Tyro got his Element, but now an ancient evil is loose in Equestria, and must be stopped.
This is the immediate sequel to Tyro's Tail, beginning a few weeks after the previous story ends. It continues the series begun with Coming to Grips.
An ex-human known as Tyro has found his place in Equestria alongside the Elements of Harmony. He has already helped them (and by extension, Equestria) escape from a terrible fate, but the ponies' work is far from over. A new and terrible threat has emerged in Equestria, and it is once again up to a few unlikely heroes to stop it.
In Ponyville, it was a night for celebration. The Elements of Harmony had been restored, a new power had been found in the form of Tyro's Element of Balance, and disaster had been averted once again. The heroes of the story, however, were less than excited. The experience they had all been through had tested them all, and the trek back to Ponyville hadn't helped much either. Twilight just wanted to go to bed, and get the first good night's sleep she'd had in days. Most of her friends seemed to share that sentiment. Even Pinkie Pie was too tired to really enjoy the party, Twilight could tell. However, she knew that each of her friends were satisfied by the recent success, and she went to sleep with happy thoughts.
A week or two passed, with little particular excitement, but it couldn't last. A day soon came when the peace that had settles over Ponyville was abruptly and completely shattered.
Chapter 1: No Rest for the Weary
Twilight's eyes snapped open as she abruptly woke up. Tyro was standing over her, something she didn't mind one bit. The expression he bore, however, she did. It didn't tell her he wanted to cuddle up next to her, or anything remotely romantic like that. No, this was a look of concern, and maybe even a little fear.
"Twilight," he began. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I just received a letter and a sealed scroll from Princess Celestia, with instructions to read the scroll in front of the collected Elements of Harmony, and not before. I think we should hurry."
Twilight caught his hoof as he turned, stopping him. "About the letter—not the one to you, but the scroll. What color is that seal?"
Tyro had known before he even woke her up that she would ask that very question. Silently, he held the scroll up for her examination. The seal it bore was of not of the usual red wax, but black.
Without a word, Twilight jumped up and dashed out the door, Tyro following her close behind. Her very close behind. Unfortunately, there was work to do. Black seals carried black news, and required rapid action.
It was only when all six of the orginal elements stood before him in the library that Tyro broke the seal. Without a moment wasted, he began to read.
To the Elements of Harmony,
Something terrible has happened, and I will never forgive you.
Hearing his words, Twilight looked both shocked and horrified at once. "But... we didn't release anything..."
"Wait, everypony, there's more here that just now appeared on the scroll." Tyro once again commanded the group's attention as he began to read this added message.
When Tyro retrieved the Element of Balance, he broke a seal on that chamber, one that had existed for thousands of years. According to legend, the previous bearer of that element had engaged a terrible force in battle, buying time for his friends bearing the Elements of Harmony to create a magical cage around them both. And so the two were sealed away together, and disaster was averted, though at terrible cost. However, when Tyro entered the chamber and claimed the Element, the cage was severely damaged. The force it held, once called Primus, was able to fully break through the cage early this morning.
You must find a way to deal with Primus' reappearance before he begins to wreak havok among our people. Do not fail, or Equestria as we know it may perish.
Princess Celestia Princess Luna
There was an awkward silence while everypony stared at Tyro. It lasted only a moment, but it felt like a lifetime. He could feel their eyes boring into his soul, judging him for what he had unwittingly done. He was to blame for this, those eyes told him. Unconsciously, he took a step backward, away from those disapproving eyes. The eyes followed him, still staring, as he took another step back.
Tyro couldn't take it any longer. He turned heel and fled the obvious disappointment of the ponies before him. He wasn't sure he could call them his friends anymore, not now that he had failed them and his Element so completely. Tyro closed and locked the door into his room, then broke down and wept.
Tyro just stepped backwards, then suddenly dropped the scroll and ran away from his friends. Nopony had an explanation for his abrupt flight, until Pinkie Pie finally stepped forward. "I know why he ran," she told them. "He thinks this is all his fault. His action was what let Primus get free, and so he blames himself for all that has happened now. He forgot that he had no choice, and that he risked his own life by activating that spell in hopes of making the Elements pure again."
Rainbow Dash stepped in. "No, Pinkie Pie, it's worse than that. What is his Element?"
Applejack quickly responded, "It's Balance, you know that."
"Exactly, Applejack," Rainbow Dash continued. "And what would letting this thing free do to the balance of Equestria?" She paused for a moment to let the implication sink in. "Not only does Tyro feel he betrayed us, he feels that he betrayed his Element as well, and Equestria as a whole, for that matter."
Fluttershy, normally quiet, made herself heard. "He probably thinks we must hate him now. Us, and the princesses, too. Everyone he looked up to. He must feel so alone." A tear rolled down her cheek, at the thought of her friend's sorrow.
The room went quiet. Twilight quietly excused herself, ascending the stair to stop before the door to Tyro's bedroom, where he always went when he was in pain. Reaching out with her magic, she tried to open the door. When the door still refused to open, she remembered the latch on the inside, and was quickly inside the room. Such things were of little use against a unicorn.
A red and black heap lying on the floor began to rise as she entered, closing the door behind her. "I know why you're here," Tyro choked. He knelt before her, his head down. "I accept the consequences of my mistake."
Twilight stood before her friend, confused at his behavior. Why did he say that?
"Do it now, Twilight. Please. I can't bear this any longer."
Twilight's face went white as she realized what her friend was asking her to do.
"No, Tyro. I will not do what you ask. Not only that, but without a doubt, you are being the most self-centered foal I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. This misguided attempt to punish yourself for what has happened is just ridiculous."
"But I set free an ancient evil that could destroy Equestria as we know it," the stallion protested.
"Yes, but you didn't know that would happen, and you still not only saved the Elements of Harmony but added your power to our own in the process."
"Princess Celestia told us not to, though! She warned us, and I ignored her!"
"Yes, and I'm sure she didn't like that all too much. However, you also saved the Elements of Harmony from corruption, which is much more important than that."
"But she said..."
Twilight had lost her patience with the pony, and her raised voice was now clearly audiable to the others standing awkwardly outside. "To the moon with what she said! Now are you going to sit here and feel sorry for yourself like a little colt, or are you going to get up, finish what we started, and show us you deserve the Element you have been given?!"
Outside, several ponies flinched. "Remind me never to get on Twilight's bad side," whispered Rarity to Applejack.
"If you don't, I will personally recommend to Princess Celestia herself that you spend some time on the moon yourself. Maybe you'll learn something about doing your duty while you're up there!"
Even the imperturbable Applejack winced at that jab. There was a resounding crash as Twilight flew through the closed door and across the room before hitting a bookshelf and sliding to the ground, books toppling on top of her. All five of the other original Elements jumped, except Fluttershy who hid under a table. As the dust cleared from the remnants of Tyro's door, he walked through it, his horn lit with red magical energy.
Rainbow Dash munched on some popcorn as Twilight crawled out from the heap of books on top of her. "Now that's more like it!" The glow vanished. "Now that's the Tyro I came to lo—value so much!" Applejack groaned quietly at the obvious substitution. Tyro, his rage extingushed, blushed vividly.
Applejack coughed. "Are we all done with all this nonsense now?"
Spike coughed, and a letter appeared. "It's from Princess Celestia! Let's see... she want to know if we're done yelling yet. She had a pool going as to how long this would all take to sort out. Apparently the dragon ambassador won... 800 bits!? That's not bad..." Spike stopped talking, seeing everypony staring at him. "Hey, that's just what it says here!"
Tyro turned towards Spike. His horn lit for a moment, and the paper burst into flames. "I have no further comment on that matter," he said. "Now, we need to fix this, right? Let's get to work, then. Twilight, do your stuff."
Twilight looked at Tyro, smiling slightly, then began. "I know none of the books here mention this Primus, so I'll be going to the Canterlot archives to look there. Tyro, can you work on locating this... creature?" As an afterthought, she added quietly, "we really should at least find out what it is so we know that to call it. This is annoying."
Tyro laughed. "That's easy. The disturbance in the balance Primus creates makes finding the location the work of a moment. Primus is currently located in the Everfree Forest, not far from where he was caged for so long."
Twilight thought for a moment, then addressed him again. "Perfect. That leaves you free to help me with the archives.
"Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, you'll need to find out what is happening now in the Forest. Rainbow Dash, you'll need to find Primus and try to see if you can tell what it's up to, or at least what it looks like. Keep a safe distance!" She caught the blue pegasus' disappointed look. "No hero business! Remember what happened with the dragon?" Rainbow Dash nodded quickly, and she went on.
"Fluttershy, I need you to talk to the creatures in the border areas of the forest. Find out anything you can."
She turned again. "Rarity, check on the Elements of Harmony. Make sure they're in top condition, with no loose stones or anything. They've been through a lot lately, and we can't risk having them fail on us."
"Pinkie Pie. The pegasi will be able to work faster if they don't need to stop for food. See if you can whip something up that they can carry with them."
"Applejack, I need you to pack some bags for everypony for when we go to face Primus. We'll need to be prepared for anything."
"Spike." Spike jumped. "You didn't think I didn't have a task for you, too, did you?" She chuckled briefly. "Send Princess Celestia a letter so she knows we're on the job. Ask her to send a chariot so that Tyro and I can get to Canterlot to go through the archives."
"Now, does everypony know what they need to do?" A chorus of cheers answered her. "Then let's get to work, everypony!"
After the room cleared, only Tyro and Twilight remained in the library. Twilight spoke quickly. "Now, the carriage from Canterlot should probably get here in about an hour. I have a checklist here of things we should do while we wait."
She began walking up the stairs behind him to the upper rooms in the library, as Tyro uncertainly remained where he was. "Everything we'll need will already be available in the archives, so we won't need to pack. That leaves... just one thing on the list left to do." Tyro never even saw her coming.
Pinkie Pie had pulled through amazingly. Within hours of returning to the bakery, she produced a number of small, light, and durable rolls for the pegasi to carry with them. They didn't taste very good, but Pinkie assured Rainbow Dash that they would provide far more energy than regular bread would. The pegasus looked doubtful, but took her at her word. Fluttershy accepted her own supply with a quiet word of thanks, and the two pegasi began their journey.
Fluttershy could tell her friend was nervous about what lay ahead. Entering the forest was one thing, but looking for trouble there was something else entirely. Fluttershy knew the outskirts of the Everfree Forest well, but even as the two walked between the sparse trees near her cottage she felt unsettled.
The forest grew silent as the pegasi followed the old road to the Palace of the Sisters. That was the first thing she noticed. As Rainbow Dash chattered, Fluttershy shushed her gently. "Do you hear that?"
Rainbow Dash listened for a moment before replying, "do I hear what?"
"That's the problem, Rainbow Dash. At this time of day, the forest should be buzzing with activity, but I can't see or hear any animals at all. If they're here, they're hiding."
Rainbow Dash was nonplussed. "So?"
"If they're hiding, that means they have something to be afraid of, Dash. We'll be lucky if I can find any animals to talk to, at this rate."
"Let's keep moving, then, Fluttershy. Staying here will only make us a target."
Quickly, the pegasi resumed their travel. It was a short while before they reached a familiar clearing. Rainbow Dash looked around uncertainly.
"Isn't this that clearing where we met the manticore that you helped before?" No sooner had Rainbow Dash spoken than an orange paw reached out of a large bush and pulled Fluttershy inside.
"Rainbow Dash, I found the manticore... there's a small cave that I think he lives in over here. I think you might want to come inside and see." Fluttershy looked up at the dangerous creature, stroking one of its paws as the other pegasus cautiously pushed through the undergrowth.
"Fluttershy, get away from that thing!" Rainbow Dash was horrified.
"Don't be silly, Rainbow Dash. Manticores have long memories, and are pretty smart. This fellow remembers me from when I helped him before." She stopped a moment to think, as Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "I think he's trying to protect me. He pulled me over here to get me out of the open, so I could share his hiding spot." She stroked the manticore with a hoof as she spoke. "He's shaking like a leaf, Dash. Primus must be pretty nasty to scare a manticore."
Rainbow Dash's stomach rumbled. "You know, now might be a good time to get something to eat. If this is a safe. Place, we should take advantage of this opportunity. We may not get another."
Each of the pegasi dug one of Pinkie Pie's travel rolls out of their packs, but Fluttershy surprised her companion by offering hers to the manticore.
"Fluttershy, are you crazy?" The blue pegasus opened and closed her mouth a couple times. "Why would you give him your food?"
Fluttershy smiled. "He offered us a safe place to rest. We should at least repay that hospitality."
The manticore ate Fluttershy's gift in a single bite, then looked at her entreatingly. "All right, you can have two," the pegasus conceded, and dug out another one for her grateful friend. Rainbow Dash looked at her like she was crazy.
"Dash, a little kindness goes a long way. Next time I see this fellow, he'll be a lot more interested in helping me." She looked at the manticore, who returned her smile.
Rainbow Dash had been given something to think about. He embodied loyalty, but it had to be earned first. That was what Fluttershy was really doing. By offering a gift of food to the no-doubt hungry manticore, she had earned its loyalty. Now she could count on him to help her in the future. He was a friend.
"I think I understand now, Fluttershy. Your kindness earned you his friendship, both before and again today."
Fluttershy smiled. "Maybe you should mention that in your next letter to the princess, Rainbow Dash. It looks like you learned something today about friendship."
The pegasi had already finished their meals, so they politely bid their new friend goodbye and continued on their way. To Rainbow Dash, the forest seemed a little gentler now. The silence was still oppressive, but it was a little easier now to bear. With warmth in their hearts and food in their stomachs, the pegasi were cheerful, even in these unwelcoming suroundings.
It seemed like no time at all before the pair reached the Palace of the Sisters. They could see the resting place that had held the Elements, as it lay empty. The ruins of the palace surrounded them.
Rainbow Dash seemed unnerved. Fluttershy knew this, and worried for what they might find. As the pair—for neither pony strayed far from the other—searched the ruins for hints of the released power, they found nothing, and then nothing again. The palace was empty. Nothing was there.
It was only when Fluttershy peeked over the cliff that either found anything out of the ordinary. It lay far below, in the wild forests beyond the ruined palace. Just what it was, neither could be certain, but something was down there.
Rainbow Dash, seeing her companion looking over the cliff, walked over to join her. "What is it, Fluttershy?"
The yellow pony's response was uncertain. "There's something down there. I'm not sure what, but there's something."
Rainbow Dash thought quickly. If Fluttershy became frightened, she wouldn't be able to fly. "Fluttershy, you stay here. I'll go down and check this out."
With that, the blue pegasus flew down from the cliff, approaching a rock formation that didn't look quite right. Then it moved, and Dash was able to see it for what it really was: a giant... something made out of dirt, rock, and plantlife. It looked unnatural as it rose to its feet, standing like Spike did. The thing was huge, and looked dangerous.
Remembering Twilight's caution, Rainbow Dash kept her distance, but it was to no use: the thing had detected her presence. It turned toward her, and boomed, "What mortal dares seek out Primus, primordial power of nature unbidden?"
That voice was as loud as Luna's Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice, and Dash stumbled in the air, startled by the volume.
The voice went on, however. "For what purpose have you come here, into my domain? Perhaps you intend to seal me away again? Not this time!" The primordial seized a tree, sending it hurtling at the pegasus, missing by inches as Dash dodged out of the way.
This was too much. She never would have admitted it, but Rainbow Dash was truly scared of this monstrous creature. Quickly, she flew back to the top of the cliff, to where Fluttershy waited.
"Okay, I've seen what we came here for. Let's get back to Ponyville. Let's go!"
Fluttershy quickly agreed, and the two rose above the trees, speeding back to Ponyville—and more importantly to Dash, away from Primus.
It was only when the pegasi reached Ponyville that the extent of the precautions became clear. Princess Luna was there, supervising preparations, probably because Twilight was in Canterlot looking at dusty old books. The two flew down to speak to her.
Rainbow Dash was direct, as always. "What's all this fuss about?"
The princess closed her eyes for a brief moment before answering. "Ponyville lies right next to the Everfree Forest, which is where the danger lies." The pegasus could hardly disagree with that claim. "With that in mind, the entire forest and the surrounding areas are under quarantine—no one goes in, and absolutely no one comes out. We were only awaiting your safe return to make the announcement."
Sadly, the princess of the night turned to Fluttershy. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but the quarantined area includes your cottage. Rainbow Dash has offered a place to stay in her cloud home nearby, if that is alright with you. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, but we just can't take the risk..."
Fluttershy looked unhappy, but she readily agreed that it wouldn't be safe to stay so close to the forest. Flying back to her cottage, she stopped to pick up Angel and a bag of carrots, then flew up to Rainbow Dash's cloud residence to finally get some rest. It had been a long day.
Morning came far too quickly for Twilight and Tyro. They had spent long hours the day before poring over ancient copies of even older texts, stored deep within the famous archives in Canterlot. Even there, with the help of almost a dozen archivists, the two had found little information of use.
There was only brief mention of the lost Element of Balance, similar to but distinct from the Elements of Harmony. Tyro was able to learn more about how his new magic worked, and the many limitations it had.
Twilight had focused on passages referencing Primus, with much less success. She found only a few cryptic references to primordial spirits, and not much else. Even the princesses admitted to little knowledge of the name, and most of that long forgotten. Twilight wondered just how long that chamber had been sealed away, then decided she didn't want to know.
As Twilight woke, she stretched, then quickly went to the kitchen. Some tea would be just the thing to help her wake up. Unfortunately, there was none left.
As she groaned, Tyro walked in, blinking owlishly. Owlowicious blinked back at him in a similar manner, and Twilight laughed, smiling. Perhaps she could do without the tea after all.
Tyro was all business, it seemed. "We should get everypony together and share what we've learned. I'm anxious to find out what Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy found in the Everfree Forest, and I'm sure our friends here will want to know what we found out from the archives."
Twilight nodded with a yawn. "That sounds like a great idea, Tyro. How about you get everyone together while I go back to bed..."
Tyro laughed at her suggestion. "Sorry, Twilight, but if I have to be awake, so do you. I'll get Pinkie Pie and Rarity if you get Applejack. We'll have to send one of the princesses' pegasus guards for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. I heard they're both at Dash's fancy cloud house or whatever it's called."
Twilight agreed with his plan, leaving to find Applejack. Tyro followed her outside, but split away to head into the middle of Ponyville. Rarity and Pinkie Pie wouldn't be too hard to find.
It was less than an hour later that everypony had once again assembled in the library. Tyro and Twilight looked uncomfortable, and the pegasi looked a little shaken. It was time to solve the mystery.
Twilight felt uncertain, but someone had to speak. "Our research yesterday turned up some information, but what we found was of little use in finding out about this Primus. Essentially, we don't have anything." Tyro nodded sadly in agreement.
Rainbow Dash stepped up, with a glance at Fluttershy, and began to tell everything she could think of about what she had seen. A giant made of plants, dirt, and stone; that was what she spoke of. A monster that could have easily destroyed her but never attacked, and a frightened manticore. A creature that named itself a force "of nature unbidden," yet seemed unnatural itself.
It was Twilight who broke the silence once again, as her friends listened closely. "I know," she declared, "what Primus is. After hearing Rainbow Dash's description, everything I found in the archives suddenly makes sense."
Tyro nodded in agreement. "Your information was what we were missing before. Now it all fits together."
Twilight began to explain her conclusions. "Primus is one of a small number of ancient beings, called primordials. As Rainbow Dash was told, Primus symbolizes unbidden nature. That probably doesn't mean a lot to you, but this will. Unbidden nature made the Everfree Forest the way it is. The clouds that move on their own, the animals that don't need to be woken up in the spring. That is all because of Primus' influence."
Tyro took over the explanation. "It's worse than that, though. The area that is now Everfree Forest was created last time Primus was released. Now that he is out again, the primordial's influence will spread over the land once again. In perha a two weeks, probably less, the boundaries of the Everfree Forest will begin to expand. If we cannot stop Primus, eventually all of Equestria will become like the outer parts of the Everfree Forest. We can't let that happen, or Equestria as we know it will come to an end."
The room was shrouded in utter silence. Twilight glared at Tyro, who quickly tried to make things sound a little optimistic. "On the other hand, my Element of Balance was able to seal Primus away before, even if it was at the cost of its bearer. If it comes to that," he said sadly, "that is a sacrifice I am ready to make, if I must, and without hesitation."
A range of emotions crossed Twilight's face, from horror, to shock, to even a hint of anger. Seeing her expression, Tyro quickly went on.
"Fortunately, that shouldn't be needed this time. My predecessor didn't have the Elements of Harmony, and we do. This time, things will be different."
Everypony looked relieved. Over the few weeks they had known Tyro, he had earned their friendship, and the prospect of losing that was disheartening. Twilight, however, saw through his words to the truth beneath them. There was something else, something he seemed reluctant to talk about... but what?
For years, Twilight had lived among the social elite of Canterlot. If there one thing Twilight had learned from her interactions with those people, it was how to spot a lie. So while Tyro spoke confidently to his new friends, she saw right through his deception. He was hiding something. It was probably something she wasn't going to like, and therefore it was probably something that she needed to know about. And so she took action.
"You're hiding something, I can tell. What aren't you telling us, Tyro? Don't you trust us as your friends?"
Tyro sighed. Ignoring her question, he walked up the stairs, returning with the ancient book from the archives. Twilight hadn't gotten around to sending it back yet, but she didn't know Tyro had it. He set the book down on a table, flipping it open to a random page. On the left was text in ancient Equestrian, while on the right lay the mysterious language from the sealed chamber.
"Twilight, this book isn't exactly what I thought it was. It isn't a guide to reading those chamber walls. It's a guide to the language itself. More importantly, Twilight, I've been able to read it ever since I received the Element of Balance. There's something important about this, and about the magic I hold. I don't think it works like the Elements of Harmony. When we were at the archives last week—remember, when Spike ate that strange gem and was acting all weird—I found a number of books in the same language as this one. They seem to focus on how to use Balance magic, and it acts different from the magic you've been teaching me. Follow me, and I'll show you." Tyro stood, walking through the door leading outside.
"While a spell to seal away Primus is beyond my ability at the moment, I've been practicing some much simpler spells, and I think I've just about mastered this one."
Turning, he faced her, then pointed at a pile of rocks with a hoof. "See the rocks there? Throw them at me, with your magic." His horn glowed with red, magical energy, and a translucent black sphere formed around him.
Twilight was dubious. This was very strange, even for Tyro, but he seemed confident, so she went along with it. Lifting the small pile of stones into the air, she sent them flying towards her friend. Where the rocks contacted the sphere, it flared, the rocks bouncing off to hit the ground. Tyro first dropped the spell, and then to his knees. "A shield spell. It stops physical objects, though not magic. The trouble with this kind of magic, according to both the book and my own experience, is that it's very exhausting."
"This is amazing, Tyro! Can you show me how to do these spells, too?"
"Sure," he replied, "but you'd sleep for a week if you ever tried to use one, so I wouldn't recommend it. The only reason I can use them like this is my connection to the Element of Balance."
At Twilight's disappointed look, Tyro felt a bit of sympathy. "I remember watching you use magic when we first met. I saw that, and I envied you for your magic. I know how you feel.
"And Twilight? My new magic may be strong, but it's only useful in maybe a handful of situations. In the magic we use every day, I will never even approach your ability. So it's really not as amazing as it looks. Now, let's go inside, it's cold out here."
Twilight's expression cleared as her friend followed her into the library, and she seemed to regain her composure. His attempt to make her feel better seemed to have worked.
"Twilight, I'm going to need your help. That spell I showed you out there is all fine and wonderful, but it's a simple spell. The spell that had been keeping Primus sealed away... was not. It was a ritual spell, and not a simple one at that. I'll need your help designing our own seal to contain Primus. This won't be easy, but we can't afford to fail."
In a flash, Twilight's expression went from thoughtful to analytical. "We'll need to test the componants somehow before we cast the whole thing..."
Tyro smiled. With Twilight at his side, there was no way he could fail.
Rarity was deep in thought. Days had passed since the return of the pegasi, but while her friends prepared for a fight with Primus, she only felt conflicted. As she examined the Elements of Harmony for signs of wear or other problems, she reflected on the meaning of each, hoping for insight.
First, of course, was her own Element of Generosity. The flawless violet gem it held shone in the light. Rarity carefully checked the setting, making sure it wasn't loose, before carefully examining every surface for imperfections...
Generosity. Rarity remembered when she had first earned that Element, with her gift to the distressed serpent. "A meaningful gift," Twilight had called it. But how could her generosity help with this new threat? Primus needed nothing, desired nothing. Perhaps her generosity would be of better use helping her friends. She could be generous with her time, by doing whatever she could to help everypony else with their own tasks.
Her inspection complete, Rarity set the jeweled necklace to one side, and picked up another. Looking at it, she saw it was Pinkie Pie's, the Element of Laughter. This one showed a little more wear than her own. One of the prongs had to be replaced, but that was all that seemed needed. But what did that Element really mean?
Certainly, there was Pinkie Pie's literal, infectious laughter, but that wasn't what the Element symbolized. Pinkie Pie knew how to make ponies feel better, no matter how terrible the situation. Somehow, she found a way, and her cheer kept everypony trying their hardest, even when defeat seemed unavoidable. Laughter was powerful, but difficult to truly understand until that power made itself known. Pinkie Pie's laughter would keep everypony from losing hope.
Which should be next, Rarity wondered as she finished cleaning the Element of Laughter. Perhaps Rainbow Dash's Element of Loyalty. Its red lightning bolt center sparkled as it was struck by a stray beam of sunlight. Like Rarity herself, Rainbow Dash took good care of the magical symbol she bore. The gem was secure, and the band accompanying it in perfect condition.
What did Loyalty really mean, though? Dash had turned down the offer from the Shadowbolts in order to help her friends. (Fluttershy had told her that Luna had later made a similar offer, though that time without the ultimatum attached. Rarity briefly wondered what Dash's reaction had been to that.) She always stood up for her friends, even facing a dragon to try to keep them safe. Her loyalty gives her the courage and strength to face her foes. That bravery would be sorely needed in the days ahead, she thought.
Rainbow Dash's finished, Rarity moved on to Applejack's, expecting the worst. The stone was loose in the setting, and the necklace was in poor repair. This one would take some time.
What would Applejack think of all this? She believed in the simple, common sense she saw every day. Any problem could be solved with a little hard work; everything else could be ignored. Applejack would want to fight Primus, much as Rainbow Dash would, but for different reasons. However, Applejack had to be honest, both to others and to herself. She helped her friends be honest with themselves. Without that, success could be impossible.
Finally, the Element of Honesty was in proper order once again. After a moment's thought, Rarity picked up Fluttershy's Element of Kindness. Of course, it had no damage at all, but still...
What would Fluttershy do? She could be kind, pleasant, and meek, but once her anger rose, Fluttershy was a terror to behold. Her rage had intimidated a dragon once, and she could probably stare down the princesses themselves if they gave her reason to do so. Yet, Primus had done nothing to anyone. Something had to be done, but perhaps anger wasn't the way. Fluttershy's kindness might go a long way with this Primus, and perhaps there could be a better way. Maybe Primus didn't have to go, if he could understand that what he was doing would cause problems for ponies everywhere. If anyone could find a diplomatic solution, it would be Fluttershy.
With the last of the necklaces examined, Rarity moved on to Twilight's tiara. The Element of Magic. It was the most powerful of the Elements, though not always the most appropriate. Magic could go wrong, like when Twilight was sent to Tyro's world, and when she unknowingly brought him back with her. Yet, magic was the centerpiece of the Elements, the focus of their greatest power. Without it, they were powerless. Such a powerful tool, but a dangerous one as well. It was a blessing that it was Twilight who bore the Element of Magic. Its power, in the wrong hands, would be disastrous. Twilight, thouh, she had the self-control needed to hold the power without becoming corrupted by it. Few ponies Rairity knew had such inner strength of will.
Rarity was about to return the Elements of Harmony to the small box Twilight had given her, but then she saw something else, tucked away at the bottom. This necklace could never be confused of one of the Elements of Harmony. It bore silver decoration, instead of gold, and no gem lay within the amulet. No, this necklace bore a simple medallion, formed of onyx and monstone formed into the shape of a lunar eclipse. Remembering Tyro's cutie mark, also an eclipse, she identified this piece of jewelry as the Element of Balance, held by her new friend, Tyro.
Rarity remembered the first time he had fought for his element. Rainbow Dash had broken a promise to Twilight, and all everypony was fighting about it, until Tyro stepped in to end the fight, carrying a waterlogged Rainbow Dash. He didn't care, he'd said, what the fight was about, only that there was one. It had disrupted the balance within their friendship, and he put an end to it. He had cleared the imbalance within the Elements, and that between their bearers.
But how would a force for Balance react to Primus? The primordial, by nature, was an unbalancing force, his very presence upsetting the balance between all things. Tyro, then, would do anything to stop that being. His statement from before, she realized, was actually true: he would sacrifice himself, without hesitation, if it was the only way to stop Primus. To do otherwise would be a betrayal of his Element.
With a shudder, Rarity packed up the Elements, and left the Boutique to return them to Twilight. A sign on the library door said she'd gone to Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity sighed, made room n her schedule to go to the spa later, and headed off to find out what Twilight was up to.
Applejack took her to a small, empty field, which she said she was "leaving fallow" this year, whatever that meant. Twilight and Tyro had flattened out a large area, and seemed to be drawing heavy lines in the dirt . Rarity was the first to admit she didn't know a whole lot about magic, but she could tell that this was some kind of ritual, and whatever it did, it looked complex.
Tyro looked up as she approached with the Elements in a small box. "I see you finished working on the elements. That's great! We're almost done with this. Would you like to watch? Don't worry, you won't be in any danger or anything."
Rarity was always interested in seeing some fancy magic in action, so she agreed quickly. "Sure! Let's see it!"
Princess Luna walked up behind Rarity. "Hi Rarity!"
Rarity jumped, startled both by the surprise of the speech and by the alicorn's presence at all.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you," Luna said sheepishly. "I'm helping Tyro and Twilight test their new containment spell. If it can hold an alicorn, I doubt anything else will be breaking through it." She grinned, apparently unconcerned. "I'll also owe my sister eighty bits, but that's not really the point."
Opening the box with the Elements inside, Tyro pulled out his own. "Hey, did you polish this? Thanks, it looks great!" Rarity smiled as he put it on. "Okay, let's do it."
Rarity watched as Luna walked to a circle near the centerof the diagram. There was a flash of dark energy near her hooves, and Rarity could see her straining to lift them from the ground, to little effect.
"Tyro, the rooting effect is definitely working," the alicorn called out.
"Perfect. Everything is working properly so far, then."
Luna still looked unconcerned. "Hmm, basic dispel... nothing. What does it take to dispel this again?" When Twilight and Tyro exchanged grins, she no longer looked unconcerned. "Twilight? Twilight?!"
Tyro's horn glowed, building up a powerful charge, as he stepped into a circle drawn into the diagram. Luna looked worried. The red glow grew, as Tyro called forth even more magical energy. His horn now almost radiated red light as he lowered his head. Luna looked increasingly worried.
"Twilight? I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this..." Twilight just grinned again, as Tyro released the energy from his horn into the pattern of the ritual. As the magic touched the lines inscribed on the ground, however, it turned black, flowing along its path. Within moments, the magic had spread through the entire pattern of the intricate spell. There was a pause, then a watery wall of translucent, dark energy rose around Luna, who was looking around, panicking as she tried to escape, wings flapping madly. The root spell held, however, and the walls of dark energy folded into a dome above her, quickly changing to a much more solid appearance.
Tyro groaned, dropping to his knees before Twilight caught him, quickly touching her horn to his own. A purple glow appeared, first around Twilight's horn, the around Tyro's. Almost immediately, Tyro stood again, and the glow vanished. "Thanks, Twilight. I needed that."
"Okay, Luna," Twilight called out to the imprisoned princess. "Try to escape, any way you can."
Luna's eyes flashed. Her horn glowed, and the spell binding her to the ground broke with a loud snap. Tyro nodded, as though expecting this.
Spike walked up behind Rarity. "I'll put ten bits on the spell," he joked. Rarity looked down at the dragon, unable to resist.
"Sure, Spike. You're on."
Luna leapt into the air, intending to fly over the spell, only to crash into the top of the dome. Irritated, she ran to the side, pawing at the wall with her front hooves, but to little effect.
Tyro chuckled. "She hasn't gotten desperate yet. Spike, would you let Princess Celestia know that we've, ah, caught her sister in a compromising situation?"
Spike quickly jotted down a note, sending it to the princess of the sun. Seeing Spike's green fire, Luna guessed exactly what happened, her attempts to escape redoubled. Turning, she bucked the wall with all of the power in her formidable hind legs, but still to no effect.
Moments later, there was a sudden pop as Celestia appeared. Everypony bowed quickly, then went back to watching Luna. "What exactly is this all about?" The princess did not look amused.
Twilight quickly explained. "Princess Luna offered to help us test the containment spell that Tyro and I made for Primus. We'll let her out eventually, of course, but I thought you might like to watch." She winked.
The princess looked thoughtful, then smiled. "Eighty bits on the spell!"
Luna went berserk, trying to fight throught the barrier. After a couple minutes, she returned to the center of the dome and stopped to catch her breath.
Twilight smiled. "Now's the interesting part. She's figured out she can't force her way through from within the dome, only to reappear back in the center again.
Luna called on her powerful alicorn magic, and the inside of the dome was bombarded by bolts of energy flying outward from her in all directions. When the pounding stopped, the shield had grown very dark indeed. Luna walked up to the edge, sitting down.
"Fine." The dark alicorn had finally given up. "I can't break through."
Immediately, Twilight stepped forward. Calling on only a touch of her magic, she touched her horn to a particular point on the diagram, releasing the energy into the spell. The glowing black lines on the ground were overlaid by violet ones. When the last of the black lines disappeared, the dome around Luna returned to its watery state, sliding back into the ground as quickly as it had risen. A few moments later, the violet of Twilight's magic faded, and the spell was gone.
Rarity frowned unhappily, then started counting out the bits she owed Spike. Luna looked daggers at everyone (except Rarity, who had supported her).
Luna looked very unhappy. Pinkie Pie walked up to her, concerned. "Luna, what's wrong? You did great! Just because you couldn't break the spell doesn't mean..." At Luna's harsh look, Pinkie Pie trailed off midsentence.
"I remember a thousand years, Pinkie Pie, of a spell not unlike that one. A thousand years of solitude, spent on the moon. That's what's wrong." Luna stalked away, leaving Pinkie Pie, stunned, behind her.
Celestia looked at the collected ponies. from within the dome, only to reappear back in the center again.
Luna called on her powerful alicorn magic, and the inside of the dome was bombarded by bolts of energy flying outward from her in all directions. When the pounding stopped, the shield had grown very dark indeed. Luna walked up to the edge, sitting down.
"Fine." The dark alicorn had finally given up. "I can't break through."
Immediately, Twilight stepped forward. Calling on only a touch of her magic, she touched her horn to a particular point on the diagram, releasing the energy into the spell. The glowing black lines on the ground were overlaid by violet ones. When the last of the black lines disappeared, the dome around Luna returned to its watery state, sliding back into the ground as quickly as it had risen. A few moments later, the violet of Twilight's magic faded, and the spell was gone.
Rarity frowned unhappily, then started counting out the bits she owed Spike. Luna looked daggers at everyone (except Rarity, who had supported her).
Luna looked very unhappy. Pinkie Pie walked up to her, concerned. "Luna, what's wrong? You did great! Just because you couldn't break the spell doesn't mean..." At Luna's harsh look, Pinkie Pie trailed off midsentence.
"I remember a thousand years, Pinkie Pie, of a spell not unlike that one. A thousand years of solitude, spent on the moon. That's what's wrong." Luna stalked away, leaving Pinkie Pie, stunned, behind her.
A storm was forming overhead when Twilight returned to the library, slamming the door closed behind her. Tyro gulped as he saw the deadbolt drop into place and heard shutters slam shut over closed windows. Something told him he should run, but he had nowhere to go.
Twilight faced him, with fire in her eyes. Tyro had never before seen her so angry. Her voice was like ice when she spoke to him. "How dare you do that to Princess Luna? If we didn't need your precious magic to get rid of Primus, I would throw you out the door right now."
Tyro, shaking, protested quietly, "but she said she'd be willing to help..."
Twilight's voice rose. "And you, you used that kindness against her! You humiliated her in front of her only friends. Laughing. You invited her sister to come watch your fun."
Tyro found himself backed up against a wall. He tried to say something, anything in his defense, but Twilight kept going. "You stripped away her power, trapping her in your spell just as Celestia once did with the Elements of Harmony. And you did it with all her friends there to see her helplessness. And you laughed."
Tyro was truly afraid. He cowered against the wall, eyes darting around him. Seeing an unstable stack of books, he nudged it so it fell, than fled in Twilight's momentary distraction. He made it most of the way up the stairs before she caught him in the grip of her magic. His struggle to get free got him nowhere. what he had said before was true: Twilight's magic was stronger than his own. His Balance magic was powerful, but only occasionally usable. Thus, he was now entirely at her mercy, and she knew it.
"How does it feel, Tyro, to be the bug under the glass? Perhaps you would like a taste of what you did to your princess for yourself?" Violet magic solidified into a steel cage around him. Moments later, a metal collar appeared, snapping around his throat.
Managing to look at Twilight, Tyro was horrified. Her body was overlaid by a faint, flickering image. A dark purple unicorn with a sharpened horn was wearing stylized battle armor. Twilight's own Nightmare form, threatening to emerge from her anger at him. "You're afraid, aren't you? Do you feel helpless yet? Trapped? Do you feel... betrayed?" Her laugh chilled him to his bones. There was a touch of madness in it. A touch of a Nightmare. "I wonder, should I hang this cage outside, for everyone to see? After what you did to Luna, you deserve the same."
Tyro tried to teleport away, to do anything, but his magic wouldn't come. "Oh, and by the way, Tyro. Your magic won't work again, until I decide to take that collar off."
Still laughing madly, Twilight approached the cage. Her horn glowed, and a chain formed, linking his collar to the cage itself. It glowed again, and a door appeared on the side of the cage, swinging open at her touch.
If Tyro had been afraid before, now he was terrified. Now not even the bars of the cage kept her away, now. All he could see was the Nightmare that was Twilight, coming closer, a step at a time. With every step, Tyro cowered in a corner of his cage. The Nightmare stopped before him, reached down, and licked his face. Any other time, he would have been delighted, but now, it felt lewd and terrible.
"We're going to have a lot of fun with you tonight," the Nightmare crooned. "A lot of fun."
Across Ponyville, ponies shivered in their beds as an unearthly scream cut through the storm, abruptly silenced a moment later.
Tyro slowly woke up. He seemed to be on a flat, hard surface. He was sore and in pain from some terrible experience he couldn't remember.
He knew this wasn't his bed in Ponyville, and he didn't have one anywhere else. His eyes opened, slowly, and he saw that he was locked inside a steel cage, one of his hooves chained to it. Whatever his ordeal had been, it didn't seem to have ended. Tyro tried to get his eyes to focus, but he couldn't seem to manage it. Between that, the raging headache, and the pain all over his body, Tyro just slumped to the floor again. He felt something wet against his flank, looking down to see blood smeared on the bottom of the cage. Judging by the injuries he could see and the pain he could feel, it was probably his own.
Tyro let his eyes slip closed, to end the dizziness of trying to see through them, and prayed to Celestia for unconsciouness. It evaded his grasp, however, and so he lay there, bleeding, with little hope.
Tyro heard a door open, then a yell, then a receding sound of hoofbeats as the door swung shut again. He was in too much pain to care what it was.
A door opened again, then closed. Yelling and arguing. It hurt his ears, aggrivating the headache he still felt. Finally, a door opened, the closed, and Tyro had his silence again.
A door opened. He heard someone giving orders, then an angry voice. His cage vanished, and he dropped painfully to the floor below. Angry voice again, then silence.
Somepony picked him up, carrying him somewhere. His eyes glided open, and focused for a moment as he looked up at Nurse Redheart.
Tyro felt himself being laid on a soft bed, and covered up by a warm blanket. Finally, sleep came.
Tyro woke, slowly. His eyes were able to focus again, and he saw he was in the Ponyville Hospital. He was almost covered in bandages of some kind or another.
As he stirred, a yellow face looked down at him. Fluttershy. She had waited here for him to wake up... that was nice of her. He croaked out his thanks, hoping she understood. She seemed to, but he couldn't be sure. Most of the pain was gone, but his head felt thick and he couldn't think very well.
"Tyro, you're awake," the quiet pegasus observed. "I'll go get the others—"
"Fluttershy... no... just you stay..." For some reason, he didn't want to be near anypony, but with Fluttershy there he felt safe. He felt protected. Nothing would hurt him. At some level, he knew that this was the same trust as that which the pegasus' creature friends had for her. At another level, he didn't really care as long as she didn't leave him alone again.
Fluttershy wasn't really sure what to think. Tyro had clearly been through some terrible ordeal in that cage in the library. She knew, of course, about the incident with Luna. Twilight couldn't have been happy about that, but she would never go so far as this.
Soon enough—too soon for Tyro—the pegasus had no choice but to let in a visitor. It was Luna herself, who had hurried to Ponyville immediately upon hearing the news about Tyro. Fluttershy allowed the princess to enter, alone, closing the door behind her. And so Fluttershy didn't see Luna's horror at what lay before her. She only heard it.
"Fluttershy... come here, please." There was pain in Luna's voice, and the pegasus hurried to comply. The last thing she expected was for her princess to throw her front legs around her, shaking. "This was done by... by a monster," Luna explained. "The creature who did this enjoyed it. Delighted in his pain and suffering."
Fluttershy looked up at Luna. "Then... who did this? Or what?"
Luna shook a little bit. "I once did things like this. But when I did, ponies called me by another name. Those were the days of Nightmare Moon."
Fluttershy gasped. "N-Nightmare Moon?"
Fluttrshy, this was not my doing. Nightmare Moon is gone. Where did you find him?"
Fluttershy immediately answered, "in the library, locked in a cage. But I don't see... It couldn't have been Twilight... could it?"
The princess nodded. "It had to be, or rather Twilight's own Nightmare. Everypony has one, you know. Even you, Fluttershy."
The yellow pegasus refused to believe this. "I could never do something like that."
Luna sighed, stroking her friend's mane. "You could too, if you had a good enough reason. The problem is that when we push ourselves too hard, our emotions take over. Twilight was vulnerable and something pushed her over the edge."
Tyro had woken up, and finally spoke. "I noticed that." His voice still rasped a little bit, but it was better than before.
There was a knock at the door. From outside, Applejack's voice was heard. "Twilight is here. She wants to see Tyro."
Fluttershy squeaked a quiet "no, don't, please" while Tyro rasped "please, no!"
Luna overrode them both. "Send her in." Both ponies gave her a look of horror. "This has gone on long enough."
The door opened, and a pony stepped through. This wasn't Twilight, this was a disaster. Her hair was in disarray, her face showed signs of recent tears, and her head drooped low. Luna closed the door again behind her, and the unicorn slowly approached Tyro's bed. When she saw the extensive damage, she somehow managed to look even worse.
"Tyro, I'm so sorry... what I did last night... how could you ever forgive me for that? The terrible things I did to you, the things I said. Tyro, I took pleasure in hurting you! I used magic on you that horrifies me even now." She swallowed, hard. "I've talked to Applejack, and she's agreed to give you a place to stay. I don't expect that you'll want to come anywhere near me for a while."
Luna looked at Fluttershy. She was clearly not expecting such a severe apology. Twilight was practically on her knees, begging for forgiveness. Luna peeked around the edge of the bed. No, she was on her knees. Luna herself had expected nothing less.
"Twilight," she said, putting a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder, "I know better than anypony what you're going through right now. Your Nightmare was controlling you last night. You can't blame yourself. The pony who did this wasn't you, Twilight!"
Twilight looked unconvinced. Luna wasn't sure what to say, so she just stood there, trying to be supportive. Tyro, though, seemed to have something to say.
"Twilight," he whispered hoarsely. Luna knew he was planning something. She knew he could speak louder than that. "Twilight."
The guilt-ridden pony leaned over the bed to hear what her friend had to say. Tyro's uninjured foreleg reached up and pulled her closer. Twilight's face was a study in confusion, and Luna suddenly knew what he was going to do. Quietly, she left the room.
"Everypony, it's time to go. Tyro needs rest, and Twilight needs... what Tyro has to say to her. We can visit him later." Tyro's friends looked disappointed, but complied.
Inside the room, Twilight had no idea what was going on. Tyro had reached around her and pulled her closer until she was practically touching him.
Tyro whispered again. Three words. Twilight collapsed against her friend, shaking, as he held her against him.
"Tyro, after what I did—"
He silenced her with a touch. "That doesn't matter, Twilight. I don't care what happened. Your Nightmare came out, and you aren't responsible for what you did after that. I don't blame you, and you shouldn't either."
Twilight was silent. It was enough just to have him there. He had forgiven her. He didn't want to go live with Applejack instead of herself, and he didn't cringe from her touch. She broke into tears, then, tears of happiness.
"Uhh, Twilight? I hate to ruin the moment, but you're getting my bandages wet." This was just too much, and she buried her face in his mane. Tyro kept holding her close, until she finally broke away.
"Thank you, Tyro. I don't deserve it, but thank you. I should go. You need to rest." Quietly, she went out the door, closing it gently behind her.
Tyro looked at the closed door. "You do deserve it, Twilight." He closed his eyes, an was soon asleep.
Twilight's high spirits dropped as she walked back to the library. Tyro wouldn't forgive her, not really. He clearly wanted her to feel better, but nopony could so readily forgive something like what she had done to him. She had wantd to hear those words so much that she hadn't heard the lie behind them, but now she had realized the truth. Tyro hadn't really forgiven her, and he never would. What they'd had was lost, and would never come back.
It was as though she had lost her friendship with Princess Celestia. For that matter, what would Celestia think of all this? Of her letting her emotions get the best of her, until she tore apart the pony she cared for? Twilight's spirits sank even lower.
As she entered the library, Spike saw the look on her face, and
wondered what to do. Quickly scanning the shelves, he pulled out a book he'd hoped never to need. Troubled: Dealing With Crazed Unicorns. Opening it, he began to read.
Twilight paid no attention to her assistant as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom. She just wanted to be alone with her sorrow. Sitting in front of a window, she watched as a scheduled rainstorm began. The falling water matched her mood perfectly. She didn't know how many hours she sat there, watching the rain fall.
* * *
After less than a day in the Ponyville Hospital, Tyro was told he could go home. You have no idea how wrong you are, he thought, with a sudden pain.
Returning to the library, he went to talk to Twilight. She would understand what he was feeling. "Twilight, I need to talk to you."
There was no response, so he ventured up the stairs, to find her sitting in her bedroom, staring out a window at the light rain falling outside. "Twilight?" She still didn't respond. It must be the guilt again. Tyro was sure of it. Walking up behind her, he sat down next to his friend and put a hoof over her shoulder. "Twilight, I understand that you feel terrible about what happened to me. But stop blaming yourself for what wasn't your fault! It doesn't change how I feel about you, and it better not change how you feel about me."
Twilight looked at him, really seeing him for the first time since her breakdown. There was no deception in his face. What he said was true. She turned to the window again. "Tyro, what I did to you was unforgivable. You offered forgiveness, but I don't know if I can accept it. You deserve better than—"
Tyro stuffed a hoof in her mouth, silencing her. "Twilight, stop this nonsense right now. For a ridiculously smart pony, you're being really dumb about all this. I don't care about what your Nightmare did to me before. What I care about is this." He reached out, wrapping both his forelegs around her, and just held onto her. She tried to pull away, but he just tightened his hold around her. Eventually, she stopped resisting, and slumped sideways into his embrace. The dam broke, and she held him as close as he had held her, as if to make sure he wasn't going away. Night approached, as the two ponies sat by the window, holding each other, in silence. No words were needed.
Finally Tyro's stomach rumbled, and they both laughed. "Sounds like we're going to have to get up, aren't we?" They laughed again, and went to make something to eat.
Night found them sitting outside together on the balcony outside her bedroom, Twilight teaching Tyro the names of all the stars. Dawn found them still together, Twilight's hooves wrapped around Tyro's flanks, both of them smiling in their sleep as they lay on Twilight's bed.
Spike walked into the room. Twilight didn't seem to be awake yet, and as Spike glanced at the two figures in the bed, he figured out why readily enough. He coughed gently, and Twilight woke up.
"Uh, hi Spike," she said awkwardly.
"Hey, Twilight. Looks like you slept pretty well, didn't you?" teased the young dragon. Twilight blushed.
"Any particular reason why you're waking me up and making me miss out on this?" She snuggled up a little closer to Tyro's still-sleeping form.
"Um, Applejack is downstairs. She says she wants to see Tyro. She specified both alive and in one piece." At that, Twilight just groaned.
Resigning herself to the inevitable, Twilight shook Tyro to wake him up. His eyes opened slowly. "Good morning, Twilight..." A moment passed, before he realized his current situation. "Twilight, what the hay is going on here?"
"Applejack's downstairs and wants to make sure you're still alive and everything," Twilight explained.
"No, I mean what the hay is going on with this?" He touched her hoof hooked over his body with one of his own.
Twilight blushed, as Spike watched with interest. "Well, apparently my unconscious mind is still worried about losing you. That and this feels really nice." She let her eyes close partway as she rubbed against Tyro's back.
Tyro grinned. "Your justification is acceptable," he told her. "Spike, tell Applejack... tell her I'm busy." He arched his back against Twilight as she smiled at his response.
Spike dubiously left the room, tactfully closing the door behind him, then walked to address Applejack. "Tyro said to tell you he's busy right now, but would be willing to talk later."
The earth pony blushed. "Ah... ah don't think that will be necessary, Spike." She quickly left the library as Spike chuckled and closed the door behind her.
The two unicorns shared a certain peace, lying there, together. No words were necessary. They had each other, and nothing else mattered. Until Spike rapped on the door.
"Listen, I know you two... ponies are enjoying the chance to spend some time with each other, but we need you out here." Spike's voice was apologetic. Tyro grumbled and scooted backward against Twilight, who smiled at his attitude. "Everypony else is already here, so we're just waiting on you two."
That got their attention. Twilight quickly teleported off the bed as Tyro got up. They looked at each other, realized how they must have looked. Tyro's horn glowed. Twilight's horn glowed. The two looked at each other. Problem solved.
Two unicorns came down the stairs into the main room of the library. Sly looks were briefly exchanged among the assembled ponies. The group waited for the pair to reach the floor, then Rainbow Dash began.
"Listen, everypony, I think we all know why we're here. Tyro has his fancy spell ready, and that's all we were waiting on. I say, we get out there and shove this great hulking thing back into the ground or wherever it came from!"
Applejack nodded. "My winged friend has the right of it. We only have a few days before Primus will be able to reach outside the Everfree Forest. The saddlebags are all packed. I'll carry some of Tyro's supplies on account of his injury."
Rainbow Dash took over again. "The weather over Ponyville is all set for the next five or six days, and the weather team is as prepared as they're going to be."
Twilight looked around. You ponies are right. We're wasting time staying here when we could be out there. It's time to go.
Spike refused to come along this time. "After what Dash here told everypony, I'm staying right here." To prove his point, he sat down hard on the floor.
Twilight shook her head, then the seven ponies went to the farm to collect their bags and set out on their journey.
Twilight remembered the last trip like this they'd taken into the forest. Everypony had been fighting and arguing. The miles had been long ones.
This time, things were different. Ponies were in good moods, and weren't being affected by corrupted magical artifacts.
No, this time they faced different dangers, Twilight thought, after removing the fourth vine to wrap itself around her leg. The forest itself resisted their progress through it. There were no animals in sight, and the forest was silent around them. To Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, this was old news, at least for the inner portions of the forest. Now, it reached into the farther parts of the forest.
Fluttershy wondered what to expect today in the manticore's clearing. She feared what she might find there. The silence was oppressive as the ponies approached.
The clearing was empty. There was no sign of the manticore's presence. Rainbow Dash noticed her nervousness, and spoke up. "Twilight, we should stop here for a moment. Fluttershy has something she needs to do."
The yellow pegasus gave her friends a look of thanks, then approached abush at the side of the clearing. Twilight made as though to follow, but Rainbow Dash stopped her.
"No, Twilight. This is something she must do alone. We can only wait here for her return."
And wait they did, until Fluttershy emerged from the bush again. "Everypony, this is worse than we thought. My friend the manticore there is hiding in the back of his lair, and won't come out. He didn't want me to leave either, I could tell." The pegasus was clearly concerned.
"We should get moving again," Tyro said, after a minute or two. "The sooner we end all this, the sooner the forest can begin to heal again." Fluttershy agreed, and the ponies went on their way.
There was no sign at all of the sea serpent. He had probably left for elsewhere long before. Fording the shallow river, the ponies ventured onward.
Finally, the ponies reached the Palace of the Sisters itself, as night fell. Tyro spoke quietly to Twilight, and then faced everypony. "The palace itself is in ruins here, but Twilight has confirmed my own observation that many of the protective wards around it remain intact. Even with Primus so close, we can safely spend the night here. We should wait for morning to do this." Twilight nodded in agreement. "And besides, dawn and dusk are times of balance. If we cast the spell then, that will increase its power."
Applejack looked unconvinced, but reluctantly agreed with the decision to wait, along with the rest of the ponies. In an effort to relieve for of their worries, Tyro went out of his way to be obvious about casting his own wards around their sleeping area.
"Tyro, what the hay are you doing?" Twilight looked at him. "You're just casting a warding spell, you don't need all this." She pointed to the circle of stones around them. "I don't think most of this would even do anything."
A few worried looks were cast their way, and Tyro quickly responded. "Twilight, you see, this is a very complicated spell, using more than just magic. Our friends need to be sure we're doing everything possible to keep them safe, after all."
Tyro watched a light turn on in Twilight's head. "Oh, I see it now," she exclaimed. "The different magic, I mean. In fact, how about I reinforce your spell with my own magic?" She winked slyly at him.
"Twilight, that's a great idea! Nothing could get past it if we work together." He winked back. The other ponies just sat there and watched the obvious performance. Rainbow Dash was trying very hard not to laugh, and Applejack rolled her eyes. Finally, the unicorns turned and walked back to the rest of the group. Lying down on blankets from Pinkie Pie's pack, the seven ponies drifted off to sleep, Tyro with his back covertly pressed up against Twilight's.
The next morning came too soon for anypony. As Rainbow Dash looked around, bleary-eyed, he saw other ponies waking up. Applejack, naturally, had been awake for over an hour. She seemed to be taking all sorts of equipment out of her packs. Rainbow Dash recognised it immediately. "Climbing gear?"
"We shouldn't actually need this, but I brought it anyway, just in case." Everypony looked relieved at Applejack's explanation, except the pegasi, who just went on looking smug.
"So, is everypony ready? Let's get moving!" Twilight looked excited. She pointed to a set of stairs leading downward at the edge of the cliff. They couldn't have been more than five feet across.
"See ya at the bottom," said Rainbow Dash, as she flew into the air. Or would have, if Applejack wasn't holding her back be the tail.
"No, Dash, you and Fluttershy have an important job to do, yourselves. These stairs are narrow. If someone falls, the two of you will have to catch them. The path doubles back on itself, so you can just lower them to the next switchback."
"How did you find out about all this?" asked the blue pegasus.
Pinkie Pie jumped into the discussion. "He used a map, silly!"
"Anyway," Applejack went on, "you two will be catching anypony who falls, and that means you'll be up here, with us!"
Rainbow Dash frowned unhappily, and the seven ponies began the descent.
Halfway down came the first close call, as Pinkie Pie stumbled over a rock. She would have fallen, but Rainbow Dash was quick enough to simple push ber back onto the path. He didn't like this task, and he was quite willing to point this out, but he couldn't be faulted for his determination to do it well.
The second near-fall was near the bottom. The distance was little enough that the pegasi just carried Rarity to the base of the cliff. A minute or two later, the rest of the group joined her, and they set out looking for a suitable cave. After struggling through plants for five minutes and moving five feet, Twilight got fed up with the interference and leveled a sizable area of plant life. The plants left them alone after that.
After a long trek through the thick woods, the group stumbled into a good-sized cavern. Tyro looked around happily, pleased with what he saw, and Twilight started giving instructions.
"Applejack and Pinkie Pie, we need a flat surface for the spell, so we'll need those rocks out of the way. See what you can do about that. Rarity, we'll be casting a ritual here, so be ready with the materials. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, do what you can to clear away any debris in here, from leaves to animals to anything else."
Tyro finished. "Twilight, throw a temporary ward on the entrance, then come back here so we can start building the spell." He pulled out a pair of chisels and a pile of scrolls. "This spell will be a little more permanent than the last one. Unfortunately, it won't be nearly as easy to cast."
All over the cave, ponies got to work. Within hours, the debris had been cleared, the cave floor was relatively flat, and a pair of unicorns were hard at work scoring deep, solid lines across the rock.
The ritual diagrams were almost complete when Twilight looked hard at Tyro. "This isn't the same spell you used before, is it?"
"No, Twilight. That spell was much simpler than this. It had a lifespan of a few days, maybe a couple weeks after Luna attacked it. This spell will last for millenia, or perhaps forever."
Twilight went on with the task, but she was still worried. "Promise me, Tyro," she said, when they had finished, "promise me that you'll walk out of this cave with me."
The pony who looked back at her was not the Tyro she knew. This pony was the holder of the Element of Balance. "I'm sorry, Twilight. That is a promise I cannot make."
Twilight looked at him, then looked down at the ritual the two of them had completed. "Tyro, tell me the truth. What does this ritual do?"
His answer was long in coming. "It does many things, Twilight. But your real question, whether this is a spell that I could just activate like the other? It is not. This spell... it allows me to cast the spell that will actually imprison Primus. The ritual yesterday was a simple test of individual parts of another spell, the one I will be casting tonight."
Twilight looked worried. "Are you sure you can?"
"I can't afford to doubt it, Twilight. When I call, the magic will come."
Evening approached, and Twilight banished her ward. The potent magic of the Elements of Harmony within the cave would lure Primus inside, and then fate would decide.
As expect, the primordial arrived to investigate this strange power. The sun would set in mere minutes. As Primus entered, the seven ponies huddled together at the back of the cave. Primus had reached the middle of the cave, right over a small circle inscribed on the ground, when six ponies raced past him towards the entrance.
Turning, the primordial looked at them. "What ponies do I see here, who seek out Primus?
Tyro shouted back, having taken up his own place in the circle during the Primus' distraction. "The six you see before you hold the collected Elements of Harmony, here to stop your corruption of this world." Before Primus could respond, he added, "And I bear the Element of Balance!"
Tyro's already lit horn dipped to activate the ritual, losing its glow as black lines lit up in the rock. Primus looked surprised.
Tyro waited for his magic to return through his ritual, watching his friends battle the primordial. Twilight cast fireballs at him, that briefly set fire to the plant-like portions of the giant, while Rainbow Dash flew around its head to disorient it.
His magic restored, Tyro's horn blazed again, his Element radiating darkness. This time, the red was joined by streaks of black. After a few long seconds, a bolt of darkness lanced from his horn. When it struck, a black tint suddenly covered Primus' body, keeping him from moving.
"Now!" yelled Twilight. "Tyro can't hold him forever!"
The Elements of Harmony around each pony's neck began to glow brightly. With her friends arranged behind her, Twilight rose into the air, supported by the magic flowing through her body. Her eyes flew open, and were filled with bright white light. A rainbow of color appeared, and flew towards the primordial, just as it was able to break Tyro's hold on it. Outside, the sun touched the horizen.
Primus had just enough time to shout, in his moment of freedom, "What magic is this?!" before the rainbow reached him. Rapidly, it wrapped around him, and Primus was held motionless once again. "When I return, you shall pay for this!"[b/]
Tyro was already preparing his next spell, as the magic of harmony kept the spirit of unbidden nature held in check. Almost all the magic around his horn this time glowed black, growing larger by the second. Finally Tyro released the magic, and it flew out into the air, rippling like water. The magic seperated as it approach Primus, spreading out to circle behind him. It formed a dome of rippling water around Primus, seemingly unaffected by the magic of harmony passing through it. The dome hung in the air, and Tyro rose up into the air. His eyes opened, revealing an endless darkness behind them.
There they were. Twilight, her eyes glowing white, and Tyro, his eyes glowing black, standing on opposite sides of the creature to be sealed away. Outside, the sun was setting; day balanced with night. The Element of Balance fed upon these things, and magic surged forth upon Tyro's command. A second bolt flew, and the dome turned solid, the color changing to a shiny, reflective black. The Elements of Harmony had long given up their light, their task completed. Tyro's magic, too, had dissipated. When Rarity went to look, the ritual carved into the stone of the floor had vanished as well. She kept her distance from the black dome, however. For some reason, it unnerved her. Perhaps because she knew what was trapped within.
Fluttershy was more concerned about her friends' condition, quickly flying to check on Tyro. He lay on the ground, unconscious. She called over Applejack, and the strong mare slung Tyro's unconscious body over her back, carrying him back to the rest of the ponies.
Five ponies stood around two unconscious ones, wondering what to do. Carrying them back up those stairs was out of the question, even if somepony could actually locate them. Simply put, they had no way to get home. They would have to spend the night here. Nopony wanted to sleep near Tyro's black dome, but there was no choice. One by one, the five fell asleep on the thick blankets.
Princess Celestia groaned, opening her eyes to see her sister standing above her. "Are you alright, Celly? You collapsed when Tyro started throwing those big spells around."
"How long..."
"You were unconscious for almost eleven hours, my older sister. Much longer than last time. You should stop watching Tyro like this. I don't think it's probably a good idea to watch him when he uses that thing, even for us."
"Luna, I value the friendship between us. That said, get out of here before I, uh..." Celestia faltered, unable to come up with a threat, and Luna laughed.
"Get some rest, Celly. I'll wake you in an hour to raise the sun, and then we can check on our friends throwing magic around the Everfree Forest.
* * *
Somewhere in the Everfree Forest:
Applejack stirred as the sun rose, opening her eyes to a strange sight. Fluttershy was missing from her blanket. Instead, she was sleeping with a manticore (also asleep) curled up protectively around her, her head lying on its shoulder.
"I know I run an early schedule, but I am absolutely not ready to deal with this, this early in the morning." She got up, and went outside the cave for some fresh air.
Applejack was outside when she heard a familiar-sounding pop from nearby, then another. Twilight and Tyro must have woken up. She turned to head back into the cave, then turned again when she heard her name.
"Applejack? Is that you?" That voice belonged to nopony who had come with her. No, that voice was Princess Celestia, walking towards her. Princess Luna followed, ad the two stopped. "Where is everypony else, Applejack?" Luna sounded worried.
The earth pony quickly reassured them. "They're in this cave, but sleeping, so we should be quiet." The princesses nodded, and the only sounds were hoofsteps. As the three turned the corner into the room with the Tyro's black dome in it, Luna giggled.
At her sister's inquiring look, she pointed to where Fluttershy was sleeping with the manticore around her. "Only Fluttershy could turn a manticore into... Into whatever that is." Celestia giggled for a moment as well, but quickly moved on.
"Luna, I'd like to take a look at this spell Tyro has wrought. I haven't seen anything like it before."
"Celly, it's his containment spell. The same one he trapped me with the other day, remember?" She reached out with her magic to touch the surface, then recoiled. "No, this one is different. I wouldn't want to be whatever is trapped in that thing. The more it struggles, the tighter the bonds become."
Applejack answered her unspoken question. "That would be Primus, yes. The primordial spirit of nature unbidden, he called himself, or something like that. Rainbow Dash just called him a giant, which he was too."
The princess of the sun looked thoughtful for a moment, almost sad. Her counterpart, however, rose and gave the dome no more thought.
It's a shame, really, thought Celestia. There are so few of us immortals, and so many of those there are who must be locked away. And now Primus will lie here for all of time.
Her horn glowed, magic spilling out from it. The stone before her shifted, rising up to form a pedestal with an inscription.
Here lies Primus: Primordial spirit of nature unbidden. Under this shell of magic and darkness, Forever he must be hidden.
Satisfied, she stepped back to examine her work. It would do.
As Celestia created her stone pedestal honoring the fallen power, Luna returned to the ponies sleeping by the entrance. Most had awoken. Fluttershy was feeding bread to the manticore. Rarity was clearly unnerved by the creature, and Pinkie Pie didn't seem to care. Twilight had woken up, but Tyro remained motionless, despite Twilight's attempts to wake him.
"I just don't understand it!" Twilight cried out. "Why won't he wake up?"
Luna rested a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, be calm. I can help him." As Twilight moved away, Luna knelt before Tyro's body. Her horn glowed, and she lowered it to touch his head. For a minute or more, nopony moved. Then Luna raised her horn, dismissing her magic, and Tyro shifted in his sleep.
"I've done what I can to ease his dreams, but you must understand, his body needs time to recover from the magic he used."
Twilight protested. "But Luna, I had to recover, too, and I'm awake!"
Celestia had returned, and now she spoke. "Twilight, he delibrately activated the Element when it was at its most powerful. Then he used a ritual to amplify his already-boosted magic. You need to understand that the amount of magic he used last night would have killed any other pony. Tyro only survived because the Element of Balance protected him."
Twilight didn't like where this was going, and said as much.
Celestia looked at the unicorn with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Twilight. Even I don't know how long his body will need to recover. It could be days, a week, maybe more. But he will wake, in time. That at least I can promise you.
Luna added her own encouragement. "I calmed his dreams, and he is more relaxed now." She paused. "Celly, I'd like a moment alone with Twilight."
The white alicorn nodded and walked away to join the other ponies in their own discussion.
Luna turned to Twilight. "Twilight, I have something for you. A gift, of sorts."
Twilight's ears perked up. "What kind of gift, Luna?"
"A gift of knowledge. Do not take it lightly, for such a gift as this is not easily come by. Dreams, you see, are reflections of their dreamers' emotions. If you know what lies within somepony's dreams, you know their deepest desires, and their greatest fears."
The princess of the night went on. "I know what happened to Tyro, and I know what happened to you. Your Nightmare took over, and hurt the very pony you care about. And when morning came, you convinced yourself that Tyro would leave you."
"And so I have a gift for you. I will tell you what lies in Tyro's dreams. Your Nightmare is not among them."
Twilight felt relieved. "Luna—"
Luna wasn't done, however. "Tyro's happiest dreams are of times he's spent with you, Twilight. The only nightmares he has are his fears that he might lose you."
"Speak not of what I have told you. It is a private matter, between the two of us alone. Simply know, and let your heart be at ease."