Finding Honesty

by Trick Question

Griffinstone

"The successors to the Guardians of Harmony—I don't know what they were called, they weren't as famous—included a griffin," lectured Sunny, as the herd continued climbing up the shallow side of the mountain.

"Have I mentioned how great it is that we get a nonconsensual history lesson while trying not to fall to our deaths?" said Sprout, wincing as he crept low to the ground.

"It's okay, Sprout, there's no place to fall to," said Hitch. "This side of the mountain is just a shallow slope."

"For the last time, I don't like heights," said Sprout. "It doesn't matter if I can fall, I can feel my ears popping which tells me earth ponies were not meant to be this far from sea level."

"This is the weirdest television show I've ever been on," said Sugar Moonlight, clumsily tripping on rocks every now and then.

Zipp swooped down and hovered next to Sprout. "If anypony falls, I'll be there to catch them—even you, dweeb. Bearer of Loyalty, after all."

"Anyway, the griffin was the Bearer of Magic, like me, which is weird because griffins aren't particularly magical. He was also the Captain of the Royal Guard of Canterlot and the Emissary to Griffonstone. Oh, and some sources say he could shoot lasers out of his eyes, but that might have been a historical embellishment."

"Are you going to be okay, Sprout?" asked Izzy. "Do you need me to carry you?"

"I'm an earth pony, Izzy. I weigh five times what you do," said Sprout. "I appreciate everypony's support, but at this point I wish I'd stayed back at the station, even if I have to look at that stupid Hitch calendar all day long."

"It was for charity," said Hitch. "I didn't mean for it to be that sexy."

"Well, that doesn't make it any less frustrating to look at," said Sprout.

Hitch furrowed his brow. "Sprout, you're the one who hung it up in our office," he pointed out. "Just like the calendar I did last year..."

"Technicalities!" bellowed Sprout.

"Guys! I think this might be it," said Izzy, motioning from a rock outcropping just overhead.

Pipp Petals drifted down from above. "I'm not sure Izzy's right. It just looks like a flat, empty plain," she said.

The herd reached the summit, and it was just as Pipp had said. The rocks here were strangely broken and there was no vegetation, but no obvious signs of a city, either. Above them, the Sun drifted close to the horizon.

"I'm sorry, Sunny," said Sprout. "I tried my best to prepare you all for the inevitable disappointment."

"But the book says this is the place," said Sunny, pulling out the book and flipping through it.

Sugar Moonlight sat down against a large stone and took some deep breaths. "I've walked down the runway a thousand times, but this is way more exercise than I'm used to."

"I think this is a statue," said Zipp, examining the stone.

"I'm not a statue. Wait, are we doing improv now?" asked Sugar.

"You're not being filmed, Sugar. I'm talking about this stone behind you," said Zipp. the stone had a vaguely anthropomorphic shape to it, but had been weathered smooth over time.

Sunny returned the book to her backpack. "Wow. I guess this is Griffinstone after all," she said. "I wonder what happened here."

"Who knows? It's been ages," said Pipp.

"I'll canter around and see if I can find anything like what Sunny described," said Hitch.

"Wait a minute. What do you mean about not being filmed?" asked Sugar.

Pipp winced. "Well... we're actually here to perform a ritual! We were hoping you were the Bearer of Honesty. But I'd still like to have you on my show sometime."

"Oh. I don't know anything about that," said Sugar. "I just said I was honest because I thought it's what you wanted to hear. I'm pretty good at lying like that."

Sunny cringed. "Argh! We were so close," she moaned.

"It's okay, Sunny. We know where this place is now, and we can come back next year!" said Izzy.

"I don't want to wait another year to... to do this," she whispered, trembling. "It's been too long already..."

"What's going on?" said Zipp, landing next to Sunny.

"Guys! I think I found something!" Hitch shouted in the distance.

"I'll just hang out here until you guys are ready to head back," said Sugar, not budging from her seat.

"Yeesh," said Sprout, frowning as he followed the rest of the herd to where Hitch was standing.

"I think this place used to be a castle. See the pillars?" he pointed out, then looked at Sunny. "Sunny, what's wrong?"

"That jerk you recruited isn't Honesty," said Sprout, before Sunny could respond. "I knew she was a liar. I should have been more direct about it... not that any of this was real to begin with."

"This wasn't a bad trip. We can come back next year, Sunny. Cheer up!" said Pipp.

"It's not that. Guys... I don't know who Honesty is, but it certainly isn't me. I haven't been truthful with you about why I wanted to do this," said Sunny. "I'm really sorry."

"You're going to feel bad until you spill it," said Sprout, "so get on with it."

"Be nice to her," said Zipp, frowning.

"I... I was hoping I could bring my father back," said Sunny. Everypony fell deathly silent.

Sprout Cloverleaf broke the lull. "Why didn't you just tell us, Sunny? We would have helped you in a heartbeat."

"Of course we would!" said Izzy. "That would be the goodest possible reason to help you!"

"But... dragging you all this way. It was so selfish of me," said Sunny, pouting.

"We can't all be Generosity," said Pipp. "Sorry, that was a bad attempt at a joke. Seriously, we don't care. We love you, Sunny. Helping is what friends do, and we know how much your father meant to you."

"Are these runes etched into the stone?" asked Pipp as she dusted the stone flooring with her wings. There were six clear impressions set in the floor, each with a separate sigil.

"It's real," said Hitch. "Wow."

Sunny sniffed and wiped her eyes with a forelock, then trotted over to examine Pipp's finding. "I think she's right. Let's see... this one looks like three turtles?"

"Animals? Must be mine," said Hitch, walking over to it.

"I think that's coincidental, but since it resembles a standard cutie mark I think you're right that it's Kindness," said Sunny. "Let's see... the one that looks like a bug should be Generosity."

"Eww," said Pipp, but she walked onto it anyway.

"The one with the large wings and royal symbol should be Magic, which is mine, and the flame must be Loyalty," she continued.

"On it," said Zipp, landing on the sigil. "Literally."

"The other two look like a fish with wings, and something that resembles a giant mop," said Sprout.

"The fish is definitely Laughter," said Sunny. "The mop must be Honesty, by process of elimination."

"Fish are hilarious!" said Izzy, pronking over to the sigil.

"Maybe five will be enough?" said Hitch. "Go on, stand on yours, Sunny."

"I can go tie up Sugar Cutestupid and drop her on the sixth one," offered Sprout. "That has to be worth something."

"Wait, I have an idea," said Sunny. She pulled a bunch of small figurines from her saddlebags. "Here, this is the Guardian of Honesty. Maybe this will work as a stand-in." The figure looked like a small orange-colored pony wearing a Steedson hat.

"Do you carry those with you everywhere?" said Sprout.

"Mostly," said Sunny, putting the other five back into her bag. She set the small figurine onto the sigil. "I'm only doing this because I'm desperate, though. I know it can't work."

"It was still worth the effort," said Zipp. "I'd be glad to do it all over next year, once we find Honesty."

"I don't know if it will work then. This year is also a special astral alignment that only happens once every millennium," said Sunny. "I wish we could have found Honesty. It's not normal to be without an Element. It should have been somepony we all knew well."

"Like somepony who figured prominently in the movie, who had a notable speaking and singing role?" said Izzy.

"Uh... what movie?" asked Pipp.

"Er, what I meant to say is it would be somepony who cares about following rules and doing things the right way without cutting corners," said Izzy. "It's kind of weird it isn't Hitch, since he's a Sheriff."

"What was the Guardian of Honesty like, Sunny?" asked Hitch. "Tell us about her, and maybe her spirit can guide us."

"Hitch, please don't do this to Sunny," said Sprout, sitting down away from the sigils. "She's already suffering."

"No, it's okay, I like talking about her," said Sunny. "Applejack was a red double-pearl—which means her coat was yellow-orange like Hitch's, except without the white points—and she had a blonde mane and tail, exactly like Sprout's."

Sprout sighed. "We can see that on the doll."

"It's an action figure," corrected Sunny. "Anyway, AJ's whole family were apple colors. Her little sister was a lemonsilla double-pearl with a bloody mane and tail, and her big brother was a bloody liver chestnut with a honey mane and tail."

Sprout's ears perked up. "He was? Go figure. I'm a bloody liver chestnut, but I hate saying it out loud because ponies always think 'bloody liver' is a cuss. My coat color is super rare these days. I've never met an earth pony with a red this bright outside of my extended family. I know because we get together for huge family reunions every year," said Sprout. He narrowed his eyes and grinned smugly at Hitch. "You jelly for my coat?"

Hitch shrugged. "A little, sure. It's a very attractive coat."

Sprout was just sitting on the ground, but he nearly toppled over. "Your tail didn't twitch..." he mumbled.

"It's funny you'd mention that, Sprout," said Sunny, her brow furrowing as she turned her attention directly toward him. "Family was very important to Applejack, and she appreciated familiarity. She often called her family and close friends 'sugarcube', and... huh."

Sprout snorted and giggled with his eyes closed. "Pfft! Mom still calls me that," he said, then opened his eyes to see everypony staring at him with a look of shock, except Izzy, who looked puzzled. "Um, guys? Why are you all staring at me? Did something mess up my mane?"

"No. Nope, nuh-uh, never. There's just no way," said Zipp, shaking her head.

"It has to be him," said Hitch, and his face lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. "Everything fits! I mean, here we all are, just before Sunset! Kismet, guys, kismet!"

"I don't get it," said Sprout. "Seriously, let me in on the joke. I've always been honest with you guys."

Izzy suddenly gasped and planted her hooves over her mouth, then leaped over to pronk merrily around Sprout, ending her antics by yanking him directly into a tight hug. "It's you!" she shouted too close to his ear, as Sprout wrestled his way free.

"Be careful! You could put my eye out with that thing," he said, holding a hoof over his ear. "Not to mention my ear with your screaming. What has gotten into all of you?"

An awkward pause followed, then Pipp said in a matter-of-fact voice, "Sprout. You're the Bearer of Honesty." She looked around at her friends. "We were gonna tell him, right?"

"What?! That... that's impossible!" said Sprout, backing away with his ears flattened. "There's no such thing as the Elements of Harmony, and... I'm not a good guy! I'm the bad guy!"

"True friendship never closes a door forever," said Sunny, smiling. Her eyes were glistening.

"But I tried to hurt all of you! Listen to reason. Pipp, Zipp... I nearly killed your mom when she risked her life to save Alphabittle! She's a hero. You're all heroes. I destroyed an ancient landmark that Sunny lives in! I ruined memories of her father! I'm... I'm garbage," he said.

"No, you're not. You made a big mistake, but you're our friend," said Hitch. "And we love you. Come stand on the mop," said Hitch. "Once you're feeling okay, I mean. I don't want to rush you."

"Rush me?" said Sprout, sniffling. He rubbed his cheeks with a hoof and noticed they were wet. "Oh. That's... that's different," he said.

"We don't have time, Sprout. Hurry up!" said Zipp. "Let's get this over with so at least we can say we tried everything to help Sunny."

Sprout nodded and quickly cantered over to the sigil. As soon as he set hoof on it, five of the six sigils began to glow: pink, purple, magenta, orange, and cyan.

"See, I knew it wasn't me... wait. Why is mine glowing?" asked Sprout.

Everypony turned to look at Zipp Storm. "Oh. Something's wrong with mine," she said. "What'd I do?"

"The sigils didn't start glowing until all six of us were on them. You have to be Loyalty," said Pipp. "You're literally the most loyal pony I've ever met in my life, though I'm admittedly kind of biased."

"Maybe the floor needs to be cleaned off better?" suggested Hitch.

"Or maybe... maybe I'm not Loyalty," whispered Zipp. "Maybe Sunny will miss her one chance to save her father... and it's all my fault."

"No. Don't say that, that's ridiculous," said Sprout. "There's no way you aren't Loyalty. You're amazing, Zipp."

"I don't understand," said Sunny. "When the six friends who hold the Elements unite on this special day, the magic should happen."

"Guys, think of something! The Sun is setting," said Izzy.

"Friends..." said Zipp, then she looked directly across from her. "Sprout."

"Um, yeah?" said Sprout.

Zipp sighed. "I should have done this a long time ago," she said. "Sprout, I forgive you for what you almost did to Mom." Then her back relaxed as though a great weight had fallen from it.

The sigil beneath Zipp lit blazed a bright red color, and the ground began to tremble.

"Woo-hoo!" shouted Izzy.

"Should we be terrified?" asked Sprout. "Let's pretend I'm asking that for a friend."

"It's the Tree of Harmony, don't worry," said Sunny. "I mean, I think it is."

"The Tree hasn't been around for millennia," said Pipp, but just then an enormous crystal tendril sprouted up from between the six friends, stone spraying outward as everypony tried to protect themselves with their legs. The tip of the tendril held a crystal flower which blossomed, pointing downwards.

Then, what looked like a hologram of Twilight Sparkle appeared beneath the flower. "Greetings, Bearers of the Elements," said the ghostly vision.

Izzy gasped. "Ohmygosh! It's the ghost of Starlight Glimmer!"

"Twilight Sparkle," corrected Hitch.

"Eh, same diff," said Izzy.

"Please tell me I don't ever have to do anything like this again," said Sprout.

"Too late! You're a hero," said Pipp. "This is like our bread and butter now."

"Guys, quiet," said Zipp. "Let Sunny do the talking."

Sunny stepped off of her sigil without thinking, but the image didn't fade. She knelt in front of the other alicorn, and her friends followed suit. "Thank you for coming here, Tw—um, P-princess Twilight Spackle. Sparkle. I, um, I'm a little n-nervous."

"You must be Sunny Starscout," said the image. "However, I am not Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am merely an avatar of the Tree of Harmony."

Sunny stood up. "Oh. Oh, that's... okay," she said, softly.

"Hay, Tree! Can you bring her dad back?" shouted Izzy.

"Shh!" said Sprout, then he paused. "Good question, though."

"I can, however, summon Twilight Sparkle for you," said the Tree.

"You can? Yes! Yes, do that, please!" said Sunny.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle will be with you shortly," said the Tree, and then the image disappeared and the light from the sigils faded.

"Nuts. I hope it didn't break because of Sunset," said Pipp.

"I'm not worried," said Hitch, smiling. "This is Sunny we're talking about."

"It's all of us we're talking about," said Zipp, and she smiled over at Sprout, who hoofed nervously at the mop.

"Weird. I think this shape is like a big shaggy dog with horns or something," he said, changing the subject.

A loud sound of magic accompanied a magenta flash, and right there between them all was Princess Twilight Sparkle herself. She stood taller than Alphabittle and looked more majestic than the Sunset behind her. Her mane and tail seemed like they were made of the sky itself, flowing without a single hair out of place and shimmering in all the dusky hues of the early night sky. Little bright streaks like tiny meteors shot through her magical mantle, and it waved in the air as though she were underwater despite the complete lack of a breeze.

All six friends immediately fell to the floor and groveled.

"My little ponies, please rise," said Twilight Sparkle. "I'm a person, not a deity."

"That's what you say," mumbled Hitch.

"You must be Sunny Starscout, the new Bearer of Magic," said Twilight, smiling down at Sunny. "I'm afraid your name is the only one I remember from Star Swirl's predictions, but I can definitely sense the Elements within your friends."

"P-princess, I, um, the Princess and Twi," she stammered. "Talk. Dad."

"Call me Twilight," she offered. "Just think of me... like a normal pony with a fancy manestyle, if that helps."

"That's going to be hard," said Sunny. "Thank you so much for coming to meet with us."

"Did we really raise you from the dead?" asked Izzy, smiling brightly.

"Hello, Laughter," said Twilight, smiling. "No, I'm afraid this is more of a time travel thing. Much less dramatic, though my time here is limited. This is the furthest I've ever traveled into the future, and the trip is straining even my constitution."

"Time travel? Pretty nerdy," said Sprout, who then covered his mouth. "Oops."

"You must be Honesty," said Twilight, and then she winked at him. "I'm certain you're Applejack's distant descendant, as well. You look almost exactly like her brother."

"Heh. That was an easy call," said Hitch.

She looked over at Hitch. "Kindness, are you aware you have a family of opossums clinging to your leg?"

Hitch looked down. "I wasn't, but I am now. Don't worry, this is normal."

"Loyalty and Generosity, my goodness. Are you related?" asked Twilight.

"Sisters!" said Zipp, spreading her wings.

"And princesses," said Pipp, "though not the special kind like Sunny."

"You're all special," said Twilight. "I can tell you have a lot of adventures and lessons in store for you. It brings back centuries of memories—a little overwhelming, to be honest."

"She always knows just what to say," mumbled Sprout.

"Did you invite me here to introduce yourselves, or is there something I can do for you while I'm here?" asked Twilight.

"Ask her, Sunny!" urged Pipp.

"Prin—I mean, Twilight. I was hoping... I was hoping I could see my father," said Sunny.

"Do you know where he is?" asked Twilight. "It's difficult for me to cast spells this far away from my normal timestream."

"He's... in the ground. I was hoping you could return him to life," said Sunny. "Please, please. I'll give anything. You can take my life in place of his, if you need to."

"Sunny! Don't say that!" said Zipp.

Twilight's face fell. "Oh, my little pony. If only I could grant your wish, I surely would, but not even the Magic of Friendship can return those who have passed on," she said, reaching out to gently pet her successor's mane. "If it helps ease the pain, his consciousness filters on to other lives..."

"I know the theory, he studied you his entire life," said Sunny, wiping her eyes as fresh tears formed. "I knew there was almost no chance, but I had to try. I..."

Twilight sighed. "I'm an alicorn, and so are you. Loss is a part of our existence, but the pain of loss is proportional to the love you feel. You must have loved him very, very much."

"You have no idea. I never got to say goodbye the way I wanted to," she said. "The worst of it is, he seemed to know he was about to die. He tried to wrap everything up in a nice little bow, but I couldn't accept it."

Twilight looked skyward as though in deep thought, then smiled slightly. "Sunny, I may not be able to return him to you, but if you want to speak with him one last time I may be able to help," she offered.

Comments

[Ri2]

GASP! It was Sprout all along! Who could have guessed?

[PresentPerfect]

oh dear, I'm not sure I can handle Izzy breaking the fourth wall :D