//------------------------------//
// Reliance 
// Story: If Solaris had a Text-to-Speech Device 
// by Jay David 
//------------------------------//

"GETTING BACK TO THE WIDER HISTORY OF EQUESTRIA SINCE MY ARRIVAL HERE IN THIS TOMB, THERE IS ONE THING I AM CURIOUS TO."

"Oh? And what would that be, Father?" Luna asked.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND HER CLOSE FRIENDS. THEY ARE THE ONES PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR FELLING THE NATION'S FOES DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS, YES?"

"They are," Luna replied with a smile. "Ponykind, and indeed the world, owes them a debt of gratitude that likely can never be repaid."

"YES, YES, ALL WELL AND GOOD. BUT MY QUESTION IS HOW? BY MY RECKONING, THEY ARE SIMPLY A SMALL GROUP OF ORDINARY PONIES. GRANTED, TWILIGHT HERSELF IS AN ALICORN, BUT WAS VERY MUCH AN INEXPERIENCED ONE PRIOR TO HER CORONATION. AND MANY OF THE ENEMIES THEY WERE PUT UP AGAINST WOULD COMPLETELY DWARF SUCH A GROUP, YES?"

Discord then shrugged. "Well, not always. Sometimes they beat their enemies by talking them down. With a bit of time-travel shenanigans thrown in for good measure of course," he added with a smirk.

"...I WON'T ASK ABOUT THAT ONE. BUT GETTING BACK, HOW DID SO MANY VICTORIES COME TO THEM?"

Luna nodded to her parent. "Well, in several instances, they were aided by powerful, magical objects. Chiefly among them being the Elements of Harmony."

"A CREATION OF HARMONY NO DOUBT."

Another nod from Luna. "They were. When Twilight first set out on her path, the Elements were a tool that was invaluable to her early adventures." She looked to Discord. "They helped them imprison Discord for the second time in his life..." A look of shame came to her. "...and they were what ultimately freed me from my dark influence."

Discord looked to her and, while somewhat annoyed that his past villainy had been brought up again, he knew better than to speak up while Luna was reliving old and bitter memories. As for Solaris, he naturally had his own thoughts on the matter. "AND WHERE ARE THESE ELEMENTS NOW?"

Here, Discord took on a somewhat guilty look, trying his best to avoid looking at the skeleton. Luna noted this and, in an effort to put on as much of a poker face as she could, gave an honest answer. "They were destroyed by another of Twilight's enemies. Quite recently, in fact."

"...WHY DO I GET THE FEELING YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS, DRACONEQUUS?"

Finally looking back to him, Discord smiled, albeit a very small one. "Experience, I suppose."

Solaris undoubtedly wanted to enquire further about that, but instead it appears as though there was another part to this that he needed to say. "IN ANY CASE, PERHAPS IT IS FOR THE BEST THAT SUCH A THING HAPPENED."

Luna looked to her father with surprise. "You'll forgive me for not quite understanding such a stance, Father. The Elements were a force for good for many years. They embodied some of the best qualities of ponykind. Their loss was felt by many, not only by Twilight and her friends but even the newer generation of the world's defenders."

"TRUE ENOUGH," Solaris conceded. "BUT EVEN WITH THAT IN MIND, THEIR REMOVAL DOES DO ONE GOOD THING. IT ENSURES THAT PONYKIND IS NOT RELIANT UPON SUCH CREATIONS TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS." Once he was sure he had everycreature's attention, he continued. "AS LONG AS THE ELEMENTS WERE THERE, SO TOO WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TEMPTATION TO USE THEM FOR EVERY PROBLEM THAT CAME ABOUT. WHEN DEPENDENCE SUCH AS THIS GOES ON, PONIES, AND INDEED ALL CREATURES OF THE WORLD, AVOID OTHER SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS. MAGIC, TOOLS OF POWER, THESE THINGS CANNOT ALWAYS BE OUR GO-TO WHEN FACED WITH DIFFICULT TIMES. INSTEAD, WE MUST LEARN TO USE WHAT WE HAVE WITHIN OURSELVES TO OVERCOME THE DARKNESS."

After considering his words, Luna sighed. "Perhaps. But some dangers are too great for one to overcome. A soldier, such as our good friend Flash, knows to go into a fight with his armour. Courage and a sense for battle may be on his side, but even so, the right tools can take away the danger he may face, or at the very least lessen the risk."

"YOU SPEAK TRULY, DAUGHTER. AND I WOULD NEVER COUNSEL FOR ONE TO GO INTO A BAD SITUATION WITH NAUGHT BUT HOPE AND GOOD FEELING IN THEIR ARSENAL. SOMETIMES, AN EXTRA ADVANTAGE IS NEEDED. BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A RISK OF COMPLACENCY IS THOSE INSTANCES. A TIME WHEN EVEN THE MOST SENSIBLE WILL SIMPLY TAKE THE EASY OPTION, RATHER THAN IMPROVE THEMSELVES SO AS TO NEVER NEED IT."

Hearing that, Discord looked to Solaris and, for the first time since their reintroduction to one another, actually gave a genuine smile. "Never thought I'd see the day when you and I were actually on the same page about something."

"I ASSUME, DISCORD, YOUR WORDS ARE IN SOME WAY RELATED TO YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE EARLEIR INCIDENT?"

"Maybe," Discord replied with faux innocence.

Sweetie Belle, who had been dutifully listening to all of this, glanced down to the ground. "Still, it's a shame the Tree had to go the way it did."

Luna looked to her, smiling and gently placing her hoof upon her shoulder. "Fear not, child. Harmony is still with us. The power she embodies will always be part of Equestria, even if we cannot see her."

Sweetie Belle returned the smile, clearly reassured by Luna's words. As for Solaris, he had further things to speak of. "EVEN WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'M JUST GLAD PONYKIND HAS NEVER BECOME ENAMOURED WITH DARK MAGIC EN MASSE. SPELLS AND ARTEFACTS OF THAT ILK WERE ALWAYS A BANE TO ME."

Luna looked to him. "Fear not, Father. All dark magic has been thwarted in the time since you've been gone, and that which hasn't has been secured away safely.

"GOOD," Solaris replied. "THE LAST THING I NEED IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS SOME TERRIBLE, MAGICAL OBJECT OUT THERE AND CAUSING A RUCKUS FOR EVERYPONY."

Having heard that, Discord nervously scratched the back of his head. "So...even if your situation could be improved by it, you wouldn't, say...partake?"

"NO. NEVER. WHY DO YOU ASK?"

Discord shrugged. "Oh, no reason." Looking away, he whispered to himself. "Okay, well that kinda dampens my plan a bit."