//------------------------------//
// Chapter 49: Element Keys 
// Story: Secrets of the Everfree 
// by PaisleyPerson 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 49
Element Keys


“I think I found something!” Twilight reported. Wild Flower indeed had been more than willing to watch Charcoal, though I hadn’t given her the details as to why I was dropping him off. Now I was in the Castle of the Two Sisters with my friends, reading the dusty library tomes in search of clues.
“What’ve ya got, Twi?”
“I've been reading our journal, and there's something interesting about the sections that Discord bookmarked. Applejack, do you remember when you had to tell everypony that the tonic Granny bought from the Flim Flam brothers didn't really work?”
“How could I forget? It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. But in that moment, I knew I had to be honest. I just knew it. But what's that got to do with openin' the chest?”
“I've found that each of you has had to face a situation where living up to the Element of Harmony you represent wasn't easy. Fluttershy, it was when you realized that the way to show kindness to the Breezies was by forcing them to leave your home.”
“Oh, the looks on their poor little faces! But I knew that, as difficult as it was, pushing them away was the kindest thing I could do.”
“Rarity, even after Suri took advantage of your generosity at Fashion Week in Manehattan, you didn't let it cause you to abandon your generous spirit.”
“I simply couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't do something special for the friends who have always been so generous to me!”
“Acrylic, even after Gilda put your extended family in danger, you were the first to forgive her.”
“It wasn’t easy, especially since Garble and all his friends were the ones put in jeapordy, but I knew that if I didn’t forgive her, it wouldn’t just be Gilda who would be miserable- I would be, too.”
“Rainbow Dash, you had the chance to fly with the Wonderbolts at the Equestria Games, but instead you chose to compete with your friends.”
“Sure! But being loyal to my friends was way–”
“Ooh, my turn, my turn!” the energetic pink pony interrupted her.
“Pinkie Pie, you realized that seeing your friend laugh was more important than proving you were a better party planner than Cheese Sandwich.”
“Best party I've ever had,” Rainbow assured, slinging an arm around Ponyville’s local party planner.
“It's clear we've all had our moments to shine, Twilight, but I'm with Applejack. What does any of this have to do with the opening of the chest?” Rarity asked again.
“All of you had tough choices to make. But when you made the right one and embraced your element, it helped somepony else make the right choice too. Each of you received something from the pony whose life you helped change. I know it sounds crazy, but maybe there's something special about those objects that could lead us to the location of the keys. The chest is connected to the Tree of Harmony, the Tree is connected to the Elements, and the Elements are connected to all of us. There must be a connection! I hate to admit it, but maybe Discord was trying to be a good friend after all.”
“So what say we all run home, grab the stuff and meet back here?” Applejack suggested, sticking a hoof out to rally us. One by one, we all added our hooves to the stack.
“Game on!” Rainbow declared.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”





“Where is it? Where is it? Oh, please tell me Blaze didn’t eat it,” I fretted, searching for the tiny ruby Gilda had gifted me in the Dragon Craters. “I was sure I put it on the bookshelf. It was right here!” I sifted through the books again, taking them out and replacing them over and over. I stuck the gemstone between two of our books on mythical creatures- Current’s tome on hippocampi and a newer volume on hippogryphs. Though, I couldn’t even seem to find the latter.
“Have you seen it, Heckley?” The mention of his name roused my snake from his nap. “Quick, buddy, I need you to help me find a little red gem. It’s important! Check under the furniture in case it fell.” He groggily slithered down, nearly dropping off the edge of the dresser but catching himself on the handle. He obediently though drowsily wriggled his way under the wardrobe. Meanwhile, I sifted through the side table drawer. Where could it be?
“What’s taking so long, Acrylic?” Rainbow impatiently called from downstairs.
“I can’t find it!” I desperately cried.
“Don’t tell me you lost it!” she groaned.
“It was right here!”
“Oh, hey, isn’t this it?” My eyes widened, and I bolted downstairs. Rainbow was still coming in, headed for the dining table. The book Torch had been reading before our argument was still sitting on the surface. From her vantage point, a little red shimmer could be seen stuck on the bottom. It must’ve gotten wedged between the cover and the last few pages. Relieved, I plucked the ruby from the book.
“Great. Now let’s go.”
“Coming.” I started to follow her, but the open page caught my eye. It didn’t take me long to realize that this was the missing hippogryph book. It was underlined and highlighted and red-penned, and almost every available margin had been filled with cramped hoofwriting. Torchwood’s hoofwriting. The pages had been filled with additional pages of notes, and some of the passages and been tagged with ribbons or sticky notes. I even found a marked-up, color coded map stuffed in the back. I quickly skimmed over some of his notations. Torch had really gone all out in his research! ... without me.
I slouched a little, and audibly sighed. This was supposed to be our hobby, our project. But I supposed I hadn’t had a lot of time for such things lately.
“Come on,” Rainbow urged, grabbing my tail and yanking me out behind her. 
“Hold your horses, I’m coming,” I mumbled, whipping my tail away and indignantly trotting out behind her.
Rainbow raced me back to the tree, which made up for lost time, and put us back on schedule. The others were all just arriving with their gifts; Fluttershy and Sea Breeze’s flower; Rarity and Suri’s rainbow thread; Applejack and Silver Shill’s bit; Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich’s rubber chicken, Boneless; followed up by Rainbow and Spitfire’s Wonderbolts pin; and me and Gilda’s ruby. Twilight trailed the rest of us, dragging along an unhappy Spike behind her, but both came up empty-hooved. 
“Great! Everypony’s back. Let’s line up all the objects in front of the chest,” Twilight directed. One by one, we all stepped up to do so. “Hmm...” Twilight paced as she examined them. “I don’t see anything on them that would give us a clue as to where the keys might be. They’re just... ordinary, everyday objects.”
“COME ON, BONELESS! GIVE US THAT KEY!” Pinkie demanded, leaping forward to reclaim the rubber chicken and shake it for all she was worth. This squeezed some squeaking from the toy, but no answers.
“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Twilight helpfully put in, ducking just before Pinkie hurled Boneless across the room. The toy bounced off the chest, but was almost immediately surrounded by a magical aura, emanating from the chest itself.
“Whoa!” we all exclaimed. We watched in astonishment as the aura magically transformed the chicken into a wibbly-wobbly looking key that actually gave the impression of three balloons, which was promptly levitated into its corresponding keyhole. We all cast each other triumphant glances of success. 
Now that we knew what to do with them, we each moved our object up to the chest, where they were all transformed into keys that somehow related to our cutie mark. Of course there was Pinkie’s balloon key. Then Fluttershy’s blossomed into a key with butterfly-shaped handle, while Applejack’s represented what else but an apple. Rarity’s key was topped off with three overlapping diamonds, much like her cutie mark. Rainbow’s transformed into a lightning bolt shooting from the clouds. And mine strongly resembled the heart-shaped tongue of fire topping off my paintbrush. ‘There’s the fire again. Not the paint, not the brush, but the fire,’ I thought to myself.
“There’s still one key missing,” Twilight ruefully noted, breaking me from my thoughts. “The key that represents the Element of Magic. My element.”
“Oh, but I’m sure if we’ve all gotten our keys, you have too, Twilight,” Fluttershy assured.
“Think, Twilight. When have you completed a difficult magical task, and in doing so encouraged another pony to do the same?” Rarity inquired.
“I haven't. If I had, I would have written about it in the journal.”
“Don't worry, Twilight. I'm sure you'll get your key eventually,” Spike consoled. But no sooner had he placed his claw on her shoulder did he have to cover his mouth. 
*BUUUUUURRRPPP!*
“What does it say?” Spike anxiously inquired as Twilight snatched up the newly-materialized scroll.
“That I’m needed in Canterlot at once!” she exclaimed. 
“Well, ya better get to it!”
“Yes, yes. You don’t want to keep the princesses waiting. 
“Sorry, girls. The chest will just have to wait until I get back.”
“It’s alright, Twilight. We understand,” Fluttershy nodded. 
“Go on! Skedaddle!” Rainbow playfully shooed. 
“We’ll be here,” I nodded. She smiled, grateful for such understanding friends. 
“Come on, Spike. I’ll drop you off at the library.” She crouched long enough for the baby dragon to board, then took off.
“Well, I guess I’ll be headin’ home myself. Them chores won’t do themselves.”
“And I really need to feed my animals,” Fluttershy excused. 
“Well, I, for one, am still free. Would you like some company, dear?” Rarity turned to me.
“Actually, I think I’m going to head to the Dragon Craters. Talk things over with Blaze,” I shook my head.
“Do you need someone to pick up Charcoal?” Dash wondered.
“I can babysit!” Pinkie eagerly volunteered.
“Wild Flower can handle him until I get back. But thanks anyway.”
“Good luck!” Fluttershy called.
“Thanks,” I paused. “I’ll need it.” Without another word, I took off.





I landed on the outskirts of the bustling craters. I trotted around the perimeter of the main plaza a few times, attempting to pick out any familiar form. It was so packed with dragons, I almost had a hard time distinguishing where one ended and another started. When I still didn’t find them, I checked a little farther out to the less populated areas. I finally found Garble’s entire crew, plus Gilda and Blaze, set off to a lonely nook in the arid, boulder-strewn countryside. Blaze was still pouting, situated next to his brother who held his head in his claws. The others also lazed about, flopped on a boulder or under it. They all sat in a circle as though they had been in a group discussion. I quietly glided to the ground a few yards away, and hesitantly approached.
“I say you just forget about them.”
“Pierce! Way to be insensitive!” Gilda scolded, flicking a pebble his way.
“Look, I am sorry about everything in Ponyville,” Pierce batted the stone away just before it plinked off his face. “I get that it’s awful... I just don’t get it.”
“What Mop Head’s trying to say is that we don’t get all that drama in the Dragon Craters. So we feel bad about it, but we can’t really relate,” Vex elaborated, ruffling Pierce’s shaggy hair. The violet dragon swatted him with an irritated growl, which almost sparked a wrestling match.
“Really? You guys don’t hear about anything like that here?” Blaze looked around at the dragons’ faces.
“Not really. If there’s an arguement around here, we dragons just settle it with a good old fashioned showdown,” Soot ground a fist into his other palm. 
“That sounds... violent...”
“But a lot simpler than months of arguing and fighting,” Fizzle pointed out. “Our way settles things right there and then, quickly and efficiently.”
“I guess you’re right,” Blaze considered this new logic. 
“Why don’t you stick around a few days?” Clump suggested. 
“Yeah. Here you won’t have to worry about all that pony drama garbage,” Pierce agreed.
“So? Whatd’ya say, Rookie?” Garble hadn’t said anything this whole time, and still didn’t try to intervene as the invitation was extended. Blaze considered the offer. He wouldn’t really leave too, would he?
“Blaze?” I cautiously stepped up. All eyes turned to me. Garble was extremely surprised to say the least, but the others appeared to be preparing for a tongue lashing.
“Oh boy,” Gilda’s eyes widened. “This should be interesting.”
“What are you doing here?” Blaze spat, turning away.
“Blaze, I just want to talk to you,” I gently tried again. 
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Please, Blaze, I know you’re upset, but-”
“I thought you guys loved each other! I thought you loved me!”
“That’s deep,” Vex quietly hissed to Soot. 
“I guess that’s what pony drama does to you,” the gray one shrugged. 
“Of course I love you Blaze. And I love Torchwood, too. We just need some time apart, is all.”
“You’re splitting up, aren’t you?”
“Of course not!”
“You’re lying!”
“I’m not lying, Blaze. I‘ll go see Torchwood tomorrow, and I’ll bring him back so we can all be a happy family again, okay? Let’s go home and get ready for him, okay?”
“I’m not coming home,” he resolutely folded his ears. “Dragons don’t argue and fight like ponies do. I’m staying here with my brother.”
“Blaze?” I clutched my chest, and even looked down to make sure it hadn’t been cut open. 
“You heard me.” His lip quivered, trying not to cry himself.
“But Blaze-”
“Just go away! Leave me alone!” He slid down from the rock he sat upon and marched off. 
“Blaze!”
“Is there a problem here?” I was about to chase after him, but froze as an immense shadow overtook me. A bulky orange dragon with red spines, and actually looked a lot like an older version of Blaze, towered overhead. 
“Uncle Bran,” Garble finally spoke. Blaze had adopted his color scheme from their father, Sparks, who also had a look-alike brother called Bran. Bran, however, was huge and muscular, unlike gimpy Sparks, and right now, appeared very threatening. Piercing eyes shone daggers upon my puny form, and white teeth gleamed like pearls. “You remember Acrylic, right?”
“Oh, yes. The pony.” He looked me over again, even more critically. I gulped. 
“Hello again, Bran.”
“Hello yourself.” He turned back to Garble. “What seems to be the trouble?”
“Blaze just said he wanted to stay here,” Clump reported. Everyone glared at him. “What?”
“Is that so?” Bran’s whole disposition lightened up. “Well, it’s about time! No worries- we can make a dragon of him yet.”
“With all due respect, Bran, I’ve been taking care of Blaze since Ignition died. He needs to come home with me.”
“Bah! Obviously you haven’t done a very good job, seeing as how you’ve sent him crawling back here.” I flinched as though I’d been slapped. “Besides, a pony can never properly raise a dragon, in my opinion.”
“We didn’t ask your opinion,” Garble quietly, even shame-facedly stared at the ground as he spoke. Bran’s expression darkened.
“Watch yourself, boy!” He sharply cuffed the back of Garble’s head with a spade-tipped tail. Garble actually stumbled forward a few steps, bumping into me. I snapped into defense mode, curling protective wings around him. “I’m the only one who gives a hoot about you around here! It’s best you stay in my good graces.”
“You hit him like that again and I’ll shred you,” I snarled. This actually sent Bran into a fit of laughter.
“I’m alright, really. It’s nothing,” Garble assured, shoving my wings away, but rubbing the back of his head. “That’s just what dragons do. I’m used to it. Barely even felt anything.” I could tell he was lying about the last bit. 
“It is to me.” I glared at the cackling beast, then to wide-eyed Blaze. If Bran struck Garble just for a snide comment, who knows what he would do to the hatchling! 
“I’ll look after him,” Garble promised, reading my mind. I walked up to Blaze to try one last time. 
“Please, please come home,” I begged. Blaze met my gaze. He knew I wouldn’t hurt him physically as Bran might, but obviously the emotional damage in our household had already proved to be too much.
“I’m staying here.” A tear dripped down my cheek.
“Okay,” I croaked. “But you’ll always be welcome back in Ponyville.” I hushed my voice a bit. “And if Bran ever hurts you, even if it’s just casual dragon roughhousing, you come tell me, yeah?” He pushed away. I wasn’t sure if that was a yes or no. “I love you, Blaze.” He refused to look at me. I bit my lip.
“Go home, Pony,” Bran sniggered. “You don’t belong here.” I took a breath to compose myself, and with what dignity I had left, turned to leave.
“Acrylic,” Garble whispered, catching up before I took off. He caught me by the shoulder, but paused to turn back and make sure he had gone unnoticed. Bran had already headed back to the main hoard, herding all the other youngsters with him, but the red teen had escaped his gaze. 
“Yeah?” Garble crossly folded his arms. 
“You’d better fix things with Torchwood, for Blaze’s sake.”
“I promise I will, Garble.” Checking once more to make sure Bran was gone, I gave him a quick hug. “Stay safe. And the same goes for you. If Bran ever really hurts you, I want you to come tell me, alright?”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
“GARBLE!” Bran barked from afar. 
“Gotta go.” He fondly patted me one last time before taking off. I looked on after them. This trip was supposed to put me at ease, to put things right. But now I was more alone than ever.