//------------------------------// // Friendship is Magic, Part Two // Story: Rarity, Student of Celestia // by FluttershyFanatic //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon was laughing. “Seize her!”Cried the Mayor.  “Only she knows where the Princess is!” “Stand back, you foals!” Ordered Nightmare.  Magical lightning struck near the royal guards that the Mayor had sent.  They backed off. She laughed some more.  Then, as quickly as she had arrived she left. “Oh dear.” Said Fluttershy.  “Nighttime?  Forever?” Sweetie Belle was half asleep.  “We gotta stop Nightmare.” “You sleep.” Said Rarity.  “I’ll stop Nightmare Moon.  I just need the Elements of Harmony!” “Um...  What are the Elements of Harmony?”  Said an angry voice. Rarity turned around.  “Fluttershy!” “Oh.... Sorry.”  Said Fluttershy. “Still,” Said Applejack,  coming in.  “We got just as much right to know as you.”  Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash had come with her. “I--I read about Nightmare, dear.” Said Rarity.  “The Elements of Harmony are magical stones that will help us defeat her.  I just cannot find any books with them in it.” “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.”  Read Applejack. “Where!” Cried Rarity. “Right here.  Under E.” “Oh.”  Rarity blushed.  “There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now-” “The Everfree Forest?” Cried everypony else. “Let's go!” Said Applejack. “No.” Said Rarity.  “This is my business.” “We’re coming with you whether you like it or not.” Said Pinkie Pie. “Besides.” Said Applejack “It can’t be that bad.” “So...  None of you would happen to have been here before?” “Ugh.  No.” Said Twilight.  “Gross.”  She had stepped in something. “And it’s not natural.  There are stories that it’s not the same.” Piped up Pinkie Pie. “What in Equestria does that mean?” Asked Rarity. “N-nopony kn-knows.”  Said Fluttershy.  Then the ground around them collapsed. “Aaaaaah!!!” Screamed Rarity. Pinkie Pie bounced over to her and grabbed her hoof.  “It’s okay.” She said. “I’ve got you.” “What now.” Asked Rarity.   Pinkie looked around. “Let go.” She said simply. “But... I’ll fall.” “Your safe silly.  Just let go.” “I’m safe?  I find that... Hard to believe.” “I’m not joking.  Let go and you’ll be safe.” Rarity let go.  She barely had time to scream before Fluttershy caught her. “Uh.”  Said Rainbow.  She had glided down with her wings.  “I can’t fly.” “And then once everypony else was safe,  Rainbow and I caught you right in the nick of time!”  Said Fluttershy. “I’m aware.  I was there dear.” Said Rarity, exasperated.  “But right now we need to--A Manticore!” The Manticore roared. “Bet you can’t catch me!” Cried Twilight, kicking it.  The Manticore kicked her back. Rainbow Dash said something, but it was drowned out by another roar. Pinkie Pie ran over and  jumped on top.  She bounced up-down-up-down.   Then the Manticore shook her off. Rainbow tried to talk again, but this time a branch fell on her. Fluttershy flew around and around the Manticore. It roared and frightened her and she flew away. Rarity prepared for battle.  So did everypony else, except Rainbow. “Nooo!” Cried Rainbow Dash. Rarity was confused.  Rainbow walked up to it. “Hello.”  She said softly.  “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.  Oh!  What’s wrong?” The Manticore flipped over its paw.  Rainbow saw a thorn in the middle. “I’ll get it.”  She wrapped her teeth around the thorn and gently pulled. The Manticore roared. Rarity closed her eyes. When she opened them again the Manticore was cradling Rainbow and licking her hair.  After a few seconds she got up, blew a kiss to the Manticore, and continued along the path with the others. “However did you find out about the thorn?”  Asked Rarity. “I didn't know.”  Rainbow replied.  “Sometimes we all deserve a little kindness.” “Eww.” Said Twilight.  “This place would do well if it was as dark as my closet.”  As is on cue the forest darkened.  “I was kidding.”  She said. Rarity was cold and tired and just wanted the Elements of Harmony. “The ancient ruin could be right here and we wouldn’t even see it.” She said. “Sorry.” Said Twilight.  She had bumped into something. “I think I stepped in something.”  Said Pinkie. Fluttershy screamed. “It’s just mud.” She said.  Then she saw it.  The trees had faces!  They were growling! Everypony screamed.  They stopped. Applejack was laughing. “Applejack dear, there’s nothing funny.”  Said Rarity. “Run!” “Don’t ya’ see?”  She started singing. “When I was a little filly and the sun was goin’ down.” “Ugh!” Said Rarity. “Really?” “The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown.” “Really.”  Said Twilight. “I'd hide under my pillow, From what I thought I saw, but Granny, she said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all!” “Then what is?” Asked Fluttershy. “She said: “Listen, you gotta stand up tall, learn to face your fears, you'll see that they can't hurt you just laugh to make them disappear.”  “Ha ha ha.”  She said. A cloud of orange smoke poofed over the tree.  The face disappeared. Rarity gasped. It works!  She thought. Applejack was singing again.  “So, giggle at the ghostly, guffaw at the grossly, crack up at the creepy, whoop it up with the weepy, chortle at the kooky, snortle at the spooky, And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna... hahahaha... heh... Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuugh!"  Now everypony was laughing.  Finally, they got up and continued on... They came upon a river.  There were waves splashing everywhere.  A sea serpent was writhing in agony! “How in tarnation are we gonna cross this?!” Asked Applejack. “What a world, what a world!”  Said the Serpent, between sobs. “Why are you crying, sir?” Asked Rarity. “Well, I don't know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off, and now I look simply horrid!”  He erupted into sobs again. “Oh, give me a break.”  Said Rainbow. “That's what all the fuss is about?” Said Pinkie. “Of course!” Said Twilight.  “His moustache matters very much to him.  I must fix this!” She took The Elements of Harmony, a Reference Guide out of her saddlebags.  She used her Magic to tear out a couple of pages.  She looked at them longingly, then waterproofed them and fashioned them into a brilliant moustache.  She attached it to the Serpents face. “Oh-hohohoho! My mustache. How wonderful!”  He said. “Why Twilight how could you?  Your wonderful book.”  Said Rarity. “It’s okay.” She said.  “I can always get a new one.” “Oh!” Said Rarity.  “We can--”  She was cut off by the Serpent.  He had made his body into a bridge. “Allow me.” He said. ______________________________________________________________ “There it is, the ruin that holds The Elements of Harmony. We made it at last.” Said Rarity. “Wait for meeeee!”  Cried Pinkie Pie. “Aah!”  Said Rarity.  She was falling off a cliff. Fluttershy grabbed her arms and lifted her back up. “Why do you keep falling off cliffs?”  She asked.  There was a chasm.  A bridge had once spanned to length of it, but now it fell into the depths. “What do we do now?” Asked Applejack, exasperated. “I can fix it.” Said Fluttershy.  She flew down, grabbed the fallen rope, and went to the other side.  She was just about to tie it when she heard a voice. “Fluttershy...” “I-I’m n-not a-a-afraid of y-you!” “Fluttershy...  We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the best flyer in Equestria.” “Wh-Who?” “You, Fluttershy.”  She blushed. “Thanks.  Hey” She looked around to see if anypony was watching.  “You know, I’ve always kind of wanted to be a Wonderbolt.  Could you tell them what you told me?” “No Fluttershy.  We want you to join us.”  Three Pegasi with outfits resembling the ones the Wonderbolts wear came into view.  “The Shadowbolts. We're the greatest aerial team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all Equestria, but first, we need a captain. The most magnificent, swiftest, bravest flyer in all the land.  We need you.” Fluttershy smiled.  “Sure.”  She said.  “Just let me tie this rope first.” “No!  It’s them or us.” Rarity said somthing.  The female Shadowbolt looked at Fluttershy’s friends.  Clouds rolled across the chasm.  Fluttershy sat there for a few minutes. “You.” She said.  The Shadowbolts were delighted.  “Thank you, I mean.  But I’m afraid I have to say no.”  The Shadowbolts left. “See? I'd never leave my friends hangin'.” The 6 of them came upon a large ruin. “Whoa. Come on, Rarity, Isn't this what you've been waiting for?”  Asked Pinkie Pie. “The Elements of Harmony, thank goodness!  Carefull!”  Said Rarity.  Fluttershy was carrying stones with jewel impressions on them. “One, two, three, four... There's only five!” Said Pinkie. “The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed.”  Answered Rarity. “What in the hay is that supposed to mean?”  Asked Applejack. “I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Stand back. I don’t know what will happen.” “Come on now, y'all. She needs to concentrate.” Rarity started her magic.  The purple mist that transported Nightmare Moon to Ponyville came into the room and spun around the Elements. “Aah!” Cried Rarity. “Rarity!” Cried everypony else.  She was gone! “Rarity, where are you?”  Asked Applejack. “Look!”  Said Twilight.  The was a tower with a light in it.  “Come on!” Rarity coughed.  Nightmare was there with her.  And she had the Elements of Harmony! Nightmare laughed. “Uh!”  Cried Rarity.  She readied for battle. “You're kidding.”  Said Nightmare.  “You're kidding, right?” They ran at each other.  Rarity activated a teleportation spell at the last second.  This sent her to the Elements. “Just one spark!”  Nightmare knocked her away. “Ah!”  Cried Rarity.  The Elements were still sparkling. “No, no!”  Cried Nightmare Moon.  The Elements stopped. “But... where's the sixth Element?!”  Said Rarity in desperation. Nightmare laughed.  She stomped.  The Elements broke into a thousand pieces. “You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!”  Rarity heard her friends. She gasped.  “You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here.” At “here” Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy came up behind her. “What?”  Said Nightmare.  The pieces of the Elements floated off the ground. “Pinkie Pie, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... honesty!”   Some of the pieces levitated around her. “Rainbow Dash, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... kindness!” Element pieces levitated around her. “Applejack, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... laughter! Twilight Sparkle, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... generosity! And Fluttershy, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... loyalty! The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.” “You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!”  Said Nightmare. “It did.”  Said Rarity.  “A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends! You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... magic!” The  Element pieces became necklaces that resembled the Cutie Marks of the bearer,  Except for Rarity’s, which became a crown.  A rainbow swirled around Nightmare, enveloping her.  Then Rarity’s eyes opened,  revealing a god-like glow.  Nightmare was defeated. ______________________________________________________________ “Ugh, my head.”  Said Fluttershy. “Everypony okay?” Asked Pinkie Pie. “Oh thank goodness.”  Said Twilight Sparkle.  She was levitating her book. “It’s really pretty.”  Rainbow Dash told her. “Thanks.  I can't believe it’s back.” “No, no the necklace.  It looks just like your Cutie Mark.” “That is does.”  She said.  “Yours does too.” “Look at mine! Look at mine!”  Cried Pinkie Pie. “Gee, Rarity! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship.”  Said Applejack. The sun rose.  A spark emitted from it, coming into the room. “That you do.”  Said Princess Celestia.  Everypony bowed.  Rarity ran over to her. “Princess Celestia!”  She cried.  “Rarity, my faithful student. I knew you could do it.”  “But... you told me it was all an old pony tale.” “I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!” Luna froze.  She was periwinkle blue, with light blue hair, and simple jewelry. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”  Said Celestia. “Sister?”  Said everypony. “Will you accept my friendship?”  Luna paused for a bit. “I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!” “I missed you too.” “Hey, you know what this calls for?”  Said Applejack. ______________________________________________________________ “A Party!” Music sounded.  A chariot rolled in, with Luna and Celestia in it. Ponies cheered.  The chariot reached the center of town.  Luna looked sad, but two Pegasi gave her a wreath. “Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?”  Said Celestia. “Oh, that’s the problem.  I love my new friends, but I must return to Canterlot!”  Cried Rarity. “Spike, take a note, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Rarity shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville.” “Thank you so much, Princess! I'll study harder than ever before.”  Said Rarity. “Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went [gasp] but I mean really!”  Said Pinkie Pie.