//------------------------------//
// Loving Humility 
// Story: The Quest for Harmony: 1: The Forgotten Element 
// by Sea Flame 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 8: Loving Humility

As the ponies plodded along the path, the white mist was planning what evil she might do against the friends to stop them from retrieving the forgotten element. She remembered an old trick she had learned from her sister Chrysalis that had always worked in dire need. Surely she would be able to catch them off their guard and keep the group from finding the forgotten elements. The only thing she had forgotten when she formed this plan was that these ponies were tougher than they looked.

The friends finally approached the main path to the castle that they had started on before they were off course. Auquasia was at the back of the group when suddenly a dark figure appeared in front of her. All she could see of the figure's was cold, gleaming eyes. As Auquasia kept walking, the figure floated backwards, still looking at Auquasia. Since no pony else had said anything, she decided to speak to the dark, shadowy figure,

"Excuse me, who are you?" Auquasia asked in a confused tone.

"Do not be afraid. I am a shadowpony, creatures who dwell in the darkness of the Everfree Forest. I have come to congratulate you." To Auquasia's surprise, no pony else noticed the figure. "I assume you are wondering why no pony has said anything about me. That's because I have developed a spell that makes me only appear to you. You are also the only pony who can hear me. But I wanted to congratulate you for getting your friends past the Gatekeeper. No pony but you would be able to pull that off." This time she knew she had the pony in her grasp. Soon, Auquasia would be absorbed in her pride and forget about her friends.

Auquasia stopped walking. "Why, that's very nice of you, but I can't take all the credit. Those ponies turned me into the pony I am now. Without them I could never have changed the Gatekeeper."

"Oh, don't be modest. We both know that you were the one that convinced him, and without you those others ponies could not have gotten through."

"Again, thank you for being so nice, but all I did was be kind to somepony. Sometimes showing others love can make a big difference. Now I need to catch up to my friends. Bye!" Auquasia galloped to catch up with her friends. Behind her the angry figure turned back into mist and followed the group. This was the first time Chrysalis's advice to Frostbite had ever gone wrong.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Pinkie Pie asked gleefully.

"Oh, there was this pony who was congratulating me on getting us past the Gatekeeper. But I can't take all the credit. Before I met you, I knew nothing about kindness or love. But you guys showed me the magic of friendship, and that love is humble. You showed me that there are things that you can't take all the credit for, because others inspired you to be the pony you are. And you show love to everypony by being humble, and not bragging about your successes, even if no pony else helped you. Twilight told me about when Trixie came to Ponyville. No pony liked how she showed off and bragged. You are very kind and loving to other ponies when you are truly humble." The ponies continued to walk as the white mist floated not far behind.