//------------------------------// // The Element of Magic (Part 4 of 5) // Story: The Rainboom Thieves // by KingJoltik //------------------------------// “No way...Luna...” said Celestia as she got up with her hooves trembling. “Luna...how did...how did you escape your prison? You...you weren’t supposed to escape for another nine months...” “Ah...hello Celestia. It’s been a long time.” said Nightmare Moon with a giant grin. “As for your question, I have you two to thank for escaping my prison.” “Us?” asked Twilight as she got up. “What do you mean?!” “Ah...you see, the battle between you two produced quite a lot of magic.” said Nightmare Moon. “That magic you two made was seen throughout all of Equestria. Surely you felt it.” “The pillar...that was made when are magic clashed...” said Twilight in shock. “It went all the way to my prison! At that moment, I absorbed some of that magic from that battle!” “The extra magic gave you enough power to escape...” “Yes. Your quite a smart little pony. With this magic...I will make the night last forever!” Celestia’s horn began to glow as she glared at Nightmare Moon. “I will never let that happen!” she yelled. “Even if I die, Equetria will not be yours to toy with!” Nightmare Moon turned to Celestia and said, “Oh please, look at you sister. You can barely get up! I’ve already won!” “Oh yeah?!” said Twilight. “Sorry to say Nightmare Moon but the only one beating Celestia today is me!” Nightmare Moon then turned around as her horn began to shine. “Is that so little pony? Tell me, what’s your name?” “Twilight Sparkle.” “Well Twilight Sparkle, since you seem to hate Celestia...I have a proposition for you.” “Huh? Proposition?” “Yes. I could use a pony like you, especially with that much power.” “Sorry to say Nightmare Moon, I don’t help selfish ponies like you.” said Twilight. “Just ask your sister over there.” “Is that so...oh well, that’s fine.” Nightmare Moon said as her horn began to shine. “Be that it may, a pony of your power will need to eliminated sooner or later...so, I’ll destroy you now!” Twilight began to levitate the elements around her. “Don’t bet on it!” The two ponies then fired their magic at each other. However, this clash was different, Nightmare Moon’s beam cut right through Twilight’s, sending Twilight flying. BLAM! “Augh!” she yelled as she went flying. “Now little pony...BURN!” said Nightmare Moon as she conjured dark flames with her magic and fired a black fireball at Twilight. “AAAAaaaaahhhhh!!!” yelled Twilight as the fire began to consume her. “No! AAaaaahh!” “Stop it!” yelled Celestia as her horn began to glow. “Stop it right now Luna!” Nightmare Moon immediately turned around and blasted Celestia with magic before she could react. BLAM! “Ugh!” “Sorry Celestia but you’ve already lost.” said Nightmare Moon as she walked up to Celestia. Then her horn shined yet again. “Now Celestia...I will absorb your magic as well...the Sun will be mine as well!” “NO!” yelled Celestia. “Don’t do it!” “Heh heh heh...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA” laughed Nightmare Moon as she began to drain Celestia’s magic. Twilight sat there as the flames continued to burn her body. There she thought, ‘Aaaahhhhh! It hurts! It hurts so much! No! Why...why is this happening?! No...no...no...no!’ Then a bright flash of light came from the Elements of Harmony and it devoured Twilight. Nightmare Moon had not noticed as she was busy draining Celestia’s magic. Twilight closed her eyes as the light consumed her. At that moment, her body felt light, as if she was in the air. Then, she found herself in an odd place. The place she was in nothing but endless nothingness. As if the world disappeared and all that was left a white void. ‘Where am I?’ she thought. ‘I know I was on fire a second ago...but...what happened to me?’ Twilight began to look around and saw nothing but whiteness. ‘Unbelievable...there’s nothing here...’ she thought. ‘Where did I go? Wait...is this...is this the elements doing?’ Then Twilight saw several figures in the white void. She then began to run towards the figures. As she got closer and closer, her face began to change. Her face was filled with surprise, confusion and shock. The figures were five ponies, unconscious and on the ground. “No!” yelled Twilight. “Fluttershy! Rarity! Rainbow! Pinkie and Applejack! Are you all okay?!” Twilight began to panic as she examining her friends. Then, the five began to wake up. “Ohhh...Twilight? What happened?” asked Rarity as she got up first. “Oh thank goodness!” said Twilight as her face began to show joy. “Are you okay Rarity?!” “I’m okay...just a little dizzy...” “Whoa...I feel like a tornado slammed me...” said Rainbow. “Not awesome...” “Ugh...I feel like I went through twenty parties non-stop...” said Pinkie as she slowly got up. “And I forgot every party...” “Feels like a ton of apples just ganged up and whooped up on me...” said Applejack as she wobbled up. “Oh my...that felt dreadful...” said Fluttershy as her hooves shook while she began to stand up. “Are all you girls okay?!” yelled Twilight in a panic. The other five looked at each other and then nodded. “We’re fine Twilight...though...um...where are we dear?” asked Rarity. “I’m...not completely sure...but I have an idea where it is though...” said Twilight as she looked at her friends. “Where are we pardner?” “Yeah, where are we Twilight?” “Well...I hate to say it, but I don’t have time to explain that. Wherever we are...I think we only have a small amount of time here so...I need to tell you all something.” “Well darling, if it’s so important then tell away.” “Okay.” said Twilight as prepared to tell her tale. “I’ll start by saying I’m sorry for dragging you all into this.” “Don’t say you’re sorry Twi, you know we’ll help you with whatever.” “Well, let’s just say this is all my fault. I...um...these past three months, I’ve been trying to find a way to make Celestia’s prophecy not come true.” “Let me guess, you found a solution that led to us being here.” asked Applejack in a sarcastic tone. “Yes.” said Twilight in an annoyed tone. “Let’s just say something happened that even I couldn’t predict. So...I...let’s just say the situation became worse than I thought.” “How bad?” “I think...I’m about to die.” The five ponies’ eyes began to grow. “DIE?!” they yelled. “Twilight, whatever do you mean?” asked Rarity in a panic. “Yeah, we don’t want you to die!” yelled Rainbow. “Yeah pardner, we don't want our friend to die!” said Applejack. “Girls...” said Twilight with hesitation. “Do you...do you remember when I first brought all of us together?” The five then nodded. Two years ago... “It’s this way Applejack.” said Twilight as the two went through an abandoned building. “Why did you bring me here...uh...Twilight?” asked Applejack as she slowly followed Twilight. “Don’t worry about it, we’re here.” Twilight said as the two entered a room. There Applejack saw four other ponies. Then, Twilight walked to the side of the room and stood on a small box placed there. Twilight then slowly spoke up, “Ahem, I am now going to explain why I’ve brought you all here. Fluttershy has already agreed to help me but...I want her to hear this too...” The five looked at each other and then stared at Twilight. “I brought you all together for a single purpose. I’ll start off by saying this, I...as a filly, was denied my dream. The thing I always wanted was taken from me when I was just a kid. Because of that, I ran away from home. I spent years drifting from town to town, trying to find my purpose. As I met every single of you, you all have experienced something similar. Maybe not as dramatic but still. However, I have recently found a new goal.” “I don’t understand where this is going.” said Applejack bluntly. “Let me explain...I wish to create a team of phantom thieves.” “Thieves?!” yelled the four. “How barbaric!” said Rarity, “Why would you want to do that?” “Yeah Twilight...why tell us that?” asked Rainbow. “Let me explain.” said Twilight calmly, knowing this reaction was coming. “I have ventured throughout Equestria and do you know what I saw? Corruption, violence and evil. After seeing such things, I want to change the system.” “By being a thief?” “First, I will be stealing only from criminals. I won’t steal from good ponies, don’t worry, I’m a very meticulous pony. Second, if you wish to leave, go ahead. I won’t stop you, even if you go to the police. Third, we will steal from ponies and in turn, expose them to the police. In doing so, someponies will think we’re vigilantes if we do enough.” “And you think this will change the system?” “No, but it’s a start. I want to better my pony self but...but this Equestria will not allow that. This Equestria destroys ponies’ dreams and ambitions. You all know this.” The five then looked at each other and then stared at Twilight again. “Everypony in here was denied something in Equestria. Whether it be dreams, motivation, or even money. I am the same way. Because of this, I want to make something I believe will help all of us. If you join me, I promise to show you a new path, a new way of seeing life. And maybe...just maybe...we’ll change more than just ourselves.” “I’m in.” said Rainbow, slamming her hoof down. “Rainbow...” said Fluttershy as she put her hooves over her mouth. “Are you sure Rainbow Dash?” asked Twilight. “Yeah...my dream was taken away from me too...I...I can’t become a Wonderbolt.” said Rainbow as tears began to form around her eyes. “All it took was a bunch of bully ponies and my life's dream was thrown out the window! So...I...I feel like this could help me...” “I’m in too!” said Pinkie quickly. “The past few towns I’ve went through are all filled with ponies who are only happy when they hurt other ponies! If I can help change that...if this can help change that system...then I’ll help you too!” “I’m in as well darling.” responded Rarity. “In my current state...I'll never achieve the motivation or inspiration to follow my dream...my business will fall apart along with my dream as a successful dress maker. I’m not completely into stealing but...I understand where you’re coming from Twilight.” The five then looked Applejack. She just stood there, amazed at the responses that the others had given. Her mind then began to race, ‘Unbelievable...Twilight got them to help her...she got them to help her become thieves!’ she thought. ‘But...but to be thieves...’ Applejack then noticed something. She looked down at her legs. ‘I...I can’t move my legs...but why? I...I want to leave!’ she thought. ‘But...I...I can’t...’ “I...I don’t know what to say...” said Applejack slowly. “I...I...I’m not sure Twilight...I mean...you’re telling me to stop farming and become a thief!” “I never said you had to stop farming Applejack.” said Twilight. “It’s obviously your passion. I said you can walk out at any time.” “Yeah...I know...” said Applejack in a sad tone. “I do need the money though...and...and...the Equestria you mentioned just showed itself to me a few minutes ago...alright...I’m in too.” The Present… “That was a long time ago Twi...” said Applejack. “I still can’t believe I went along with it.” “Indeed...yet I’ve never regretted a single moment of it Twilight.” said Rarity with a small smile. “Yeah...those two years were totally awesome Twilight!” yelled Rainbow. “Thank you girls.” said Twilight. “I’m so glad I met all of you.” “Hold on Twilight.” said Fluttershy in a panic, “Are you really dying?!” “I...I’m not sure...” said Twilight. “It’s just...I’m glad you all are my friends. I could have never done all those things without you all. I...I just...I'm sorry!” “Sorry? For what?” “I dragged you all into this! Ever since the beginning...I...I was just running away from my problems!” said Twilight as tears began to flow down her face. “No matter what I did...I...I was just lying to myself! I...I just wanted to be accepted by my family...and her...” “But it never happened?” “No...it happened. My family asked for forgiveness over what happened...yet...I still dragged all of you into this! I'm so sorry!” yelled Twilight as more tears fell. “I'm a failure! I'm...just a failure...she was right...I'm just a selfish pony running away from my problems...” Then, the five immediately went up and hugged Twilight. “Don't talk like that Twi!” “Yeah, you're too awesome to be thinking that!” “That's right darling!” “Thank you...thank you so much...” said Twilight as more tears began to flow. At that moment, a shine sparkled in Twilight's eye. “I...I think I understand now...” “What do you mean?” “I...I've been running away from my destiny since I was a filly. This...inheritor of Harmony stuff...its part of me. The Rainbooms...the inventing...the studying of magic...and my destiny to acquire the elements...” said Twilight as she began to choke. “I...I...I just didn't want that to be true...but it is...I...the inheritor of Harmony is also part of me. It's always been there...it doesn't matter how much I dislike Celestia or her plan for me...that destiny has always been part of me...and I need to accept that...” “So, um...what now pardner? Since you know...we seem to be stuck here...” “I don't know Applejack. All I know is...that I'm so glad to have met you all! You all are the greatest friends a pony could ask for!” said Twilight with a cheerful smile as she hugged her friends back. “Thank you so much for being my friend!” As Twilight said those words, the six ponies suddenly began to shine. Their bodies shined a rainbow-colored light. “Uh Twi, what’s going on?!” yelled Applejack. “I...I don’t know!” yelled Twilight. The light grew larger and larger until it looked as if it consumed the six ponies. Then the ponies disappeared from the white void. There a voice spoke up to Twilight. “You have been chosen...” “Who said that?” asked Twilight. “I have seen your friendship...I will help you...” “What?” “When you return...she will be waiting...she's strong...much stronger than the elements...get ready!” “I...I think I understand...okay, I'm ready!” said Twilight as the light began to disappear. Nightmare Moon continued to absorb Celestia's magic. Nightmare Moon's body began to change as her starry mane began to shine like the sun. Her body began to shine as if the sun and moon had merged together. Then a giant flash of light shined throughout Equestria. At that moment, Nightmare Moon turned around, now finished absorbing Celestia’s magic. “What is this?!” she yelled as she looked at place where Twilight was supposed to be. Instead, a bright light had replaced Twilight. Nightmare Moon then saw the light and saw the Tree of Harmony begin to glow with it. “What’s going on?” The Elements of Harmony flew around the light and then went into the light. There, the pony inside absorbed all six elements at once. Then a pony walked out of the light. Her hair was rainbow-colored and her mane shined like the sun. The pony had a long unicorn horn and rainbow-colored wings. The pupils in her eyes changed, they were no longer just circles. Instead, they were shaped like Twilight’s cutie mark and were rainbow-colored. Then Nightmare Moon yelled, “What is this?! Are you that pony, Twilight Sparkle?! Why do you look like that?! You...you look like an alicorn...a princess!” “Princess?” said the pony as she spread her wings, “Oh no no no...I’m no princess...” “Then what are you?!” “I’m Twilight Sparkle, the Queen of Harmony!” “Queen of Harmony?!” “That’s right.” said Twilight with a huge smile as her horn began to shine, “Hail to the Queen baby!”