunny, who was still looking between each of the necklaces with bewilderment. "Elements of Who-N-What-amony??" Pipp repeated, confusion littering her voice.  "That explosion," Sunny continued, glancing around in every direction. "It wasn't dangerous! It couldn't be if it brought back the Elements of Harmony!" The group exchanged unsure glances, silently asking if anypony else understood what the earth pony was implying. Hitch sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sunny, if it isn't obvious to you already, none of us know what you're talking about." Unbeknownst to him, Misty was familiar with the Elements in her own way. Having been told about them by Opaline, she had a straightforward story about the gems she believed sincerely in her mind. She slowly trotted forward, seeing an opportunity to provide more insight and weasel her way closer to the group. "I…I do," she chimed in, hesitantly looking up at the stud. Her response piqued Sunny's interest. "Wait, really?" "Mhm," she replied, nodding. "They belonged to these bad ponies who stole all the magic from the rightful ruler of Equestria and sealed it and her away. They feared her power and abilities as an alicorn, so they took it all away." She poked the gemstone, pouting her lips. "I'm not sure why they're here now, though, and I was told they were destroyed by the bad ponies that used them hundreds of moons ago." "Really?" Izzy said, tilting the necklace in her hooves in every which direction to see its gem shine from different angles. "These belonged to bad ponies?" "Wha– That isn't right at all!" Sunny blurted out, wheeling around to face Misty. "The Elements of Harmony were good! Twilight Sparkle and her friends were who they were—and they were heroes, not villains!" Recognizing the name, Hitch's ear flicked. "Isn't that the name of one of those ponies your dad made figures out of when we were foals?" Sunny nodded, before glaring over at Misty, huffing hot air from her nostrils. "Who the hay told you that they were bad?! Out of all ponies, they were some of the best—if not the best! They were the guardians of Equestria's peace! Heck, they're my idols!" Confused by the reaction, the unicorn took a hesitant step back. She wasn't sure how to answer. From everything Opaline told her, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were the worst ponies to ever walk within Equestria. They're the ones that stole the alicorn's magic and sealed her away in an enchanted castle remaining in a stasis of time—a literal eternal sentence. From everything she knew, those ponies were troublesome, ones to be feared. Opaline had made it explicitly clear that she should be grateful they all passed away many moons ago; otherwise, they'd try to ruin any chance she'd have at a cutie mark by stopping the alicorn from regaining her magic. Though, Sunny's genuine response threw her for a loop. Seeing the passionate look in the mare's eyes, she gulped. "I - um - heard it from a friend a few years ago…" "Well, they're completely wrong!" Sunny scolded, shaking her head. Misty cowered back. "I-I'm sorry…" It took a moment, but, seeing Misty flinch, Sunny backed up. The last thing she wanted to do was strike fear into a friend of hers over her passionate love for history, and it sounded like a simple misunderstanding and certainly not something to hold ire over the mare for. Composing herself, she took a deep breath and shook her head. "Sorry, sorry. I shouldn't have gotten worked up like that." She sighed, looking around at her friends. "Just, a lot going through my head right now—especially now." An enthusiastic smile spread across her countenance as she tapped the necklace Misty held. "But do any of you know what this means?! The real, true Elements of Harmony are right here!" "I think we're all still mutually lost, Sunny," Pipp mumbled, earning a smirk from Hitch. "My dad told me about them when I was younger, but I thought they were just a lost part of history," Sunny explained, tapping her chin. "I've always found them amazing, but I never thought I'd see them myself! I thought they didn't exist anymore!" Zipp sighed. "Still not making things clear, Sunny." Sunny paused her thrilled rant, catching on to her own rambling. Seeing the lost looks her friends gave her, a blush spread across her muzzle. She chuckled awkwardly, clearing her throat and composing herself for the second time. Getting her thoughts in order, she turned to face her friends. "Fine, I'll try and explain what I know about them." Sunny turned to Misty, and after shooting her an apologetic look, gestured at the necklace she held. "This one is Kindness, the Element of Harmony that belonged to a shy, yet sweet, pegasus named Fluttershy." Misty investigated her gem with curiosity, relaying the name of its bearer in her mind. She sounded pleasant and was clearly kind—emotions and treatment the unicorn deeply yearned for. The magic flowing through her faded away as if on cue from the previous bearer's name being spoken. It only took Zipp seconds to react, but quickly she began to jot down details into her notepad again. Sunny raised a brow at the change but nevertheless trotted over towards Hitch. "Honesty, which belonged to a hardworking, tough earth pony named Applejack." "Applejack, huh?" Hitch chuckled, gently holding the necklace in his forehoof. "Oh yeah, I remember her now. She was the one with that hat, right? The carving your dad made of her was my favorite out of the bunch." His eyes widened as the arcane effects flowing across his body flickered away. "Weird…"  Sunny nodded, hastily moving over toward Izzy. "This one right here is Laughter! It belonged to a party-loving, party-planning, and party-throwing earth pony named Pinkie Pie." The magic shimmering over Izzy's body dissipated, but it didn't even phase the mare. "A party pony? Now that sounds like my kind of historical figure!" she chirped, beaming down at the faded blue gem. "I heard she was pretty creative too, Iz," Sunny furthered, playfully nudging her friend on the shoulder. Making her way towards Pipp, she pointed at the artifact the pegasus held. "That one is Generosity, which was wielded by an elegant unicorn named Rarity." "Rarity," Pipp quietly mumbled to herself, staring at her reflection in the dull gem, seeing the aura of magic on her flicker away. "I'm sure she was just as pretty as that name…" "My dad never spoke about it, but I'm sure you're right," Sunny replied, smiling at the pegasus. Cantering over to the other royal sister, she swayed her foreleg in front of her. "And the one Zipp has is Loyalty. It belonged to a daring, brave pegasus named Rainbow Dash! She was my dad's second favorite!" Zipp smugly looked down at the Element, looking it up and down as the magic flowing over her faded. "From the look of this gem alone, it seems like she was pretty cool." "And fast," Sunny teased, winking at the mare. "But like I said, she was my dad's second favorite, just after…" She paused, halting her enthusiastic rant and glancing around. "That isn't right…" She surveyed the floor, looked around at all her friends, and even glanced down the stairs. The group quietly watched Sunny search all over the place, moving between her and gazing upon the necklace they each held with wonder and curiosity. The quiet whispers from the mare earned a few curious looks, but with how she was acting right now, her overwhelming enthusiasm could warrant a touch of out-the-ordinary behavior. Still, as she went on for a few minutes looking for something, it was becoming a touch concerning. "Not here, or there…where could it…" Her brow furrowed as she trotted to the railing of the Brighthouse and looked down over the earth below. "Maybe it fell? I don't see it…" Eventually, after observing the mare’s frantic behavior long enough, Zipp spoke up. "Uh, Sunny? You okay?" Sunny sat back on her haunches, thoughts racing and worries resurfacing. The Elements had come back—at least, that's what she thought, but there was one glaring issue. "I don't know…" She gnawed her lip, her eyes darting between each of the Elements in her friends’ possession. "Something isn't right." Puzzled, Izzy tilted her head to the side. "Oh? What is it? Did you mix up the names of these thingies or something?" "No," she flatly replied. She tuned out any further questions from her friends, running through a course of questions in her head. There had to be an explanation for it, and there had to be a way to figure it out. While it wasn’t exactly a violent one, the explosion was kind of big. Maybe it landed somewhere further away or got lost somewhere on the floor below, but as it stood right now… There was no Element of Magic. Hours had passed, the day moving into night, as Sunny frantically flipped through the journal Misty had brought her. She was desperate for answers. Any reason or idea as to how the Elements came back and why Twilight Sparkle's was missing. She hadn't voiced it to her friends, but slowly, gradually, she felt increasingly uneasy. Each of them had wound up finding one of the Elements, except her. Each one didn't get hurt by the magic flowing through them, except her. Each one was accepted by the magic the crystals sent, except her. Each Element returned, except Magic. She reached across her desk, pulling the Element of Loyalty over to her. She had spent all day looking over it and the other Elements, and it had only furthered her confusion. Each one's gem was dull and faded, nowhere near the magical, colorful, and powerful artifacts she had heard about from her father. It was as if they were dormant, inactive yet still existing—but it made no sense. "Why would they come back…broken?" she mumbled, flipping through more journal entries. In any other circumstance she'd be beyond thrilled reading through the entries, but her desire for answers had overtaken her excitement. Learning of the adventures and events of her heroes was terrific, but she simply couldn't get past her distress. Five of six elements came back, and five ponies didn't react adversely to the magic outburst. There was a missing variable, a sixth part of the equation, but she had no clue what or who it was. She felt her stomach twist into a knot, a pit of anxiety forming as her thoughts raced. The only one who felt pain from the magic was her, and she was also the only one an Element didn't land near. Not only that, but she had recently realized that the crystals had surged out their magic when she was the one to move away from them. They grew more powerful with Misty's presence as if all the puzzle pieces had been put together, but something had still been wrong. She had always been insightful, deducing possibilities and theorizing concepts that could yield a solution, but her own theorizing was doing anything but calming her. She knew something had been holding their magic back, but now she had a horrible feeling in her gut that she was that something. She looked over the five Elements on her desk, trying to force a smile. Even if they weren’t to their former luster, these were priceless pieces of Equestrian history, the remnants of a forgotten generation, and the critical factors in the Guardians of Harmony's fights against evil and more. She knew of their importance, and, more importantly, she knew they were destroyed from what her dad had told her. Yet here they were, assembled together but missing the main attraction; the crown of Twilight Sparkle, the core Element of the group, the aspect of Magic that acted as their spark. There were endless questions she yearned to have answered, but as the day continued to dwindle away, her desire for rest only grew. Zipp had retreated from the gallery, trotting down the stairs and preparing for bed. She had spent the entire day upstairs watching over the crystals, ensuring nothing more happened with them. From what she relayed, they had returned to normal, as magic was no longer constantly flowing through them. That offered a semblance of relief to Sunny, albeit a noneffective volume. Hitch had been up there with Zipp giving her company, Pipp had gone to look over the recording she had gotten of the crystal's outburst, Izzy went about handling some new crafts, and Misty bounced around between them all—having been offered to sleep over for the night. She had happily accepted and wasn't the only one staying the night. Hitch had asked as well, being he had some time off sheriff duty, and of course, Sunny had been more than okay with it. For once, their entire group was spending the night together in the Brighthouse, something that oddly hadn't occurred yet, as they had a huge day ahead of them. The amount of research, theorizing, and more they'd have to go through was immense, and the less time they wasted, the better. Yawning to herself, setting the Element of Loyalty back down, she flipped through a few more journal entries. Reading the ancient ponies' exploits was incredibly insightful, but even with how interesting they could be, she couldn't help but feel her eyelids growing heavier by the minute. "Hey, Sunny?" Snapped from her thoughts, Sunny let out a surprised yelp as she shot out of her chair.. Whirling to the voice showed her Izzy's concerned face. "Gah! Izzy, you scared me!" she awkwardly exclaimed, blushing from her embarrassing reaction. Izzy giggled to herself, gently booping the mare's nose. "You're cute when you blush, y'know that?" She laughed even more as Sunny's blush deepened before her worried look returned. "It's getting pretty late, and everypony else is getting ready for bed. You've been here all day; maybe you should take a break and leave the rest for tomorrow?" Sunny sighed, looking away from the unicorn and back at the journal. "Maybe…it's just, I've got so many questions and -" "And we'll figure them out together!" Izzy cheerfully interrupted, nudging the mare's shoulder. "C'mooooon, Sunny! With all of us together, there's no way we won't solve this!" She leaned closer, whispering into Sunny's ear. "Plus, I honestly think you and Zipp will go insane if we don't…" "Heh, yeah, it's already getting me a bit looney, isn't it?" she chuckled, seeing Izzy nodding in response. "I guess a break couldn't hurt. Not like I'll get anything done if I'm more sleepy than awake." Izzy smiled, nodding once more before turning away. "Yup! We'll get lots done tomorrow, I'm sure of it!" Watching the unicorn skip over towards her bed, Sunny surveyed the room. Hitch had set up a small makeshift bed on the ground, complete with several blankets and pillows, and from the looks of it, made a similar setup for Misty, who was preparing to sleep a few feet away. Zipp had just finished jotting down some extra notes, stowing away her book of research into her desk and fluttering over towards her bed, seemingly content with the work she had done for the day. Even Pipp had stowed over her laptop and phone, already beginning to wiggle under her covers. With everypony else getting ready to sleep, now seeing Izzy also hopping into her bed, Sunny took a deep breath. There was no point in forcing herself to stay awake and going to bed now would mean she'd be rested and have her friends around to help her figure things out. Surrendering to her urge to rest, she heeded Izzy's words and slowly closed the journal. Sunny slipped from her chair and hopped into her bed. The second her body made contact with the soft embrace of her mattress, her sleepiness had risen tenfold. Only now did she even grasp how tired she was. Waking up too early, burning herself out with stress and excitement, and now staying up relatively late—all combined for her energy being entirely extinguished. Yawning again and smacking her lips together, she hastily shimmied under her blanket. She exchanged quick goodnights with each of her friends, watching as they all set to sleep, and allowed herself to smile. Sleep was fast approaching, and she couldn't help but see the opportunity ahead. The mystery was concerning, and the fact that she seemed like the odd one out even more so, but she was confident she'd find an answer. A good night's rest and a few whimsical dreams would be fantastic, sure to fuel her for the next day. With the Elements of Harmony returned, there were sure to be significant breakthroughs in discovering more of Equestria's past. Her eyes drifted closed, already hearing the snores of some of her friends from afar, and she felt herself falling asleep. For a moment, a subtle feeling akin to the burning sensation from the magic outburst danced over her, but she refused to let it disturb her. Whatever it was, it was sure to be harmless.