Changes Of Heart and Soul

by Tohshi

Chapter 10

It was not an unusual sight to see Twilight Sparkle nose deep in a book. However walking in to see her in the same spot as the librarian had left her the previous night. Hopefully she got some sleep though the librarian.

Twilight had in fact not slept. Instead she had delved into a number of books on psychology and magic. Most of it had been irrelevant to her goal but had been interesting reads. The effects of emotion on spellcasting was something that she had experienced first hand but the idea of trying to intentionally affecting your casting with emotions was something new to her. The book went into details about how one could power more difficult spells if the caster could channel their anger or despair. The last chapter alluded to magics that could not be performed without such emotions fueling them.

The only thing similar to what she was looking for was most definitely illegal. The spell would control and contort the emotions of who ever it was cast on at the whims of the caster. Such magic seemed evil and it was weird that this book wasn't restricted in access. The book stated that all research into these spells had been halted due to the sanctity of a pony’s mind. Twilight leaned on agreeing with the book. That avenue of research was questionable at best and downright evil at worst.

Pushing away the thoughts of those spells, Twilight returned the books she had been reading back to the shelves. Surely there would be something useful in this library for Zoe. Twilight just had to dig a bit deeper was all.
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The garden was particularly nice this time of the year. Though how she had ended up in front of this statue of all things was beyond her. Fluttershy stared up at the draconequus stuck in stone. His visage was that of fear. On some level Fluttershy felt sad for him. He had all this power but he didn't seem to understand what was important. It wasn't having power that made you right but what you did with it that mattered. Discord didn't understand that or chose to ignore it. May be there was something that could be done to teach him a bit of kindness.

She moved on from the statue, leaving her old foe behind. No she had come out here to think about Zoe. Fluttershy just couldn't grasp how much pain the poor filly must have been in to hurt herself like she had. It shook Fluttershy to the core. To have been that deprived of kindness just seemed like a cruel joke to her. Where were Zoe's loved ones and why would they have not noticed things having gotten so bad? Sure it had been a while since Fluttershy had seen her parents but they still wrote to her and she had her friends there too.

But hiding out in the garden away from all the pain that hung over Zoe was not where Fluttershy was need. If Zoe had lost sight of kindness in the world then Fluttershy would be the one to bring it back to her. After all what kind of bearer of the elements would she be if she didn't help out a filly in need. But doubts kept lingering in the back of her mind about what kind of creature Zoe was. Sure she was half pony but she was also half something else entirely. Something that would leave the broken alone in their pain and that scared Fluttershy more than anything else. The cruelty of pony minds was something Fluttershy had first hand experience in and she was afraid of facing that again to help some stranger. That and all the usual voices of doubt plagued her mind. How could somepony like her help anyone? What if Zoe rejected her? Or was nothing but a monster in disguise of a cute creature?

Fluttershy shook her head trying to drive away her doubts. They had been wrong about her friends and they would be wrong about Zoe. Fluttershy couldn't put this off any longer. A young filly needed her. She turned and headed towards the castle.
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Applejack had finally found her way back to the tower the night before after somehow ending up in the Parliament building even though she had never went outside. This darn castle was a bigger maze than the hedge one out in the garden. Still she knew where she was going today. There would be no repeat of yesterday. No she would check in on Zoe and then leave that problem in the hooves of those more qualified than a farm pony to deal with. Twilight and all her books would come up with an answer far sooner than Applejack would. No she was better served heading back home to get back to work.

Dragging Rainbow Dash along had not been part of her plan originally but Applejack figured that the cyan pegasus was as much useless as she was here. Ponyville would be needing its premiere weather pony back anyway. So after an hour of trying to wake the sleeping pegasus the two of them were off to a much later start than Applejack was used to or had wanted.

"Applejack, couldn't you have let me sleep for another hour or two before you dumped that bucket of water on me?" asked Rainbow Dash. "You know this means I am going to have to pay you back for that little shower."

"Look there is no use in us lazing about all the time while we wait on Twilight or the Princesses to come up with some sort of solution for us. Zoe is in good hooves with Twilight and Rarity and we may as well get out of their manes," said Applejack. Thoughts of what pranks her friend might try ran through her mind. "Besides Ponyville needs us to keep running smoothly. There is that big rain coming up that you scheduled yourself, Rainbow. It would be poor form to not be there to take care of it yourself."

"You don't have to lecture me about being there," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm the element of Loyalty. I won't leave Ponyville hanging. Besides we have another day before I would need to be there."

"Well what if the train is out of order and you have to fly back and are all worn out," said Applejack. "Who would make sure the rain doesn't mix with the weather from the Everfree and make a huge storm?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Rainbow Dash. "I still don't see why that means we have to get up so early. We could have taken the evening train."

"Some of us have work we would like to get to today. No point wasting the whole day," said Applejack. "Lets just say goodbye to Zoe and then be on our way."
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Nothing seemed right to the party pony. How was she supposed to throw a party for Zoe when ever theme and reason for a party seemed like it would only bring more sadness to the poor pony creature. Pinkie Pie had been sitting on the roof of the castle for a while now. It was a good place to sit and think as the many sights and sounds of Canterlot helped keep her wandering eye busy with stuff to do. She knew that there was some sort of party for Zoe but she couldn't think of what it was. Something that would bring a smile to her face. Maybe just being there was going to be enough. For the first time ever, maybe a party wasn't the right thing.

With her mind made up Pinkie jumped off the roof only to swing in through an open window. As planned the window lead to the hallway which she needed to visit Zoe.
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Rarity had out done herself this time. After the first one it took little time to put together a dress for Zoe. Her skill with needle and thread was getting better and Rarity was secretly quiet proud of that. This dress was a bit simple but Rarity was certain that it would add a little elegance to Zoe that would bring out the beauty of the filly. Simple and elegant was always a good first choice on a dress. The dress was a white with dark forest green trim that would accent Zoe's coat and mane color.

But all of that would be for naught if the thing didn't fit just right. Which meant for the last part of the dress would need to be sewn up while on Zoe. Grabbing her supplies Rarity headed out the door.
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There was a commotion at the door which halted our conversation. The door swung open and in filled a number of ponies. I didn't know the names of all of them but Rarity was with them and they were the other mares that had blasted me with the Rainbow of Doom.

"Hello, Darling. How are you feeling?" asked Rarity.

"Uh, fine I guess," I said quietly.

The room had gotten quite snug with all the ponies in it right now and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by it. I trusted Rarity but the other ponies were new to me still and I felt uneasy being surrounded like this. Especially the one with rainbow hair. She was hovering in the air which I guessed opened up more room but it was her face. She was tense and I could tell it was anger that she was holding back but I didn't understand why. What had I done to make her mad? I hid my face from her and tried to focus on the other ponies.

"Rainbow Dash and I are just checking up on you before we leave for home," said the orange mare with a cowboy hat. "Wanted to let you know we cared before we have to head back to home for work."

"You're leaving already?" asked Rarity. "Well I guess it is understandable what with you having to tend to the farm. But Rainbow I am surprised at you. I would have thought you would have stayed longer."

"I have to get back to for some weather work," said the rainbow one. "I just am not useful here, and I can't leave Ponyville hanging."

"I understand," said Rarity.

The pink on pink pony and the tan and pink pony were both extra quiet. It seemed odd that someone so brilliantly colored would be shy and they happened to be on the side away from Rainbow. I studied her face as much as possible. It was easy to see that she was sad. Another pony I had hurt apparently. My gaze fell to my hooves.

"What is the mater?" asked the timid tan one. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everything is fine," I said.

"I know a lie when I hear one and that is definitely one," said the orange one with a cowboy hat. "You can tell us what is wrong."

"Uh, I. um," I stammered.

"I think we are overwhelming her," said the timid one. "Maybe it would be best if Rainbow Dash and Applejack left now. I don't think she is used to having so many ponies around."

"Oh," said Applejack. "I don't rightly understand but if it helps. See you later, Zoe."

"Yeah see you later," said Rainbow Dash. She zoomed out of the room with Applejack following her closely behind.

"Is that better, dear?" asked Rarity.

I just nodded. There was a pressure lifted off of me with their departure. Still I stared at my hooves.

"What do I have to do to get you to smile?" asked the pink on pink one.

"Um, I don't know. I can smile for you if you want me to," I said. I gave her a forced smile before bowing my head again.

"That isn't a smile. Well I guess technically it is but really that was way to forced. I mean how can I make you happy. I want to see you smile with joy. Not just force one out so others are happy," the pink one said.

"Pinkie, sometimes a forced one is all you have in you," said the timid one.

"Fluttershy is right Pinkie," said Rarity. "Sometime you just don't have a genuine smile in you at the time. I'm sure that you will figure out some way to make her smile a happy smile."

"I won't rest till I do," said Pinkie.

Comments

[ponylover2]

Awesome chapter my friend and I can't wait for the next upload for this story I'll be waiting my friend and keep me posted on the story thanks

[Texus]

I hope Twilight is letting Zoe heal naturally and isn't trying the master spell of happy emotions.

"Some of us have work we would like to get to today. No point wasting the whole day," said Applejack.

then do that and let her be.

Okay now to my real comment :
Well...I understand the elements are considered to be "Harmony", which maybe don't need to mean "Happines", but thats not what I want to say anyway. The scenes where we saw everyone of them made me think of all those cartoons where we see a short scene with every character before they pull some sort of big stunt and do something big to beat their enemy.

In certain moments it looks weirdly dramatic, but the weirdest thing is maybe my imagination in combination with this chapter.

I have no suggestion for how it could have been otherwise, but it looked like all of them could think of nothing more important than Zoe right now, and like they would dedicate their life to her. I guess the only problem was that it looked a bit to dramatic, I was kind of happy that Rarity wasn't so devasted by the stuation even if it probably saddened her.

I like emotional stuff, but I'm only that emotional.

Long story short,
1. you made no real mistake
2. Applejack had an egoistic moment there if you ask me. I don't care if she knows Rainbow Dash, I don't believe Rainbow wouldn't have gone with a later train and I don't mean the last one. You don't have to change it, I just react on what the characters are doing or how they act. Sometimes Applejacks reasons sound like it wouldn't have been the only solution to the problem and most likely not even the problem of others.
3.Well I said enough about the drama, so I only say good job otherwise, it is just about my personal opinion this time.

[Tohshi]

7877506 Twilight is prone to taking extreme measures so we shall see what happens.

I can get you on the chapter. It may have been too much build up for what I ended with. I hope that I didn't over do it. I just wanted to touch on all of them and what they were thinking. They were brought to Canterlot just for Zoe so that being the focal point for them seemed natural to me. All of them will have life to get back to soon enough so I wanted to have a sweet coming together part of the story before they went their separate ways.

Also there is still the threats hinted at in chapter four just waiting to strike.

[sinewystatue382]

hay do more chapters I like this story