Chapter 5
“Alright, let’s talk business,” I said. “I think we can pretty safely call the Nightmare Moon problem ‘resolved,’ at least for now, right?”
“I wouldn’t say there was a ‘problem’ in the first place,” Nightmare Moon replied, “but I suppose, from your point of view, I’d agree.”
“Sure,” Trixie said, “but we did it, like, secretly! We’re not any closer to being heroes. Hardly a win, if you ask me.”
I shrugged. “Maybe we’re not famous now, but I think we’re closer. We have the Elements, we have a new friend, and, maybe most importantly, we have time.”
“I never said I was your friend,” Nightmare Moon said.
“What do you mean by time, Starfall?” Trixie asked. Nightmare Moon scowled at being ignored.
“See, I showed up in Equestria confused and with only hours to come up with a plan of action,” I explained. “Now, I don’t know the exact timeline, but I think we’ve got about a year before the next big threat pops up. So, we’ve got plenty of time to work out a foolproof plan.”
“What exactly is this next ‘threat,’” Nightmare Moon asked. “If Twilight and her lackeys would have supposedly been able to defeat me, I cannot imagine all that many beings could present a problem for them.”
“Next up is Discord.”
Trixie didn’t seem to recognize the name, but Nightmare Moon got a complicated, apprehensive look on her face. “Impossible,” she replied, “Celestia and I put a stop to him personally. He’s trapped. There is no threat there.”
“He’s going to escape,” I said, “and when he does, somepony is going to have to be there to stop him.”
“That’s far too dangerous,” Nightmare Moon said. “If Discord truly is set to escape, we must strengthen his prison before that happens.”
“I would agree, but…”
“No way!” Trixie demanded. “We can’t just sneak around and stop stuff before anypony knows it’s a problem. Ponies have to be able to see us being heroes!”
Nightmare Moon scoffed. “Preposterous. The deed is just as heroic if it’s preventative, and Discord is too powerful to ignore purely so that you can showboat.”
“Nopony even knows who Discord is,” Trixie argued. “You think if Nightmare Moon shows up in front of a bunch of ponies and goes ‘don’t worry, I’ve totally stopped the world from ending, you can love me now!’ they’re all just gonna go with it? They’ll just assume we’re lying, and that’s a one-way ticket to disgrace, and I can’t be disgraced because then I’ll turn evil!”
“Trixie,” I said, trying to sound comforting, “you won’t just ‘turn evil’ like that. And even if you could, we’re your friends now, so we’re here to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
“Why do you keep using that word?” Nightmare Moon grumbled. “I’m not your friend.”
Trixie ignored her again. “You’re the one that said losing to Twilight turned me evil,” she said to me. “I can’t risk that!”
“I never said you were evil,” I replied, “just that you were a minor antagonist. The closest you got to ‘evil’ was just being manipulated by a magic amulet, and that’s hardly your fault.”
“I think we’re losing sight of the real issue here,” Nightmare Moon said, “which is Discord. This isn’t a choice of when to stop him. Either we strengthen his jail, or we lose.”
“Oh, come on, that’s just dramatic,” Trixie said dismissively. “He’s just one guy, what could be so bad about him?”
Nightmare Moon frowned seriously. “It took two Alicorns using the full might of the Elements of Harmony to stop him the first time. What hope do two nobodies and half an Alicorn have with only half of the Elements?”
“Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk about,” I said. “I’m not entirely sure you two did have the ‘full might’ of the Elements the first time around.”
“Explain,” Nightmare Moon demanded.
“Well, see, they’re the Elements of Harmony, right?” I explained. “With six of them, they’re obviously meant to have six wielders. I think the Elements gain power from the bonds between the ponies wielding them. As close as you and Celestia were, I don’t think that one bond could rival the power they’d get from six friends.”
“There’s only three of us, though,” Trixie said.
“And I’m not your friend,” Nightmare Moon added.
“That’s where the time comes in,” I said. “We have a year to find wielders for the other three Elements. And, Nightmare Moon, you’re just gonna have to be our friend. Or, you know, let somepony else use the Element, but I don’t imagine—”
“Of course not,” Nightmare Moon said. She thought for a bit, then groaned. “Ugh. I suppose your theory holds some merit. I shan’t just give away my companionship, though. Find more ponies, and prove to me that the number of wielders has this drastic increase in power you imagine, and then I will consider your… Friendship.”
I grinned. “Awesome! Trixie? Any th—”
“However!” Nightmare Moon cut me off. “You two must agree that, if the time comes and I still believe us too weak, we will stop Discord before his emergence. Understood?”
“Works for me.”
Trixie sighed. “Yeah, fine, I can’t really argue with that. Who are these mysterious three ponies we’re gonna recruit, though? I assume you have some idea? And, before you ask, Twilight and her friends are off the table!”
“I agree,” Nightmare Moon said. “I’ll not bow my head to my supposed conqueror.”
“I assumed as much,” I said. “They’ll probably be too busy, anyway. Assuming Twilight still wound up in Ponyville, which, knowing Celestia, she probably did. Their lives are pretty packed with excitement.” I chuckled. “As for who, that’s tough. We need Starlight, I know that much. Even without an Element, she’d be a big help.”
“Who?” Trixie asked.
“She’s a unicorn Twilight fights and then befriends,” I explain. “She’s super strong.”
“No friends of Twilight!” Trixie demanded.
I shook my head. “Trixie, I know you’re reluctant, but she’s your friend, too. And, you two are in the same boat! Twilight only meets her because she’s doing evil stuff. You can help each other be good!”
“Is she truly as strong as you say?” Nightmare Moon asked.
I nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, yeah. Stronger than Twilight, I’d say. Heck, I’d probably bet on her over Star Swirl.”
Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow. “Unlikely, but I’m intrigued.”
Trixie was wide-eyed, too. “Yeah, uhh… I guess, if you say we’re supposed to be friends anyway, she can join us.”
I grinned wide. “You won’t regret it,” I assured her. “Past that, our best bet is probably to figure out which Elements we have, and try to think of ponies who would fit the ones we’re missing.”
“Oh, yeah, you said there’s specific ones. I kinda forgot about that,” Trixie said. “Well, I obviously have the Element of Magic.”
“Not in your wildest dreams,” Nightmare Moon said. “I’m leagues ahead of you in magical ability.”
Trixie huffed and lit up her horn. “Oh, yeah? Wanna test that out?”
“Gladly,” Nightmare Moon, preparing to get up from her throne with a wicked grin.
“Woah, woah, chill out!” I shouted out to stop them. They at least turned their attention to me, which I took as a success. “Look, we have to remember that their identities are kind of nebulous. Like, the main element was Sorcery when Star Swirl had it, but with Twilight it was Friendship. Since we’re different ponies, it probably took on some other form.”
“How do we know, then?” Trixie asked.
I shrugged. “We just have to kind of feel it out, I think. Feel the truth in our souls, or something.”
“Well, it was my magic that woke them up,” Trixie said, “so clearly mine is the main one!”
“I don’t know if the idea of it being the ‘main Element’ is even accurate,” I said, “but it does seem likely to me that you have the same one Twilight would have wielded, seeing as it was that spell you cast that stuck them on us in the first place.”
“Hah! Knew it.” Trixie stuck her tongue out at Nightmare Moon. “The Element of Magic belongs with Trixie!”
“Oh, get over yourself,” Nightmare Moon scoffed. “Starfall’s logic is sound. Every Element plays an equal part. For my part, I’ve likely inherited the Element of Strength.”
“Ehhh,” I replied hesitantly, “I don’t know. You’re strong, sure, but I think it’s more like ‘strength of character.’ After all, with Applejack, it was Honesty.”
“And?” Nightmare Moon looked affronted. “What, exactly, are you trying to say?”
“I just don’t think ‘honesty’ fits you all that well,” I said sheepishly.
“How dare you! Now, you listen here, my moral integrity is unassailable! I’ll have you know—”
“I dunno, I think Starfall’s right,” Trixie said. “I don’t think anypony with a heel turn can have the ‘strength of character’ Element, so we’re both out of the running.”
Nightmare Moon was fuming, but she held her tongue, unable to form a strong enough counterargument to refute her.
“Now, Starfall, on the other hand,” Trixie went on, “is totally and completely incapable of lying. She’s definitely Honesty.”
“Being bad at lying doesn’t make me honest,” I argued. “Although, I must admit, that Element does feel right. It’s just not Honesty for me. It’s more like… Confidence.”
“I’m way more confident than you are,” Trixie said.
Nightmare Moon scoffed. “In yourself, perhaps. These are the Elements of Harmony. She is clearly talking about having confidence in others. I believe it makes sense,” she agreed. “After all, it is a veritable superpower to be so confident in your goodness, Trixie.”
“Wow,” Trixie said, taken aback. “Rude.”
Nightmare Moon cackled. “Oh, I jest, I jest. You’ve done admirably, Trixie.” She took a moment to stifle her laughter, then turned back to me. “Well, moving on, if Strength and Sorcery are both spoken for, I believe I hold the Element of Healing.”
Trixie howled with laughter, which earned her a glare from Nightmare Moon. I raised an eyebrow and looked at her quizzically. “You’re gonna have to explain your logic there,” I told her.
Nightmare Moon huffed. “Well, as you said, it would not be Healing with me. I believe I hold the element of… Growth.”
Trixie snorted. “Yeah, well, I guess you do have plenty of growing to do.”
“Oh, be quiet,” Nightmare Moon said. A slight growl underpinned her voice. “This has nothing to do with my stature!”
“Sure, sure,” Trixie said, holding back a giggle. “I’m just saying, maybe the Element was trying to say something by shrinking you. Actually, we never really checked, but I think you might be even smaller than I am! C’mon, get up, let’s find out.”
Nightmare Moon glared at her. “Enough! If you’re just going to devolve to this tomfoolery, make yourself useful and go fetch that unicorn!”
“Are you not planning on joining us?” I asked.
“Don’t pressure her, Starfall,” Trixie said. “This is a job for big girls, after all.”
A bolt of magic flew over Trixie’s head. “You must truly wish for me to melt you where you stand!” Nightmare Moon said. “I have an empire to build! I have no time for trite errands.”
“Uh-huh, whatever you say, Moony,” Trixie replied, still laughing. “Don’t forget to eat your vegetables while we’re away, we want you to grow up big and strong, after all!”
“Enough!” Nightmare Moon shouted, and with a bright flash of magic, Trixie and I were suddenly outside. Not just outside the castle, but outside the forest entirely, back where we’d left the wagon.
It took Trixie a few minutes to finally stifle her laughter. She sighed and wiped her eyes, then nodded to me. “Well, Starfall, looks like we’re on a new quest! Where to?”
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I am very interested to see which Elements the three have and who the other three might be.
Amazing story. Keep it up
Is the "Element of Anger" a thing? Because Moon Cheeks is nailing it.
A plan is made! Protag and company have a kingdom to overthrow, fame and glory to obtain, villains to recruit, friendships to be made and a world to save! I can't wait!
Chrysalis element of love. I place of kindness.
Sombra element of vengeance. In place of loyalty.
Or element of crystals. In place of GEM-erosity.
Discord element of DMing. In place of laughter.
Also it turns out he is reformed and came back In time to set this all up.
11180956
i don't think there will be offensive elements like vengeance. elements are final defense line after all.
11180984
I was trying to think of something off the top of my head based on comic. The other one I was thinking of was freedom.
Okay, yep, you get an upvote from me.
Very nice, I love where this is going, more please!
11180956
I doubt any of the Big Bads TM will be a part of the group, since they're the enemies, and if they were, we would go on for a hundred chapters without all of the Elements' new weilders. Nightmare Moon and Starlight work since they are reformed in canon and they can appear as early as the plot allows.
I love Starlight. Glad to see her being included as a potential element.
11180995
starlight glimmer->element of communism
from generosity/beauty(equally shared)
screwball->element of insanity
from laughter/hope
pharynx->element of stubbornness
from loyalty/bravery
discord->element of magic
Here is hoping Discord is an Element, as well as some other antagonists. Tirek, Chrysalis, Sombra, Cozy...Might as well make a reformed villain team out of it now.
This is some top-tier banter, I love it!
Also as a tie-in to the idea that the elements are nebulous, Rarity was going originally going to be the Element of Inspiration (and have green hair, hence the famous joke), which is why the pony wielding the element of Generosity in the show is a wealthy business owner who is constantly struggling to do the right thing when her reputation or business is at stake, and is weirdly okay with taking advantage of other ponies attraction to her.
I'd personally love to see Moondancer as one of the new elements because of how similar she was to Twilight, and how her potential was stifled because of the bitterness of being left behind by Twilight.
Wonder if Main 6 ever finds out whats going on
11242855
I know right?! It feels like they're lifelong friends, and I love it!