//------------------------------// // The New Beginning // Story: The Element of Love // by Servant Phoenix //------------------------------// Dash slowly descended onto the ground. Love smiled through her, and raised her right hoof. It shimmered, and five small orbs shot towards Dash's friends. He then bowed, closed the eyes of the pegasus, and gave the control back to Rainbow Dash. When Dash opened her eyes, they were pink again, now shining from happiness. “That. Was. Awesome!” Dash cried. The orbs shined as they touched the prisons, slowly dispelling the dark magic. When the bubbles disappeared, the orbs caught Dash's friends, and slowly descended them to the ground. The mares looked at each other, then at Dash. Dash jumped to the air, rushed to her friends, and brought all of them into a big group hug. They hugged back and everypony sighed in relief and cried together. Nopony could say a word; after all the fighting and suffering they went through, the joy of reunion was endless. When their embrace finally broke, Twilight spoke first, “How could you defeat the Element of Darkness? I mean, I saw what you did, but how? And how could you escape the minions?” The rest were also looking at Rainbow Dash. “Well... I defeated him by the Element of Love,” replied Dash. However, her friends weren't satisfied. “Aaaand what's that?” Applejack asked. Dash was thinking for a while and answered, “Love is... I guess somepony like Princess Celestia, but much stronger. And he's a stallion.“ “And you met him?” asked Pinkie Pie. “Yes, yes I did,“ Dash answered. “I met him in a secret room in Canterlot Castle. Princess Luna hid me there, but the minions found me.“ Fluttershy gasped. “Oh dear. And what did you do?” “Well... I asked Love to help me." Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up. “And he came?” “Yes... he did. He defeated the minions and forgave my sins.“ That answer grew a smile on Pinkie’s face.   Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Forgave yer sins? What do ya mean by that?” Dash thought for a few seconds. “I... I do not know. He said that he's the judge of the bearers. He declared that I failed, then in the next second he offered me forgiveness. Since that, the minions cannot hurt me.“ “And what did he look like?” Rarity asked, her mind full of different images. “He was all... light and love. Yes, that’s he was like,” Dash explained, scratching her head. Fluttershy turned to Twilight. “Twilight, can you teleport us back to Ponyville? I really don't want to walk through the Everfree Forest during the night.” Twilight grimaced. “Fluttershy, I don’t think we're finished here.“ Fluttershy blinked. “But why Twilight? That big monster is no longer a threat. Dash defeated him." Rarity answered, while fixing her mane, “Fluttershy, darling, when Twilight did the same to the dark creatures what Dash did to this horrible monster, they came back in a few seconds. They said that they were banished from this world, but they could come back. Of course, they said that their master recreated their body, but what if Darkness can recreate himself?“ “Not to mention, that Darkness was defeated like this several times already,“ added Dash. “Princess Luna told me that when she and Princess Celestia were captured by Darkness... Yes they were!” confirmed Dash when she saw their friends’ surprise. “So when they were captured, a young filly came to rescue them, and did something like you saw here today, I guess."  “Hm... I really want to meet this Element of Love,” Twilight said. “So you say, I just call him?” “Ehm... maybe?“ Dash hesitated. “Well, then,” Twilight turned her face away from Dash. “Element of Love, if you exist then appear now.” Nothing happened. They all glanced around but saw no change. “It does not seem to work,” said Applejack. “Not that way, you silly filly,” said Pinkie Pie, and walked away from her friends. They only noticed now that her mane was still deflated. She stopped and looked out of the windows over her, then sat back on her haunches. “Pinkie, what are you—” tried to say Twilight, but Dash rushed to Twilight, and put her hoof on the unicorn’s mouth with a grin. They all watched her. “Element of Love,” started Pinkie Pie, “I tried to be the pony who makes everypony laugh, but I failed. I failed so many times that I've lost count. Sometimes they just ignored me, sometimes I annoyed them, sometimes I even made them angry. One time...” She started sniffling. “One time I gave up making them happy, and created friends for myself." She closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me, and make me somepony who can be called as the Spirit of Laughter.“ Small shining orbs flew into the castle through the windows to the front of Pinkie. They gathered, becoming so shining, that nopony could watch it anymore. “Pinkie Pie,” spoke somepony in the voice of a stallion, “you are worthy to be called the Spirit of Laughter. Your sins are forgiven.” Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy faced the ground, bowing before the almighty alicorn. They had no power to stand up. Dash welcomed the radiating love and peace coming from Love and stood without a problem. She glanced at her bowing friends, then continued watching Pinkie Pie.   Light poured out from Love and into the sitting pink pony, restoring her mane. She looked up at Love with a huge beam. Then she closed her eyes and started bouncing in front of him, overwhelmed by the joy filling her heart. “Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you,“ she cried. Love laughed cheerfully. “You are indeed the Spirit of Laughter, Pinkie Pie.” “Ehm... Yer Majesty?” said Applejack, still bowing. “Speak, Spirit of Honesty,” Love said, and a tendril came out of him, touching Applejack. Applejack rose up from the ground, still bowing her head. “Ah remember seein’ Pinkie Pie with that strange mane. Ah remember that well, cause that day"—she gulped—"Ah lied.“ “When Ah lied, Ah hoped that if Ah lie, Ah'll not spoil the surprise, and Ah'll make her happy.“ She swallowed, then continued, “The next time Ah saw her, she was filled with hatred. Now Ah know that it was her worst afternoon of her life. That lie has hurt her so much that she has been suffering till now.“ Applejack stopped for a moment. “Ah do not want to lie to anypony. Element o’ Love, help me. Give me the wisdom Ah need.“ “Indeed you need wisdom Applejack,” replied Love, “and I will give you as much as you need.“ Applejack glowed as the tendril swirled around her and went into her. She looked up on the bright alicorn. “Thank you Element o’ Love. Ah'll never let ya down,” Applejack said. “Even if you would, you now know where to ask for forgiveness,” replied Love with a wink. Applejack then glanced at Pinkie, who was now standing, staring at her. Ah wish Ah could say sorry to Pinkie, thought Applejack. “Do not fear to come close to me, Applejack,” said Love. Applejack nodded and walked to Pinkie Pie. Applejack removed her hat, and held it under her neck with her right hoof. “Pinkie, Ah’m so sorry, for lyin' at that day. Can ya... forgive me?” “Of course, silly!” replied Pinkie, still smiling. “Love forgave me, I forgive you. Easy.” “Yeah... easy,” chuckled Applejack, and put her hat back on her head. She then looked back to the others. Rainbow Dash was hovering over the still bowing ponies. “Come on girls! You weren't brought here by Darkness for nothing,“ said Dash. “I was not indeed,” cried out Rarity. “Oh, I am so sorry Dash that I forgot about you when you were in need and participated in the Best Young Flyer competition.“ “I already forgave you, Rarity,“ replied Dash. “Please Love,” she said, raising her head, with her eyes closed, and tears flowing down from her cheek, “change me into somepony who is really as generous as she is said to be.“ Love smiled. He lifted Rarity up with a tendril, and levitated her in front of him, placing her on the ground. Rarity opened her azure eyes, and Love looked deep into them. “Rarity, I love your heart. You want give others everything you have and expect nothing back. I will make sure that you will never be in need.“ Light flowed Love's body into Rarity's. “And I will purify your heart, and make it perfect.”         Rarity smiled and shone from the Love's light. Then, filled up with Love’s presence, she turned and looked at Fluttershy. Love turned to the direction of Fluttershy as well. She was still bowing, with her eyes shut. “She is still so shy. Do not give up encouraging her,” Love said through telepathy to Rarity, Pinkie, Dash, and Applejack. Applejack raised her left eyebrow and looked at Love. Rainbow Dash noticed her friend’s reaction at the strange way of communication. She flew to Applejack and explained it to her in whisper. “Uhm... Love,” whispered Fluttershy, unaware that everypony was staring at her. “Do not fear from me Fluttershy. Please, speak,“ Love said with tenderness. “I... Twilight called me the Spirit of Kindness... and in some way maybe I was.” Fluttershy raised her voice, but it was still barely over whisper. “But... but sometimes I lost my temper... and... I became a monster...“ She clenched her eyes, her shame making her unable to continue. “I can see everything in your heart Fluttershy,” said Love and Fluttershy shimmered from the light flowing from Love into her. She looked up on him. “And all I see now is the true Spirit of Kindness. You shall not worry anymore about what you've done in the past.“ Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Thank you, Element of Love." “I love you Fluttershy,“ said Love, “do not hold kindness back, the world needs it.” Fluttershy smiled and nodded. Everypony stood on their hooves in the citadel, but one. “Twilight, what’s the problem?” asked Applejack. Twilight did not answer. She was still bowing, her front hooves on her head, her eyes clenched. Her friends walked to her and surrounded her. “I heard what the minion accused you of, darling,” said Rarity. “Why don’t you tell it to Love as we all did?” “Because I cannot be forgiven!“ yelled Twilight, still with closed eyes. She continued talking, “Discord was leading the whole world into chaos. And I... I gave up. I gave up on you. I gave up on Equestria. I gave up on the whole world. The only way to save the world was to use the Elements of Harmony, but I instead turned myself into a spirit of Chaos on my own will. Even if Celestia restored me by sending letters,” she whispered,  “I do not think I can be forgiven for giving up on every creature in this world.“ “There is no big sin I cannot forgive, Spirit of Friendship,” said Love. “Even... even this big?” Twilight asked, her voice shaking. “Twilight Sparkle, I never lie. If I say there is no big sin I cannot forgive, then there is none. However, you have to accept my forgiveness. Let yourself be forgiven, ” said Love. Love's words won in Twilight’s heart. She stood up and raised her head. She stopped clenching her eyes, but still left them closed. “I... let myself. Please, forgive me.“ The bright alicorn raised his wings, and her shining doubled. “Twilight Sparkle, Spirit of Friendship,” he said in a voice that shook the whole room. Twilight opened her violet eyes. When she looked at Love's majestic appearance, she gasped and froze. Her friends could also do nothing else, but stare. “Your sins are forgiven.“ She felt as the power of the bright one flowed through her body, filling her heart with hope, relief, and joy. When the process was finished, Love lowered his wings and his brightness. He was about to leave. “Uhm, Love. There's something I don't understand,“ said Rainbow Dash. “Speak, Rainbow Dash,” Love said. “You said that you and Darkness have settled this before. What did you mean?” Love nodded, and started speaking, “Two thousand years ago, six mares came to the land of Equestria. Their land was under destruction by a gigantic fire elemental. They learned that the rulers of Equestria had a special power, the Elements of Harmony, which could even defeat the draconequus of chaos called Discord. They asked Princess Celestia to help, but she refused, because she could not leave the land of Equestria unprotected. At that time, she and her sister were the bearers of Harmony.“ Love stopped her tale. “So... they stole the Elements?” Twilight asked. “Correct,“ Love confirmed. “They did not know that only the Spirits of Harmony can wield the Elements. When they arrived back, they realized that they didn't know how to use the jewelry and started searching for the information needed. However, their land could not provide the necessary knowledge. During the search, they tried to evade the areas where the fire elemental was, but one day it found them. At the desperate moment, they wielded the Elements and fired.” “How could they do that?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “I mean... even if they were the Spirits of Harmony, the chance that they wield the elements in the correct order is...” “1 to 720,“ finished Love. “So I had to help them.“ “You helped?” asked Fluttershy. “Yes, Fluttershy. I made the Elements move right on their necks when they wanted to wield them. That was the only way to save them, and their nation.“ “So, let me guess,” said Dash. “They defeated that big monster, then Darkness came for them.“ “Yes, he did. He kidnapped the bearers. But I didn't let them suffer. I went directly to Darkness and offered myself in exchange for the bearers of Harmony. He accepted the deal. I gave up my glory and my powers and allowed him to torture me,“ he lowered her head. The girls flinched, Rarity and Fluttershy gasped. “He abused his position and humiliated me as much as he could, before he finally put me into the green prison. But he could not keep me,“ continued Love, and raised his head. “Even if I offered myself in exchange, I was innocent. On the third day, I got my powers back and freed myself from Darkness' prison. And since that, I am the one who decides who can be punished, and who can be forgiven. And I forgive everypony who comes to me with humble and open heart.“ The six friends smiled as they remembered how it happened to them. Love rose up in the air, with his wings spread, shining as he was leaving. He started to speak. “Spirits of Harmony, you are all free now. Darkness from now on does not have any power over you. From this moment, I will always be with you. I will lead you on your life. And never forget: you are the true Spirits of Harmony, not because of what you have done, but because I forgave you.“ THE END