//------------------------------//
// five 
// Story: Fear and Trembling 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

    The next day's train ride to Mount Mare took three hours, but it felt to Twilight like three days. She rode quietly the entire way, but the same couldn't be said of her friends.

"Shucks, I can't seem to remember ever seein' these fields before. They've got some mighty handsome crops growin' this side of Equestria."

"Wow! Check out that ravine! I bet I could do some sick dives through that, just like Ghastly Gorge back at home!"

"No flying in the passenger car, Rainbow Dash. Celestia's specifically asked us to make this trip; it would be most uncouth of us to act like anything less than Equestria's harmonious Element bearers."

"Are we near the Trottingham countryside yet? Oh, I can't wait to see the beautiful fauna."

"Oooh! Oooh! I see a cow! No, wait, that's just a bale of hay. Oh! Another cow—no, that's an even fatter bale."

Fluttershy brushed aside Pinkie to give Twilight a concerned expression. "Why didn't we bring Spike along? He joined us the last time we all went on a trip for the Princess."

"Betcha Twilight here figures he would have eaten half the stuff out of the picnic basket by now!" Pinkie winked, bouncing in her window seat. "He's a growing baby dragonlinglingling, after all!"

Twilight took a deep breath, a task made all the more difficult from the jostling motions of the chugging train car. "Spike had some overdue chores back home in the library," she said. She shifted uncomfortably, the weight of a saddlebag hanging off her flanks. "Besides... th-this trip was meant for us and us alone. I woudn't... uhm... want to disappoint Her Majesty."

"Well, if you insist," Fluttershy quietly remarked.

"Oh, I just can't wait to find out what Princess Celestia's message is!" Rarity exclaimed with a flush to her face. "The wisdom and mystique of royalty knows no limits! We do live in exciting times, my little ponies!"

"You don't suppose she's fixin' to put us through some sort of test or nothin'?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, Applejack. We're to head out into the countryside and... wait for further instruction."

"Well, I sure hope she doesn't mind all the vittles Pinkie Pie has brought along with us," Applejack said, pointing at the offending wicker basket stuffed with goods. She smiled wickedly. "I'm starvin' something mighty fierce, and I'd hate to be stuffin' my face while on royal duty!"

"Hey! Hey! Look!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her wings flapping as she pressed herself up to the passenger window. "I think I see the mountain!" She beamed, and then her ears drooped as her voice cracked.  "Ew, it's way smaller than I thought..."

The other girls giggled at her. Twilight remained silent.

The train came to a stop at a tiny town nestled at the base of several richly forested hills. The village barely had half-a-dozen buildings to its name. All of them were over a century old and populated by elder ponies smiling and gossiping with Trottingham accents. After a quick stop by the general store, the six ponies took a trail that led them up through the woods and towards the southern face of the highest hill. A few scant signs were all that indicated that the topographical anomaly was actually "Mount Mare," and the most dramatic feature of the place was a craggy cluster of rocks at the very summit.

This discovery evidently bored Rainbow Dash, but she filled the time by flying zig-zag patterns above the other five in their ascent, joyfully regaling them with stories of tempestuous weather experiences as well as personal anecdotes involving mountain fly-bys. Rarity trembled upon hearing each narrative, but Pinkie Pie merely giggled and asked for Rainbow Dash to talk even more. Fluttershy dragged her hooves at the rear of the group, gazing with sparkling eyes at one or two flickers of colored feathers above the six mares. She glanced fitfully from tree to tree, calling out to the local fowl to take air and show their pretty wings. By the time she began calling out to them with self-practiced bird calls, a sighing Applejack trudged back and nudged her into a faster trot with a persistent head butt, forcing the rest of the group to giggle at Fluttershy's blushing expression.

All the while, Twilight was silent as stone. She hung towards the back of the line, gazing at her five colorful friends, cherishing the sight of them, relishing the melody in their voices. Memories dripped off every word they had to say, only to be swept away in the chilling wind that swept over Mount Mare. The weight in Twilight's saddlebag shifted, and she sighed, forcing herself to stare at the thinning grass beneath her as she ascended higher and higher up the craggy hilltop.

The world was tranquil there, lulled by a hushed murmur that hung between the trees and the buzzing of summer cicadas. Not even in a cemetery did Twilight feel such peace and stillness. She knew that the elder populace of the township at the base of the mountain couldn't be bothered to venture this high up the landscape, and Mount Mare wasn't exactly a hot tourist spot. They were treading on ground that hadn't been touched in years, and wouldn't be covered again in twice as much time to follow.

"I can't wait to have you all try out Mrs. Cake's new double-seasoned cinnamon sticks!" Pinkie bounced with the picnic basket rattling on her spine. "They're packed with extra 'delish!' That's like two 'Yums' combined with three 'Mmmms' to make an explosion of sugar in your mouth!"

"First thing's first, darling." Rarity turned to look back at Twilight. "Not to ruin a most charming moment, Twilight, but would you happen to know if we are getting close to our destination? We've been trotting for almost an hour and my delicate hooves are getting sore."

"We will be there soon," Twilight softly said.

"Do you even know where our destination is?" Rainbow Dash asked, an eyebrow raised as she hovered overhead. "Every square foot of this hilltop looks the same to me."

"Did Celestia tell you to look for a marker or something?" Fluttershy added.

Gulping, Twilight looked straight ahead and said, "Celestia will provide us a sign once we're there."

Fluttershy blinked at that. Rainbow Dash shrugged and resumed her wild zig-zagging, summoning a cheer from Pinkie Pie and a grumbling comment from Applejack. Soon, though, the group broke into a cheerful discussion about past hiking trips, vacations in the countryside, and places in Equestria that they each hoped to someday visit. Rarity got nostalgic over her earliest recollections of the emerald plains of Dream Valley. Fluttershy made a passive comment about a lake house near Ponyville and made herself blush. Pinkie Pie struck a muse and began singing, much to the mixed joy of her fellow mares.

Twilight winced each time she heard the cheer in her friends' voices. She concentrated on the hoofsteps that brought them up the mountain. The marching sound morphed in her mind and formed an echo in her ears, becoming a deep pulse that throbbed harder and harder against her senses. Soon, life was nothing but the tenuous fibers dangling between the pulse and the crystalline weight in her saddlebag. The warmth of sunlight drew away as if a funeral shroud was kissing Twilight's coat with frigid lips, and suddenly she heard Fluttershy gasp.

"Oh my, what a wonderful little glade."  The pegasus cooed.

"Mmmm... so cool and inviting!" Rarity hummed, her eyes sparkling as they took in a shaded enclosure beside a cluster of green trees. A butterfly or two lingered above a line of flowery bushes before a gentle breeze scared them off into the dangling branches of a thick forest. Birds chirped overhead as aphids hopped between the springy blades of grass. "Oh, I could just collapse here and nap for a fortnight!"

"Darned if it doesn't look nice and cool-like," Applejack muttered, fanning herself with her hat. "I wouldn't mind stoppin' by here on the way back down."

"Why wait?! Huh?!" Pinkie spun around in a circle. "This is the most bestest spot for a picnic in the whole wide world! Wouldn't you agree?"

Twilight stepped up. She looked at her friends, at them gathering in a tight, happy cluster within the soothing shade of the soft glen. She felt joyous and mortified all at once. Nevertheless, it was with a heavy lump in her throat that she murmured, "This is it." She gulped. Everything was peaceful; everything was perfect. "We're here..."

Rainbow Dash blinked over at her. "For real? Celestia wants us to meet here?" Upon receiving a firm nod, she froze her wings and plopped down onto the ground. "Good! 'Cuz I'm starved! Pinkie?"

"Cinnamon sticks coming right up!" Pinkie reached into the basket and gleefully whipped out a jar... full of brown powder. She blinked at it. "Oh no!" she gasped, her face bearing puppy dog eyes. "Mrs. Cake's sweet sticks have turned to sweet gravel!"

"Well, darling, that's what you get for gallivanting around as if your hooves were on fire," Rarity said. She eagerly rolled out the blanket and lay down on it with her forelimbs curled up to her chest. "Mmmmmm-Oh, this is the living end!"  She grinned towards the tree canopy. "I've never felt so relaxed in my life! It's as though I came home from running the mile!"

"Oh don't toot yer horn."  Applejack grunted with a smirk as she plopped down onto the blanket opposite to her. "Y'all have galloped longer distances than this before!"

"Yes, certainly, but I've been hard at work in my Boutique as of late!" Rarity exclaimed while Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie began placing dishes and food packages out across the blanket. "I'm out of practice, and excessive calisthenics will only complicate my artistry!" She waved her front hooves delicately. "All of those scarves won't knit themselves, after all!"

"For crying out loud!" Rainbow Dash lay down beside Rarity, rolling her eyes. "What's with you and scarves lately?! At least wait until it's cold before you make winter wear!"

"Rainbow Dash, being a pegasus, surely you must understand the need to prepare for the changing of seasons way ahead of time."

"Don't pay her much mind, Rainbow."  Applejack placed her hat onto the blanket beside her and winked. "Rarity's always had a thang for winter; she just needs the excuse to obsess with it ahead of time."

"So sue me!" Rarity closed her eyes and waved them off. "Winter is both the prettiest and most delicate time of the year; I'm proud to make so much fashion to complement it."

"I'm rather fond of summer myself," Fluttershy said with a warm smile. She glanced excitedly at the others across the blanket. "Spring may be when all the adorable little animals come out, but summer is when they're most alive."

"Give me a good spring rain any day," Applejack said.

"Oooh! Oooh! My turn!" Pinkie Pie gasped, juggling bottles of jelly and peanut butter. "I love Thursdays! Thursdays are the best!"

Rainbow Dash glared at her. "Pinkie Pie, 'Thursday' isn't a season."

"Well, it should be!" Pinkie pouted. "That's when deliveries of licorice arrive at Sugarcube Corner, and licorice always reminds me of cold, chilly mornings on the rock farm!" She remained frozen with a bright grin, her left eyebrow twitching. After an extended blink, she chirped.  "Ooh! Who wants some celery?"

"I do!"

"Pass one of them stalks thisaway, sugarcube!"

"I'll have mine with a dollop of peanut butter, please."

"Oh, Fluttershy, you always have the daintiest way of eating vegetables. I find it most charming."

"Uhm... thank you, Rarity. I-I think..."

"Cider...? Where's the cider?!"

"Over yonder, Rainbow. The thermos is all yours."

"Heck yeah! Now this is what I call a picnic!"

"If you girls like, I'll use the cinnamon powder on our toast and jam!"

"Sounds mighty tasty, Pinkie. You do that."

"Heehee! Best picnic ever!"

The five mares moved in tighter, their hooves passing food along to each other. They were chatting up a storm. They were smiling. They were all in one place.

Twilight was standing that entire time on the edge of the glen, gazing at them. Their voices became distant murmurs in her ears as the heavy thuds of her pulse overtook everything. The world drowned out, and she felt a beam of magic drifting through the leylines of her horn. The saddlebag unzipped coldly behind her, and a crystalline shard floated out.

The group blurred into a foggy cluster of shapes as Twilight levitated the violet prism into focus. She saw a pair of vacant eyes reflecting off its kaleidoscopic surface. Light refracted through the crystal, giving Twilight a final glimpse of color, and then all became black and white, like letters carved into a dull sheet of parchment.

She inhaled deeply. There were sounds in the distance, the dissolving tendrils of joy. Soon the moment solidified before her like a sheet of ice, as rigid and unfeeling as the violet shard of rock in her telekinetic hold. She felt its sharp edges with her magic, with her soul, and carved open a gaping hole in her resolve.

Twilight's stature was perfect, unyielding, like a statue hardened by purpose. All she had to do was fall forward, collapsing along the flow of Celestia's command, losing the fragments of her cowardice and doubt with one single act of unwavering faith. But as soon as she took one hoofstep, the reflection of her jaded eyes disappeared, replaced instead by five sets of warm, concerned gazes from beyond the prism, looking towards her.

"Twilight?" Applejack's voice softly rang.

Twilight gasped. The colors had returned. She stood, full of fear and trembling upon the crest of the unthinkable. Twilight thought she was alone; she wasn't.

"Why aren't you joining us, dear?" Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash finished an ecstatic sip of cider, burped, and squinted her way. "What's that you got in your magic field, Twilight?"

Twilight wasn't moving. She should have finished the job by now. There was a sacrifice to be made. She had the will of Celestia, her wise and all-knowing mentor, to perform, and yet she hovered there upon the precipice of frailty, slowly collapsing like the whole of Equestria to darkness. She didn't ascertain the gravity of her failure until her lips began trembling.

Fluttershy was the first to see it, and her face stretched with concern. "Twilight? Is... Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, Twilight," Pinkie Pie asked between bites of toast and jam. "You don't look so good. Wanna lie down?"

"I want..." Twilight stammered breathily, her limbs shaking. The violet crystal dangled loosely in her grasp, like it was caught in a tangled spider's web. "I-I want..."

Her friends sat up straight, gazing at her, adoring her.

When the first tears sprang from Twilight's eyes, it wasn't from shame. It was something else, something holy. She fell to her knees, shivering from head to tail. The crystal plopped to the grass before her, but she couldn't hear it from the sound of her own sobs.

"I want... I-I want to tell you how much I love you," she whimpered, hugging herself as tears streamed down her wincing face. "I love each and every one of you." She hiccuped and wiped her wet face with a quivering forelimb. "I... I-I don't tell you this enough, but it's the truth. You all m-mean the world to me..."

"Why..." Applejack gasped, her eyes curved with concern as she and the others stood up. "Why of course we know that, darlin'!"

Fluttershy was the first to trot over. "You don't have to tell us every day for us to know how you truly feel, Twilight." She placed two hooves on Twilight's shaking shoulders as the others gathered around closely. "But, if it helps you to say it, then just let it out."

Twilight hid her face and muttered into her forelimbs, "Please, b-believe me. I would never... ever d-do anything to hurt any of you. Not for anything in th-this world..."

"Oh, Twilight," Fluttershy smiled softly, her eyes watering as she leaned in and nuzzled the unicorn dearly. "Why should you ever have to say such a thing?"

"Yeah!" Pinkie hopped in, hugging Twilight gleefully from behind. "You're the reason we're all together and stuff!"

"No reason to get all sappy and crud, Twilight," Rainbow Dash said, albeit fidgeting as she stood close by. "You're fine! We're fine!" Her voice cracked. "Everything's cool! Seriously..." She gulped a nervous lump down her throat. "What's gotten into you as of late?"

"Nothing... everything..." Twilight looked up from Fluttershy's and Pinkie's embrace. With a face full of tears and smiles, she grimaced as the truth came out of her in a murmur, "You're the very reason I'm... I'm so happy these days. I wouldn't be where I am... I wouldn't be as powerful and st-strong as I am now if it weren't for you girls..."

"Birds of a feather, darling," Rarity said with a gentle smile. She leaned in and nuzzled Twilight. "Now no more crying. You're making an absolute mess out of your pretty face and mane."

Twilight squeaked forth a laugh. It was painful and rapturous: both cleansing. Sniffling, she nuzzled her closest friends back and managed, "Thank you, everypony. Thank you for everything. I mean it..."

"We know, Twilight," Fluttershy said hushedly, staring into her face. "We know."

"So what was this thing all about?" Applejack's voice drawled.

Twilight and the others looked to see the farm mare standing with the violet crystal in her grasp.

"Looks kind of important," Applejack added with a raised eyebrow. "Did it have somethin' to do with our comin' here?"

Twilight stared at the offensive thing like it was a forgotten splinter from ages gone by. Eventually, she dried her face and spoke in a solid voice, "It's a symbol..." Her lips curved. "A gift..."

"From Princess Celestia?" Pinkie remarked.

Twilight nodded, smiling even more. "It... it has reminded me of what's truly important in my life." Weathering a final shudder of emotion, she said, "And now I'm showing it to all of you, right here in this beautiful countryside, far away from everyone else, so that you may know what's important too." She leaned against her friends, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth of their embrace. "We've brought so much peace to Equestria, and we will continue to do so. We are more than just the Elements that we are bound to. Not even a Canterlot crystal can outshine us."

"You mean to say we're more perfect than this most dazzling gem?!" Rarity gasped with sparkling eyes. "Oh, lesson learned, Twilight! Lesson learned! But... mmm... may I at least hold it for a while?"

All the ponies around her laughed, and the most jubilant of giggles came from Twilight. After a few more dear words were shared, they passed the violet crystal between each other before resuming their joyous little picnic. The day never stopped being perfect, and Twilight never stopped finding reasons to smile.