SODOR-SIR TOPHAM HATT'S OFFICE
Sir Topham Hatt sat in his office, his head in his hands. He was trying to get over the fact that this time he had lost 2 engines. But things started to look up when the others said that they had a lead and were on their way to look for them. At first he didn't believe them. He remarked that they were making this up because of extensive searching and lack of sleep. Next morning, he found the sheds empty. Now he was regretting saying those things...when he heard a voice.
"Sir Topham Hatt."
"What? Who's there?" He looked around. There appeared to be no one there.
"Relax. I'm a friend."
"Friend?"
"I am Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria."
"Equestria?"
"It is a land where your missing engine was last seen."
"Thomas is there?" Hope flares up inside that was extinguished by the reply. "
"He was with friends. Then he disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Sir Topham Hatt was astounded. "Did you look for him?"
"We did, and we found him."
"Splendid! Will he come back?"
"I'm afraid it isn't that simple."
Sir Topham Hatt didn't like the sound of that. "Why not? Is he refusing to come back?"
"No. An enemy found him first. She did terrible things to him." For a brief moment, there seemed to be a tiny noise. Sir Topham Hatt later swore that it sounded like inhumane screaming. "From what I've been told, she...persuaded Thomas to...change."
"Change?"
"She took advantage of how unwanted he felt; of how he felt like an outcast; of how he had felt mistreated."
"That was my fault in the third incident," sighed Sir Topham Hatt, "I thought he was trying to make up another excuse."
"I can relate a little to that. But I'm afraid telling him that won't do much good. When the one called Gordon tried to make amends..."
"What happened?"
"Thomas had been turned into a demonic pony by her and he...stole Gordon's soul."
"HE WHAT?!?"
"He. Took. His. Soul."
"His...soul?"
"Well, look behind you."
Sir Topham Hatt did...and nearly jumped out of his skin. Gordon was there in his Pegasus form, old and withered. "Is that...?"
"Yes."
"Is he...?"
"He is and he isn't." The phantasm vanished.
"So...Thomas is gone...for good?"
"We're not sure. My former student, now fellow princess, thinks that Thomas is still there and has a theory that he won't listen to those who did him wrong, but that he might to those who didn't."
"So now what?"
"We can only hope for the best."
BALTIMARE
The allies made it and although they were expecting to see ponies littering the ground in wrinkled bodies, they were NOT expecting to find Twivine among them.
"What happened?" asked Twilight.
It was hard for her clone to explain. "We...were just gaining...our features of...a centaur and...a gargoyle. After...I...told him...what our...next targets were...I had...suggested that we...rest. He didn't like it"
"Why not?"
"He was...hellbent...on revenge. For him...every last...second...counted. He considered...rest a...waste of...time. He said that...if I...had wanted to...rest..."
"And he did this to you?"
"Indeed. Now...he's a...gargoyle...named Onan."
Every pony was shocked. They weren't expecting this either.
"So much for trying to reason with him," sighed James.
Twilight whipped around and glared at him. It was as if there were 8 angry Twilights, just like when Lily Peet (or whatever) ranked Queen Chrysalis 8 of them out of 10. Enough to make James cower in fear. "We. WILL. Get. Him. Back."
Something strange began to happen. Twilight's cutie mark began to glow as did Rainbow Dash's. But instead of Pinkie Pie's, Percy's 6 began to glow; instead of Applejack's, Toby's 7 began to glow; instead of Rarity's, James' 5 began to glow; and instead of Fluttershy's, Henry's 3 began to glow.
"What is this?" demanded Henry.
"Usually, this means that the map at my castle is calling us," explained Twilight, "but it usually does this with me and my friends. I don't know why it's doing it to you 4."
"Well, there appears to be only one way to find out," remarked Edward.
"To the Friendship Castle!" declared Pinkie Pie.
[SFX: "BATMAN" BY NEAL HEFTI]
And through the magic of scrolling down, the allies were back at the castle and were facing the map. Much to their shock, not only were the 2 cutie marks hovering over where the Everfree Forest, but so were the 4 numbers.
"What does that mean?" asked Percy.
"Usually it means a friendship problem," explained Pinkie Pie, "but why would they be above the Everfree Forest? The only one who lives there is a zebra named Zecora."
"Maybe this Zecora has advice," guessed Henry.
"Maybe, but I don't think that the map would be calling us to the Everfree Forest if someone like Zecora would have advice." said Twilight.
"'Sides, we could just mosey on over there if we needed advice," added Applejack.
"But the Everfree Forest is where the Tree of Harmony is," said Fluttershy.
"Then let's get to it," announced Rarity and turned to the others, "we'll explain on the way, m' dears."
MEANWHILE
Onan was flapping towards Appleloosa when his altitude began to drop. He plummeted earthwards, clutching his head and blinking. There were a few times when his eyes began to look like Thomas's.
INSIDE THE MIND
He was facing a mirror. "Why? Why are you resisting?"
The reflection wasn't that of a gargoyle, but of a stallion named Thomas. "Because this isn't what I wanted. I'd never stoop this low. I'd forgive them."
"Exactly why I am in control," growled Onan, "it isn't good enough to " forgive" them and let them off just like that. Making them suffer makes it easier to put them through the pain they put us through."
"That's just it!" shouted Thomas, "It was just Gordon, Rocky, and Sir Topham Hatt! What did the others ever do?"
"They get in the way, they get it good."
"That's enough." hissed Thomas. "This gone on long enough. I'm not going to sit by and let you harm innocent ponies." He crouched down and lunged at Onan.
OUT
Onan held his head and continued to fall. Then, in one last desperate attempt, he put his thumb and index finger together and snapped them. Instantly, Zecora appeared in the air. As she began to fall, a coil of rope appeared and wrapped around all 4 of her hooves. The last length reached into her ear, pulled out an apple, and wedged it into her mouth.
INSIDE
Onan fought for breath as Thomas proved to be more formidable than he had thought. "Any last words?" asked Thomas.
Onan smirked, "There's a zebra falling with us, at a speed faster than us. If she hits the ground before us..."
"Alright! You win." Thomas didn't like it, but he gave in. Almost immediately, shackles appeared and snapped on to his hooves and neck.
OUT
Onan had stopped falling and straightened himself. After doing a few stretches, he snapped his fingers and an orb with an opened top appeared farther down below. Once Zecora landed in it, the top closed.
INSIDE
Onan scratched his head. "You barely even know that zebra, aside from her witnessing our transformation, yet you're willing to risk everything for her safety?" He smirked as he added, "Have you found a new (hee hee hee) mare?"
Thomas looked up weakly, "Evil cannot comprehend good, I guess."
Onan's smirk widened. "You never denied my last statement."
"I never confirmed it either." Onan mimed strangling something. "Alright!" choked Thomas. The shackle on his neck began to shorten. "I! LOVE! TWILIGHT!" Onan allowed the shackle to expand as Thomas ranted and raved, "I've always felt something ever since she took me in. I never knew what it was, but I knew it was strong. Now I know what it is. Do you hear me? I love her!"
The chains yanked him down. "Spare me your sentimental nonsense." muttered Onan.
OUT
He smirked at Zecora. "In a way, I have TWO hostages now."
TREE OF HARMONY
The steam ponies were in awe. The Tree was a majestic sight, but not more than the Chest. That last item was locked with only the Keys of Magic and Loyalty already inserted. The rest however...
"That's odd," said Rarity, "why are there only 2 Keys in there?"
"It is strange." agreed Twilight. "The only explanation I can offer is that because the Map didn't summon the rest of you. But why would it summon ponies who are strangers?"
No one could offer any suggestions so they sat down and thought...
ONE HOUR LATER
...and thought...
TWO HOURS LATER
...and thought. Rarity actually passed out under the wing of a dozing James.
THREE HOURS LATER
"Can you move along?" whined Pinkie Pie.
"We're all out of time cards," said Percy.
"Um...where did you get those?" asked Emily.
The two glanced at each other before answering, "We picked them up." Then they threw it away. It landed on the Chest, glowed, and turned into a key that inserted itself.
Everyone gasped. As if on cue, a fish landed on Rarity. "Ewwwwww!" she groaned and began flailing around, attempting to "Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!"
Much to the surprise of the steam ponies, James caught it in his mouth. When asked why he did it, he (with difficulty) explained that he had to pull a train full of fish before-twice-and didn't like it, but he did it.
This gave Twilight an idea. "James, put it on the Chest."
Confused, he obliged...and the fish also glowed and turned into that inserted itself.
Everyone was shocked, except Twilight. "That proves it!"
"Proves what?" asked Fluttershy.
"I'm guessing the map called the 4 of you because it considers you all the equivalents of the regular Bearers of the Elements. Like it considers Percy to Pinkie Pie's equal because of...whatever just happened" ("How do you like them apples?" the 2 laughers asked the empty void behind them.) "and it considers James to be Rarity's equal because he did something that was out of his league." (Rarity nuzzled James.)
"But if Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy have their equals, then who're equals of me and Twilight?" demanded Rainbow Dash.
"I don't know, but we know that the 2 equals are these 2." She looked at Toby and Henry. "The question is which equals of these 2" (she gestured at Applejack and Fluttershy) "you are."
"How will we know?" asked Pinkie Pie.
Twilight walked over to Toby and placed her horn on his head. She searched through his memories until she found something that matched his equal. "Toby...there seems to be a time when you were afraid of this Sir Topham Hatt was...going to put you in a museum?"
"Yes," sighed Toby. "You have to understand that I was a steam tram. I am old over there. Everyone knows that museums are the home of old things. I didn't think I was really useful. So I tried doing everyone's jobs, always moving away when I saw him. When I had accident, he found me and I had then openly confessed why I did what I did. He laughed and said that I was too useful to be in a museum and had me repaired. It wasn't easy but at least I was honest."
Something from behind sparkled which caught his eye. Turning around, he found a rusty bell that was oddly gleaming. He picked it up with his mouth and rang it; seconds later, he dropped it in surprise. "I haven't heard that sound in a long time," he sniffled. Applejack pointed a hoof at the chest. Toby tearfully placed the bell on it, followed by the same thing with the other Keys.
Now Twilight turned to Henry. She searched his memories until she found something. "Henry, was there a time you showed kindness to someone who was the opposite to you?"
"Oh yes," said Henry as he recalled that day, " Arry and Bert kept teasing me for using special coal. I actually tried using normal coal, but it got worse. Arry and Bert's teasing intensified. When I went back to special coal, I found them broken down. They asked for help, which I did, despite their teasing."
Just then, a glow caught his eye too. Turning around, he found a lump of coal. "Strange," he said, "coal doesn't glow." A thought occurred to him and he placed the lump on the Chest. The result was the same. Now, all six Keys were in place. They opened the chest and the Six were engulfed in Rainbow Power.
"Let's get our friend back," growled Twilight.