The Elements of Virtue

by Rakoon1

The Element of Beauty, Part I - Gathering the Team

After receiving their assignments to recover the Pillar’s objects, Star’s friends started going to their respective destinations, with Jonagold using Mirror Coat’s mirrors to get to Rockhoof’s island and Gunter and Gleaming getting out to fly to the Dragon Lands and the Golden Desert respectively. After they left, Moonlight turned to Star and told him:

“I just hope I can do this. After all, I’ll have to get in Chrysalis’ hive to find Mistmane’s flower.”

“Don’t worry, Moonlight, I’ll be there with you” Galena said. “I told you I’ll go with you and I meant it. I’ve been practice some tricks you’ll love.”

“You don’t know her as much as I do, Galena” Moonlight said. “She may appear not be a threat without her changelings, but appearances can be deceiving.”

“I wouldn’t mind trade with you” Dusk said, joining the talk. “I would gladly take on changelings than having to return to the Bermikun Triangle.”

“You don’t have to worry about this” Star reassured her, while placing his hoof over her face. “You can do this. The Tree of Crisis chose you for a reason.”

Hearing those words from Star was enough for Moonlight to regain her confidence back.

“Thanks, Star…” she said.

He nodded to her and then said:

“And I think you have to where to start.”

“What do you mean?” Galena asked.

“What I mean is that we have someone that can help you infiltrate in the changeling hive” Star said.

“Of course…” Moonlight said. “How didn’t I think of him?”

Following Star’s advice, Moonlight and Galena headed towards the mirror they had crossed from Golden Oak Library to the Mirrored Library. Arriving there, they found the place empty.

“Where could he be?” Galena asked.

“Maybe outside” Moonlight suggested.

They went outside and, as soon they stepped out the door, they saw Thorax approaching.

“Hey there” he said. “Sorry, but I went to check on the young foals and update Shadow Claw and the others. Please tell me you have something.”

“Well…” Moonlight started.

“Wait, Moonlight” Galena said. “How can you tell that’s Thorax?”

“Galena…”

“Come on, you know what are mission is. We have to make sure we’re not tricked.”

Thorax was a little confused with what they were saying, but he said:

“I don’t know what you mean with that, but if you’re unsure if I’m me, I can prove it to you. I remember what you said to the others when we first met.”

Having said that, he shapeshifted into Moonlight and started saying, pretending to be her:

“You taught me friendship doesn’t know any borders, that it can be found in anyplace. Well, Thorax proved to me that…”

“Okay, okay, I believe you” Moonlight said, as Thorax returned to his true form. “We don't need the whole speech.”

“Are you sure about that?” Galena asked. “You told me when you first met Thorax he was being attacked by Scorpio. He could have heard you.”

“I don’t think so” Moonlight replied. “If that was the case, Star would have been able to sense it. Don’t worry, this is Thorax.”

“I’m glad you finally believe I’m me, but… why was all this?” Thorax asked.

“Thorax, we need to ask you a favor” Moonlight said. “It’s not an easy one, but we don’t have any other choice. You are our best chance.”

“What is it?” he asked. “You are my first friend, Moonlight. I’ll do anything for you.”

“We need you to help us infiltrate Chrysalis’ hive” Moonlight told.

Hearing that, Thorax became quite nervous, mainly after hearing the name of his former queen. He said:

“You… you want to infiltrate…”

“Yes, Thorax, we do” Moonlight said. “Chrysalis has something that we need in order to defeat the Pony of Shadows: Mistmane’s flower. Did you ever heard of it.”

“Ah… yes, I’ve heard of it” Thorax said. “Queen Chrysalis was always bragging how she was able to defeat her. How she corner her and then drained every single drop of her love and then took her flower as a trophy. But… I don’t know where she keeps it. That’s a secret only her, and possibly the mutated changelings, knows.”

“Even so, Thorax, you’re the only one that has been there” Moonlight told. “We need you.”

Despite having a great fear of returning to his hive and face Chrysalis, he knew that, if Moonlight was asking him that, it was because it was urgent and really necessary. After everything she did for him, after giving him the chance to be the changeling he wanted to be… to have friends, he also should get the courage to help her. After taking a deep breath, he replied:

“Okay… I still don’t like it… but I will help you. It’s the least I can do.”

Smiling, Moonlight told:

“Thank you, Thorax.”

“Okay, now we have our inside source” Galena said. “Do we need anything else?”

“If possible, some raw power” Moonlight answered. “Chrysalis may rely mainly on her army, but she is quite powerful on her own, mainly when charged with the love she takes. If only we could have some powerful ally with us… But Star is on his mission, the Generals need to be in the Light Kingdom and the alicorn princesses need to protect their kingdoms in case the Pony of Shadows appear. I just don’t know anyone else with powerful magic.”

“You know whenever ponies talk about powerful magic, they always leave me out” a voice said, belonging to Discord, who had appeared on top of the library’s signboard, knitting a bunny. “If I weren't so evolved, I might decide to take it personally. Hey, there, Moony, I was just looking for your mother but I didn’t find her at her cottage. I wanted to organize things for our next tea party. I was late because of this strange feeling I got of a great powerful dark magic. Where is she?

“First, how do we know that you're really you?” Galena asked him, suspicious.

Not very amused by her question, Discord snapped his finger. Once he did that, the flowers around them got out of the ground and started dancing, a tree nearby turned into a cuckoo clock that, instead of a cuckoo had a squirrel grabbed by a lion paw and the road under Galena, Moonlight and Thorax turned into soap, causing them to slip. Everything around turned into a complete chaos.

“Shall I continue?” Discord asked, lying on a giant purple pumpkin.

Getting up, Moonlight explained:

“The Lord of Chaos has a new plan. He had Chrysalis to free the Pony of Shadows and he used the Elements of Chaos to turn my mom, Twilight and the others into stone and…”

Despite appearing bored for all the explanation, everything changed back to normal in a flash and he put his face (with an upset look) close to Moonlight’s and asked:

“They hurt Fluttershy?”

“Yes” Moonlight replied. “And I got tasked to recover one of things that can save her, Mistmane’s flower.”

“Where?” Discord asked menacingly.

“The Changeling Kingdom” Moonlight replied. “With you on our side, I can…”

But before she could finish what she was saying, Discord snapped his finger and they were teleported somewhere else. Discord was even using a scarf and a backbag.

“Odd” he said, while passing his fingers on his goatee, proceeding then to look under a rock that was near him, extending even his eyeballs. “I was trying to take us right to that flower, but there is no flower.”

After he put back the rock, Galena answered, while pointing:

“I think I have a pretty good idea where it might be...”

Right before them was the Desolate Zone and, at some distance away, was Chrysalis’ hive. They could even see some changelings flying around and hear their buzzing. Watching that, Thorax made a very nervous look and said:

“I'd hoped never to see that place again. Now what?”

And they all looked to Moonlight who couldn’t help but feeling perhaps she didn’t get this at all.

“Oh, this is so strange” Discord said. “We're here and that's there, and I clearly meant for us to be there and not here.”

“Oh, I-I can probably explain…” Thorax started.

“Oh, well” Discord said, while stretching his fingers. “If at first you don't succeed...”

But before he could snap his fingers yet again, Moonlight, flapping her wings placed her hoof over his paw and told:

“Discord, maybe we should come up with a plan first.”

“A what?” Discord asked, while pushing her down.

“You know, figuring out the best way to do something before you actually do it” Galena clarified.

That caused Discord to laugh and then he replied, while petting Galena’s head:

“Oh, that's adorable. Moony, just because I like you (as you are Fluttershy’s beautiful daughter), I’ll say this in a much kind way. Unlike you and… your dear eagle/lion friend, I can do anything.”

“Uh, actually…” Thorax started, only to be interrupted by Discord who placed a finger over his lips.

“That's all very nice, but really a waste of time” Discord told him. “We have me. And what else could we possibly need?”

“A draconequus with magic and half a brain might help” Galena answered cynically.

“Why are you here again?” Discord asked, turning to her. “I mean, it's not like you're going to stop the changelings by fluffing your beautiful feathers at them. At least my magic can do something.”

“The thing about magic here is…” Thorax tried to say again.

“Like this!” Discord exclaimed, ignoring him again and snapping his fingers.

He appeared as a knight holding a spear and mounting a flying pig wearing an armor too.

“For Fluttershy!” he shouted.

He made the pig flew towards the Desolate Zone, but once he entered it, everything he conjured just dissipated, causing Discord to almost fall, if he was not quit to grab the edge of the cliff where they were. Confused by what just happened, he came back up, created another flying pig and made him head towards the Desolate Zone. Once the pig entered, it just dissipated, just like before.

“Okay, that was… unexpected” Discord commented.

“I've been trying to tell you!” Thorax told. “Nothing other than changeling magic works here. Chrysalis' throne is carved from an ancient dark stone from Discordia that soaks up outside magic the same way changelings soak up love. It's how she keeps the hive safe. The only way for other kind of magic to work is if the Lord of Chaos allows it.”

Hearing that, Moonlight decided to test that again and, using her magic pearl, she summoned her fin-shaped wings. Approaching the limit to the Desolate Zone, she made her wings cross it and they just disappeared, just like Discord’s flying pig.

“So, uh, what kind of plan were you thinking?” Galena asked Moonlight.

“Without Discord’s magic or my music, I have no idea” Moonlight replied. “But nopony else is coming. So somepony better come up with something.”

She looked to his friends, hoping they would have a plan, but they didn’t say anything.

“Anypony?” Moonlight asked. “Anything?”

“If you may, I have to evidence the point that, besides bug-boy here, you are the one that knows her better due to your time as a siren helping the Lord of Chaos awake Ten-Tails” Discord said.

That caused Galena and Thorax look at him with upset looks.

“What?” Discord asked. “I just stated a fact.”

Knowing she had to be the one to come up with the plan, Moonlight sighed and said to Thorax:

“Okay… This throne… if we get into the hive and destroy it, can we get our magic back?”

“Uh-huh!” he replied affirmatively.

“Well, that's a terrible plan” Discord commented. “How are we even supposed to get to the hive?”

“We walk” Galena said, as she and the others started getting into the Desolate Zone. “And no flying so we don’t caught any attention.”

“I haven't walked that far in a millennia!” Discord exclaimed, while pulling his eyelids out of frustration.

The other three just let go an annoyed growl and Discord told them:

“Fine, I will walk. But let just be cleared. If my legs end up falling in a not stylish way, that's on you.”

And so he followed them.