Rainbow Dash gasped when the dark shadows got through the barrier and began walking towards her. She tried to take off and fly away, but she couldn’t; her wings were no longer obeying her will. The dark pegasi were radiating out an aura that paralyzed pegasus wings.
“Why... come on... MOVE!” shouted Dash as she tried to flap her wings. I can’t end here. My friends! If I lose here, we all lose. They need me, but I can't save them. The shadows were closing in. I can't even save myself. Bowing her head, she fell on her haunches. She closed her pink eyes, and tears flowed from them.
“Element of Love... if... if you really exist, and you can save me, then... please, save me,” she whispered.
A great light flared in the middle of the room, and something appeared in the middle of it. The shadow pegasi stopped and gawked with their widening red eyes at the thing in the middle of the light that looked at them. The minions shrieked and tried to run out of the room when a white flash and a huge blast shook the room. A ring of light came out of the bright one that threw the minions out of the room and disabled the force field in the doorway.
Rainbow Dash couldn’t say a word. When she first glanced at the bright thing, she collapsed on the ground, and could only hear the shriek of the dark ones and the blast. After dealing with the minions, the bright one turned to her. “Rainbow Dash, the Spirit of Loyalty, stand up.” Its voice was echoing, like a great waterfall, but Dash could feel kindness and love as it spoke. Dash felt as the bright one’s power flowed inside her, making her stand. Dash looked upon her savior. It... or he, was a stallion alicorn, bigger than Princess Celestia. Both his coat and his mane were pure white, glowing. His eyes blazed like the sun. She tried to examine him further, but couldn’t stand the sight and bowed with her eyes clenched together. She didn't understand why, but when she looked at the alicorn, her thoughts went back to Fluttershy. Spirit of Loyalty... do I even deserve that name?
“Why do you think you're not worthy for that name?” the alicorn spoke.
Dash, still holding her eyes closed, replied, “Because I'm not loyal to even my friends. I wasn’t loyal to them and not just once, but many times. My... my pride... my desire for glory... they told me to think only about myself, and I obeyed them.”
The alicorn replied, “Yes, you did. I saw all of them, I saw your treasons. Treasons against your friends, treasons against your element, treasons against Love.” His voice became firm, “Therefore I, the judge of the bearers, declare that you have failed to be the pure Spirit of Loyalty.”
Rainbow’s heart sank. Treason... I am a traitor.
“You failed,” continued the alicorn. “It was not because you didn’t want to be good. You wanted, but you couldn’t.” He stopped for a moment. “You couldn’t because you tried with your own power. You became the bearer of Loyalty but you still stayed to be a pony, filled with pride and desire for glory.“
The alicorn’s tone changed. “But I forgive you.”
Hope rose in the heart of the pegasus. He forgives me?
“I forgive you, because I love you Rainbow Dash. Even with your mistakes and flaws, I love you. I saw all your treasons, and I still love you.“
The bright one stopped for a moment, then continued, “Now, Rainbow Dash, do you accept my forgiveness?”
Rainbow Dash’s heart was beating fast. For herself, she wanted now nothing else. With her eyes still closed, tears flowing down from her cheek, Rainbow Dash answered:
“I... accept it... T...Thank you.”
The alicorn smiled. Rainbow could not see it, but could feel as kindness and love radiated from the presence of the alicorn. Glimmering stream of light began to flow in the air from the alicorn to the pegasus, making her lift into the air. Rainbow felt as the stream flowed into her, filling her up.
“Then I, the Element of Love here proclaim that Rainbow Dash from this moment is the true and just bearer of the Element of Loyalty. All her sins that she committed or will commit are now eternally forgiven.“
Rainbow Dash, hearing Love's words, raised her head and smiled with tears of relief on her face. I am forgiven. She opened her pink eyes. The alicorn, a smile on his face, stepped close to her, then sat on his hind legs and raised his front hooves stretched out. Dash, after a few moments of hesitation, flapped her now-working wings and flew into the embrace of the bright one.
“Thank you, Love,” she said, sniffling. “I... I always hated myself for the moments when... when I failed.” She looked up on his face.
The alicorn was looking at her spoke with a smile, “You are forgiven, Rainbow Dash. Your past is now... finished.”
The Spirit of Loyalty, filled with joy and peace, put her head back onto his chest. A new thought came into her mind. My friends. They are still in danger. I have to save them.
“The bearers of Harmony can only be saved by the Element of Love,” he replied on her thought.
Rainbow Dash looked up again and begged, “Then please, Love, go and save my friends.”
Love closed his eyes and shook his head.
“It’s not possible. They are not asking for my help. They believe in themselves... and in you.” He looked back to Dash, but spoke with no accusation in his voice. “I only go to the ones who humble themselves with open heart, and call for my name. You must go.” He caressed her mane. “You must go and save them; with me, with my power.”
Dash replied, “But if you don't come, then... how?”
“I'll always be with you from now. I'll never forsake you or leave you for a moment. Even if you'll not see me, or hear me, I'll see you, and hear you. You can call for me, whenever you'd like to."
Dash slowly released the embrace of the bright one. I wish I could stay with him more. But if I have to go, then there is no time to waste. I must save... ehm... we must save my friends, Dash corrected herself, realizing that the bright one can hear her thoughts.
Love nodded, and let her go. Dash flapped her wings, and immediately was in air, hovering.
Love stood up and said, “Your friends are kept in the Everfree Forest, in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters—”
“Great! Let’s go!” Dash interrupted. She stood up on two legs in the air, twisted her shoulders to the right, and raised her wings for a big flap.
“NO! Wait!” Love cried out.
Dash lowered her hooves with a groan. She went back to small flaps of her wings and turned back to the alicorn. “Why? We can't waste any more time!”
Love smiled and shook his head. “Rainbow Dash, I know how much you love your friends, but sometimes you just need to be more patient, or things might go the opposite way you want.”
The pegasus sighed, rolled her eyes and said, “Fine.” She landed on the floor.
When Dash settled down, Love began to explain, “The sky over the Everfree Forest is dangerous on its own. But now, with the presence of Darkness, a mist is hovering over the forest. The mist has similar magical effect that Discord’s spell had when you all were wandering in the maze of Canterlot.“
“I will... lose my wings?” Rainbow's eyes widened.
“Correct.” He nodded. “The north-west entrance where you entered at the time of the Summer Sun Celebration is also blocked by the mist, to prevent the citizens of Ponyville to go into the forest with magical capabilities.“
“Then how will I go into the forest?” Dash asked.
“There is another entrance at the south of the forest that leads to the castle."
"Cool, we got a plan then!" She stood up. I can't waste a second more.
"Wait!"
Dash groaned. "What now? I have to hurry!"
"Make sure that you go there by flying around the forest and not over it. And also—”
“Why would I do that? I'm not stupid! Come on!”
“You are not, but you are impatient. How many times will that lead you against your element?” said Love as a loving father to his daughter.
All the pride vanished from Rainbow’s heart. Love is trying to help me. To save my friends. But it’s more important to me not to be treated like a filly. “I’m sorry,” said Rainbow with both her voice and her head lowered.
“Dash, I know that even if you have pride in your heart, you want to change,“ said Love with kindness in his voice. “Whenever you make a mistake against your element, just tell me with a heart ready to change. I will forgive you, and help you get free from doing the same mistake over and over again.“
Rainbow looked up, smiled and said with caution in her sound, “So... can we go now?”
“One more thing. When you enter the forest, Darkness will immediately feel your presence, so be ready to face his trials, because he will not just simply let you reach the castle.”
Rainbow Dash’s heart sank. Darkness... the leader of the minions I faced? “But I've got no chance against him!”
“On your own, you do not,” nodded Love. “But I will be there, and I will help you. With my aid, you will be able to pass through any challenge that Darkness throws at you.“
A smile grew on Rainbow Dash’s face as trust was filling her heart. She flapped her wings. “Okay, now let’s go!” But also added with a little lower voice, “If... you don't have anything else to say of course.”
“Go Rainbow Dash, Spirit of Loyalty! I will be with you!”
Dash flew out of the room, and out of the castle through one of the windows at the top of the tower. She flew up high into the sky. When she gained enough altitude, she stopped in the air still flapping with her wings. She turned around with her front hoof over her eyes, her rainbow mane waving in the wind.
She spotted the Everfree Forest. As Love had foretold, a dark mist was hovering over the forest, glinting occasionally. Her heart was filling with fear again, but she shook her head. No! I have Love with me, I'll not be afraid. I’ll fight, and with him, we’ll save my friends. With confidence in her heart, she furrowed her eyebrows, and with a strong flap of her wings, she blasted towards the threatening sight of the Everfree Forest.