//------------------------------// // The Element of Magic (Part 1 of 5) // Story: The Rainboom Thieves // by KingJoltik //------------------------------// Twilight began typing on her typewriter. Twilight journal entry #28: I have been researching for three months now. In this time, I have found what I believe is the final pieces to the puzzle of my so-called destiny. Even though I do not have access to the Canterlot archives, which probably would have made this process quicker, I still have achieved my goal. Celestia believes that I, Twilight Sparkle, am the inheritor of Harmony. As I have researched the Elements of Harmony, it seems that basic pony knowledge of the subject is very limited. It seems the identity of the elements have been mainly lost to time. However, despite all I researched, never once did the mention of the Tree of Harmony come up. Celestia told me of such a thing yet I never found any mention of the sort. As for the being known as Nightmare Moon, it apparently seems that this evil being of the night had a very short reign. Celestia defeated her very quickly. If that’s the case, due to the research I’ve done, I believe after this event…Celestia never used the elements ever again. Because of this, the elements are no longer connected to her. Now, I have also researched Nightmare Moon in terms of her arrival. According to my calculations, she will arrive in nine months. If my hypothesis is correct, then I will be able to change the course of destiny and destroy it. Then, I’ll make my own path, no matter what. Twilight stopped typing. She looked long and hard at what she had typed. She then thought, ‘Could I really do this? I mean…if my theory is correct…then…’ Twilight got up from her seat and went to the bathroom. There, she looked at herself in the mirror. ‘I look horrible.’ she thought. ‘I look like I haven’t slept for days…which is probably true…’ Twilight looked at her face as the shadows had grown around her eyes. Her hair was all twisted and overgrown. ‘I think I’ll get a haircut before I leave…’ A good clean up, nap, and haircut later… Twilight then left Manehattan. She felt like a million bits, like she could conquer the world. She hopped onto the Manehattan train and headed to Ponyville. There, she would ask Fluttershy if she could spend the night at her cottage and then her true plan would begin. Twilight stayed the night at Fluttershy’s and then left early in the morning. There, she then left for the Everfree forest with nothing but her saddlebag and her journal. She looked in as she proceeded through the forest, ‘According to my notes…’ she thought, ‘the elements are stored in the Castle of the Two Sisters…which for some reason is in this forest…’ As she went through every bit of the forest, Twilight kept looking for the castle. She felt all sorts of emotions, fear, excitement, and curiosity. Then she saw a large structure. ‘That must be it!’ she thought as she began running, ‘at last, the Castle of the Two Sisters!’ She entered the castle, combing over every corner. Then she entered a room with five stone spheres. There, she began to examine the spheres and thought, ‘This must the Elements of the Harmony. Wow, they feel very old…I’m surprised these spheres had any magic in them at all…In fact, do they even have any magic in this state…’ Twilight’s horn began to shine as levitated the spheres and looked each sphere over. Then she thought, ‘Unbelievable…these spheres…it feels like I’ve been connected to them…even though it feels like there’s no magic inside this sphere…the real question, however…how do I activate them? No, if I am the inheritor of these elements…they should just respond to me…’ Twilight’s horn then shined as she levitated all the spheres. She then thought, ‘There’s only five…if these are truly powerful artifacts of magic…then, all I need to do is pour magic into them…’ “Okay elements.” said Twilight as she began to take a deep breath, “I am the inheritor of Harmony…now elements…AWAKEN!” Meanwhile in Canterlot… Celestia was in her throne room, giving a small lecture to Sunset Shimmer over her next course of training. Sunset was giving her full attention, wanting to learn everything she could. She had left Manehattan after the Feather Blade incident. In doing so, she found herself in a deep depression for a few weeks, unable to cope with the facts over the friends she had lost. Despite his tries, Spike could not cheer her up or even get her motivated to chase her dream again. However, one day, Trixie visited her in Canterlot. They reconciled, and Trixie helped Sunset Shimmer get back on her hooves again. Trixie admitted to being over obsessive and asked Sunset that when she was done in Canterlot, they could meet up again in Manehattan. Sunset then stayed in Canterlot for those three months, trying to get herself back into her training. At the moment, she was intently listening to Celestia's lecture. Then, as Twilight began to try to awaken the elements, Celestia collapsed. “Princess?! What happened?!” screamed Sunset in a panic. “Are you alright?!” “Ugh…this feeling…” said Celestia as she tried to get up, “Oh no…it’s happening…” “Happening? What’s happening princess?!” “The elements…they’re being awakened…but…” “The elements?! You mean the Elements of Harmony?!” “Yes…but…it’s too soon…” said Celestia as her legs began to tremble, “Twilight Sparkle…just what are you trying to do?” “Twilight Sparkle?! Are you saying she’s trying to activate the elements right now?!” yelled Sunset. “Yes…” said Celestia as she got up and spread her wings. “It seems I still have a connection to the elements after all…it must be because she’s awakening them early…” “Princess…” said Sunset as she saw the pain in Celestia’s face. “Um…what should we do?” “Sunset Shimmer…” she said in commanding tone, “Go find Princess Cadance.” “Princess Cadance?” “Yes. I must leave this instant. I have to stop Twilight Sparkle before it’s too late.” “Wait…you’re leaving?! Why?!” “Just find Cadance, Sunset Shimmer. Even I do not know what will happen next.” “What are you saying?” “I am saying if something happens to me, Princess Cadnace will be your teacher. Don’t worry, she will be able to help you become the Princess of the Sun if necessary.” “But…” “I am sorry, but I must leave. I have no choice.” said Celestia as she opened a window and flew to the Everfree Forest. Sunset ran to the window and watched her fly away. She sat there, looking at her mentor fly into something Sunset didn’t even understand. She then thought, ‘Princess…just…just what is going on?’ Celestia flew through the air as she felt her connection to the elements slowly fade away. ‘No…this can’t be happening…’ thought Celestia, ‘Twilight Sparkle…I don’t know what you’re planning, but…if you activate the elements now…Equestria will be in grave danger!’ Meanwhile in the Castle of the Two Sisters… Twilight had the spheres suspended in midair for some time now. Her horn shined more and more as the spheres levitated around her. She could feel the power of the elements as their power slowly adapted to her magic. ‘It seems Celestia was right…I really am the inheritor of Harmony…’ she thought as the stone spheres began to crack. ‘I can feel it now…the elements are slowly becoming mine…’ Then, the stone spheres broke into pieces. At that moment, a bright light shined throughout the castle as the elements appeared before Twilight. They showed themselves as five different colored jewels and a sixth jewel that looked like her cutie mark. ‘This…this is the elements of Harmony…’ she thought. ‘Step one complete. Now for step two…I must go to the Tree of Harmony.’