Primordial Conflict

by Jumping Jack

Chapter 11: Twin Dilemma

Chapter 11: Twin Dilemma

I found myself floating in a void. I looked around, feeling my terror increase. No, not again. I don't want to go through this again!

"H-Hello?" I found myself saying. Damn you fight or flight! I then noticed in front of me, a wisp. It was a purple orb with a swirling white center. I blinked and studied it. What am I looking at? I then remember when I had been summoned by Starswirl. This orb... has to be the shadow element. I bit my lip and hesitated in reaching out to the orb. When my hoof touched it, I was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming push force of wind and shadow. I find myself tumbling through the abyss, yelling as I had no control of my direction. I flailed helplessly. Eventually, I found myself stopping and hovering. I was standing on a purple carpet. I looked around, seeing nothing else to my surrounding. I then looked down as I heard a constant droning whisper circle around me. My shadow then elongated in front of me. My shadow stood up and began to stretch and crack. I shrunk as I watched my shadow turn into an alicorn. Her swept back mane swirling with shadow. Her tail spectral and jagged. Obsidian slit eyes gazed onto me and I gulped. What is going on? Why am I resorted to such torture!? A wide, fang like grin spread across the alicorn's face. She stomped her hoof and a thrown emerged from the shadows. She took a seat and eyed me.

"Well, well. What a surprise. To think my sister's vessel poked herself inside of my domain. Naughty, naughty." The alicorn cackled, her voice a pitch higher than Din's. I shivered. No way... this is the one of shadow? I gulped again as I stepped back a bit. The creature arched a cool brow at me. "Awww, how adorable. Din has really gotten into your head, hasn't she? Such a shame, considering you are the bravest one." She scoffed a laugh. "I guess it just goes to show how weak you mortals are. All guts. No heart." I had to shield my eyes as a ball of fire emerged from the ground. When it dispersed, Din stood with a coy smile at the alicorn. The shadow alicorn whinnied in annoyance. "Oh goody! You're here too! What the hell do you two want?" she snapped. Din brushed her chest, as if she had gotten some form of dust on her.

"Tenebres. Is that anyway to treat your guests?" she asked with a mischievous smile. Tenebres stomped her hoof on the throne.

"It was your foolish vessel who trotted into my domain, sister!" she hissed. "And after your display of power, you have the gall to come in here and think you have the upper hand? Wait until Ouroboros hears about you showing yourself to mortals." She grinned. Din looked bored and wiggled a hoof dismissively.

"Please. The serpentine is always watching. That poor display of power against Ventus was amateur at best. What were you two trying to accomplish there? Who has the better mentality of a child?" Din said. Tenebres scowled.

"Speak for yourself, sister. Your tendency for destruction utterly makes you out to be a child." she said. Din snorted.

"Says the literal child." she grinned. Tenebres finally snapped and stood up, marching down towards us. I don't know why, but I ducked behind Din, who rolled her eyes in disgust, and I felt myself being tossed aside. Tenebres got up into Din's face and snarled.

"I'm grown enough to no longer be a child, sister! And Ouroboros promised me a special place in this realm. But I need to prove myself." She grinned manically. "I know! How about I start by destroying you!!" I watched in awe as the two sisters traded horns before breaking, a ball of fire and shadow hurling back with enough distance. Din swished her head and an X shape line of fire shot out of the ground. Tenebres morphed into the shadows and slithered over to Din. Din took off into the air and fired a beam of fire under her. Tenebres hissed and sprang away from her, emerging from the ground and swishing her head in several directions. I saw Din deftly and skillfully dodge what appeared to be distorted lines. Din managed to get close and flapped her wings once, releasing an overwhelming air of heat that caused Tenebres to back away. Din then brought her hind legs up and bucked her sister hard across the face. I don't know what force she used, but Tenebres hit her throne instantly. She splattered into the similar purple and black muck that her own creatures spewed when I cut into them. Din landed cackled.

"Ahahahaha! Poor wittle Tenebres! Are you gonna' cry?" she taunted, puckering her face with her forehooves. Tenebres was almost instant in her formation. I blinked once and Din was suddenly knocked back and landed on her side with an "Oof". She scrambled to her hooves and growled. Tenebres hissed back at her. I then began to groan. I was having a massive headache. And these two weren't helping it. I felt my fear leave me and mustered up enough courage.

"Will you two, shut up and sit down!?" I shouted. Din and Tenebres glared in my direction.

"Do not interfere, mortal! Or I will slice you up into ribbons!" Tenebres shouted. Din snarled at me.

"Better do what she says, little coward. Don't want your pretty neck to..." She made a motion across her neck. I felt my fear ebb back in, but I pushed it aside and stood my ground. I had to think of something. Think, Quiet! Tenebres said I wandered into her domain. But, how could I do that if I have no idea how I do so? This doesn't make any sense. I then decided to say, "screw it" and wing it.

"Maybe I won't." I said. They eyed me. "I don't need to take shit from either of you. In fact, I don't even know how I got here! Why the hell would I want to walk into Din's evil little bratty sister place?" Tenebres was instant and towered over me, her eyes glowing fiercely.

"Mind your place, worm! You are in my domain, and I decide what I can do here!" she retorted. I snorted and waved a hoof in dismissal.

"So why not kick me out then? It's not like I'm worth your time anyway. Why are you so interested in hearing out what somepony has to say who has no idea why they are here to begin with?" I frowned. "Din took control of my body and I wound up here after she was done. If anything, Din is truly at fault for me being here." Din smirked.

"Perhaps... I had a desire to see my little sister. Isn't that just how an older sibling should act?" she said. Tenebres shot an evil look at Din.

"How dare you meddle in my domain!! The darkness has no need for your light!!" she shrieked. I had to cover my ears to avoid any hearing loss. Din tossed her head back and laugh.

"Ahahaha! Better mind your elders, dear sister. Lux wouldn't enjoy hearing you talk about her like that." she mocked her sister in a way that felt a little too at home. Thank Celestia my siblings and I weren't like this. I... think. The falling out with my family was becoming more guilt ridden than I thought. Din smirked and shot a small burst of fire into the air, directly over Tenebres. When the light shone, I saw Tenebres retreat into her darkness, hissing. Din waved to her. "Toodles!" she said. Tenebres roared.

"Din!!" she shot herself forward, but Din disappeared into a roaring flame. Tenebres panted heavily and screamed in frustration. She turned to me and I shrunk back a bit. "I should kill you where you stand, worm!" she shouted. She panted again before taking a moment to calm herself. When she felt herself calm enough, she scowled at me. "If you were just here to toy with me, then I have no time for you. Begone!" I balked as shadowy tendrils shot up and wrapped around my body. I struggled to break free, but it was too late. I yelled as I was pulled into the darkness.

---

I found myself struggling, my forelegs flailing before I opened my eyes and sat up quickly. I panted, sweating as I felt my headache return. Suddenly, images began flowing into me. I groaned and clutched my head, shaking it as I could see still images of Twilight and her friends. Was it memories? What is going on? Somepony... help me... I then felt something wash over me and I felt my headache fade and my body feeling relaxed. I slumped and groggily opened my eyes again, my vision blurred, but coming back to me slowly. I steadied my breathing as I felt a couple of hooves on my back.

"Easy, Fie. Easy." I heard Thi say through my ringing ears. I looked up and saw Thi along with Fluttershy, Twilight and Luna over me. Fluttershy dabbed a wet rag on my head.

"Wh-what happened...?" I groaned. Thi gave me a reassuring smile.

"You were just having a bad dream. That's all." she said. I slowly looked around. I was on the ground still. We were still in the throne room area. I furrowed my brows tiredly.

"A bad time to fall asleep..." I rasped. Twilight and Luna lowered their heads. Twilight panted and wiped the sweat from her brow while Luna gave me a concerned look.

"I think... we are okay now." Twilight said. Luna turned to Celestia, whose horn was glowing as magic washed over the room.

"This is quite dire, sister. This magic is beyond what we are capable indeed." Luna shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't think physical magic like this was even possible... is that the true power of one of the seven?" Celestia lowered her head and turned to her, her look serious.

"I underestimated the power that is an Element of Power. This is nothing like the Elements of Harmony. The serpent wasn't lying then." she said. Rainbow Dash winced as she rubbed her flank.

"Underestimated is an understatement..." she said. Rarity dapped the burn mark, causing Rainbow to yelp and shoot an annoyed glare at her. Rarity didn't seem to care.

"Oh, relax would you. Biting off more than you can chew is something to be expected at this point." she said to her. Rainbow snorted and tail whipped the rag away. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were wheeling a wagon full of books and scrolls into the throne room.

"We got what you requested, Twilight. Are ya' sure these books will help us understand what happened?" she asked. Pinkie Pie climbed up the book pile and her eyes scanned them. She beamed and with her snout, dug the book out and tossed it down. The book opened and flipped to a page.

"What about this one? It has this funny looking symbol on it." she said. Silver Scribble walked over to the book and scanned it.

"Hmm... Properties on the forces of nature that span through time immemorial." He scratched his mane. "This is a study on mother nature... perhaps it can help." he said. Pinkie kept digging through the books, unaware of the books that were beginning to pile around Silver. Suddenly, the book pile began to tip and fall. Silver balked and failed to scurry away. A loud crash sounded and when the dust settled, Silver popped his head out from the pile, while Pinkie Pie giggled and back stroke through the books. Silver frowned, but his eyes began scanning the pile. "We have our work cut out for us, princesses. I'm not sure how long it'll take to find what we need." Twilight trotted over to the pile and began levitating books out, opening one and scanning the pages before moving onto the next one.

"Ouroboros has mentioned to us that the deadline is the Summer Solstice. We have quite a long time for that. But like Starswirl, preparations can help." she said. Fluttershy dabbed my head again before pulling away, smiling at me.

"There, you should feel cooler now. Your temperature was through the roof." She gave a worry-stricken look. "It was worse than when Zecora went under Swamp Fever." I looked at her tiredly and shrugged.

"Thanks, Fluttershy. But... did that really happened?" I looked to Thi, who sadly nodded. I hugged myself and bowed my head. Oh, goddesses... what can I do? I'm at a complete loss now. "I didn't think she would take full control so easily... It happened all so fast..." I rasped. Thi shushed me and smiled.

"You don't need to worry about that, right now. We are fine and that is all that matters." she said. I looked up at her and shook my head.

"No! I have every right to be worried!" I stated in exasperation. The room grew quiet. I sighed. "Thi... I have every right to worry. I don't feel like myself anymore... I'm not sure I can even go back to being myself. Din took control of me so easily... I don't know what to do... what should I do? She would have killed all of you so easily..." Thi looked at me sternly, putting both hooves on my shoulders.

"But we are still here, Fie! We all are! And we won't let something like Din take us out so easily." she said. I met her determined gaze. She was so confident. So calm and collected despite what happened. I felt my worry turn into envy. I wish I was as strong and confident like Thi. I dunno why I'm supposed to represent courage... I haven't been so courageous for a while. And the moment I find any inkling of courage, it goes away when Din shows up. I sighed and finally stood up. I then turned around and walked towards the door.

"I... need to be alone for a bit..." I said with a bow of my head. I closed the doors with my magic and looked around sadly. The castle was big for sure, but at this point, I should just do my usual walk and clear my head. I walked out of the castle and down the road, adjusting my hood to fit comfortably on my head. I don't know why I'm such a coward. I didn't hesitate to save Bulk Biceps from those creatures. I also didn't hesitate in saving me and Thi from a giant bird of prey. And also fighting a representation of myself... I think. I wasn't sure how to properly explain my test. And the image of Twilight also expressed I was brave. I groaned in frustration. Why do you all think I'm brave? I cower at the sight of Din! I even cowered under Tenebres too. I then grunted as a flash of a memory shot by me. Seeing the massive green eyes of the serpent descend from the clouds and focus on me. The memory faded and I stopped. I looked up and found myself in front of the park. I must have been walking for quite a bit to reach here. I looked worriedly in the cloudy night sky. The snow fall light but serene. This would have been an amazing walk for me if I wasn't so caught up in my struggles. I always walked myself to the park at nights when I would need to clear my head.

I sighed and walked into the park. There was no pony around. Free to think more. And no pony has to see me struggle with myself. Good. I didn't want to be around anypony right now. The fear of Din popping back up and setting the place ablaze terrified me. It's better if I was alone. Matter of fact... why don't I just tackle this alone? I don't want my home here to suffer because of my uncontrollable element. Maybe I should have helped Starswirl prepare better to contain Din and kill me right off. Death would have been preferable to having to see everypony I know go up in flames. Their screams popped back into my head. I clutched myself and shook violently. No, don't think about that! I don't ever want that to happen again! I will not let it happen again! It's better if I stay away from everypony. Go back to being a pathetic loner who doesn't bother anypony. What should I do? How can I fulfill this fate I've been forced into and not come out a worse pony than I was before? How can I get out of it? Argh! Everything just keeps piling up! And what is that damn sound!? I stopped and blinked. It sounded like wings flapping. I looked over and saw two ponies flying about. I winced when they suddenly spiraled out of control and crashed into each other with a loud "Oof". They fell into the thick snow. I balked and rushed over to see what was going on. I froze and felt my face go hot. Under the streetlight, I saw Flitter and Cloudchaser pulling themselves up from the snow. Cloudchaser was wearing a purple scarf around her neck and a puffer jacket. Flitter was wearing earmuffs and a Wonder Bolt Bomber jacket. Cloudchaser sighed.

"Flitter, we have to adjust the pattern. How are we going to help with Winter Wrap Up if we can't get the pattern correctly?" she said with a stern frown towards Flitter. Flitter groaned in frustration and dusted snow off of her.

"Cloud, we've been doing this routine for hours! Can't we just take a break?" she returned the stern frown. Cloudchaser stomped the snow with a hoof.

"I'll take a break when I can get the pattern correct! What good can we contribute if we are just going to half ass it?" she said. Flitter whinnied.

"Ever since that escort mission, you've been pushing yourself a little too hard. What's gotten into you?" she asked. Cloudchaser tail whipped some snow off herself.

"Because I'm tired of half-assing myself. All the time I've been sitting around in the reserves, I could have been doing something! Rainbow Dash got ahead of me because I didn't care." she retorted. Flitter stomped her own hoof in protest.

"That's the thing! Since when do you care now? You said you were contempt at being in the reserves! You were okay with living your daily life as a weather pony!" Flitter stated. Cloudchaser snorted in disgust.

"Okay, Ms. Weather Scientist. I maybe a factory worker, but your egghead brain should know that I always wanted to do something more!" she wiggled a hoof at her. "I wanted to see the world! That's why I became a Wonder Bolt! And being on the reserves and stuck there just made me sick to my stomach!" She motioned to the grey sky above us. "I could have been flying up there taking on that Roc! I could have saved ponies from those creatures that attacked the escort! I could have done something more! We may have aided Twilight and her friends to some degree, but that still wasn't good enough!" Flitter groaned in frustration again.

"Why can't you just slow down on it? We have all the time in the world anyway! Winter Wrap Up isn't for another month and a half!" Flitter said. Cloudchaser shook her head.

"No. If Fie can rush in and save a pony in need without hesitation, then I can too." she said. "Helping with Winter Wrap Up in Ponyville will definitely prepare me better to do that. But we need to get the pattern right. I'm relying on you, Flitter Glider. We need to be efficient and on point." she said. Flitter put a hoof on Cloudchaser's shoulder before she could take off and spun her right around to face her.

"But Fie is one of the seven! She is more worried about working to save our world! Winter Wrap Up isn't nearly as life threatening as the fate of Equestria! We are lucky enough that it isn't the usual trouble that happens here!" Flitter sighed. "We all have a part to play in Equestria, sis. But running yourself into the ground just so you can catch up with heroes isn't the way to do it. Get out of your fantasy and just take a moment to relax yourself." I couldn't believe it. They were talking about me? And... did I inspire Cloudchaser? I was conflicted on how I should feel about this. I took a step back, but a twig broke under my hoof. I froze as Cloudchaser and Flitter looked over.

"Whose there?" Cloudchaser asked. I bit my lip, gulping once before stepping out from behind the bushes I had hidden into. Cloudchaser and Flitter eyed me. But when I tossed my hood off, I saw them both smile in recognition. "Oh, hey Fie! Wasn't expecting to find you here." Cloudchaser grinned and rubbed her snout. "Figured you were too caught up in Canterlot helping with the fight for Equestria." I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I sighed and rubbed my foreleg sadly. Cloudchaser and Flitter exchanged glances.

"You okay?" Flitter asked.

"I..." I began. I must have really been pathetic looking. I sat on my haunches, my hood covering my depressed expression. "You're wrong about me..." I finally said. The two exchanged glances again. "I'm not a hero. And I'm definitely not a courageous one either... I didn't ask for any of this. This was all thrown on me without my consent." I shook my head. "It's nothing like in the story book you read. I... I want out of it... I want out of this whole ordeal." Flitter softly glided over to me, but I stood up and backed away from her entirely. "Don't get any closer. I'm not somepony who should be approached." I felt my anger rise. "I'm a monster. I have hurt a lot of ponies already and I do not want to do anymore of it. The creature inside of me has no mercy on any of us. I... I don't want her to hurt you both too." Flitter looked back to Cloudchaser, seemingly at a loss for words and looking to her for anything that might clear up the air. Cloudchaser rubbed her head in thought.

"What makes you say all of that? I thought being the hero of Equestria would be awesome. Twilight and the others do so on a daily basis." she said. I nodded.

"Yes. But they don't have a force of nature that can take over whenever it wants living inside of them. They are the embodiments of Harmony. I'm a monster with a power element inside of me. It doesn't care for harmony. It only cares about what it wants." I frowned at the two. "It's better if I tell you all now that you should not look up to me as a hero. Just forget all the things I've done and continue on with your lives." Cloudchaser looked sternly at me.

"Easier said than done. But who would want to forget the things you do?" she asked. I scowled.

"Several ponies I know here to Canterlot would definitely be better off forgetting me." I sighed. "Trust me. Quiet Fire is not a hero. I am an unfortunate host to a deadly force of nature that does whatever it pleases. And I can't control it." I clutched my head as flashes of what happened earlier popped back into my head. I felt my heartbeat rapidly and my panic increase. "I just want it to end. But if I die, I'll kill the element inside of me and doom all of Equestria. What can I do!? What should I do!? I should have just let Starswirl kill me and contain Din! He had the better idea! I don't want to hurt anypony else! I just... I..." I was panting, finding it hard to breathe. I then felt a reassuring wing wrap around my back. I looked up and stared in awe at Cloudchaser, who was sitting next to me. Her expression concerned, but a pretty reassuring smile spread across her face.

"It's okay to feel like all hope is lost. In fact, I think it is okay to cry too. Let all that anger and frustration out in a way you can manage. Because at the end of the day, reality is just going to come at you again and again." she said. "But it's not all a lost cause if you just look behind the dullness and grey of it all." She looked over to the bush and gently flicked the snow off of the flower buds. "Behind it is something more. A dream. A goal. A way of life. So long as you nurture it and respect it, you'll find yourself feeling better. To stand up to that reality and face it head on. Because a new dawn will always rise to those that look towards it." I saw Flitter smile kindly as she floated next to us, her hooves behind her back.

"My sister is right. I've had plenty of my darker days. Everypony does. But it just takes a little support and care of yourself and those around you that'll lift you up from that darkness. As corny as it sounds, it is really good advice to keep in mind." Flitter said, giving a teasing smile to Cloudchaser, who blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"L-Look, I wasn't expecting tonight to be well... like this. But, you know Fie? What you did for the escort wagon? Not only did you help us out twice, but you showed a kind of bravery I thought only Rainbow Dash would have. She's always the first to jump in and fight it out. To me, looking out for your fellow Ponyville neighbors and taking on your fate head on makes me believe we have a hero in the making. The way you fought that image of yourself was incredible. When I saw that, I realized how much of life I was wasting away. Even I wasn't taking the job seriously till you showed up. So... I thought if I could reach the expectations of an actual in the works hero, I could help out those that really need it." Cloudchaser than balked. My vision was blurry, and I felt a wave of sadness take over me. Or was it rising happiness? It was hard to tell. I felt myself sniffling and before I knew it, I buried my face into her chest and began to cry. Cloudchaser was unsure of what to do. She looked to Flitter for help, but Flitter was also confused as to what to do. I just continued to cry. I couldn't believe it.

After all of that, there was one pony out there that I inspired to change. And it was one I felt funny for. I couldn't stand it. The thought of everything that has happened. How could I inspire such a pony like her? What did I do to deserve it? I'm no hero. I'm just a pony with her own struggles. And I've been struggling a lot. I didn't want any of this. Why me? I bawled and clutched onto her jacket. I then felt both Cloudchaser's and Flitter's hooves pat me on the back. It has only been a couple of days, but I felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me. And no pony was around to help me catch it. So much has happened. And there was nothing I could do. I took a good moment to cry my heart out. I cried until I couldn't anymore. I sniffled and relaxed myself from Cloudchaser's jacket. Cloudchaser pat my back.

"Feeling better?" she asked. I took another moment to gather myself before pulling away and wiping my eyes.

"Y-yeah... s-sorry about that..." I said. Flitter sighed and sat down next to us.

"It must be really hard to have all of that thrown on you. I didn't realize it built up so much." she said. Cloudchaser furrowed her brow, as if several thoughts popped into her mind. If only I knew what she was thinking about. I stood up and wiped my muzzle.

"I'm sorry you two. I didn't mean to break down like that. I... I'm still unsure of how any of this is possible for me. Those things you saw me do was just luck playing out in my favor. I appreciate you guys tolerating me just now." I said. I then turned and began to walk towards the park gate. Cloudchaser stood up.

"Where're you going?" she called out. I sighed and waved a hoof.

"I'm going to go home. I want to sleep this off." I then stopped and bit my lip. "Cloudchaser? Flitter?" The two sisters looked at me. "Thank you. For cheering me up. I didn't realize how much I inspired you in just my simple actions yesterday. I still don't think I'm a hero. But maybe... like you said... I just need to look towards the horizon and look past the grey dullness. I'll... I'll try to do that." I tried to give a smile, but it wavered and I walked out of the park, my mood still shot. Though, something did make me happy through this. My funny feelings towards Cloudchaser gave me a bit more hope than I did walking in. Me! I got the pretty mare to be inspired! I lifted my head a little and gave a soft smile. I did that! I didn't... realize that my actions inspired at least one pony. I was then feeling something else. Was it relief? No, that couldn't be. What relief did I have hearing that? Were my actions... true to my nature? I stopped and looked ahead of the street.

"Was I... me?" I asked myself. I furrowed my expression and continued to walk home. When I arrived at my home, I looked up to see that the lights weren't on. I hesitated to open the door with my magic, expecting to see four pretty mares inside. But, when I opened the door, only the dark shadows of my house greeted me. I reached out to my oil lamp and lit the room up. Ignoring the stirring interest in the tiny flame, I looked around in awe. My house looked way cleaner than usual. No spider webs or dirty flooring. Left over dishes cleaned and put away. I glanced around cautiously. I then crept up the steps to my house and entered into the door at the end of the hall. My bedroom, looking barren as usual, but my bed neatly cleaned and tucked in. A fresh, lemon smell washed over my snout. The four mares must have done some deep cleaning while I was gone. I then checked the bathroom, seeing that it was sparkly clean. I checked the guest bedroom. It was just as barren with only a bed to accommodate it. But the room was still smelling like lemons. I sighed, however. I don't know what I should think. They were creations of Ouroboros to win my favor. Of course, they would eventually no longer exist.

As I walked down the steps and rested on my couch, I closed my eyes for a brief moment before a loud crack followed by three more simultaneous cracks resounded through my house, making me yelp in surprise and fall off the couch. I scurried to my hooves, ready to fight when my jaw dropped upon seeing four pretty looking mares standing before me. They each were wearing maid clothing and all four bowed to me.

"Welcome home, mistress." they all said. I was dumbfounded. They were still here? It took me a moment to realize my mouth was open. I shook my head to wake myself, only to find the mares still standing there.

"Wha? Hunh?" I pointed between them. "You mares are still here!?" One nodded and put a hoof to her chest.

"Of course. We were created to cater to your needs. Whatever needs you desire. Be it for day-to-day activities or nightly." she said. I flushed and shook my head.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You were all just bribes for Ouroboros. I-I thought you four would have vanished!" I stated. The middle one shook her head.

"Of course not. We are imprinted into this house. When you have need of us, we will heed your call." The one to the middle one's left chimed in.

"We only come and go for errands. We took the liberty of cleaning the house while you were gone." she said. The other one at the far-right chimed in.

"Though, can I suggest adding some more decorations to this place? It'll really spruce up the place." she said. Her perky attitude caught me completely off guard. I shook my dumbfoundedness away again.

"Excuse me? Decorations??" I cocked my head questioningly. The one in the middle stepped forward and pat her chest with a reassuring smile.

"Might I suggest stocking the fridge with other things than hard liquor and hotcake mixings? The pantry needs a desperate makeover for different dietary options." she said. The one next to her right chimed in.

"This place could use some plants. It'll give a welcoming atmosphere." she said. All four chattered amongst themselves, making suggestions. I rubbed my mane in frustration before holding up a hoof.

"Quiet!" I said. The four stopped talking and bowed in response. I suddenly felt strange. Empowered. Ignoring the feeling, I tapped my chin with my hoof. "So... if you are now at the heed of my call... do you all have names?" I asked. The four looked to each other before all shaking their heads in unison. I then thought about it. I felt my mood rise a bit more. This was unexpected. Moments ago, I was crying into the chest of a pretty mare. The next, I'm naming four maids. I nearly completely forgot about what happened at the castle. I pointed to the far right one. She had a pig tail bun bubble gum mane and snow-white hide. Her sapphire eyes shining brightly to match her perky personality.

"I'll name you... Bubble Sparkle." I said. The maid pony clopped her hooves together in excitement. I looked to the next one. A bright lavender mare with a bright chestnut curly mane in a ponytail with emerald eyes and freckles. "Your name is... Lavender Heart." She gave me an appreciated smile and nod. I went to the next one. She was quite unique in a way compared to the others. Her two toned blue and white hide with freckles and neatly combed braided brown mane that draped nicely to her side, her brown eyes full of life and love. "You'll be named... Tender Hooves." I said. The pony nodded with a bow. The last one was a vanilla yellow with brown two-toned legs. Her sunny side up palleted mane being swept over to one side of her face, covering such precious silver eyes. I tapped my chin and beamed at the name. "Whistle Daisy." I nodded. The mare gave a relieved sigh. The four mares bowed to me again.

"I can't express how happy I am to have a name." Bubble Sparkle said happily.

"It definitely makes up for the full day of existential crises we had earlier." Tender Hooves said calmly. Whistle Daisy rolled her eyes.

"Don't remind me, Tender." The four mares looked at each other and each gave themselves giddy smiles. The sight of pure joy on their faces really brightened my own mood. I gave a sigh and smiled. I then thought of something.

"Well, since you four are now... under oath. Perhaps we should lay some ground rules and then come up with a call sign or name whenever I need you." I sat on my haunches, putting my hooves together and pointing at them. "First rule, you must work together through any problems. Small or large. So long as they benefit the greater good for yourselves and our neighbors. Second, you all must clean the house in rotation via a schedule. Err... I don't know what to really do with it, but I'm certain one of you will come up with something." Bubble Sparkle patted her chest.

"I'm great with organizing! This'll be a cake walk!" she said. I nodded and held up a hoof.

"Thirdly. You must not sit idle when somepony is in need. Here in Ponyville, we are an egalitarian society. We help each other with tasks if asked or desired by self. I work the post office, but I do my part in helping the neighbors out. Fourthly, you are free to help yourselves to your own food or cooking. So long as you can share and provide proper portions to everypony in the house. Guests included." I don't know what came over me. Why was I taking into account almost everything? Maybe I'm just trying to keep my mind off of the next day when I wake up. Tender Hooves put a hoof to her chest.

"I enjoy cooking most of all. I can make the meals for everypony." she said. I smiled. Whistle Daisy smiled as well.

"I can do the shopping for us! I always like seeing the sights and maybe meet new ponies." she said. I nodded again.

"That's my next rule. Make friends. Ponyville fosters friendships more than anything. And the residents here are surprisingly good at it. I didn't think I'd make so many in my time here. And lastly. If you are ever in danger or your sisters are in danger, you are to help each other and defend yourselves. You must also protect your home. Ponyville is your home. This house is your sanctuary inside the home. Understand?" I smiled as all four nodded and bowed.

"Thank you for the opportunity, mistress Fire." they all said in unison. I nodded. I then realized something.

"Err... I don't have much room but you are free to sleep in my bed. I don't really sleep in there any way. And the guest bedrooms are empty as well. You all are free to decorate them however you see fit." The maids stood up and gave me confident smiles.

"We can make it work." Lavender Heart said. I then hummed in thought.

"Now for a call sign. If I want to ask for all of you at once, I guess I'll say... Fire's Angels." I said. "And if I want to ask for each of you individually... Lavender, you'll have the call sign Sigma. Tender, you'll have Gamma. Bubble, you'll have Epsilon. And Whistle, you'll have Exarch." The four gave me excited smiled before the four began to move about the house, chatting to see what they could manage amongst each other. I laid down on the couch and sighed exhaustively. What a long day. Though, thinking back to what happened, the feeling of empowerment made me feel a bit better. I was surprised at my own wisdom. Then, Cloudchaser's own wisdom rang through my head.

'Sometimes, you have to look towards the horizon.' I thought to myself. I wasn't sure what time it was, but going through my mind and remembering what I had said along with what Cloudchaser and Flitter told me, maybe it wasn't so bad. I've made up my mind. I'll head back to castle once the sun rises, and I'll face the new day with my friends head on. I smiled at the thought and felt confident now. Sleep caught up to me and I fell into a peaceful dream. I was happily sitting at the park bench with Cloudchaser next to me. We were sharing an ice cream and just chatting amongst each other. I then gave her a look and she returned it with quite the pretty one. We leaned in slowly, our lips parting. Suddenly, fire erupted in between us and I yelped, falling back onto the ground. I looked up in horror as I watched Cloudchaser scream as the fire engulfed her, an agonizing silhouette of her burning up as the slit amber eyes of Din peered over the fire and down onto me. Her laugh rising as the fire grew brighter and larger.

Rise and shine, dear vessel! Your day will not last forever! Din tossed her head back and laughed maniacally. I felt the panic and fear break through me. I panted and clutched my chest. Suddenly, a loud pop and a bright flash appeared in front of me. I saw Princess Luna stand in between me and Din.

"Princess Luna?" I gapped. Luna flapped her wings once, gaining a lot of air before swishing her head and aiming her horn at Din. Din screamed in pain as the beam connected with her horn. The fire burned out and Din retreated back into the void, hissing. Luna then landed in front of me and turned around, smiling ever so kindly.

"Are you alright, Quiet Fire?" she asked. I was speechless. Luna helped me up and I looked around.

"Wha... what's going on?" I asked. "Is this a... dream?" Luna nodded and she closed her eyes, her horn glowing. There was a loud hum as the void vanished and was replaced with many bright orbs. I let out a breath of awe as I looked around. Everywhere I looked, the orbs hovered or floated. This place is incredible. It almost looked like the whole galaxy.

"Indeed, it is. And I'm glad I showed up just in time too. My magic began working after Din showed herself to us." She slumped a bit. "It was the strangest thing. We were only allowed our most basic telekinesis and still retained the ability to raise the sun and moon. But when Din showed up, our magic sparked, and we were able to do our usual magic." I blinked and cocked my head a bit.

"R-really?" I then rubbed my foreleg nervously, avoiding eye contact. "That's great... But if you mind me asking, how did you lose your ability to your usual magic before? And how did Din get it back?" Luna shrugged softly.

"I think Silver Scribble and Twilight Sparkle have a theory that might answer it. But we cannot start without you." she said. I sat back on my haunches and shook my head.

"I'm... sorry I took off in such a manner. I just needed to clear my head..." I then smiled softly, thinking back to Cloudchaser and Flitter. "It was funny. Two ponies who I've only briefly met managed to cheer me up a little. I think I managed to throw them off at first though." I looked up to Luna, meeting her kind gaze. "I think... I inspired one of them to do a little more than they used too. They saw my actions yesterday and she seemed to have a change of heart in herself. It felt... nice to hear that." I blushed brightly. "Perhaps... everything I did was worth the trouble. And if I can inspire ponies like her to change their outlook in life... does that make me a monster still?" Luna smiled and put a reassuring wing around me.

"Quiet Fire, you are not a monster. Anypony can tell you that. You may have a power element that has no pony's best interest in mind inside of you, but you are still you. You matter more to ponies than the whole world combined. Thi Billette was really worried about you when you took off. And if she had went after you if Applejack didn't convince her to give you some space, she would probably say the same thing." She explained. I felt guilty suddenly. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.

"I guess... I have more than one pony to apologize to." I said. Luna pat my shoulder.

"Remember, Quiet Fire. You hold the greatest responsibility in your very being. But no matter that responsibility's weight, you are always you. And if you find yourself slipping from that thought, you have ponies who are more than glad to lend a helping hoof or catch you." she smiled. I chuckled.

"Took a page right out of Twilight's Friendship Journal?" I asked. Luna giggled.

"Even I had to remind myself every now and then that my friends matter as much as I matter to my sister." she said. I felt my mood rise. I felt better. Great even. I stood up and took a deep breath.

"Alright... I'm ready to face the new day." I said. Luna nodded and she closed her eyes. Her entire being was absorbed into the moon and a bright flash shone, waking me up from my slumber. I sat up from the couch and saw the light of day shine through the window. The light snow fall sprinkled about with the angel light shining across Equestria. What an amazing sight it was. I then fell my gaze onto the distant castle. I took a deep breath and walked to the door. I opened it and stepped outside. I stretched just a bit and loosened my muscles.

Sleep is definitely the best medicine.

---

I trotted with a bit more bounce in my pacing as I reached the castle's door. Trixie's wagon was still outside. I took another deep breath before opening the door with my magic. I felt myself running into somepony I wasn't expecting. Me and Starlight went tumbling down the steps, landing on top of my back as the books followed after us. I shook away my own daze and Starlight got off of me quickly.

"Sorry, sorry! It was my fault, I should have watched where I was going." She was stuffing her books into her saddle bag before stopping and looking at me. She gasped. "Oh, it's you! Quiet Fire, right?" I sat up and helped her with her books, stuffing them neatly into her bag.

"Y-yeah. That's me." I said. Starlight smiled and held out a hoof.

"I don't think we were properly introduced. My name is Starlight Glimmer. I'm the official pupil of the Princess of Friendship." I took ahold of her hoof and she shook it. "I have to say, that was quite the surprise you pulled. Was that really the work of a power element?" I winced and nodded. No, Quiet Fire. You had time to reflect on it. Face the new day! I gathered myself and nodded again, more confident this time.

"Yes. I unfortunately had no control over it. She just... took over without any warning." I explained. Starlight rubbed her chin.

"Odd. Your eyes are swirling with some type of magic. It must be the work of that power element." she pointed out. I balked and pressed my hooves on my face, looking horrified.

"Wait, so that isn't just a trick of my mind!?" I exclaimed. Starlight chuckled.

"I think it looks cool. Though, the meaning behind it is not as much." She rubbed her chin again. "Though, now that I think about it. Everypony doesn't know where to look for the others or how to pick them out. The monuments weren't much help either. They just directed us to certain points of interest in Equestria. I was heading to meet up with Sunburst and Trixie to go over a counter spell in case the element shows up again." I perked up.

"Counter spell? Like... to contain the power?" I asked, feeling hopeful. At this point, I'd take any lead to keep my element in check. Starlight sighed and shrugged.

"Can't say for sure if it'll contain. It'll be more like a suppressant. Like a form of medication to keep it in check." I smiled and nodded at her explanation.

"I'll take what I can get. Thanks, Starlight." I said. That caught her off guard a little bit, but she waved her hoof coolly.

"Don't mention it. Just doing my duty to save Equestria after all." She trotted past me but stopped and looked over her shoulder. "You know, your friend wouldn't stop stressing about you. You should really check up on her. She hasn't slept a wink since you stormed out of the castle." I felt my guilt rise again. I nodded softly and turned to walk up the stairs again. I could hear the idle chattering from down the hall. Following the voices, I prepared myself and opened the door to the throne room. I stopped in my tracks, seeing a mountain pile of books stacked in the middle. I could see Twilight half asleep as she scanned a book. She turned towards me, and she seemed to be filled with newfound energy.

"Quiet Fire! You're back!" she said. I looked to see Silver Scribble who was halfway down the mountain pile and glance in my direction. I then realized that Twilight's friends were scattered about the room with their own small stack of books. Rainbow Dash was snoozing in a window groove, a book on her face. Applejack was snoozing by the wall, her hat over her face. Fluttershy was about as half asleep as Twilight, scanning a book. Pinkie Pie was snoozing on a bed of books, her sloppy posture showing her expressive personality. Rarity had fashioned a neat stack of books and was woken up abruptly when Twilight had announced my presence. I gave a bashful wave.

"H-hey. I'm back." I said. Fluttershy smiled tiredly and floated over to me.

"You're okay! We were all so worried about you. How are you feeling?" she asked. I gave a dismissive hoof wiggle to her.

"I'm feeling better now. Err..." I looked around. "Does anypony know where Thi is?" Silver Scribble spoke up.

"She was last seen taking a walk around the castle. She might have gotten lost. But she's still here." He motioned to the room. "Somewhere." I frowned. Thanks for the help, Scribble. I then motioned around the room.

"Have you ponies been spending all night reading?" I asked. Rarity grumbled, but pulled herself off the bed of books, yawning.

"Of course, dear. We were trying to find anything that pertained to the Elements of Power." she said. Rainbow Dash finally woke up upon me asking the question. She stretched and yawned.

"With hardly any luck..." she said sourly, tossing a book aside. Applejack finally came too, stretching.

"'Ah never thought 'ah'd be sleepin' in the castle last night. Had the strangest dream." she said. I was about to ask when Pinkie Pie yelped and crashed down with her book bed. She popped her head out and shook away her tiredness.

"I'm awake!" she said in her usual excited self. Twilight rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Good. Now that we are all awake, I'll get Princess Celestia and Luna to meet us here. Quiet, I think it's best if Thi was present as well." she said, looking tiredly at me. I rubbed my foreleg and looked back down the hall. Where would I even begin to find her? Just as I was thinking about where to look, Thi poked her head around the corner and saw me. She stepped out and studied me. I gave a nervous smile to her and a small wave.

"H-hi, Thi. I'm back." I said weakly. I don't know how to react. She didn't seem worried. In fact, she looked angry. Frustrated even. But then, she galloped towards me and I was expecting to get slugged in the face. I braced myself. I deserve it for the way I stormed out on her. But I didn't feel a force connect to my cheek. Thi threw herself around me in a tight hug. Now I fully didn't know how to respond. But, I reacted with my own hug. I buried my face into her shoulder, sniffling a bit. We held the hug for a bit longer before she pulled away, giving me her confident smile.

"I knew you'd come around. There is no pony that I know who is as tough as you are." she said. I wiped the tears in my eyes and smiled.

"I-I'm sorry I stormed out like that. I just... I just needed some time to myself." I then pat my chest. "And it did wonders too. I feel like a new mare." I said, returning her confident smile. She gave me a playful slug on the foreleg.

"It's alright, Fie. I understand. Sometimes, you need to reflect on yourself." she then sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry as well. I didn't realize how much it was stressing you out. I should have done better. But when Din took over so suddenly, I froze up. I mean... how should I feel going against my best friend under the direct control of a force of nature?" I sighed and nodded in agreement.

"That's something I'm hoping we can figure out down the line without so much heartache. But for now, I think we need to hear out some theories." I said. The door behind us opened up and Princess Twilight along with Celestia and Luna walked into the room. I caught Luna's smile and returned it before joining the circle. Twilight made some space for her before turning to us.

"Alright, everypony. It took us all night, but I think Silver Scribble and I have come up with some theories on somethings with present company and how we can track down the remaining six." she said. Silver Scribble did something I wasn't expecting out of him. He must have been super tired that he just let the book he was sitting on slip out from the pile and slide down the pile. When it reached the bottom, he stood up from the book and casually walked over to the middle.

"It boils down to this. The Elements of Power are direct embodiments to the very same forces of nature that make up our world. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Darkness, Ice and Light. Each element coexisting with each other to create a balance. But each one conflicting with each other. Fire cannot light without oxygen, so water bests it in that regard. Earth is also a substitute to it, but not as effective. If you tackle it with air, you are going to just direct the flames. Ice can melt as well as fire creating light to clear the darkness." He circled his hooves in a gesticulate manner. "They each have their own domain of rule as well. Earth is vast. In fact, Earth Ponies are tied to the direct origin of Earth. Earth needs the destruction of fire to give birth to new life. Water and air can help it as well. By this rule of nature, it is in fact, beneficial for us to unite the Elements of Power. Easier said than done." He looked to me. "From what we experienced first hoof from last night's surprise, the Elements of Power are not so keen on seeing eye to eye. It'll be hard to initiate Celestia's plan based on what we've observed. However, Celestia has faith that if we are successful in befriending the Elements of Power and get them to see eye to eye on some degree, we can tackle the next obstacle."

"Ouroboros." Twilight chimed in. "The World Serpent is a complete enigma. Seemingly coming and going, listening and not listening at the same time. Don't be surprised if he is listening in right now. He's right that it is hopeless to fight fate. And he may not have our best interests at heart. He may have a bigger ultimatum in check. But we will never be able to figure that out. Which brings us to Quiet Fire." Everypony looked at me. Thi put a reassuring hoof around me and smiled, making me smile in return. "Quiet Fire has shown us what these power elements are capable of. From her experiences and ours, it'll be a big challenge to befriend them. Is Din aware of us speaking right now?" I realized she was addressing me. I focused in the back of my mind. All was quiet. I gave her an unsure look.

"N-not sure. Maybe she got tired out from last night? I did say Din doesn't like flaunting her power." I rubbed my chin. "It probably helped that she was fighting Tenebres as well." Everypony went quiet, exchanging glances. Thi spoke for them.

"Tenebres?" she asked. I nodded.

"After Din took control of me, I apparently found myself wandering into Tenebres's domain. The power element of darkness. She took a similar form to Din. An alicorn mockup of evil Celestia and Luna." I blinked, realizing that the two princesses were in audience. They looked worriedly at each other before focusing back on me. I gulped but kept going. "W-well, from what I observed from their little dispute, it was a surprising... sibling rivalry fight. But with more death threats and backing it up with brute force." Twilight rubbed her chin.

"You mentioned you found yourself wandering into Tenebres's domain. What do you mean by that?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I don't even remember doing any wandering either. But she stated I did." I furrowed my look. "She also seemed to be willing to hear me out. In fact, now that I think about it... Din did the same thing to me not so recently. Both stated they would hear me out on whatever matter. But I don't remember ever 'retreating' into their domains." I sighed. "Not like they would have listened to anything I would say either way. It was like they were addressing me as a servant." Twilight smiled.

"That's perfect then." she beamed. I arched a brow. "Quiet Fire, I think you are able to go between domains of the elements. My theory now folds in on the one fact that you are indeed Ouroboros's favorite. You've befriended the World Serpent and he's taken quite a liking to you. He can grant you certain privileges if you ask for it. In moderation of course. He may have given some aid. But with that Roc attack, his aid is pretty much a double-edged sword." I winced. I didn't like the thought of being Ouroboros's favorite. What did I even do to get him to like me? It couldn't have been the drink and cartoons. Could it? I gave her a concerned look.

"So, what do you want me to do? Ask him nicely if he's willing to offer me some help or insight? If I recall, he used up one of our 'call ins' with the Roc attack to get you all to know I'm here. We have two left." I rubbed my chin in thought. "We have to play this smart. If we can save those two call ins, maybe we can change the tide in our favor." Silver Scribble nodded.

"Which is why we need to find the rest of the six. Quiet Fire, they may be just as scared as you are of their awakenings. You can understand them. If we task you with finding the other six, that'll complete half the plan." he said. Twilight clopped her hooves excitedly.

"It's like a friendship problem! Only it's not us this time! Or Spike. Or... Starlight and Sunburst." Twilight scratched her head. "Honestly, I'm not sure how the map works still. But that's beside the point. We managed to transcribe all the monuments. We think it'll lead us to some whereabouts on the others." I held up a hoof.

"That's what I wanted to mention as well. That one monument you described to me before? We were lucky it was my trial. Or well, my element's trial." I rolled my hoof. "We found a distortion at the cave where the six founders have taken cover from the Wendigos. I ended up fighting a spectral fire copy of myself. Fighting it." I shook my head. "I don't know if the other trials are going to involve fighting. And I don't know if I'm allowed to get involved unless the appropriate elements are present." Thi chimed in.

"You shoulda' seen it. Fie here kicked her sorry spectral copy's flank from the Hoof and back. This girl can fight." she grinned at me. I rubbed my foreleg bashfully. Twilight hummed in thought.

"Then, we at least have an idea of what to expect. However, the main issue is just getting the seven to unite. That involves having to control the forces inside of their bodies. If we can manage to have all seven control their powers, then we can go from there." Twilight said. I looked between each of the heroes of Equestria.

"Wh-what about you six? You've saved Equestria countless times by yourselves. Din mentioned the Elements of Harmony cannot harm the Elements of Power. Starswirl even said that the power elements act as a boost for the Elements of Harmony." I said. Twilight smiled.

"Yes, we've saved Equestria many times. And we will continue to do so until peace is restored. But we never truly fought them alone. We had friends to help us. You can rely on us to handle any straggling issues while you are out finding the others. And we can trust in you to succeed." Her friends nodded in agreement. Princess Celestia smiled.

"Well, spoken, Twilight. Like a proper ruler, almost." she teased. Twilight gave a nervous smile.

"Ehehe... I-in any case, Quiet Fire. Maybe I can get somepony to help you train your control on the powers a bit. Zecora can definitely help with that. She helped me get a better grasp on my own magic. You should also take someponies you can trust with you on the journey. The more the merrier." I looked to Thi, who was already smiling. She winked at me. Of course, she would be on board. I then rubbed my chin and looked to Silver Scribble. He noticed my look and pat his saddle bag.

"Well, if you need some expertise in the monster ecology field and maybe some moral support, I guess I can come along." he said. Thi arched a brow at me.

"Him? Really?" she asked. I smiled and nodded.

"He helped us back there when the princesses were in danger." I leaned in and whispered to her. "He maybe a little awkward. But the way he handled the situation under pressure, he pulled it off flawlessly. He's more than just a nerd." I said. Thi clicked her tongue and winked at me.

"Like Twilight. Gotcha'!" she said. Twilight arched a suspicious brow over to us. I cleared my throat and nodded.

"We'd be happy to have you tag along, Silver Scribble." I said. I then had another thought. I turned to look at Rainbow Dash and motioned for her to head on over to me. Rainbow grinned and zipped down.

"I know I'm awesome and all for the party. I guess I can lend a hoof if ya' want." she said. I gave her a nervous smile.

"A-actually, Rainbow, I had a different idea." I said. Rainbow slumped.

"Oh..." she said. I then gave a quick glance to Thi. I blushed when I went over to Rainbow Dash.

"Y-you're a captain of the Wonder Bolts, correct?" I began. Rainbow nodded in prideful glory.

"You betcha'!" she boasted. I then tapped the tip of my hooves bashfully.

"D-do you think you can call in two ponies? Their names are Cloudchaser and Flitter Glider." I said. Rainbow blinked.

"Oh, them? I dunno, kid. Cloudchaser is part of the reserves and Flitter is more of a paper pusher. Are you sure you want them to tag along?" she asked. I nodded.

"Yes. They helped with us going after my key. They were there fighting off the creatures from the wagon. I've seen Cloudchaser rush in to save somepony without a second thought. H-her bravery would be really nice to have." I then waved my hooves quickly. "N-not just because she's cool! I-I think they can help me gain more confidence in myself." Rainbow Dash scratched her head.

"Well... if you say so. I'll call them in when we get settled with everything. I'll even brief them on the details." she said. She then held out a hoof. I looked between her and her hoof. "C'mon, Fie. You could really use all the boost of moral you can get. You got friends in high places, as they say." I couldn't help but smile. I chuckled before hoof bumping her. Twilight stretched her wings.

"In that case, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. Would you care to join me for some breakfast?" she asked. Celestia smiled.

"That'll be lovely, Twilight." She said. The princesses walked out of the room, chatting amongst themselves. Twilight's friends followed suite, Pinkie bouncing excitedly while chatting. That left me, Thi and Silver Scribble to watch them go in quiet observation. Thi stretched and yawned.

"I could go for some hotcakes." she turned to me and smirked. "You promised two stacks of strawberry banana." I rolled my eyes playfully and giggled.

"Okay~ Want some, Scribble?" I asked. Silver Scribble was snoozing on his haunches. Me and Thi looked at each other, bursting out laughing, which woke Silver Scribble up.