The Element of Love

by Servant Phoenix

The "Party"

Thanks her practice of flying in gales, Rainbow Dash managed to stay in the air when she and Twilight appeared in the library. She put Twilight on the wooden floor.

Fluttershy sighed in relief. “It’s so good to see you unharmed, Twilight.”

“What were you even thinking, Twilight?" Rarity said. "Teleporting is already dangerous on its own."

Twilight blushed and scratched her neck.

“Okay Twilight. Now it’s time for ya to give us a huge explanation. Why did Ah have to leave my family lunch?” asked Applejack, scowling.

Twilight trotted back to the fallen red book and lifted it up with telekinesis.

“Oh... oh!” Pinkie Pie bounced. “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. I love that book! Actually, I've never read it. But I still love it. I don't know why, but it’s great!”

“It must be because you was the one who found it when we stopped Nightmare Moon,” Rarity helped.

“Exactly! Now I remember why I love that book. Thanks, Rarity!”

“So Twilight, what did you find? You've read that book before,” Rainbow Dash said with her front hooves crossed, floating in mid-air.

“Actually, the reason I brought you all here is because I haven't read the whole book.” Twilight flipped a few pages. “I missed a chapter. It's called 'The Purity of the Bearers'."

Rainbow Dash hummed and got ready for another boring lesson.

“The book says: only the true spirits of Harmony are allowed to use the Elements of Harmony without punishment. If the bearers are proven to be unworthy, then they must face the consequences. The souls of the false bearers become the property of the Element of Darkness, and they can only be saved by the Element of Love.”

Fluttershy and Rarity were blinking, Applejack frowned, and Pinkie was just grinning as always. Rainbow Dash watched her friends' reactions, then spread her hooves, “So then what? I was always loyal to my friends.”

“Are you sure, Rainbow Dash?“ Twilight asked.

“Yeah, who could be the Spirit of Loyalty other than me?” replied Dash, puffing her chest with a hoof.

“Uhm, Dash... Never mind,” Fluttershy spoke.

“What did you say Fluttershy?” asked Twilight, turning towards her.

“I just wanted to mention that it was last year when we've defeated Nightmare Moon. If we weren't the true spirits, we'd have been already punished.“

“And that was so important to make me leave mah lunch?” Applejack complained.

“And my afternoon walk!”

“And feeding my critters.”

“Stop, everypony!” Twilight cried out, then lowered her voice, “The book says nothing about the time of the punishment. It still can be in the future. And I’m not sure that we are pure bearers.”

“Oh really? Prove it!” Rainbow Dash put her hooves on her hips.

“Well,” started Twilight, “as far as I remember, the maze in Canterlot collapsed because you abandoned us, when we were searching for the Elements—“

“That doesn't count!” interrupted Dash. “I was controlled by Discord’s magic.”

“Uhm, Dash. “ Everypony turned to Fluttershy, who was hanging her head. “Sorry to mention this, as it was a long time ago, but when you got your cutie mark, you pushed me off the clouds at the start of the race and didn’t even come to check me if I was alright.“

“Ehm...” Rainbow Dash looked away in shame.

“But it’s okay,“ continued Fluttershy with a smile, her eyes closed. “It made me get my cutie mark too. Still,“—she opened her eyes, filled with worry—“I don’t know if it doesn’t count against your... purity.“

“Then let’s say it does,” said Rainbow. “Who's this Element of Love anyways? And the other, the Element of... whatever”

“Darkness,” helped Rarity.

“Yeah, whatever. So who are they?”

Twilight looked back to the guide, and turned a page.

“There is a part here saying, ‘What these two other Elements are is not known, but there are multiple theories in the subject. The most supported theory is that they are some kind of a magical force, but a small group of researchers claims that they were both unicorns who lived before the Era of the Alicorn Sisters. There are some witnesses claiming that they have met with the Element of Love; however, no generally accepted scientific evidence was provided of their encounter so far.‘“

After a few seconds, Rarity broke the silence with a question, “Darling, are you sure this book is reliable?”

They all stared at her. “Why do you think it's not reliable?” asked Twilight.

“The book said that when the Elements are together, they can be used to release their magical force, but they were together when we tried to face Discord, but with Spike wielding the Element of Loyalty, we still failed.“

“What? You used the Elements without me, with... Spike?“ Dash cried, her look turning into a scowl.

“Yes, but...”

“Where is he? Spike! Spike! Come here! I'm gonna punch your face so hard!” Dash shouted, flying around in the library, looking for Spike.

“Calm down, Dash!” Twilight said. “He didn't want to do it. I forced him, because you were under Discord’s spell!” Then added with a lower voice, “And by the way, he’s got a day off.”

Dash stopped her futile search. “Lucky him.”

“Spike said something like that“—said Pinkie Pie with a chuckle, pointing at Dash—“when he tried to refuse Twilight.”

“Ahh, whatever,” said Dash, now calmed down. “I think he doesn't deserve that beating after all.”

“Hot-headed as always, aren’t ya Rainbow?” said Applejack with a smirk.

“But still,“ tried Rarity again, “what do you think about what I said?“

Twilight frowned. “Hm... I think this book didn’t say anything about the usage of the Elements. I read that in a history book of Equestria.“

Applejack raised a hoof. “Didn’t Princess Celestia say that they used the Elements on Discord with Princess Luna?”

Pinkie added, “Princess Luna and Princess Celestia as the bearers of the six Elements. That means three for each of them.“

Fluttershy nodded. “Even if I believe that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are very kind, and generous, I don’t think they managed to stay pure for thousands of years. For example, if Luna was the bearer of Loyalty, or Kindness, or any other, then she definitely lost her purity a thousand years ago. "I'm sorry to say, Twilight, but think your books can be... wrong.“

Twilight glanced at them. Their questions are right; I still have a lot more work to do.

Rainbow Dash sighed and rolled her eyes. “So is there anything else, or can we leave now?”

“Uhm...” mumbled Twilight, her face reddening from shame.

“Okay everypony, I’m outta here!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and a blink later the others could only see a rainbow trail going out of the window.

"Bye, Dashie!" Pinkie shouted after her with a wave.

“Rainbow is right. We can do nothin’ more here,” Applejack agreed, trotting out.

"Bye, Applejack!"

“I’m sorry to say darling, but I think you have overreacted the situation. I do not blame you though. If you think, you can hop in for tea later in the afternoon,“ Rarity offered.

“Thanks Rarity, but I think I will look into the topic more deeply."

“As it feels good for you," Rarity said with a smile. "However, I have to leave you now. My afternoon shift has almost started, and I do not want any of my customers to wait. See you later, darling!“ Rarity left the library, waving back to Pinkie as Pinkie said her goodbyes.

“It’s okay, Twilight,” Fluttershy tried, “We all make mistakes. I believe that you will find everything you need, and if you still think that it’s an emergency, then...” She looked down with one of her front hooves caressing the other. “You can teleport me here again."

“Fluttershy, I really thought this was an emergency, and I still think it is.“

“I believe in you, Twilight. You always know how to solve the problems.” She smiled.

“Thank you, Fluttershy.” Twilight smiled back.

Fluttershy jerked her head up and raised her ears. “I have to go; my critters must be really hungry now.”

“See you later then,“ Twilight said.

“See you later, Twilight and good luck.” Fluttershy opened her wings.

"Bye, Fluttershy!"

"Good bye, Pinkie." Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie Pie, then flew through the window.

Twilight’s stomach growled. “Oh, this talk about eating made me hungry too.”

“You still have your cupcake,” Pinkie said, holding a purple cupcake on her front hoof, offering it to Twilight.

“Thanks, Pinkie.” Twilight accepted the cake.

Pinkie put her hoof back on the ground and stood, grinning.

Twilight asked, “Why are you staying, Pinkie Pie? Don't you want to go back to the shop?”

“Oh, I wanted to ask you if you could teleport me back? It was so fun!”

“Oh.“ Twilight shrugged. “Well, why not?“

Her horn shimmered as she pictured Sugarcube Corner in her mind with Pinkie Pie standing next to her. When she released the magic in her horn, they both vanished.

---

The shop was empty. A white-maned yellow mare was walking out of the shop, mumbling to herself, “Why can't I have my dessert without any complications?”

Her eyes widened when she heard the sound of a teleport. She turned.

“See you later, Pinkie,” said Twilight, and immediately teleported away.

“Bye!” Pinkie said, and then looked around.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie! I waited so long... I would like to order—”

“Sorry, but the shop is closed. It’s lunch break time,“ Pinkie said. She pushed her out of the shop.

“Sorrrrrrryyyy” Pinkie said, smiling, and shut the door on her face.

She hung her head down. "Why did I even ho—"

Suddenly, the door opened again. Pinkie stood on the doorway, now holding a yellow cupcake. She pulled her hoof up and put the cupcake on it with a smile, then shut the door.

She stared at the cake. "Just another day in Ponyville," she said with a shrug, then closed her eyes and devoured the cake in one bite. She walked away smiling, chewing the cake in her mouth.

Comments

[Chaotic Note]

1577259 Well okay. Guess I'll give it a read.

[UnweptSchlipps]

Huh...now this seems familiar...(That's because it sounds like MY story)

Just playing, author. I gave this a read. Although I'm a bit iffy on the the whole shadow concept, this is definitely different from my story.

Just...watch out, okay? Don't be stealing nothing...

[Servant Phoenix]

1581166

My story was 90% complete before I even learnt about yours . I read a few chapters of yours, and the concept, the characters will be completely different, so do not worry. By the way, I liked your story, the bagel chapter cheered me up .