So, You've Grown Wings

by Steel Resolve

Kindness, Honesty, and Generosity

Fluttershy followed Shimmer, not trying to overtake the pony, but simply keeping sight of her. Her wings beat the air steadily as she watched the pony flee. She knew Shimmer would eventually hole up somewhere, and Fluttershy would then attempt to coax her out. She had dealt with wounded animals many times. A wounded heart was not so different.

Shimmer was fleeing to nowhere in particular, she simply could not be near the ponies she had called friends any longer. Animals were so much simpler, they did not hate. They might attack in defense of their homes, or for food, but for vengeance's sake? She felt sick to have been compelled to hate ponies who had done no wrong. She had tried to dominate the mind of a pony who's only crime had been to ask her if she wanted help, if she wanted a friend. This was not a question she was used to hearing. Of the group her shoulder was always the one to cry on, the ear to bend; the one to smooth your mane and tell you everything was going to be alright, even as the world burned around you. Or rather, in the case of her friends, as they plotted to burn the world for crimes real and imagined.

If anypony was to blame for the current state of events, it was Shimmer. She had urged Luna and Celestia to perform the spells. Spells which would bond each of them to the stones Dawn had prepared to house their power. She had helped convince the other four that it was the right thing to do, to become weapons against Chaos. It was all supposed to be so simple. Her heart had ached for the ponies constantly subjected to the whims of Discord, they could barely match him, but if the plan worked, they would defeat him, imprison him in stone. Dawn had insisted binding their power and life to the "Elements" would magnify their potential power due in large part to the life they were sacrificing to give the world a chance. Shimmer only wanted assurance they would not be capable of being corrupted and turned against their own friends again. She bore a great weight of guilt for actions taken and words spoken to the two sisters during their corruption. She would not say it outright, but she felt Luna knew, if not Celestia... It was not merely for the sake of the world she wished to become a weapon, it was partially a way to give penance. She had been forgiven, but she could not forget her own own cruelty, or her betrayal.

Shimmer floated into a glade and stopped, huddling in the grass, it seemed a peaceful place. She had always loved such secluded places in the past, where no hoof touched, where birds animals and insects roamed freely.

Fluttershy landed some twenty hooves away. She said nothing, her body was tensed, ready for whatever might come. She did not know what to expect. An attack, a verbal assault? Maybe she would have to give chase again? She waited patiently, watching the gray pony in the distance. Shimmer spied her suddenly, and she sprang to her hooves. She ran at Fluttershy, who in turn braced for impact, for assault, but not for what came.

Hooves wrapped around her tightly, and a delicate swan-like head rested against her shoulder. She felt wetness and a hot breath sobbing against her. Fluttershy simply stayed motionless for a time, allowing the other pony to do what she wished. Finally she wrapped her forelegs around Shimmer, and covered her with her large yellow wings. "Shhhhh." Fluttershy murmured. "It's all going to be okay."

Shimmer was openly weeping now. She cried for the years she had missed of her friends lives. She cried for the anger and hatred forced on her by chaos and nightmare. She cried for her friends who had become tools for the very entity they had given up their lives to stop. She cried for the ponies now facing her friends who, despite having no expectation of being able to defeat them, stood up to them because it was the right thing to do. Fluttershy heard her self recriminations, her bitter recounts of the crimes she had committed, her loathing, her self hatred. She made no judgements, bore no ill will. She simply stood there, smoothed Shimmer's mane, and made soothing sounds.

Fluttershy watched in wonder as the weeping pony before her changed color slowly, from a drab gray to a brilliant living green. When Shimmer finally raised her head, Fluttershy smiled at the pony. "There now, do you feel better?"

Shimmer half-laughed, half-sobbed at that, and nodded.

Fluttershy smiled again. "Come on now, we have friends to help."

The two ponies flew side by side, nothing more being said, nothing needing to be said.

In the lab, the Element of Kindness shone brightly, and changed shape into a golden necklace adorned with a pink butterfly.

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Applejack followed the faded purple of Blueberry. The two made steady progress away from the scene where four gods were even now proceeding to wreak long overdue vengeance upon each other.

Blueberry landed on a mountaintop overlooking the Whitetail woods. Applejack landed as well.

Blueberry nodded to Applejack, saying nothing.

Applejack was the first to break the silence. "What'll be cousin? We gonna hoof wrassle again or you just wanna set a spell and talk it out?"

Blue sighed. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

A.J. chuckled. "B'cause yer poker face is full of tells cuz. You're still feeling conflicted."

Blue looked startled at the idea, but nodded, getting the sense of it. "I'm a huge fool, you know? I could see the truth of the matter, you can't fool an old farmhand with snake oil and speeches. We were being used, but I couldn't say it. They wouldn't see it anyway, the control he had us under was too powerful, the hate she made us feel made a pony feel... righteous. Like what we were doing was only just. A part of me was always screaming it was all wrong, but I ignored it, my friends were more important than the plain and simple truth. The more I ignored it, the more I found nothing I said was true. My reality became a falsehood, a pretty lie I told to keep the peace. Lies can be danged seductive, you know? You want em to be true, and if you wish hard enough they can certainly seem true. Truth was always there though, holding a mirror up to my words, my actions, showing me the reality amongst the fiction that had become my life."

Applejack nodded. "Truth ain't something you can just ignore to make it go away. You can sugarcoat things all you like, it's still there under it all. To really see it, first you gotta be honest with yourself. So cousin, lemme ask you something, and tell me true. You sorry fer what you did?"

Blue nodded. "I am."

Applejack smiled. "You plan to make up fer it?"

Blue smiled back. "If I can."

Applejack strode forward and clapped a hoof on the shoulder of the pony with the purple coat. Her cutie mark shown out, looked like fresh berries ripe for picking. "Good enough fer me cuz. Let's head on back and show a couple of monsters they don't look like much in the plain light of day."

Blue nodded. She turned her head in question. "You keep calling me cousin, do you believe that?"

Applejack nodded earnestly. "You love the land, I can tell. All farmers have a kinship of sorts."

The farmponies flew in companionable silence.

The Element of Honesty began to shine, and reformed into the shape of a bright red apple set in a golden necklace.

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Rarity pursued Sapphire, more glad than ever she had spent so much time building her strength in flight. She teleported ahead of the fleeing pony. "Darling, please stop, I know what you must be feeling right now. That's no reason to run from the world."

Sapphire did not respond, she just halted her flight. She hovered for a time, all but motionless. "I never told her you know... I told Luna once, but I swore her to secrecy. It wouldn't have been fair to burden her with that knowledge. I felt bad enough telling Luna, but at times the heart gets too full. You have let something out, or it feels it like will burst. I can't say if it was infatuation, deep admiration, or romantic inclination. I never let myself explore those feelings. It just felt-"

"Selfish." Rarity supplied. "You see something beautiful, something marvelous in a pony, something perhaps they themselves don't see. You want it for yourself, but you hold your tongue, you don't take the chance. You bottle those emotions up, because it might hurt them to not return those feelings. Irony isn't it? We're the ones who might get hurt, but we worry for the other pony because it might hurt them to even be asked!"

Sapphire nodded, looking up. "Who is it for you? I know unrequited love in a voice when I hear it. Come, it's only fair. You know mine."

Rarity sighed in frustration. "That stupid farmpony! She could be so beautiful if she gave two bits for her hair, if she'd ever conceive of wearing a proper gown! Those eyes, emerald green, so deep. I feel there must be hidden depths there, even if she professes to be open about everything in her mind. Those flanks, perfectly honed from years of bucking trees. She makes me so very angry I want to scream at times, and other times I just want to leap at her and-" She shivered.

Both ponies hovered in silence, lost in thought. Rarity spoke first. "Our crushes are about to need rescuing you know, wouldn't it be marvelously romantic to confess, flush after the victory of saving the world? I've always dreamed of a knight in white armor. I suppose I could play the role. What say you sister? Shall we go save our loves from peril?"

Sapphire smiled widely, her coat now a brilliantly deep blue. "I do like the way you think sister. Away! To battle!"

The element of Generosity glowed, reforming into a blue diamond set in gold.

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Author's note:

Have no worries dear readers, Pinkie pie and Twilight are coming, and we'll be seeing a chapter devoted to Luna and Celestia as well. These three have already had a moment in the sun, they simply needed a moment to reconnect to their elements, to bring a little closure to their confrontations.

Comments

[Barbecue Sauce]

[Bridgebrain]

Very nice. You're right, they already had their moments, this is just closure. Its a touch repetitive, but well within reason. Can't wait for those confessions. I'd imagine blushes all around and a marvelous awkward silence.

[Guardian Talon]

this is so very different from the story that was originally a book in Twilights library.
good show.

[bcsnakeeyes]

ok is it just me or am i not the only one anxioulsy awaiting the confrontation between the 2 elements of magic.

[Kuki-Shift]

Out of all of these encounters, I look forward to the next few the most~

[RaptorCalloftheShadows]

Rarijack, HOOO~! :D

[blazeice9967]

Ooooooh of all paiings I dislike the most, its RariJack.... But depending on how you play your cards on this one, I'll probably end up loving it!

[Purple Thunder]

344918 Same. I'm more of a fan of AppleDash.

[QuackmanBrony]

Dang it, no matter how hard I try I can't escape the mane cast ship!
She had been forgiven, but she could not forget her own own cruelty, or her betrayal. This sounds just like Blackjack over in Project Horizons.

[Gytrash]

344573

Rarity and Sapphire confess to Applejack and Luna respectively...
dl.dropbox.com/u/38493835/MLP/TwilightSparkleawkward.gif

[SkyStream]

345262

nah to AJ and Celestia, Luna KNOWS about Sapphire's feelings for her sister but in the battle of generosity, Sapphire did say she was inftuated with Celestia, not Luna

[wubstep pony]

this story!

[Arcanel]

...Didn't expect a full on confesion. Nor the confesion that will ensue afterwards...THIS IS AWESOME! I have nothing else to say. That you are good, is enough.

[UseFistNotMouth]

I like how Rarity and Sapphire have very different motivations for their crushes.
Sapphire admires Celestia as an ideal.
Rarity is obsessed with AJ's potential.

Lokey's Talent is to be bipolar? Raw deal.

Hmm.
Option 1: IC: Logic Discussion.
Option 2: Badflank: Magic Duel.
Option 3: Hilarity Ensues: Dawn is the ancestor of Trixie and acts just like her.
Option 4: Beautiful Tragedy: They rush each other with one single fatal strike. Twi wins and saves Dawns life redeeming her.
Option 5: Common Sense: Twilight and Dawn decide to see who has the bigger brain by headbutting each other till one passes out.
Option 6: Can't We All Just Get Along?: Twilight wins over Dawn through the power of interpretive dance.
Option 7: Friendship is Magic: Twilight just surprises Dawn by teleporting the 2 of them back to the battle site where Dawn's restored friends help her see the light.
Option 8: wat: Derpy shows up as an alicorn and uses her amazing OPness to transform Dawn and Twilight into God Dragons who annihilate Discord and Nightmare with giant muffin maces and then muffins.
Option 9: From Outer Space: KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

[TwilitLightning]

350314 Me Gusta option 8. SO MUCH MUFFIN!

[musicluvr1974]

350314 I think you have some of those a little scrambled...

[angelic_song]

I thought it was a nice adventure story. NOPE RAIRJACK AND! SAPPHIRE X CELESTIA

[bonamb]

into the shape of a bright red apple set in a golden necklace.

WROOOOOOONG
Is orange

[Jane_Shadow]

350314
Option 6: if you recall, twilight sparkle is a health hazard when dancing. Therefore unlikely event.
Option 8 is awesome though.

[PixelMoon]

Ima coming!!

[HeartfireFirebrand]

350314
LOL THIS COMMENT IS AMAZINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

[Luna-my-favorite-pony]

3776508
SAPHESTIA!!!!
sorry. Just had to. 😂

[Late_Night]

rarijack is objectively garbage
sparity otp and applejack ain't gay

[Steel Resolve]

10560394
That is an opinion you have, to be sure.