The Other Side of the Rainboom

by Cajun

Down the Rabbit Path

The purple unicorn tore apart the library, trying to find the one book that could help her. Books fell all around her until she finally spotted it, a book of so called pony-tales. The pages flew by until the mare came across the Mare in the Moon. As she scanned the book, clattering hoofsteps could be heard outside, then the door burst open as a blue Pegasus flew in, followed by a determined earth pony.

“Alright, you, what do you know?” the Pegasus demanded. “I saw you running after that, that thing!”

“You did the same thing.” said the earth pony. “And what do y’all know?”

“Nothing…”Rainbow admitted sheepishly, “But she, but I, oh forget it.”

“But I do know something.” Twilight said, then quickly following “I had read about the Mare in the Moon before, I just couldn’t recall the rest of the legend. It says that the only thing that can defeat Night Mare Moon and restore the day is the Elements of Harmony.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for?” Rainbow exploded. “Let’s go find them!”

“Well…no one has seen the Elements for hundreds of years. I don’t even know what they look like, let alone where to begin looking.”

“Huh, look at this. Ten Ways To Spruce Up The Home!” the unknown pink pony squealed with delight. “And look here next to it, The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. Man these shelves could use some organizing.”

“That’s it!” Twilight yelled, lifting the book of the shelf. “How in Equestria did you find it so quickly?”

“I was trying to find a good book on growing rocks, silly.” the pink pony said sincerely with a happy grin on her face. The other ponies turned from the crazy pony to the book in front of Twilight.

“There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known; Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five Elements was in the ancient castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. It is located in what is now known as the Everfree Forest.”
---
The six ponies stared up at the imposing forest. Nopony was brave enough to go into the forest during the day, but the entire search would have to be done in the darkest night. Five ponies looked at the ground and waited for someone else to start.

“Whee! Let’s go!” yelled the clueless Pinkie Pie.

“Wait!” Twilight said nervously. I think I should go alone. None of you know the forest as well as I do, and we shouldn’t risk all of us.”

“I won’t have it.” Applejack said. “No one is supposed to go in the forest at all, let alone…alone.” The orange pony looked down and shook her head. “Ah reckon we should all go, there’s strength in numbers.” Rarity looked to Applejack at the pony’s change in accent.

“Yeah, no dumb forest is going to stop me from saving the day.” Rainbow asserted before dashing into the forest.

“Save the day! Hehehe!” the pink pony giggled as she followed Rainbow through the faint path into the forest. Twilight sighed as the other ponies walked in too, before uncertainly following as well.
---
The once great path meandered through the forest, showing off some of its hideous landscape to the scared ponies.

“So, Twilight. How far into the forest have you gone?” Applejack asked, trying to distract everypony from the eerie world around them.

“I, um, haven’t actually been in the forest.” Twilight said quietly as the path sloped up a cliff. “I-I’ve only read what little there was about it, and seen some maps.”

“You know why nopony knows about Everfree?” Rainbow asked. “They say its unnatural and almost nopony dares to go in it.”

“But what about those who d-do?” Fluttershy squeaked behind her. A purple mist floated beside the path, unseen by the ponies.

“Nopony who has gone into the forest has come back out!” she shouted, turning to the ponies behind her. Fluttershy and Rarity jumped, then the ground rumbled and collapsed, sending the ponies without wings tumbling down onto sloped ground.

“Fluttershy, quick!” Rainbow yelled as she darted for the sliding ponies. Fluttershy panicked but flew after her Pegasus friend, grabbing the white pony by the tail as Rainbow lifted Pinkie Pie from the ground. Applejack managed to grab a root as the pegasi towed their catches over the dead drop of the cliff. Twilight screamed as she kept sliding towards this drop.

“Hold on, I’m a comin’!” Applejack let go of the root to catch up with the falling pony, who had managed to slow down near the end. Still falling rocks caused Twilight to roll back further, nearly slipping over the edge before Applejack was able to grab Twilight’s hoof.

“What am I going to do?” Twilight panicked. Applejack looked around desperately and smiled.

“Let go.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Twilight, ah may have lived a lie, but what ahm saying is the honest truth. If you let go, you’ll be safe.” Twilight had no idea what the pony was talking about, but looking into her eyes she knew she was telling the truth. She closed her eyes and released Applejack’s hoof.

“AAAAAAUUGGGGG-OOF!” Twilight slowly opened her eyes to find herself floating alongside the cliff with a pegasus on each side of her. She managed a smile before the two ponies nearly dropped her, and only managed to not panic by seeing Applejack uncertainly jumping down the rough surface of the cliff. On the ground the other two ponies were shaken but standing, much like all the others. None of them noticed the purple fog that tore through forest.

“I-is everyp-pony all right?” Twilight asked uneasily. A roar of sheer pain echoed throughout the forst before anypony could answer and the six turned to its source. A dark mass charged toward them, showing off a lion’s body and the tail of a scorpion as it came into the light. It stopped not far from the ponies and roared, revealing its claws and spreading its wings.

“A manticore?” Twillight yelled, surprised.

“It doesn’t matter what it is, we have to get passed it!” Rainbow said. “Go away!” she screamed as she flew at the monster, giving it a swift kick in the face. Fluttershy cowered as the creature ran at them, only accomplishing to get a similar reward from Applejack.

“Feels good to be fightin’ again!” she whooped. “Come on an’ try again!” The manticore was smarter than to attack the orange pony again, and turned to roar at the cowering yellow Pegasus. It began to run, but found itself being lifted off the ground by allied magic. The monster flapped its powerful wings, breaking free of the magic and soared back, grabbing the two unicorns and taking back to the skies with them.

“Hey!” Rainbow yelled, darting after the flying creature.

“Go Rainbow!” the ecstatic pink pony cheered, still blissfully unaware of the dangers of the forest. With unnatural speed, the flying monster hurled a unicorn at the cyan Pegasus, knocking Rainbow out of the sky and taking out a bouncing pony on the ground as well. The manticore turned his other pony into a weapon, hurling Rarity into Applejack and giving both ponies a hard knock on the head.

The manticore dropped down in front of Fluttershy, and the yellow Pegasus tried to make herself invisible. The manticore walked to the pony, and Fluttershy noticed the beast limp. She stood up as the beast drew nearer.

“Get away from her you monster!” Rainbow yelled as she got back up.

“No!” Fluttershy yelled at her friend. “Watch.” The manticore reared up and rose its paw.

“No!” Rainbow yelled as she bolted towards the manticore. The other ponies were about to follow her when:

“WAIT!” Fluttershy demanded. She smiled at the manticore and pointed at its paw with her hoof. Seeming to understand, the beast lowered its paw to her, revealing a nasty thorn digging deep into the manticore’s paw. “Aw, did the little baby get hurt?” she asked.

“Little?” Pinkie Pie laughed.

“Baby?” Rainbow snorted, forcing herself not to dart in.

“But it’s just a little thorn.” she continued. “You wouldn’t even know if I-“

“ROOOOOOOAR!”

“FLUTTERSHY!” the ponies yelled, ignoring the Pegasus and running at the monster. Fluttershy merely laughed.

“See, that wasn’t so bad.” The manticore licked its paw and then the pony, grateful for her help. Now soothed, the great beast retreated into the forest.

“How did you do that?” Rainbow said wide-eyed.

“I saw it was hurt so-“

“No, it was gonna swipe you and…and it didn’t.”

“I’m just good with animals I guess.” Fluttershy started muttered, noticing everypony was staring at her.

“That’s more thank good with animals darling, that’s a gift!” Rarity said, still dizzy.

“A…a gift?” Fluttershy said slowly. In the quiet woods everypony could hear the small sound of magic and turned to see a circle of magic fading from Fluttershy. Three pink butterflies adorned her flank, and the pony could only stare.

“Rainbow! That’s why I could never get it! My talent was animals and I was always in the clouds!” she squealed.

“Yeah…that’s great Fluttershy.” Rainbow said, trying to hide her disappointment.

“We need to keep moving.” Twilight reminded them. The other ponies trotted off and she turned to Fluttershy. “How did you know it wouldn’t hurt you?” Fluttershy thought for a second.

“I guess I didn’t. But sometimes all you need is a little bit of kindness.” She smiled and followed the others.
---
“Ugh, my eyes need a break from this hideous place.” Rarity complained.

“Well, look!” Pinkie smiled as the tree cover grew thick enough to block out the little moonlight that was coming through.

“The ruins could be right next to us and we couldn’t even see it.” Twilight said.

“How did the path get so positively muddy?” Rarity asked no one. Fluttershy screamed.

“It’s just mud.” Applejack said, turning to Fluttershy to see a horrible toothy face behind her. She let out a yell and the other ponies turned to find many more of them. Five of the ponies ran around panicked, trying to escape the ubiquitous monsters. One pony merely laughed.

“Pinkie, what are you doing? Run!”

“Oh girls, can’t you see?” she said with a grin. “When I was a little filly and the sun was going dooooown.” she began to sing.

“Tell me she’s not.” Rainbow said, staring.

“The darkness and the shadows they would always make me frooooown.”

“She is.” Twilight sighed.

“I’d hide under my pillow, from what I thought I saw, but Granny Pie said that wasn’t the way to deal with fears at aaaaaaall!”

“Well then what is?” Applejack interjecting, hoping to end the singing.

“She said: Pinkie you gotta stand up tall, learn to face your fears. You’ll see that they can’t hurt you, just laugh and make them disappeeeeear! Ha ha ha!” she laughed at a terrifying face. The ponies gasped as it turned into a normal tree once more.

“Sooooooo giggle at the ghostly, guffaw at the grossly, crack up at the creepy, whoop it up with the weepy, chortle at the kooky, snortle at the spooky!” The ponies couldn’t help themselves from laughing as Pinkie jumped happily around the forest, each giggle making another face vanish.

“And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he’s got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna ha ha ha ha ha he he, laaaaaaaaaaaugh!” she spouted off rapidly, the endless laughs from her and the others vanquishing every face in the forest. The ponies were laughing so hard they began rolling on the floor, unable to stand.
---
When the ponies collected themselves and were finally able to stand, Rarity noticed something different with Pinkie.

“Pinkie darling, did you have those before?” Rarity asked as the ponies continued, most still laughing. Pinkie turned around in circles a few times before Rarity placed her hoof on her flank to stop her. Three balloons adorned Pinkie’s coat.

“My..my cutie mark!?” the pony shouted excitedly. “I always thought it was going to be some boring ol’ rock. Whee!” Pinkie yelled, bouncing around the others.

“All right,” Twilight said with a small smile. “But we need to keep moving, or we’ll never find the Elements. Come on everypony!” she urged them all. But just outside the lightless canopy lay a river, one that may have been easy enough to cross normally, but today was anything but normal.

“What a world, what a world!” an enormous purple serpent cried as he thrashed in the river, creating huge splashes and currents, making it impossible to cross by hoof.

“No sad snake is keeping us out!” Rainbow yelled, jumping to the sky. In a moment she dodged a flailing tail, then had to move as the beast thrashed again. No matter where she bolted the serpent was there. Rainbow began to panic until she couldn’t dodge, leaving the distressed serpent to easily flick her back to shore.

“Well, that ain’t gonna work.” The dazed Pegasus sputtered. Twilight turned to the purple serpent.

“Excuse me, sir, what’s wrong?”

“Well…well.” The serpent tried to calm himself. ‘’m just sitting here, minding my own business like every other creature in the forest when this tacky purple cloud shot right past me, s-shredding half of my prized moustache!” he began to scream again.

“That’s what this is about?” Rainbow demanded. “A stupid moustache?”

“Of course it is!” Rarity declared. “And look at the poor fellow, how can you be so insensitive?” the serpent sniffled. “Just look at you, beautiful scales, expertly styled mane, and a fabulous manicure. But without your lovely moustache, it’s all ruined.”

“I know, I know, I’m hideous!” the serpent cried, growing more upset.

“Come here, I refuse to let such a crime against fashion to go uncorrected!” The serpent drew close to Rarity before wondering the meaning of her words. The unicorn knelt down to the serpent.

“OHW! What did you do that for?” the serpent screamed as the pony jerked one of his scales free. Rarity held the razor-sharp scale up, almost threateningly.

“Rarity, what are you doing?” came a concerned chorus.

“Wait!” the serpent yelled before Rarity brought the scale…down on her own tail. The serpent fainted. Rarity merely smiled as she lifted her severed tail towards the serpent, using her magic the coil it over his butchered moustache. The purple serpent opened one eye.

“Ooh! My moustache!” he yelled happily. “Oh thank you, how do I look?”

“You look smashing.” Rarity said with a smile.

“But Rarity, your tail…”Twilight trailed off.

“It’s nothing dear. And besides…short tails are in this season…I think.” The serpent swam off and Rarity turned from the ponies to the serpent, then back to Pinkie Pie with a knowing smile.

“All right, enough mushy stuff, we can cross now, let’s move!” Applejack brought them back to reality, charging across the shallow side of the river.
---
“Okay, the path is getting wider, we must be getting closer.” Twilight said excitedly. “Keep a look out for it!” The ponies started glancing in all directions, trying to find anything resembling a ruined castle. As they came to the top of a small hill, they found the search unnecessary.

“That’s gotta be the ruins!” Rainbow pointed ahead at a fallen tower. The ponies ran and could see more of the fallen castle as they drew closer. The other ponies turned to the path and skid to a halt, but Twilight was too excited to see where she was going.

“Wait Twi!” Applejack yelled, running towards the unicorn.

“NO, we’re almost th-woah!” Twilight stumbled, then looked down the cliff, seeing no ground beneath the mist.

“Hon on, eh getcha.” came a muffled voice. Twilight winced as the orange pony hoisted her back up by her tail, but was grateful someone had been watching for her.

“What is it with you and falling off cliffs today?” Rainbow smiled.

“It was only twice.” Twililght huffed as the other ponies suppressed a giggle.

“So, uh, what now? Pinkie asked, looking at the chasm that was too long to jump.

“There is…or was a bridge.” Twilight said as she realized the bridge was hanging over the cliff.

“Come on guys, give us some credit. Come on Fluttershy!” Rainbow called as she dove into the chasm. Fluttershy whimpered and took a step back, but Rainbow flew back out of the mist with both ends of the rope bridge easily enough. She landed on the other side and a thick mist began to draw around her.

“Rainbow….Rainbow…” came an eerie voice from behind.

“Who are you?” Rainbow said, dropping the ropes. “Show yourself!”

“Rainbow…” came a voice from somewhere in the mist. “We’ve been waiting for the best flyer in Equestria.”

“Who?” Rainbow asked, trying to locate the speaker.

“Rainbow, is everything all right?” The distant voice was barely audible.

“You of course.”

“Me?” Rainbow asked. “Er, I mean, oh yeah, me!” she said with a grin. “You wouldn’t mind telling that to the Wonderbolts, would you? I’ve been trying to let me join for like, ever!”

“No, Rainbow Dash, we want you to join us, the Shadowbolts!” the voice grew louder as three ponies in dark uniforms became visible. “We are the greatest flying team in Everfree Forest, and with you we will be the greatest team in all of Equestria! Your Wonderbolts will pale in comparison. But first…we need a captain.” A wide smile spread over Rainbow’s face. The only mare in the group started to fly around Rainbow.

“Captain of a team better than the Wonderbolts? Best. Day Ever.” She whispered to herself.

“But we need the magnificent,”

“Yep.”

“Swiftest,”

“Yep!”

“The bravest flyer in all the land,”

“Yes.” Rainbow said with a laugh. “It’s all true.”

“We need, you.”

“YES! Sign me up!” Rainbow said with glee. “Just let me fix this bridge, and we’ll be good to go!” Rainbow turned the way she came.

“No!” the mare yelled, somehow in front of her. “It’s either them or us.” Rainbow looked at the ground.

“Fluttershy, go see if Rainbow’s hurt, I don’t like this…” the rest of the voices were cut off as the fog surrounded Rainbow and the Shadowbolts.

“Well?”

“Thank you. For the offer I mean. But, I’m afraid I have to say no.”

The Shadowbolts grinned. “Oh, you’re not going with them.” Rainbow ducked as the three Pegasus flew over her head, then turned to find the three gaining altitude. As one, the three came down like an arrow, and Rainbow barely dodged the insane Pegasus. Despite crashing at top speed into the ground, all three were back up in an instant, but Rainbow was already in the sky.

“Come and get me, stupid Shadowbolts!” she taunted. Three blurs of purple shot in the sky and Rainbow pumped her wings, desperate for speed.

“You should have joined us, Rainbow Dash. We would have been great.” the mare growled. Rainbow banked to avoid the Pegasus under her, then spun to confuse one of the stallions. Rainbow couldn’t help but smile at annoying her pursuers. She hadn’t had this much fun in years.

“Oh no.” Twilight said back on the ground. A rainbow streak was darting around the sky, revealing erratic purple streaks from time to time. Rainbow was in trouble in the sky.

“Uh, Fluttershy? Do you think you can help?” The yellow Pegasus merely shook her head. There was no way should could catch her cyan friend.

“Ha, let’s see you guys do this!” Rainbow closed her eyes and spiraled out of control before flipping and landing on a rock. The two stallions flew on and crashed into the cliffside, but the mare managed the same trick. Rainbow launched off again with the Shadowbolt on her tail.

“Fine. Let’s see you pull this one.” Pulling up, Rainbow flew almost vertical, reaching for every inch of air she could get, feeling the breath of the Pegasus behind her. Finally, when she could go up any higher, she dove.
---
“What is she doin’?” Applejack wondered aloud. As high as the clouds, a small rainbow streak came down, immediately followed by a smoky purple one. The rainbow grew longer and faster, and the air began to create a cone around the Pegasus. The five ponies could only stare as the cyan Pegasus dove into the chasm beside them at the speed of sound.
---
Rainbow didn’t know what it was, but she knew it had to be good. The Shadowbolt was losing her, and the air itself seemed to be moving out of her way. But now the ground was coming awfully close. She fought to pull up, but found herself unable to. She struggled as she seemed to go faster and faster toward the ground that was growing ever larger.
---
Five pairs of eyes stared down the canyon wher Rainbow had disappeared. The two Pegasus had drilled two holes in the mist, but other than that the ponies where blind to the events below. None of them expected the blue flash that shot out of the mist, and no one was prepared for the earthshaking sonic boom or explosion of colors that followed Rainbow. The bewildered Pegasus flew in a tall arc, creating a rainbow as she landed, fixing the bridge as fast as she could.

“Well, that was fun.” she yelled as she flew back to the other ponies. “But I could never leave my friends hanging.” she said with a dazed glanced and a smile.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy gasped. “You finally did it!”

“Did what?” she asked confused as the others crossed.

“Your cutie mark!” the Pegasus blurted.

“Huh?” Rainbow turned to find a cloud with a tri-color lightning bolt on her flank. “I-I…my cutie mark?” she said, now feeling dizzier than before.

“This is all great, but we have to hurry!” Twilight yelled back at the pegasi. “Let’s move!” Twilight ran back to the other ponies and the pegasi ran to catch up.
---
The six ponies walked into the ancient building, each looking around for anything that could be the Elements of Harmony.

“Up there!” Pinkie pointed to a bizarre structure holding up a number of round stones.

“That’s it! Those have to be the Elements! Careful!” she called as the two Pegasus flew up to recover the heavy stones.

“One, two, three, four, five!” Pinkie counted as they came down. “There’s only five!”

“Where’s the sixth?”

“The book said when the five Elements are present, a spark will occur to make the sixth one appear.”

“What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack questioned.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I think I have a plan. Step back, I don’t really known what might happen.” A violet aura surrounded her horn.

“C’mon y’all, let’s leave Twilight alone.” Applejack trotted off. “It’s in her hooves now.”

As the other ponies trotted off, a purple mist came into the room unseen, surrounding the Elements while Twilight focused on her magic. Wind began to shake the Elements and Twilight looked up in fear. The purple smoke swirled, creating a tornado containing the five stones. She jumped into the swirling winds, but before she could save them, the purple tornado vanished.

“Twilight! What happened?” Five ponies yelled, rushing in to find nothing but an empty room.

“Where did she go?” The ponies ran around panicked, searching for the unicorn.

“Twilight, where are you?” Applejack called.

“Look!” Rarity yelled from the window. The ponies crowded around to see light flashing from the windows of the crumpled tower.

“Come on!” Apple jack yelled, leading the charge out of the room.
---
Twilight coughed as the tornado dropped her, but jumped to her feet, ready to go. When she saw the five Elements floating around the dark alicorn Night Mare Moon, her spirit fell. Night Mare laughed at the pathetic unicorn. Twilight looked down then smiled. She stomped her front hoof.

“You’re kidding.” Night Mare said. “You’re kidding, right?”

Twilight merely stomped again, letting magic surround her horn. Then she charged. Night Mare Moon narrowed her eyes before doing the same, lowering her horn to easily take out the small pony. But as the two would have hit, a flash of light blinded Night Mare and teleported Twilight to the Elements. She collapsed from exhaustion but pulled herself back up. Night Mare roared and tuned to the unicorn.

“Just…one…spark.” she whispered. Magic surrounded the five stones and a shock sent Twilight flying back. Night Mare stepped back between the Elements, who sparked to life creating a pentagon of light around Night Mare. Then, the magic failed, and the Elements became still rock once more.

“But…where is the sixth Element?” Twilight yelled over Night Mare’s cackle. The alicorn stomped, shattering the five stones around her.

“You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me! You’ll never see your Princess, or your sun. The night will last forever!” Night Mare laughed at Twilight’s failure. Voices came from the stairs, but only Twilight could here them under Night Mare’s laughter. Then she understood.

“You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you’re wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right HERE!” she yelled at the alicorn as the five ponies jumped into the room behind Twilight. The shattered Elements started to shake and rise.

“What?” Night Mare asked worriedly.

“Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of Honesty!”

One of the shattered Elements glowed orange and hovered around the Earth pony.

“Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of Kindness!”

Another Element sparkled and rose to surround the airborne Pegasus.

“Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of Laughter!”

Pinkie smiled as a third Element floated around her.

“Rarity, who calmed the sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of Generosity!”

Rarity looked down with a sad smile at the stones that floated around her.

“And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart’s desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty!”

The final element rose from beneath Night Mare and the shattered stones began to orbit around Rainbow.

“The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us!”

“You still don’t have the sixth Element!” Night Mare panicked. “The spark didn’t work!”

“But it did. A different kind of spark.” Twilight said with confidence. She turned to the five ponies behind her. “I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you all. To see you, how much I cared about you.” Twilight looked down the row of smiling ponies. “The spark ignited inside me.” Tears began to well up in Twilight’s eyes. “And I realized that you are all my friends!” she declared, stomping at Night Mare Moon.

With the stomp came a flash of light. The six ponies looked up while the alicorn tried to shield herself from the stinging light of a spherical stone engraved with a six-pointed star, the sixth Element of Harmony.

“You see, Night Mare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the spark, the spark that esides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth Element, the Element of Magic!” Night Mare Moon winced as the light from the Element intensified.

The stones floating around the ponies changed colors and spun faster as the ponies themselves began to levitate, coming together around each pony’s neck to form a necklace emblazoned with their cutie mark. The five ponies stood as the final Element descended on Twilight’s head, creating a large crown with the six pointed star on top. Twilight floated between the other five ponies, and they all began to glow. Twin rainbows shot from the collection of ponies, spiraling around each other before colliding and falling back down to earth.

“NOO!” Night Mare shrieked as the massive rainbow barreled towards her. The rainbow swirled, and Night Mare’s cries could be heard as the rainbow formed a tornado trapping the alicorn. Twilight Sparkle opened her pupil –less eyes, and the explosion rocked them all.
---
Rainbow rolled off her back with a pounding headache and not sure where she was. “Oh, my hea.” She groaned as she noticed the others likewise sprawled across the room.

“Everypony okay?” Applejack managed.

“Oh thank goodness!” Rarity squealed.

“Oh Rarity, it’s so, lovely.” Fluttershy said happily.

“I know I’ll never part with it again.” Rarity laughed as she rubbed her regrown tail against her face.

“No, I mean your necklace, it looks just like your cutie mark.” Surprised, Rarity struggled to see the purple diamond shape on her necklace, then compared it to her cutie mark she had just gotten the day before. She turned back to Fluttershy.

“So does yours.” she pointed to the pink butterfly shape.

“Look at mine, look at mine!” Pinkie giggled at the blue balloon shape as she bounced around. Rainbow grinned at her red lightning bolt while Applejack merely smiled at the sight of the orange apple shape.

“Hey, hey Twilight, look!” Pinkie shouted excited. “Your sparkly thing looks like yours!” Twilight was confused by what Pinkie meant, but the others nodding prompted her to look back. Six stars, one indeed similar to the large one on her Element seemed to shine on her purple coat.

“My cutie mark?” Twilight squealed. “Oh yes, yes” she stopped sheepishly as even Pinkie Pie was staring at her funny.

“Ya know Twi, Ah thought you were just sayin’ a lot of nonsense, but Ah don’t think anypony could do anything like that… now ah reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship.” she said with a small smile.

“Indeed you do.” An unfamiliar voice filled the room. The ponies looked towards the window, where the sun was rising high in the sky. Light began to fill the room, and soon the unmistakable form of Princess Celestia filled the room. The ponies bowed before the princess of Equestria.

“You have all done very well. With the help of each of the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony you were able to overcome the greatest threat that Equestria has ever faced, because six ponies were able to let true friendship into their hearts. Let us hope there will be one more today. Princess Luna?” A small gasp came from among a pile of debris where Night Mare Moon had been standing. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. It is time to put aside our differences, we were meant to rule together.” Everypony got as close to the princesses as they dared, but neither alicorn was paying attention.

“Will you accept my friendship, little sister?”

“I’m so sorry! I missed you big sister!” the smaller alicorn cried, jumping up to her sister.

“I know…I missed you too.” Celetia said, tears falling from what the ponies had always assumed an imperturbable princess. Tears began to form in some of the ponies eyes as the two sisters hugged after a millennia apart.

“Hey!” Pinkie yelled. “This calls for a party!”

Comments

[Cajun]

Okay, I had hoped to get this monstrosity out before I left, but that obviously didn't happen. Two week without internet cut down on my ability to write this, followed by a week of not getting any time to sit down and write. Then my AC broke, so I couldn't stay in the house as it was almost 100 degrees for half a week.

HOWEVER! I refuse to let my projects die, and so here is the final main chapter of Rainboom. There is a denouement to come, hopefully later today, and perhaps more after that.

Thank you all for your patience and our time~