The Force of the Elements

by LuminousRabbit

Prepare to fight

Chapter seven: Prepare to fight
Warning! This chapter contains some gore. If you are faint of heart, don't read it. Also, I finally got around to fixing up the mistakes. Sorry to everypony if I missed some!
Silver's neck was bleeding, but not dangerously. The real pain came from her four broken legs. She felt faint, but Nightmare Moon was trying to keep her concious, bored of waiting. Her mane, or what was left of it, hung limply, covered in sweat. Silver's breathing was heavy, her coat soaked in nervous sweat and blood. Her vision had started to dim, and she knew she couldn't hold out much longer. Nightmare poured water over her, and it was cool and refreshing, but Silver knew it would bring more pain than help.
It gushed into her wounds, making her cry out again.
She was cold now, too cold. She began to shiver. A bright light appeared. Her vision focused on it.
Uhh, wire, giving off sparks. Now Silver knew what the water was for.
Nightmare Moon shocked Silver again and again, the water providing better conductivity.
Silver screamed until she barely felt the pain any more, and she couldn't see. She felt light, then heavy. She tried to speak but her tongue weighed a thousand kilograms. It was dark. Her eyes were closed but she still saw the dark pony standing over her. Burned into her mind, she wouldn't forget it if she lived a thousand years more.
Which was impossible, especially since she doubted she'd live out the day. Night. Whatever.
Suddenly there was a huge crash on the door, but Silver barely heard it. Shouts and whinnies filled the air, but they were far away, getting further, quieter. A warmth spread through her. It was nice, and Silver was floating again.
And then she didn't feel anything.
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Celestia burst into the dungeon, followed by Dragonsilver, Shadow and a recovered Golden. Nightmare Moon leapt over them, morphing into energy in mid-air and flitting out of the room.
'Come back you coward!' Celestia yelled. 'Give up, we're going to get you anyway!'
A disembodied voice floated through the dark air. 'I doubt that Celestia. But you're welcome to try.'
Celestia rushed back into the dungeon. Dragonsilver was already pouring all his energy into healing Silver, who was just barely breathing.
'Dragonsilver,' she said sternly 'Save some energy for yourself.' Dragonsilver nodded, but the flow of magic didn't abate.
Celestia added to his magic, healing. But this wasn't enough. Silver's life force wasn't coming back. The wounds were healing, but the mental scarring was far more deep.
'This isn't working. Talk to her,' Celestia told Dragonsilver, backing away to give him space. He didn't even look at Celestia, but followed her orders.
'Silver,' he said, 'You are the most amazing mare I have ever met. No, the most amazing pony I've ever met. We need you to come back. You can save Equestria, but I need you to live. The princess needs you, I need you. Don't give up on us.' His voice broke. 'I love you, Silver. I love you, you're incredible. Don't give up.'
Dragonsilver kissed the orange mare lightly, and she stirred.
'Uhh...' Silver tried to get up.
'No. Uh-uh. Stay down, and I'll finish healing.' His horn glowed, brighter this time. He felt Celestia's energy assisting him.
An hour and a half later, Silver was feeling stronger.
She leapt up and kissed Dragonsilver on the mouth.
His brain melted into one thought: bubbles.
It was like fireworks, and when it ended he went back for more. They nuzzled each other, and after a while realised where they were.
'So,' Dragonsilver said, 'Where to next?'
Shadow facehoofed.
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They arrived back at Canterlot twelve hours later. Celestia quickly checked on the castle, but the guards were making good progress. They left some of the carriage guards back at the castle, then headed deep into the city.
They stopped at a paved square. Surprisingly, shops were still open.
'They still have to eat,' Golden said.
'Fair enough.'
In one corner of the square, flower ponies were trying to attract some customers. They all seemed to run a set of flower stalls together, each pony manning a different one. Unfortunately, nopony was wanted flowers in this time of crisis.
'Good night ladies,' Celestia said to them. A yellow pony spoke up.
'Hello princess. Welcome to the Canterlot flower corner. Allow me to introduce my flower girls.'
'Please, go ahead,' Celestia told her.
'That one's Periwinkle, Frangipane, and Dandelion. Over there's Morning Glory, Cherry Blossom, and I'm Buttercup!'
'Pleased to meet you. Here I have Dragonsilver, Golden, Silver and Shadow.'
'So are you here to buy some flowers?' said Dandelion hopefully.
'I'm afraid not-'
'Awww,' they all said.
'We're here on royal business.'
'But business is so slow! We havn't sold a single flower since Nightmare Moon brought eternal night!'
'Here,' Golden said, sliding some bits across the stand towards them.
'Thank you kindly sir,' said Periwinkle. Handing him a red rose, she mouthed later,handsome.
'Can we speak to Morning Glory please?' Celestia asked.
'Is this about the, um, thing?' Morning Glory asked.
'I'm afraid so.'
'Girls,' she said, 'I have to go with the princess. Take care of the stand for me, and keep all the money!'
'Aw, okay,' they said.
They walked back to the carriages.
'Morning Glory represents the element of kindness,' Celestia said. 'I found her three years ago. She said she'd help if needed, but she didn't want to leave the flower fillies.'
Morning was a quiet pony. She was a pale pink with a wavy green mane. She had a pink flower in her hair, and her cutie mark was a morning glory.
They headed to the last element: Generosity.
Generosity came in the form of a green pony with a blue mane. He ran a tailor's shop on the outskirts of the markets. The shop had very little furnishings or ouside decoration, but stepping inside was like entering a whole new world. On the walls was a beautiful wallpaper, deep red with golden swirls and silver linings. Silver was feeling a bit shakey, so Dragonsilver sat her down on a red couch with laquered wooden armrests.
He put his forlegs around her, and they sat in silence, Dragonsilver's horn sparking occasionally.
Meanwhile, Golden was talking to Morning Glory.
'What made you the element of loyalty?' Morning asked him.
'Well, once a pony loved me,' he said. Golden didn't mention that it was Silver. 'She loved me so much, but I just didn't feel that way about her. It hurt her so badly, so I promised that I would never let down anypony ever again. What about you?'
'I've always been the kindest pony in Equestria, or at least, that's what everypony says,'Morning said humbly. 'I really don't know much else.'
The green pony came out into the main room. His cutie mark was a spool of red thread.
'Hello,' he said. 'I'm Mr Tux. How can I help you?'
Celestia told him.
'I'll come. It's about time my son took over the shop anyway. Anypony in need of a suit? Free for you,' There was a lot of blank staring.
'Eh. Worth a try.'
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They made their way back to the castle.
'When Luna became Nightmare Moon, she took two of the elements. What she doesn't know, is that I secretly had them all duplicated. The fakes have no actual power, but they look exactly the same. The real ones are safe and sound,' Celestia said.
'Clever,' said Shadow. 'But if they look exactly the same, how do you know she took the fake ones?'
'I thought you might say that. The real ones have traces of magic that some ponies can pick up,' she said, glancing at Dragonsilver. 'I imprinted the fake ones with the same kind of traces, and only I can tell the difference.'
She pulled out two identical necklaces. They each had an apple on them.
'This is the element of honesty,' Celestia said. 'Dragonsilver, can you tell the difference?'
Dragonsilver approached. He looked at them. He studied them from all different angles.His horn glowed. And he sat back, satisfied.
'Well?'
'I know which one is the fake one,' he said. 'But I cheated.'
'Oh?'
'Yes. You were thinking "That one's the fake one",' he said, gesturing to the one on the left. 'But you were trying to bluff, which, by the way, doesn't work. The other one's fake,' he said, pointing to the left one.
'Okay, you got me. But would Nightmare Moon have been able to tell?' Celestia asked.
'Not unless she steals my trick, no. My ordinary magic couldn't pick up even the slightest difference.'
Celestia seemed satisfied.
'Here you go,' she said, handing the real element of honesty to Silver. 'All those years selling apple cider got you an apple element.'
'That doesn't make any sense,' said Silver, but she put the necklace on.
'Looks good on you,' said Dragonsilver.
'Mr Tux, the element of generosity,' she said, handing him a necklace set with a purple jewel.
'Thank you,' he said, donning it.
'Morning Glory, the element of kindness,' she said, handing Morning a necklace set with a butterfly.
'Ooh, I like it,' said Morning. But she would have said that no matter what she got.
'Golden, loyalty.'
This necklace had a cloud with a tricoloured lightning bolt coming from it. Golden accepted graciously.
'Shadow, laughter.'
'Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me. Balloons?! Who made these things?' She put it on,grumbling.
'And finally, Dragonsilver, magic.'
'Haha,' said Shadow. 'Yours is even stupider than mine.'
'Be grateful,' he said. His was stupider than hers. It was a crown, with a star-shaped jewel in it.Sigh.
He put it on.
'Okay,' said Celestia, 'You all need to establish a mental link with me so that I can take down Nightmare Moon. It is extremely important that you are not in the firing line.'
'Okay,' they all said loyally, even Shadow. The time was drawing close, and all the ponies were feeling jumpy.
'Concentrate your thoughts. You need to be willingly doing this.' said Celestia.
'Let me handle this, princess,' Dragonsilver said, 'You all have something to fight for tonight. Morning Glory, think of how many customers your shop will get. After the crisis is over, ponies will realise how special other ponies are to them, and your business will increase for you, and the other flowerponies.'
His horn glowed, and Morning Glory joined her thoughts with Celestia.
'Mr Tux, it's the same for you. Fine costumes will be loved by ponies partying, and you can live a life of luxury. For Golden, the chance to get a proper life going. Throw away past regrets. This is the perfect time to start afresh.'
Two more ponies joined Celestia.
'Shadow, you can finally be at peace. I know that's what you want, and it will happen.'
Shadow joined.
He turned to the orange mare beside him.
'And for us,' he said, 'Well, we have each other. And that's good enough for me.'
Together they joined, and sparks flew into the air as the Elements of Harmony became one.

Comments

[KartalTheWriter]

I love the ending of that chapter. I'm not going to say anyhting about the conjoined words because you already know about that. But did you know you accidently call Morning Glory the element of generosity?

[LuminousRabbit]

Oh, oops. Thanks for pointing it out. As I said, I would fix it, but my tablet is a bit of a bitch when it comes to formatting. The next time I can get my brother off the computer, I will fix this, I promise!

[Koala2001]

I thought the elements formed themselves into the mane 6's cutie marks when they used them, not a 1,000 years before