//------------------------------//
// A Dash of Kindness 
// Story: Contact 
// by Digi 
//------------------------------//

	Rainbow Dash was ticked off. Last night had been going so well, especially that party. Sure, she didn’t really get much of what Twilight had been saying. Nor had she ever really bothered to pay much attention to that egghead when she got going about whatever. Now that she thought about it, she tended to do that to Pinkie too, but for other reasons. At least with Pinkie she didn’t really need to pay attention to her to enjoy any of her parties. With Twilight, it was a bit tricker.

She had to admit though, getting to talk to her own Element seemed kinda awesome. But since nothing had happened, Pinkie Pie ended up throwing a huge party to try and cheer their bookish friend up. Pinkie Pie had even managed to get the same DJ that had done Cadence’s wedding not too long ago. (Though how she managed that on such short notice was anypony’s guess.) They had partied well into the night, and even Princess Luna had joined them. The last thing Rainbow Dash remembered was passing out in the hooves of some random party goer. She couldn’t even recall if it was a mare or a stallion.

Then the morning came. She had found herself rudely awoken from her sleep by some random stallion, suddenly barking orders at the lot of them. He seemed particularly upset with the guard ponies that Pinkie Pie had dragged into the party. However, he wasn’t alone. Another stallion was practically dancing around the ballroom with Pinkie. The two quickly disappeared before Rainbow Dash could even ask who he was. Of course, that wasn’t the only thing keeping Rainbow Dash distracted. The white coated stallion was trying to pick a fight with the Royal Guard. He was shouting about their poor discipline or something like that, challenging their skills and worthiness to be in the guard.

Now, while the taunt wasn’t directed at Rainbow Dash herself, she just couldn’t resist a challenge of any sort. Not only that, but this annoying stallion had woken her up from a perfectly good sleep, and right into a hangover too. There was no way she was gonna let him off the hook that easily.

Rainbow Dash happily joined in the ensuing brawl with the guards and the intruder. Unfortunately for her, she soon found herself knocked out cold by the stranger in short order. Dude must have cheated. It was the only explanation that made any sense to Rainbow Dash.

The next thing she knew, Applejack was standing over her. It was bad enough that that annoying stallion had somehow cheated. She just knew that Applejack was going to rub it in her face. Applejack was just as bad as she was about rubbing it in when one of them beat the other at anything. However, surprisingly enough, she didn’t. Dash simply thought that she just was saving it for later. Typical AJ.

To anger her further, AJ informed her that they were now going to be working with that no good cheater, per Princess Luna’s orders. Dash didn’t like it one bit, but she was never one to ignore an order from a Princess. 

So they started following the guy, and then he somehow finds a way to ditch both them and the guard ponies that were with Dash and AJ. The crazy stallion apparently had decided to leave the group behind. Now, they wandering the halls of Canterlot Castle trying to figure out just where the hay he had disappeared to.

“I swear to Celestia, when I get my hooves on that guy...” Dash grumbled, smacking her hooves together to make a point.

Applejack merely rolled her eyes at the impulsive pegasus. “Yeah, sure ya will, Dash.”

Dash rounded on the farmer and glared at her. “Hey! He cheated! No way he would have been able to beat me otherwise.”

“Yeah, and drinkin till ya are so drunk ya pass out tha night before had nothin ta do with yer poor performance,” Applejack said with a smirk.

“You’re darn right it…” Rainbow Dash paused as the implications slowly filtered into her head, “Hey!”

Applejack merely chuckled, continuing on down the hallway. Apparently, nopony had any idea where this strange stallion had run off to, or even came from. It was just another chip off of Rainbow Dash’s pride. Normally, she wouldn’t ever let anypony move faster than her, except for maybe Pinkie Pie, but she cheated too. All the time. Dash usually tried very hard to not think about how exactly she cheated, as it always made her head hurt.

After what seemed liked hours, they still weren’t having any luck finding the crazed stallion. “C'mon, I thought you guys were supposed to be good at this kind of stuff!" Dash said, her annoyance with guard growing by the moment.

“Our apologies, Ms. Dash,” said one of them, “but this is usually not our duty.”

“Now I’m starting to see why he was complaining so much. Ugh... that guy may have been onto something.” Dash mumbled quietly to herself.

“Hmm, wonder who that crazy stallion really was?” Applejack asked, more herself than anypony else. The she remembered something. “Wait a minute. Now that ah think about it, ah thought I heard Luna sayin’ something about Generosity or somethin. Ya don’t think that he was an Element do ya? That would be kinda crazy if he was...”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, AJ. Twilight said that the spell was made to just talk to them, or whatever. Not to bring them here.”
“Like you even understood half of what Twi’ was sayin’ yesterday. Ahm surprised ya even remember any of it,” Applejack snickered.

“Yeah, yeah, yuck it up AJ,” Dash huffed, before smirking a bit “Like you understood any of it too.” Dash watched with glee as AJ’s face turned red, knowing Dash was right. Before the farmer could get in a proper retort, Dash had already flown ahead of the group, eager to make up lost ground.

After quickly turning a corner, she stopped dead in her tracks. In front of her, happily wandering down the hallway was Fluttershy. However, she wasn’t alone. 

Walking alongside her was, quite frankly, the single largest stallion Rainbow Dash had ever seen. He somehow managed to make Big Mac and even Bulk Biceps look small in comparison! He was as tall as Luna, but built more like Big Mac. Yet, despite his imposing size, Rainbow Dash had to hold back a snicker at the sight of the guy. He was one of the girliest looking stallions she had ever seen. Ever!

His coat was a bit of a brilliant cyan in color. His mane was very pink, just like Fluttershy’s. Its length was also as impressive as his height, reaching down a little past his barrel. It wasn’t nearly as well groomed as Fluttershy’s mane, though. In fact, it was wild and unkempt, like AJ’s mane without her trademark red scrunchies.

What Rainbow Dash found the craziest, most unbelievable of all, was that Fluttershy was talking to him! She had never seen Fluttershy even get close to a stallion for any amount of time. Usually, poor Flutters was too shy for such things. Every time Dash tried to ask about that kind of stuff, the yellow pegasus would blush fiercely, and do whatever she could to change the subject. Now, here she was, talking to this guy that made her look as big as Scootaloo, and yet she acted as if it were an everyday occurrence.

Rainbow Dash had never felt a stranger mixture of pride, jealousy, and confusion at what was in front of her. She swooped down on her shy friend and the girly looking stallion. “Hey Fluttershy!” 

True to her nature, Fluttershy gave a small squeak and ducked behind the stallion at Rainbow Dash’s sudden arrival. The stallion, however, remained unmoved. He glanced back and forth between Rainbow and Fluttershy, a curious expression on his face. It took only a moment for the timid pony to peak back around the stallion’s tail, and her fear quickly dissipated as soon as she saw it was her friend that had called to her. “Oh, it’s just you Rainbow,” Fluttershy began coming out of her impromptu hiding spot, “you startled me.”

Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to say ‘duh’, simply rolling her eyes instead. She could only be slightly annoyed that Fluttershy had somehow gotten over one hangup, but still was so easily startled. Dash quickly shook it off. She had other things to worry about, and her shy friend’s little quirks were not one of them.

“So, Flutters, I gotta ask, just how did you end up hooking up with stud like this?” Dash teased, nudging the stallion with her elbow. “And, here I was, seriously starting to think you were a fillyfooler.”

Fluttershy blushed at that. “Oh my… well… um, you see, he’s... umm,” Dash held back a laugh at Fluttershy’s stammering. She knew Fluttershy was rather used to Dash’s teasing about her love life, or lack thereof, but it still didn’t prevent Flutters from being flustered about it.

Instead of Dash, it was actually the stallion who spoke next. What he said, nopony would have ever expected. 

“My Mistresses’ sexual proclivities are of no real concern to you, Miss Rainbow Dash.” His voice was calm and smooth. It wasn’t nearly as deep as Big Mac, like Rainbow Dash had thought it would be. Instead, it was closer to Shining Armor’s, but bit more soft and gentle in tone. Dash wasn’t really interested in how he sounded though. Instead, it was what he said.

“Bwhahahaha!” After hearing the stallion refer to Fluttershy as his mistress, Rainbow Dash completely lost it. She burst out in an uncontrollable laughing fit, barely keeping herself in the air as her pearls of laughter grew. “Pfft… You- hahahah!”

Once she recovered her breath slightly, Dash couldn’t resist further teasing Fluttershy.“Geez Flutters, you... just met the guy, and... he’s already calling you his mistress!? Pfft, Hah, I had no idea you worked that fast, girl. I’m… heheh, impressed!” Dash fell to the ground, laughing even harder.

Fluttershy let out an embarrassed squeak, her face turning bright red. The stallion apparently didn’t get the joke, or even realize what he had said. With a look of genuine confusion on his face, the stallion looked back and forth between the now beet red Fluttershy and still snickering Rainbow Dash. “Did I say something funny?”

Before Rainbow Dash could respond to that, Applejack and her guard accompaniment turned the corner that Dash had zipped down only a few moments ago. The farmer raised an eyebrow as she saw Dash on the floor, rolling around, laughing her flank off. Fluttershy’s face was now red as Big Mac’s coat. The poor mare was also frozen in place, staring straight ahead, absolutely mortified.

However, like Dash before her, AJ’s eyes were quickly drawn to the massive stallion before them. The poor guy gave AJ a look that said ‘I have no idea what’s going on’. 

Applejack approached the still giggling Rainbow Dash. “Alright Rainbow, just what in the hay have ya gone and done ta poor Fluttershy this time?”

Dash strained to get her giggles under control, mostly to keep from suffocating from laughing so much. She still had a knowing smile on her face. “Wait, what did I do? Heheh, No, I think you should be more worried about what Fluttershy did to poor.. um..” She paused, realizing she had never even gotten the poor stallion’s name. She got back up off the floor, pointing at him with a foreleg, her brow furrowed in thought. “Wait, what was your name again?”

“My apologies,” he said with a bow, which only served to make him just slightly below eye level with Dash. He rose back up and smiled calmly at the two mares, even as AJ desperately tried to calm Fluttershy back down. “I’m sorry, it was rather rude of me not to introduce myself upon our first face to face meeting. My name is Kindness. I am Fluttershy’s Element of Harmony.”

For a few seconds, everything went quiet as Applejack and Rainbow Dash processed over what they just heard. Then, the silence was broken as Rainbow Dash burst into another fit of giggles. “Seriously?” Dash stared in awe of Fluttershy. Dash was trying to stop another laughing fit as her sides were now starting to ache. “Wow, okay, now I have got to start getting some pointers from Fluttershy here. Especially if she has got you so whipped that she’s got you thinking that you’re her Element of Harmony!”

Kindness only looked even more confused. “There... have not been any whips involved during my stay here,” he said, trying to figure out what Dash had meant.

This only caused Rainbow to laugh even harder. “Oh, ow, my sides! Stop, it’s… it’s too much!” She wheezed with a smile on her face.

“Ah don’t mean ta sound rude, but do ya really think that ya are tha Element of Kindness?” AJ asked him. To Dash, the guy sounded certifiably insane. AJ seemed to be thinking the same. Wait, didn’t that dumb cheater say something about the Elements of Harmony being ponies? Dash couldn't remember for sure. She blamed the stupid hangover.

“No, I don’t just think that I am the Element of Kindness, I know that I am.” He replied with a soft smile.

“This true, sugarcube?” Applejack asked Fluttershy softly. She’d finally gotten poor Fluttershy to calm down, for the most part. She was still a bit red in the face, but managed to nod her head. Though she did so while still trying to hide herself behind her mane, just like any other time she’d been stressed out or embarrassed.

“Wait, wait, wait. You can’t expect me to believe that this guy…” Dash paused, flying up into the air, pointing at the large cyan stallion. “Is really the Element of Kindness? How does something like that happen? It doesn’t even make any sense! Last I checked, gemstones don’t become ponies!”

Kindness, for his part, merely cocked his head to the side before he spoke again. “I believe Twilight could answer that. After all, she did craft the spell that called us here.”

Now Applejack looked on in a mixture of shock, realization, and confusion. “Wait, us? Ya mean that stallion from before was right? All six of y’all are here?”

Kindness smiled and nodded at the farmer. “Indeed, we are,” he then gained a mildly confused expression as he rubbed at his chin. “Though, I am not sure where they might be at the moment.”

Dash’s sour mood came back in full force. Even after all that laughing, she was not feeling any better at this point. She crossed her forearms while hovering in midair, grumbling. “Well, I wish mine was here. Maybe he could help us find that stupid cheater. Nopony knocks out Rainbow Dash and gets away with it!” Dash still wasn’t quite sure if this large guy here was Fluttershy’s Element of Kindness or not. At least he didn’t seem to be much of a threat. Besides, if Flutters didn’t even question him being around, maybe he wasn’t all that bad?

“Are you certain of that, Ms. Dash?” Kindness looked up at the pegasus as she lazily drifted around the room. “I would think Loyalty, out of all of us, would wish to remain by your side.”

Dash merely blew a raspberry at the cyan stallion before flipping herself back over to look at him. “Pfft, Yeah, well, Loyalty didn’t show. All I saw when I woke up this morning was that freak earth pony,” She was bitter, remembering the fight earlier that morning. “Not to mention, he was a freaking cheater. Didn’t even try to fight me fair and square.” She added under her breath

Dash noticed him raise an eyebrow at that. He seemed to be thinking about something, though what Dash couldn’t tell. “This stallion that woke you up. The one who you say ‘cheated’ as you put it, have a white coat? With a short cut red mane and tail?”

Dash nodded. “Yeah, how did you know that?”

Kindness replied with a knowing smile on his face. “Well then, Rainbow Dash, it would seem you have indeed met Loyalty. Though it sounds like the two of you didn’t exactly… agree with one another.” He paused for a moment, bring a forehoof up to his chin in thought. “Hm, I’m surprised though. I’d have expected the two of you to get along very well.”

Rainbow Dash went silent for almost a minute, mulling over what Kindness had just told her. How the… that earth pony, was her Element of Harmony? It was ridiculous! The crazy stallion who had knocked her out cold… err, cheated, was Loyalty? Dash couldn’t believe it, not for a second! “You mean to tell me that my Element of Harmony, the Element of Loyalty, is an earth pony? Really?”

Suddenly, Dash felt a chill roll down her spine. She slowly turned, seeing Applejack glaring at her. She looked off to the side, unable to meet Applejack’s gaze. “Aheh, no offense, AJ.”

        Dash actually kinda felt bad for that one, and gave AJ her ‘sorry’ look. She expected to see AJ lash out at her, but thankfully the farm pony just shook her head, silently accepting the apology.

        Rainbow Dash then realized something. If that crazy stallion was an Element of Harmony, and if the stallion in front of her is also one, then, obviously, they were part of the group that just barged their way into the castle. This meant the ponies her and AJ had been chasing the whole time were most likely the Elements of Harmony. She really didn’t know what to think about that. Especially considering that stallion might not have been as crazy as he seemed.

        Honestly, she was torn. Part of her doubted if this ‘Kindness’ pony was telling the truth. Magical gemstones turning into ponies was just plain crazy, after all. But, on the other hoof, considering everything else that had happened this morning, Dash was really starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, this guy was actually correct. To think her Element was an Earth Pony too, rather than a pegasus. It was really throwing her for a loop.

“...Equestria to Rainbow Dash? You okay there, sugarcube?” Dash heard AJ calling for her. Apparently she had zoned out.

“Huh?” Dash shook her head. ”Oh, yeah, course I am!” She reassured AJ, well, maybe more herself. “Er, anyway…” She pointed at Kindness with a hoof. “Alright, ‘Kindness’, if you’re really who you say you are, then I’ve got some bad news for you.”

“And what might that be?” Kindness asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“Heh, looks like you’re under arrest, buddy.” Dash put on her trademark smirk. “Princess Luna is having us round all of you up for questioning.”

“Well, if that is what Princess Luna desires, then I see no reason to object.” Kindness turned towards the guards. “I am prepared to surrender myself, and to be taken into custody, to wherever Princess Luna desires.”

If Rainbow Dash wasn’t confused before, she most definitely was now. That last guy was taking on guards like they were foals, flinging them everywhere. He just would not go down. But this guy here, after being told he was under arrest, turns himself in, just like that? Without a fight? He was probably just as strong as the last guy considering his bulk, and yet he didn’t even seem interested in using it. Dash had to admit, it did make things easier for a change, even if it felt like a waste to Dash to not put all that muscle to use. But if these crazy ponies were not the Elements of Harmony like they said they were, Dash didn’t even want to imagine what Celestia or Luna would do to them. If she was honest, it almost scared her. Almost.

“Oh my goodness, you don’t have to that, Kindness.” Fluttershy squeaked out as one of the guards put a set of hoofcuffs on him. Dash kept herself from chuckling, for once. The cuffs barely fit the guy. It looked like it was going to be rather… difficult for him to even walk, considering his large size. He’d probably have to fly to even be mobile at all.

““You haven’t done anything wrong! I um, I could talk with one of the princesses! I’m sure all of this is just a big misunderstanding, right?” Fluttershy pleaded.

        “Yeah, well, tell that ta Loyalty,” AJ chimed in, sounding annoyed. “Cosarin it, Bargin into tha castle is bad enough, but then assaultin’ tha guads is somethin’ else entirely. Luna wasn’t happy ta see him when she showed up. Not one bit.”

“Oh my... r-really?,” Fluttershy squeaked out, stepping closer to Kindness out of worry.

“Don’t worry, Mistress,” Kindness draped one of his massive wings across Fluttershy’s back in a comforting gesture. “I’m sure no harm will come to any one of us. Loyalty tends to get… well, a bit energetic at times. Celestia and Luna will surely rule in our favor.”

“I hope so, I wouldn’t want you to-” Fluttershy was cut off by what sounded like a distant explosion. 

Dash turned with the rest of the group towards the sound. Not but a second later, the windows were blown in. The group was pelted by shards of glass and a powerful, roaring wind. Everypony but Kindness and Fluttershy found themselves flung backwards from the windows. Kindness had instinctively used his body and one of his giant wings to shield Fluttershy from the glass shards and wind. His massive size kept him from moving an inch.

“What the Tartarus was that?!” Dash exclaimed, getting her bearings before the others. She galloped over to the window, looking for the source of the explosion. Her eyes went wide in surprise. A small chunk of wall had been blown clean off an adjacent section of the castle! Dash couldn’t believe it. She saw several ponies milling about near the hole in the wall but couldn’t even make out what colors they were, thanks to the bright ball of light sitting down in the courtyard below. It was so luminous, Dash had to shield her eyes. “Agh, what the hay is…” It was like a miniature sun for pony sake! She really hoped nopony was down there near that, but she had no way of telling.

Without even really thinking about it, Dash instantly took off towards the courtyard and bright light. She had no idea what was going on, but whatever it was, she was gonna stop it! As she hopped out the window, she felt a familiar pull at her tail, dragging her back inside.

“Ooof, what the hay?” Dash let out a yelp as she hit the floor.

“Just what do ya think yer doin’, Dash?” Applejack asked through a mouthful of Dash’s prismatic tail hair.

“I’m going to help!” Dash glared back at AJ, trying to pull herself free. “Come on AJ, lemme go! We’re obviously under attack, ya know? I can’t just not go help!”

        Applejack spit out Dash’s tail. “Ah know that Sugarcube, but would ya just try and look at it?” She pointed at the still burning star thing. Through squinted eyes, they both saw it moving around, like it was moving on its own. “Do ya even know what that thing is?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t help.”

“It also doesn’t mean ya should go rushin’ off ta fight somethin’ that might kill ya before ya can even do anythin’!”

“Are you saying that I’m too weak to help?” Dash’s ego had already been bruised this morning. There was no way that she was going to let AJ talk her out of doing anything else!

Applejack facehooved. “Argh, This ain't a challenge Dash, and you know it. We’ll go down and help out, but we’re gonna to do it together, alright?”

Dash was fuming. She glanced back at the object, and noticed it had dimmed enough so it didn’t hurt her eyes anymore. Also, oddly enough, the bright light had moved back inside the castle. She’d never admit it to anypony, but she was silently thankful AJ had prevented her from doing something boneheaded, again. Especially considering she could now see that the floor of the courtyard had been turned to glass from the heat.

“Okay fine, whatever AJ,” Dash threw her forelegs up in annoyance. “Lets just get down there, okay?”

Applejack nodded, and her and Dash turned back towards the rest of the group. Kindness was helping Fluttershy back up onto her hooves. The guard ponies had already recovered, and were mobilizing towards the disaster area. Dash was taken aback by Kindness though. He actually looked annoyed! His movements were still encumbered by the hoofcuff’s as he tried to join Dash and AJ at the window. Fluttershy trailed right beside him, despite the fear written across her features. Kindness seemed to be mumbling to himself about something, though Dash couldn’t quite make it out.

Dash flew over to Fluttershy as they reached the windows. She looked a bit shaken up, but otherwise unharmed. “You okay, Fluttershy?”

“I, um yeah, I-I’ll be okay.” Fluttershy was still shaking a little. Dash noticed that she had pressed up against Kindness, and she seemed to relax a bit as she did so. “My goodness, what was that?”

“I dunno, but we’re gonna go check it out. You coming with, or are you gonna just stay here with him?” Dash motioned towards Kindness.

“I believe it would be better if I accompanied you.” He sighed. “I… have a pretty good idea of who is behind this. If I’m correct, ponies may be hurt. I might be needed to offer medical assistance if the worse truly has come to pass.”

“Oh yeah?” Dash was now glaring at him. She already had a problem with this guy claiming he was the Element of Kindness, and now he’s claiming he knows who or whatever it was that was trashing the castle? That was just another reason to keep him cuffed. “How the hay can we trust you to not blow another hole in the castle, huh?”

Kindness opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by a loud, booming, and echoing shout from outside.

“ENOUGH!”

For several moments, nopony said anything as they all glanced back out the windows. 

“Umm, does that bother anypony else? Or know what the hay that was?” Applejack asked, wide eyed.

Rainbow Dash instantly recognized that as the Royal Canterlot Voice. She remembered it well the last time she heard it… last Nightmare Night. It was impossible not to hear Luna from anywhere in Ponyville she was so loud. The problem was, that particular shout was female. This one sounded male. Dash didn’t know what to think of that. Maybe Luna ate some poison joke and was trying to sound like Fluttershy did that one time in the Everfree? Nothing would surprise her at this point.

Kindness spoke up with a frown. “It would seem that Honesty is not amused in the least.” He looked over at Fluttershy. “I apologize Mistress, if Honesty is down there, and upset enough to call out in such a manner, then I cannot stay here. He’ll want to speak to all of us.”

“Shouldn’t I come with you?” Fluttershy looked up at him in concern.

Kindness shook his head. “I have no wish to put you in danger, Mistress. I would prefer you stay safe here, with your friends.”

“Like hay were staying here!” Dash shouted. “Especially if you’re heading down toward that glowy, um-”

“Magic,” Kindness interrupted, looking over at Dash.

“Well duh! Of course it was magic. I knew that! It’s-”

Kindness cut off Dash with a shake of his head. “Not, magic, but Magic. As in, the Element of Harmony, Magic. It would appear something has greatly agitated her, and caused her to, well, basically unleash her full power. It would be incredibly dangerous to go near her in that state. I could not bear to see any of you get hurt under any circumstances, especially because of one of us.”

“Whoa, wait, that was the Element of Magic?” Dash’s eyes went wide in surprise. In the past, Rainbow Dash had seen firsthoof just what Twilight Sparkle was capable of. She’d even heard that Twilight had burst into flames at one point in a fit of rage! Dash figured if that was the Element of Magic, and it was really pissed off at something, it just might not be a very good idea to get close to the swirling vortex of energy created by the very same thing that made Twilight such a badass. Still, despite the danger, she knew she had to go down there. If whatever had made that shout had done so was wanting to see all of the Element, then that stallion would be down there too. There was no way she wasn’t going to miss him again. She still had a bone to pick with him from this morning. 

“Not. Going. To. Happen. Kindness, do you really think we’re just gonna let you wander off like that?” She glared at him. “Of course not! So we’re going with, like it or not!”

Kindness looked between the three mares gathering near him. Fluttershy met his gaze with an expression mixed between worry, fear, and even determination. “If nothing else, we’re always safer when we’re together. If any of our friends are down there, we have to go, even if it is, um... dangerous.”

Kindness looked down, and sighed in defeat. “Very well, Mistress. If that is your wish, I cannot deny you.” He looked over at Applejack. “If you’d like, Miss Applejack, I’ll happily carry you down. Is this acceptable?”

Applejack hesitated. “Well, I… alright.” She nodded. ”Mighty kind of ya ta offer.”

“C’mon, let’s get a move on!” Dash complained, buzzing around the broken window. She was getting seriously tired of waiting around. She even had a good reason to be impatient this time, too. “The longer we wait around here, the more likely somepony is going to get hurt! Let’s go!”

“Cosarint Rainbow, jes hold yer horses!” Applejack shot back at the impatient pegasus. She then walked over to Kindness to hitch a ride, but noticed something. “Wait, when did that happen?” Dash saw her looking down at Kindness’ now completely destroyed hoofcuffs. Kindness had a sheepish look on his face as the three mares stared at him. “Um, they were not very high quality?” He said with slight blush on his face. AJ snickered.

He broke them? What? “As if!” Dash exclaimed, shocked. While she wasn’t exactly proud to admit it, she’d been on the receiving end of being cuffed before. Not always in the good way, either. Luckily all of that had happened a long time ago, the only recent incident involving stealing a book from the Ponyville Hospital. She managed to avoid getting locked up that time, at least. She knew that breaking steel like that was not easy, but here he was acting like he did it accidentally! Just how strong was this guy?

“Please don’t be upset, I didn’t mean to cause any harm. They were, well, inconvenient.” Dash actually saw him try to hide behind his mane, just like Fluttershy. It obviously didn’t have the proper effect, thanks to his size.

If Dash wasn’t so pissed off, she would have fell out of the air laughing at the sight. “Gah, Whatever.” Dash sighed in exasperation “You know what? Ugh, just forget it. AJ, can you please get on him so we can get out of here?”

“Yeah, yeah, alright miss impatient. Just, hold yer horses fer a second.” Applejack shot back. She moved over to climb atop Kindness’ back. He lowered himself down, and in one swift jump, Applejack landed perfectly on top him. He then spread his wings wide, and with a single flap was airborne. Dash couldn’t help but gawk at his seriously impressive wingspan. She kind of wondered if the rest of him was as equally as impressive…

Dash shook her head, clearing her mind before anypony got suspicious. “Alright you slowpokes! Last pony down is a gnarly dragon egg!” Dash challenged. She was at least kind enough for Fluttershy to take to the air before spinning around and making a beeline for the courtyard.

It only took her a few seconds to get there. She could see Luna and Twilight standing just right outside the missing chunks of wall. Both holes actually looked like they had been blasted out and melted at the same time! The ground beneath them was like glass, or maybe crystal.  Dash had to wonder just what kind of crazy magic could turn anything to glass like this. She could even feel heat rising from the damaged ground.

“Hey Twilight!” Dash called as she backwinged down to the ground in front of her friend. She gave a quick bow to Princess Luna, who nodded in acknowledgement. Dash then turned back to Twilight. If anypony would know what the hay was going on, she would. “You have any idea what all this is about?” She waved a hoof at the devastation behind and around them.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Twilight sighed, rubbing her head with a free hoof. “Have you met any of them yet?” She gestured toward the group of four ponies conversing a little ways away.

“Met who yet?” Applejack asked, having just arrived to catch the tail end of Twilight’s question. She hopped off of Kindness’ back, who gave Luna a quick bow. Fluttershy was close behind, landing next to Kindness. She looked around nervously, with a hint of curiosity.

“Who’s this?” Twilight gestured towards the massive stallion.

“Eh, says he’s the Element of Kindness,” Dash said with a shrug. She could swear that one of the ponies over in the little group looked familiar. While she couldn’t quite tell, it kinda looked like that one dumb cheater that had plagued her thoughts through most of the day.

Kindness sighed. “Must you insist on referring to me that way?”

“My apologies Kindness. Dash can be a little frustrating at times,” Twilight said with a knowing nod.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

Twilight merely shook her head before continuing. “Well I suppose that makes five out of six accounted for. Since you've been talking to Kindness, then you should know that our spell actually worked.”

“Wait… you mean to tell me this guy isn’t lying?” Dash asked incredulously. She still wasn’t quite ready to accept what he was saying as truth. A part of her didn’t want to believe that her element couldn’t fly like she could.

“Wasn’t exactly expectin’ em ta look like ponies, honestly.”

“Neither was I, Applejack,” Twilight continued “But here they are, all the same.”

The two continued to talk, but Dash had already tuned them out. She was more concerned about the other group. Twilight had said they were the other Elements of Harmony. She stealthily approached the group, trying and hoping that she would see her ‘supposed’ Element among them. Sure enough, she spotted him. The one at the end was a white coated, red maned stallion. If Kindness was correct, then that stallion was her element! He sure looked like the cheater that had knocked her out earlier.

Dash was floored. There was just no way in Tartarus that could be true! After all, why would her own Element of Harmony attack her in the first place? Why would he go through all the trouble of single hoofedly taking on the entire guard for that matter, too? It made absolutely no sense!

        The craziest part of all? He was a freaking earth pony! How does that even work? Rainbow Dash’s own Element of Loyalty, turns out to be an earth pony! What the hay? The more she thought about it, the more confused and mad she became. Why couldn’t he at least have been a unicorn? The he could have given himself wings, or least do a cloudwalking spell!

        Unfortunately, Dash didn’t get a chance to confront her Element. The sudden appearance of a white unicorn unceremoniously falling onto her back quickly put an end to that.

        “Ooof! Rarity?” Dash asked, attempting to pull herself out from underneath of her friend. “What the hay? Where’d you come from?”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea. I had arrived in the foyer, in front of the kitchen like Princess Luna had asked me to. However, nopony was there.” Rarity said, pulling herself off of Rainbow Dash and dusting off her coat.

She then straightened out her mane with a quick burst of magic. “I waited for a little while, thinking that the rest of you were just… well, fashionably late. As I was about to go look for everypony, there was this blast of light, then I fell ontop of you.” She took a quick look around her, seeing her friends, the princesses, and what she assumed were the other Elements of Harmony, but nothing else, just darkness. “For that matter, just where are we? And why is it so dark?”

“Again, Magic?” Twilight rounded on her element. “I thought taking just the two of us to the moon once was enough. You brought everypony this time?”

“Don’t look at me,” Magic scoffed. “This is not my doing.”

“No, it isn’t,” said a red pony with an orange mane. Dash assumed it was Honesty, judging by the cutie mark.

“Mares and Gentlecolts!” A feminine voice cried out from the darkness surrounding them.

“Pinkie Pie?” Dash asked in confusion, looking around, trying to find where her pink friend’s voice was coming from.

“We are glad that you all could make it to this most important and festive celebration!” Another female voice this time. One that Rainbow almost swore was Pinkie as well.

“We are proud to announce the greatest collaboration of party planners in Equestrian history!” Pinkie Pie cheered. It almost sounded like her voice was coming from multiple places at once. Dash thought it sounded kinda creepy.

“This momentous occasion is to celebrate the arrival, and birthdays, of the Elements of Harmony!” A third voice joined the previous two. This one was a stallion, and it was a voice that Rainbow Dash didn’t know. What the hay was going on?

“So, without further ado, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” The three voices cheered at once.

The lights in the darkened room then flicked on. Rainbow Dash looked around, bewildered, finding herself in the same room she had woken up in this morning. However, this time it was far more richly decorated.

She saw banners, streamers, balloons, and countless other party related knick knacks covering the room. Over a dozen tables were set up in any space they could be crammed into. Each table was covered end to end in baked goods of all shapes and sizes. Anything that wasn’t food was some sort of bubbly, sugar filled drink. Each drink was arranged in such a way to make the appearance of rainbows on every table. However, this wasn’t what had actually shocked Rainbow Dash. 

If she looked past all the crazy decorations and massive amount of food, there was one other small detail that really got to her. It wasn’t the fact everypony else was in the room with her, friends, elements, and princesses, no.

It was the fact that three more ponies, including Pinkie Pie herself, had somehow cloned themselves! They were all scattered around the room in different places. Some of them were even emerging from locations a pony could not have hidden in. When presented with such insanity, such as more than one Pinkie Pie, or Pinkie Pie like pony, Dash’s brain shut down. She only had one thing to say to all of this madness:

“What.”