Chapter 4
So how do we use these things?
“Your highness? Your highness everypony has arrived.”
Luna groaned. “Five more minutes, let the day last a tad longer I don’t care.”
“Your highness wake up, everypony is waiting for you.”
Luna opened her eyes, suddenly remembering that she was not in the castle and that she needed to hurry.
She looked over at Pony Joe’s. “My apologies, I forgot.”
“No worries your majesty. Everypony is waiting for you.”
Luna nodded and rose, dragging out her saddlebags. “Then I shall not let them wait any longer.”
Luna walked out of the room, guiding herself to the backroom where she meet up with the rest of the crew, Soarin and Spitfire included, still wearing their transformed shadowbolts uniforms.
“Evening everypony, Sorry it took so long.”
“No need to worry Princess, we could use the time to get to know each other better anyway. Muffin?”
Luna blinked at Derpy who held out a muffin with a smile. “Thank you Derpy that’s kind of you.”
Luna started eating, setting her saddlebags on the table.
“So… what’s in the bags?” Gilda asked. Luna smiled mysteriously and opened the bags, revealing the 6 artifacts.
“Wow” Vinyl muttered, as the elements shone in the dimly lit room.
“Let’s see” Luna said lifting up the elements. “Kindness to Zecora.”
Zecora barely moved as Luna placed the necklace around her throat, laying a hoof over the butterfly shape, thinking of Fluttershy.
“Laughter for Vinyl Scratch.”
“I’ll make Pinkie proud” Vinyl promised as she too got a necklace around her neck.
“Generosity for Derpy.”
“Thanks” Derpy said she too got a necklace around her neck.
“Loyalty for Gilda.” The griffin sighed as she got her necklace.
“Only for you Dash.”
“Honesty for Big Macintosh.”
Big Mac didn’t say a word, simply held a hoof over the familiar apple shape on the necklace.
“And finally, the element of magic for the great and powerful Trixie.”
Luna smiled and carefully placed the tiara on Trixie’s head, on the top of her hat. “It’s a big responsibility, take care to not misuse it.”
“I will” Trixie said, adjusting the tiara to sit comfortably.
“All right so… what now? How do we use these things?”
“I was wondering about the same thing” Gilda said.
“The elements respond to your emotions” Luna said. “So we start simple. Look inside you and think of your element and what it means. Try to find the way you feel whenever you use your ability or if someone else gives something of it back to you.”
Everyone closed their eyes or lowered their heads, some even both. A bright flash of light made Luna turn, seeing Vinyl floating a few inches off the ground, her necklace shining as bright as the sun.
“That’s it, great job Vinyl.”
Vinyl who had been concentrating on her laughter suddenly realized what was going on, lost focus and fell to the floor with a small “whoa.”
“You ok Miss Vinyl Scratch?” Derpy asked.
“Yeah I’m fine, I’ve had worse.”
Derpy smiled and closed her eyes again. Soon more of the group started to glow and hover too, as they found that part inside themselves that the element they were wearing represented.
Soon there was only one pony left… Trixie.
“Come on Trixie you can do it” Derpy encouraged.
“I don’t know” Trixie said with a slump.
“Don’t doubt your abilities my dear, you are powerful enough, have no fear.” Trixie turned to Zecora.
“Easy for you to say… thing is, even though this element is supposed to be magic… well there are several types of magic isn’t it? How do I know I’m searching for the right one?”
Luna walked up to her. “You have been doing a lot of stage entertainment right?”
“Yeah… what of it.”
“Whenever you show the crowd what you can do, how do you feel?”
Trixie smiled. “Amazing.”
“All right, concentrate on that feeling, but think more of trying to give that feeling to someone else.”
Trixie closed her eyes. Soon she started to glow.
“That’s it” Luna said smiling. “Keep it up.”
Trixie didn’t answer, but opened her eyes, showing nothing more than a white flash. Soon the rest in the room braced themselves as something like a shockwave hit them, the shock itself projecting a warm happy feel in the pit of their stomachs.
Trixie groaned and sat down, panting gently.
“Wow” Gilda said, having to clear her throat. “What a feeling that was.”
“Eeyup” Big Macintosh said in agreement.
Derpy and Zecora walked over to Trixie, helping her back onto her hooves.
“Trixie is ok” Trixie mumbled, shaking her head a few times, making sure to adjust her hat and tiara. “But I think I saw something.”
Luna looked at her. “Something or somewhere?"
"Both… its strange to put it into words but… I think that something is calling out for me.”
Luna smiled. “Great job, that’s what I was going to tell you next. The artifacts are always subconsciously looking for their other half. As I said the original holders walked away with their artifacts and just before they died they hid their artifacts away in a matter that only the current holders could find it.”
“So… By using her element Trixie found a clue to find the first artifact?” Derpy asked.
“Correct. You probably will manage it too but I stopped you up before you went overboard.”
“Trixie simply pushed a little farther in her attempt. That sometimes happens with unicorns with a lot of magic power.”
Trixie blushed at the praise.
“So, did you recognize the place?”
Trixie nodded. “Only one place I’ve been to looks like that… the Everfree Forest.”
Zecora frowned. “The Everfree Forest I now call home, never have an artifact been found.”
“Well I saw this cave… it was hidden behind a waterfall.”
“All right” Luna said with a smile. “Then we’ll head off to Everfree forest. Now if possible I’d like it if we could try to not wake any attention. Soarin and Spitfire, do you still have the carriage nearby?”
“Of course Princess.”
“Good. That would fit 4 ponies without any problems. Trixie, Big Mac, Vinyl and Zecora, you will ride the carriage, the rest of us will fly in another direction. We’ll meet you at the forest entrance.”
“Splitting the party is probably wise, to throw off the trail from the searching eyes.”
“All right” Luna said, turning to Gilda and Derpy. “You two up for this?”
“Yeah” Derpy said smiling. “I sometimes deliver mail to Canterlot, it’s a good flight route, I don’t even have to hold back on my speed.”
“Good” Gilda said with a grin. “Because I’ve been itching to fly for a while now.”
“Then we’ll head off” Luna said.
She turned to Soarin and Spitfire. “Wait a few minutes before you leave, and make sure you’re not followed.”
She then turned to Vinyl and Trixie. “If you are followed you can use magic to throw them of course, but don’t use the elements. If Starvoid knows you can use them too she’ll be on the warpath for sure.”
“Understood” Trixie said with a nod.
Quickly she lifted her tiara, hiding it under her hat. “Just a precaution.”
“Probably wise… I will see you soon, safe travels.”
“You too Princess.”
Luna left, Derpy and Gilda in tow. Luna nodded a quick farewell to Pony Joe as they left, before making sure that nopony was paying attention to them before they all flew into the sky.
“We need to get above the clouds” Luna said. “We’ll not be noticed if we have cover.”
“Agreed” Gilda said. “I always get these strange looks whenever I’m in Equestria, like the ponies think I’ll swoop down and eat them. I got enough of those looks at flight school thank you very much.”
The three flew up over the clouds, and then headed towards Ponyville.
“Princess Luna can I ask you something?” Derpy asked.
“Of course Derpy, what do you want to know?”
“The Everfree Forest… you said it was once the capitol of Equestria… what happened to it?”
Luna scowled. “It’s not as much what as it was a who. The war of the sun and moon… Both Celestia and I fought hard and long. I refused to lower the moon and because of it many ponies froze, a lot of farms crops got destroyed of frost, and resentment grew… but I didn’t care. I just wanted someone to take notice of me for a change, not just my sister.
Celestia begged, she pleaded and more, but I refused to listen. It was after 2 months that the first reports of ponies dying of cold and hunger that Celestia decided that enough was enough. She confronted me and we fought. When two alicorns let loose their powers without holding back and both of them wields powerful artifacts like the elements… well the magic in the air around us changed the landscape.
It polluted the waters and destroyed the balance of things. The biggest change happened when Celestia suddenly took control of all the elements. I no longer was worthy of wielding them, so they went to Celestia… she could barely control all 6, but managed to use them just long enough to send me to the moon. After what Celestia told me when I came back, the magic blast of using all the elements destroyed the magic in Everfree beyond repair… the place no longer have any magic, so the plants grow, no magic can control the clouds, animals are born without needing anyone to take care of them… the whole place is a mess… and it’s all my fault.”
“No it’s not” Gilda said firmly.
“Yes it was” Luna insisted.
“No it wasn’t. I heard the story from Rainbow Dash, and in the news when you returned. Every pony and creatures alike agree… you are Princess Luna. Nightmare Moon was a dark magic that would not let go of your heart. The elements was needed to let you loose from the bonds… the elements purified you, you are no longer Nightmare Moon.”
Luna sighed. “You’re wrong… she’s still around. I can never let her go, she’s always there, in my dreams, in my head… she’ll never give me peace.”
Gilda slowed her pace a little, turning to look at the princess. “Is it she who refuses to let go of you… or is it you who refuses to let go of her? The past is the past, no need to let it define your future. I thought somepony immortal would understand that.”
Luna didn’t speak, simple looked down to the ground below her.
“Yeah that’s what I thought” Gilda said with a huff.
“Hey calm down” Derpy said, gliding up next to Gilda. “She’s not done anything wrong.”
“I know that” Gilda said. “But it’s clear that she doesn’t know that. I’m just stating the facts, I don’t hold my punches.”
Gilda looked down. “That’s the forest right there isn’t it? Let’s land there and hide in between the trees until the rest of the group comes.”
Luna nodded. It was a good plan. Once down on the ground Derpy looked at Luna with worry.
“You ok?”
“Yeah I suppose.”
“Why is Gilda so harsh?” Derpy asked. “I mean you are royalty, you’d of thought she’d be a bit more respectful.”
“The griffins have a democracy. Once every now and then they have a competition to choose the next ruler. It usually involves a showing of strength and determination… I don’t think Gilda sees it in me and therefore don’t think too much of me as a ruler.”
“Well I think you’re super… you should smile more though, you look prettier that way.”
Luna gave a weak smile.
“That’s it, just like at the Nightmare Night celebration last year, remember all the fun we had?”
“I remember” Luna said with a smile. “It was the first time I had been around the common ponies since… since my return.”
Derpy smiled. “You have changed from what I remember… you’re not so loud anymore… and you don’t speak funny.”
That made Luna snort in amusement. “Yeah I suppose I have changed to fit the norms of modern day Equestria.”
“Hey ponies, I think that’s the others.”
Derpy and Luna looked over to Gilda who were looking into the sky, as a carriage came flying down towards them. Landing at the field, Luna sighed in relief as she saw that it was the others and that everypony was safe and sound.
“Hi guys, how was your trip?” Derpy asked.
“I honestly have no idea whether to call it eventful or not” Vinyl said, looking as if she was trying hard not to laugh.
“Nopony was following us” Trixie said, lifting her tiara out from underneath her hat. “However the substitutes for kindness and honesty have apparently never flown by carriage before.”
Luna looked over to the carriage where Big Mac was hugging the ground, and Zecora was mumbling in Zebra.
Luna knew just enough Zebra to overhear and understanding the words ‘never again’ and ‘terrifying.’
Gilda sniggered.
“You two ok?” Derpy asked.
Big Mac looked up. “Eeyup.”
“Fine I shall be, when the feeling in my hooves comes back to me.”
Gilda could no longer hold it in, but fell on her back laughing.
“Gilda that’s enough” Luna said sharply. “Flight isn’t for everypony, that’s simply how it is.”
Spitfire and Soarin walked up to Luna, having pushed the wagon in between some trees out of sight. “What now your highness.”
“We’ll head inwards. Zecora you know the land, is there a place with a waterfall in here?”
Zecora stomped her hooves, shaking off the final shivers from her trip.
“A waterfall I have seen, deep in the forest where the water is clean.”
“All right, lead the way. And Trixie before we go there is something you need to know. This artifact is for you. And as I said the original holder hid it away so only you can find it, which means that when we come to the entrance of the cave you are on your own.”
Trixie nodded. “Yeah I kind of figured that would be the case… I suppose I should be on the lookout for traps and puzzles too.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
“Very well… lead the way Zecora before I go sane again and run away in terror.”
Zecora smiled and led the way walking into the forest.
…
Starvoid was not happy. It had been two days… Luna was nowhere to be found, and most of the staff had run away. She had searched all over the castle for the elements and not found them.
True she had found other things that she would find useful, but no elements. Also no matter where she turned, nopony seemed to know anything about the bearers of the elements, and could not be of any use to tell her where the group could have hidden the darn things.
Starvoid huffed, taking a bite of apple tart that she had gotten the servants to bring up to her from the kitchens. For now she would wait… and continue to move the moment it got dark.