Canterlot, Villa Fancy, Thursday, August 21st
I've forgotten something. Something important.
The thought had been nagging at the back of Rarity's mind for the last five days. She could not put her hoof on what it was she'd forgotten, but she knew she really shouldn't have. Even the beauty of Fancy Pants' mansion wasn't enough to distract her from it.
One look at Fancy Pants was enough to drive the worry from her mind. She still couldn't believe her good fortune. Fancy adored her - he worshipped the ground she walked on. Yet he didn't let that adoration interfere with his higher brain functions, which was rare. If she'd wanted drooling colts, she could have had them by the boatload in Ponyville, but Fancy was smart, funny and sophisticated - everything the stallion of her dreams should be.
Fancy's voice shook her back to reality. "Is anything the matter, dear?"
Rarity looked at him and smiled. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You were a thousand miles away from here by the look in your eyes, and it's not the first time I've seen you like that." Fancy had a slightly worried look on his face.
Add "perceptive" to the list of good qualities, Rarity thought. "Actually, yes, something is the matter, but I simply can't remember what it is," she said out loud.
"Perhaps it has something to do with your friends?" Fancy suggested. "Or perhaps your family? This was an awfully spontaneous week off, after all."
The fog began to lift, but still not completely. "Yes, now that you mention it ..." Rarity racked her brains trying to get that damn memory to show. "My family was somehow involved."
The bit dropped. Rarity blanched, which by all rights should not have been possible. "Oh Celestia."
"What is it?" Fancy levitated a glass of water over to her. "What happened?"
"I had promised my parents to take in Sweetie Belle while they were out of town. And I completely forgot." Rarity took a deep gulp of water. She was shaking all over from guilt.
"What?" Fancy looked startled. "How could that happen? Didn't your parents say anything when you told them you were leaving?"
Rarity couldn't face him. She turned her head away. "Actually, I didn't tell them. Or my friends, for that matter. They don't even know about you yet."
A slight flush started to show on Fancy's cheeks. "You can't be serious, Rarity. Why? What earthly reason could you have to keep something this important a secret for this long?"
She had never seen him angry before, and she suddenly realized why the other society ponies deferred to him - he was obviously a force to be reckoned with. "Fancy, I'm sorry! It's just ..."
He waited for a few seconds, but as it became obvious that she wasn't going to continue without some prodding, he sighed. "What, Rarity? Are you ashamed of me?"
Despite the serious nature of the conversation, Rarity had to bite back a disbelieving laugh at that. "No! How could you think that?"
"Then what is it?" Fancy looked at her again. He seemed to have calmed down; the expression on his face was reflective rather than angry. "Let me venture a guess, dear. You're afraid that I might come between you and your friends and family."
Rarity just stared at him. "How ...?"
He grinned. "I'm quite a bit older and more experienced in these matters than you are, Rarity, no offense." For a moment, Fancy's eyes looked into the distance. "Ah, to be this young and this head-over-hooves in love again." He turned back to her, serious again. "The point is, I've seen pretty much everything there is when it comes to matters of the heart. You were scared that your friends might not like me, that you'd be forced to choose between them and me."
Suddenly, a floodgate seemed to open within Rarity. She started sobbing. "Yes. Oh Celestia, yes. What if they didn't want anything to do with you? And what about ...?" She broke off.
Fancy looked at her curiously for a moment, then he smiled. "There is somepony you didn't want to hurt. Somepony with feelings for you that go beyond friendship, perhaps?"
Can he read minds? She just stared, her tears forgotten.
He continued, thinking out loud. "I hardly know your friends, but I know it's nopony I saw at the party here in Canterlot. But you have told me about that little dragon with whom you go gem-hunting. He's your admirer, isn't he?"
She found her voice. "How do you do that?"
He pointed to his cutie mark. "I'm very gifted at recognizing social structures around me. I'm a society pony, it's what I do." He turned stern. "You can't run away from this, Rarity. As much as I hate cutting our time here short, you need to return to Ponyville at once." He pulled a rope, and seconds later, a butler entered. "Prepare the carriage, Cab. Lady Rarity and I will be leaving for Ponyville at once."
"Very well, sir." The butler turned away and closed the door.
"You'll come with me?" Rarity asked, uncertainly.
He stepped closer and embraced her. "We will settle this little problem together, Rarity."
***
Sweet Apple Acres, Monday, 18th August
Big Macintosh had been right. Apple Bloom actually was glowing.
Upon their arrival, they had cleared out a bedroom for poor Sweetie Belle, who had been out like a light the second she hit the mattress. Now Twilight, Big Macintosh, Applejack and Spike were assembled in Apple Bloom's bedroom, where the filly was tossing and turning fitfully in her sleep.
Twilight had her eyes closed, and her horn was glowing softly. She had started to analyze what was happening the instant she'd sat down, and now three pairs of anxious eyes were fixated on her.
Finally, after about half an hour, she opened her eyes, motioning for something to drink. Spike immediately pushed a glass of water into her hoof, and she drank greedily. "Ahh. Thanks, I needed that."
"What is it, Twi?" Applejack urged her. "What is going on here?"
"I can't say yet. But the magic here is nothing malevolent -," she broke off at Applejack's empty stare and sighed. "It's nothing bad or evil. In fact, it looks and feels very similar to the Elements of Harmony when they're active."
"What are you saying? That my sister is another Element of Harmony?" asked Applejack.
"No. It feels similar, not identical. And I'm absolutely certain that there are only six Elements of Harmony. This is something related, but different." Twilight looked at Spike, who was still glowing softly, then back at Applejack. "Whatever is happening here, it's something I've never even heard of."
"So what do we do now?" Spike stepped closer to the bed and looked at Apple Bloom. Whatever she was dreaming about, it couldn't be good.
"Spike, take a letter." Twilight looked at her assistant expectantly.
"Um, Twi, this isn't the library, and we did leave in a hurry. I don't have any paper or ink with me," the dragon said.
"One moment." Big Macintosh left the room, returning a few moments later with several sheets of paper, a bottle of ink and a quill.
"Thanks." Spike picked up the paper, dipped the quill in ink and waited for Twilight to start.
"Dear Princess Celestia, we have encountered a magical phenomenon here in Ponyville that I've never seen before ..." As Twilight continued to describe what had happened, Spike duly noted down every word. His mind, however, was elsewhere. I will get to the bottom of this, Apple Bloom. We'll get you out of there.
Finally, Twilight finished with her customary "Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle". Spike dried off the letter, rolled it up and breathed on it. The ashes flew out the window.
"That's that." Twilight suddenly seemed to realize that she should be asleep right now and just lay down where she stood.
"Um, Twi, that's the floor. We got beds for sleeping," Applejack said, also yawning. "I'll go get some blankets and pillows, at least."
***
In spite of everything he had to keep him awake, Spike had eventually dozed off. His sleep was rather rudely interrupted, however.
"Aaaaah!" The scream was followed by a series of ragged, deep breaths.
Spike shot up and looked wildly around for the source of the noise. His eyes fell on Apple Bloom's bed - he had asked to be allowed to sleep in the room -, and he saw that the filly was awake. She was still glowing softly, but the light was fading - as was his own, he noticed absent-mindedly. She was panting heavily, her eyes were wide open, and an expression of pure terror was etched on her face.
And she had her hooves raised, as if to shield herself from something falling on her from above.
Then she seemed to realize that she wasn't about to be killed by falling rocks. She looked around and noticed Spike for the first time. "Spike? What are you doing here?"
He could have said a dozen things. He could have explained it to her, although he didn't understand it himself. But something told him that she didn't need an explanation right now. That could wait.
"Shh." He clambered onto the bed and hugged her. "It's okay. Everything will be alright."
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but she seemed to relax ever so slightly. "I saw a big cave. And ..."
"I know. I've seen it too." Somewhere in the back of his mind, Spike was aware that this situation should be uncomfortable, perhaps even embarrassing, but it wasn't. This had nothing to do with love, and not even that much with friendship. They were going through the same frightening situation, and it just felt right that they should rely on one another.
"But what does it mean?" Apple Bloom sobbed. "And why did I hear your voice?"
He broke the hug in surprise and stared at her. "Did you say my voice?"
"Yeah." She sniffed one last time, then curiosity won out over fear for the moment. "You said something about Harmony not being everything."
Spike frowned in confusion. "I did hear that too. But it was your voice speaking."
"What is happening to us?" Fear returned to Apple Bloom's voice. "What is going on here?"
"I don't know," Spike admitted. "But we need to get to the bottom of this ..."
"... or else the Elements will scatter, and darkness will reign."
They had finished the sentence in unison and now stared at each other in shock.
"What does that mean?" Apple Bloom asked. "And why did it have to be us? We're just foals - or hatchlings."
Just then, the window suddenly flew open, and a soft voice floated in from outside.
"The Elements choose their bearers because they believe in them. Age does not enter into it."
Spike and Apple Bloom turned to the window very slowly, as if expecting some kind of monster. Instead, they were greeted by a dark blue pony head with a long horn and a flowing mane seemingly made of stars.
"Forgive us, loyal subjects. We did not mean to scare you."
Spike swallowed, then finally managed two words.
"Princess Luna?"
***
They hurriedly woke the rest of the house - it was almost time for that anyway - and assembled in the kitchen.
Twilight finally broke the silence. "So, your highness ..."
"Please, Luna will do." The princess waved a dismissing hoof. "We have more important things to do than stand on protocol."
"Right, Luna then. Why are you here? I wrote to your sister," Twilight said.
"True. But from the description in your letter, this seems a matter where my sister holds little sway. These two youngsters," she pointed at Spike and Apple Bloom, "have come under the influence of a power that resides within my realm."
"Your realm?" Twilight asked. "You mean, you know what is happening to them?"
"I do not, sadly." Luna's head dropped almost imperceptibly. "Yet whatever it be that is happening, it utilizes dreams and visions to show itself." The princess lips curled up into a half-smile. "Dreams and visions fall under the purview of the night, so I might be of more use in this than my sister. Also, I have taken quite a bit of time of late to further my studies of ancient Equestrian history."
"Ancient history? Like, the age of Discord?" Spike asked.
"No. That is not ancient history to me. I remember that time." A shadow seemed to fall over Luna's face, and when Spike saw her eyes, he shrank back, realizing for the first time how incredibly old the princess really was, and how much she'd seen. "I speak of times long before that, times before the unification of the Three Tribes, before my birth and that of my sister. The age of the Ancient Darkness." Luna's voice had taken on a slight reverb as she spoke, and her final words seemed to cast a shadow over the room.
"Ancient Darkness?" Twilight asked the question on everypony's mind. "What do you mean by that?"
"I only relate legends, Twilight Sparkle. It is said that long before the unification, the three tribes were under constant attack by forces beyond the understanding of ponies. When some brave and clever ponies from all three tribes realized that these forces were but avatars of a greater evil, they named that greater evil the Ancient Darkness." Luna's eyes had gone solid white, the reverb in her voice was stronger now. "The great evils you fought, Element of Magic, were but survivors from those days. When the Avatar of Envy possessed me, the result was Nightmare Moon. When the Avatar of Discord managed to manifest, he took the form of the draconequus you fought."
The light in Luna's eyes dimmed, and her voice suddenly sounded normal again. "It is also said that the Three Tribes, working together for the first time, managed to channel the powers of light and good against the Ancient Darkness, destroying it and banishing its remains beyond the borders of reality. You know six of these powers, for they have manifested in you and your friends."
"The Elements of Harmony." Twilight sounded shocked beyond belief at this overload of information, a feeling that Spike could relate to. "But you said 'six of these powers'. Were there others?"
"There must have been, but we know nothing about them. While the Elements of Harmony were preserved through the court wizards of the Unicorn Tribe, the powers utilized by the Pegasus and Earth Pony Tribes were lost over the years, which may explain the lack of unity among the Three after the Darkness was defeated and before the Great Unification led by Clover the Clever, Smart Cookie and Private Pansy." Luna looked at Spike again. "Also lost were the powers of the Tribes' allies."
"Allies?" Spike broke in. "There were others who fought the Ancient Darkness?"
"The legend says so, young dragon, yet nopony knows who these allies were. The bonds between the pony tribes and these allies did not survive beyond the defeat of the Ancient Darkness." Luna cast a searching gaze at Spike and Apple Bloom. "Yet now it seems that two of the powers of old are manifesting again. At least," she suddenly sounded a good deal less certain, "that is the only kind of explanation I have been able to find. Nothing else in the archives even remotely alludes to anything like what is happening to you."
"It matches up with what I found out," Twilight said. "The powers are very similar to the Elements of Harmony, but not identical. But where do these visions come in?"
Luna smiled again. "How often have you used the Elements since you defeated me?"
"Only once, to defeat Discord. Why?" Twilight seemed lost as to where Luna was going with this.
"The Elements of Harmony are attuned to the rulers of Equestria. The first time you used them, there was only one such ruler, my sister. And as I said," Luna's smile became a grin, "dreams and visions are not her purview, but mine. I only recently regained my full powers and birthright; your defeat of Discord came before that. If you used the Elements now, you'd likely experience some kind of vision as well."
"But Spike and Apple Bloom aren't bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Why are they still having visions?" Twilight seemed determined to untangle this knot.
"Two for the day, two for the night, and two for the bridge that links them." Luna recited.
"Um ... come again, Princess?" Applejack looked even more lost than the others.
Luna had the grace to blush. "My apologies. I forgot that not everypony is as fascinated with prophecy and visions as I am. The phrase I just recited is an old saying about the Elements of Harmony. Two are connected to the day, two to the night, and two to the twilight that turns one into the other." The princess looked at Twilight. "While no two historians agree on which elements are linked to which time of day, all of them believe that your element is associated with dawn and dusk."
"Twilight. Naturally." Twilight smiled. "So you think Spike and Apple Bloom bear other elements associated with night?"
"I believe so, though I should hasten to add that that is not a negative thing." Luna winked at Spike and Apple Bloom.
"All very well and good, but what do we do now?" All heads turned to Big Macintosh, who seemingly was tired of this whole discussion.
"Trust an earth pony to cut to the heart of the matter." Luna lowered her head. "I honestly cannot answer that, Big Macintosh. I have told you everything I know. From now on, you will have to make it up as you go along. I do know one thing, though. If I am right, and these are elements of old manifesting, you can be certain that they aren't doing that at random. They are doing it because they will be needed, probably very soon."
She rose. "I need to go. All my best to the other elements and your other friends."
Big Macintosh and Applejack saw Luna to the door, then they returned to a shocked silence.
Finally, Applejack spoke up. "Quite the infodump the princess gave us, eh?"
"Yes." Twilight looked as though somepony had struck her with a hammer. "Quite the infodump, indeed." She looked at Spike and Apple Bloom. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. Can we do anything?"
Spike didn't seem to hear her. Apple Bloom, however, turned her head and actually managed a smile. "You'll find a way." She turned to Applejack and Big Macintosh. "You're my friends and family. You'll think of something."
Twilight wished she could share the filly's trust, yet Apple Bloom's optimism was infectious. She looked at Applejack. "We will find a way, won't we?"
"Damn straight we will, Twilight." Applejack was even worse at hiding her uncertainty than Twilight - which was to be expected from the Element of Honesty -, but she too seemed to have been swept up in Apple Bloom's trust.
"Resolve."
Spike's voice was quiet, yet every head in the room turned to him at the word. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Resolve? What do you mean by that?"
"I believe it's my element." He looked up, and they saw a strange gleam in his eyes. "Think about it, Twilight. I wanted to find out who I am, and I would have gone through with it, would have remained there forever if those dragons hadn't been complete jerks. When they showed their true colours, I defended Pee Wee from them. I was able to give up a treat I had been looking forward to for months for somepony I like. I was so determined to remain your Number One Assistant that I tried to frame Owloysius for killing."
He sounded briefly ashamed at the memory, but then went on, "I played pincushion for Rarity. I controlled myself when we went gem-hunting, even though the tastiest treats were arranged before me. I kept at it for nearly two years, even though I could clearly see she didn't feel the same for me." Spike smiled. "I'm not especially honest, or generous, or kind. I'm not overly loyal or joyful, and I'm certainly not particularly magical. But I do finish the things I start, come what may, and that's why I think the element I bear is resolve."
The words had hardly left Spike's mouth when a brilliant flash of silvery light enveloped the dragon. It lasted only for a few seconds, fading as quickly as it had come, and then Spike realized he was clinging to the table with both hands. "Whoa! What in the hay was that?"
Twilight drew in a sharp breath when she noticed something around the dragon's neck. "Um, Spike?" She pointed. "I think you were right."
"What do you ..." He looked down and saw it. "Oh."
Spike was wearing a necklace very similar to the ones the Elements of Harmony were attached to. It wasn't made of gold, however, but of a smoky black glass-like stone - obsidian, he dimly recognized. Set in its centre was a brilliant green gemstone shaped like a quill.
"Congratulations, Spike." Twilight grinned impishly. "You're the new element of resolve."
He vaguely noticed yellow hooves catching him as he fainted.