> Bearers of Nature
>  by TwinQuasars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	My name is Soul Seer. I was born in raised in a town called Saddle near the northern border of Equestria.  I am an Earth Pony with the unique gift to see into the souls of other ponies.  I can see their “spark”, the source of their unique talent that makes them different from every other pony.  I can look at it in great detail, and I can even see their talent before their cutie mark manifests.  I was quite the late bloomer; my power did not manifest (along with my cutie mark) until I was a young stallion.  When the fillies and colts in town learned of my gift, many of them came to me to learn what their special talents were.  For a while, I complied with their requests, but I eventually came to realize that I was denying them an integral part of learning about who they are.  This came with realization that I didn’t know what I was truly meant to do with my talent.  For the time being, I decided that I would become a fortune-teller, using my gift to give advice to other ponies and make prediction about their future based on what I could infer from their souls.  I had traveled for a long time, and had yet to find my purpose, when I had arrived in a town known as Ponyville.  This is where my story begins…
It was a beautiful day in Ponyville.  The pegasi had made sure the sky was clear of clouds for Market Day.  The various stalls and booths were set up around town, peddling goods from ponies all over the countryside.  Soul Seer, who had camped out just out of view of Ponyville last night, arrived with his cart and found a spot for him to set up his fortune-telling booth.  It comprised of a simple tent and a small wooden table, which would sit between the customers and him.  He also donned a pair of dark glasses that concealed his eyes.  He put up a sign outside his tent, identifying his services, and took his place behind the table.  Alright, he thought, let’s see what kind of ponies live here.  While he became a fortune-teller to make some kind of living, he admitted to himself that it was also a convenient excuse to look at the souls of many ponies.  Though he believed it wrong to look at a pony’s soul without consent, he was nosy by nature, and enjoyed looking through ponies to see what secrets they might be hiding.
The morning was rather quiet, as Soul only had two customers.  The first was a young mare with a stallion.  Soul didn’t need his powers to tell that they were in love, and as the mare asked common questions for one in her position, he clearly saw that their souls were compatible, and answered her questions as such.  They seemed happy when they left, and he was happy for them.  The thought crossed his mind, one day…  The other was a young stallion who was down on his luck.  Soul sympathized with him, reminded of his own search for meaning.  He searched the stallion’s soul and gave him advice that would hopefully lead him to success.
The sun was at its peak, and Soul was beginning to feel hungry.  He was wondering where he could get a cheap meal when a pink mare with a poofy pink mane bounded into his tent.  “Wow! This is so cool!” the pink earth pony said at a rapid pace, “You must be new to Ponyville because I know everyone in Ponyville and I’ve never seen you before.  Are you really a fortune-teller?”  Taken aback by her abundant energy, Soul was a little slow to respond.  “Yes, I am, but I’m only stopping through.  I’ll probably only be here for a few days.”  
“Oh, I see.  You’re one of those traveling ponies.  I don’t think I could do that, as that would mean leaving all my friends behind, even though I’d be making new friends along the way.”  The energetic mare continued, “Well, welcome to Ponyville.  My name’s Pinkie Pie.  I’m sure we can be the bestest of friends!”  
“Yes, I’m sure we can,” Soul responded with slight reluctance in his voice.  “My name is Soul Seer, and it’s nice to meet you.”  
“Oh, that’s a neat-o-riffic name,” Pinkie declares, “sounds mysterious.  I bet it goes with your cutie mark, too.  A blue circle with a sparkly in it looks super-duper mysterious to me!”  Soul chuckles a bit, “It signifies my special talent, just like any other cutie mark.  Since you’re here, would you like your fortune told?”  Pinkie hops into the air a bit, “Oh, yea! I totally would!  You know, I do a bit in fortune-telling too, just for fun.”  
“Really?  Well, I can assure I do things a bit differently.”  
“I can tell because you don’t have a crystal ball or anything.”  
“All I need are these,” he says while taking his glasses off.  
“Oh, your eyes are the same color as your cutie mark.”  
“Indeed they are,” he says while point across the table. “Now if you would just stand there for a moment, I can work my magic.”  Soul closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath.  He releases the air slowly then opens his eyes.  Pinkie was slightly shocked to see that both of his eyes were now solidly bright blue, seemingly glowing from some internal light source.  Soul was also shocked at what he saw inside Pinkie’s soul.  “This can’t be!?  I’ve never seen anything like it; two sparks!  One much brighter than the other.  So intense.  What is this?”  He broke contact, closing his eyes and bringing his hooves up to them.  
For a brief moment, Pinkie’s constant smile vanished.  “What wrong?”  
Recovering from the sight, Soul put his dark glasses back on.  “It’s as if you had some other power in you, separate from your special talent.”  
Her smile quickly returned.  “Oh, maybe you saw my Pinkie Sense.  See, sometimes I get these twitchy-twitches, and they tell me when things are about to happen.  Or maybe you saw my Element of Harmony…”  
Soul looked up quickly. “Wait, what?  The Element of Harmony?  What is that?”  
“Oh, they are super awesome!  See, me and my friends happen to be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, which is this power we have used to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord!”  A look of surprise came to his face.  “Incredible!  And you say there are more of Elements of Harmony?  And your friends carry them inside their souls?”
“Sounds like it.  Would you like to meet them?”  
“I would like very much!”
Pinkie Pie starts hopping around with excitement.  “We can make it a party!  With balloons, and streamers, and food and games, and then you can meet the girls!”
“I’d rather not make a big deal out of it, but alright.  Where is this going to be?”
She stops hopping for a second.  “That’s right.  Mr. and Mrs. Cake are busy around the shop today and probably wouldn’t appreciate a party at the Corner at the moment… Oh! I know!  We can have it at Twilight’s house.  I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“Alright and where is that?”
“It’s the library in town.  It’s in a ginormous tree.  You can’t miss it!”  She lets out a loud gasp.  “Ohmygosh!  I have to get things ready!  I’ll see you there in one hour!”  She then bounced out of the tent, leaving Soul standing there, slightly confused.  
“Alright then…see you later.”  His mind was racing, but it was disturbed by a growling coming from his stomach.  I better get something to tide me over before the party, he thought as he walked out into the bright sun and closed up the tent behind him.


********

After grabbing a bite to eat, Soul finds himself outside a large tree, functioning as a building, with a sign depicting an open book hanging near the door.  This looks like place, he thought as he knocked on the door.  He was surprised when the door quickly swung open, a horn was sounded, and confetti shot at his face.  He quickly backed up and had a stunned look on his face when Pinkie Pie appeared in the doorway.  “Well, come on in! Glad you could make it,” she said, with a perky smile on her face.
“You certainly do work fast, don’t you?” He said is he recovered from being startled.
“Planning a party is the easy part, and I want to work fast to get to the fun part!”
Soul walked inside, taking in the room slowly.  The room’s intended use was indeed that of a library, as all the walls were lined with shelves filled with books.  There was also a staircase the lead up to another room.  Balloons and streamers were located all around the room, just as Pinkie said there would be.  There was also a table in the center, where various foods, mostly baked goods, were located.  He also noted the five other ponies that were in the room with him.  Besides Pinkie, there was another Earth pony, two unicorns, and two pegasi, though only one was airborne.  They were conversing with one another as I walked in.
“Look, all I’m saying is that I would have a liked a little more warning before she went and planned a party at my house,” said a purple unicorn, sounding slightly annoyed.  
“Ah chill Twilight,” remarked an orange pony wearing a hat, “we won’t make a mess.  It’s just us and that other fella Pinkie met.”  
“You really should just relax,” chimed in a white unicorn with a styled, purple mane.
Pinkie’s energy caught everyone’s attention. “Okey dokey lokey! He’s here!”
“Well it’s about time,” called out the cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane, hovering over the food table.  “I enjoy a good party as much as the next pony, but I should be taking a nap right about now.”
The white unicorn approached Soul.  “Don’t listen to her, darling.  She’s just a bit cranky, that’s all.  My name is Rarity.  It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Well, howdy there!” shouted the orange Earth pony. “Name’s Applejack.  Have you had a chance to try Sweet Apple Acre’s famous apples, ‘cause I can guarantee they are the best you will ever eat.”
Before Soul could respond, the rainbow-maned pegasus flew up next to him.  “The name is Rainbow Dash.  You may have heard of me.  I’m the only pegasus to have pulled off the legendary Sonic Rainboom.  Twice!”  She then pointed over to a yellow pegasus, who was trying to hide behind Applejack.  “That there is Fluttershy.”  The timid pegasus made a barely audible “hello” 
“She’s a little shy around new ponies,” the purple unicorn went on to explain, “but she’ll warm up to when she gets to know you.  My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m a student of Princess Celestia.”
Soul noticed that he finally had a chance to talk.  “Hello.  I’m Soul Seer, and I’m glad I’ve had the chance to meet all of you.”  He turned to look at Twilight.  “Um, Ms. Sparkle, I’m sorry if there has been any trouble with having this party at your house, but I did really want to see all of you.”
Twilight responded with a smile.  “Please, call me Twilight, and don’t worry about it.  From what I understood of Pinkie’s story, you have an interesting reason for wanting to see all of us.”
“To be honest,” pointed out Applejack, “I didn’t really understand any of what she said.”
“It has something to do with the Elements of Harmony, isn’t that right?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Soul addressed Rarity.  “I want to look at your souls and examine these Elements of Harmony that Pinkie told me about.”
“You can actually do that?” Twilight remarked, with a twinkle in her eye. “That’s fascinating!  You really must show me how you do it.”
“Of course.  Now, if you would all be so kind as stand in a line across the room from me.”  Soul began to take his glasses off, but upon seeing Fluttershy out from her hiding spot, he decided to leave them on.
As if reading his mind, Rainbow Dash spoke up.  “What’s with the shades?”
“Well, you see, when I use my power, my eyes…change.  I generally wear these glasses when fortune-telling so as to not disturb my customers.”
“Then why did you take them off for me?” Pinkie Pie remarked.
“I gathered you would find it more amusing then frightening.”
“It’s true!  I was a little shocked at first, but they sure are a doozy to see!”
“Cool!  I want to see!”  Rainbow Dash began to advance towards him.
“I’d rather not, if that’s ok.”
Applejack took a look at Fluttershy, who was standing timidly next to her.  “I understand.  Leave him alone, Rainbow Dash.  Let him do what he wants to do.”
“Aww…fine.”  Rainbow Dash mumbled as she hovered back to her position.
Soul prepared for the sight of the Elements of Harmony.  He remembered how bright Pinkie’s spark was.  He was going to have to push himself if he was going to get a good look at the Elements.  He opened his eyes and was immediately awe-struck.  The Elements were much more intense then when he saw the one before.  The sparks reached out and interwove with one another.  He could barely see anything beyond the Elements’ brilliance.  His eyes started to water and he could feel his legs becoming weak.  He had to stop.  He closed his eyes as his knees buckled and he collapsed on the floor.
When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see that Fluttershy was the closest one to him.  “Are you alright?”
“Yea, I’ll be alright.”
“You had us worried there for a minute, sugar cube,” Applejack’s voice spoke from nearby.
As Soul pulled himself into an upright position, he saw that all of the mares were crowded around him.  His eyes happened to pass by a window, where he saw three small fillies looking in at him.  They must have seen him looking back, he thought, as the heads quickly ducked out of sight.  “Until today, I never knew how physically draining my power could be.  I’ve never seen sparks so brilliant before.  Moreover, these Elements seem to be stronger when then are within close proximity of one another.”
“Well, that make sense,” Twilight explained, “Their power can only be used when they are all together.”
Soul stood in a silence for a moment, thinking over the occurrences of the day so far, as the other ponies looked on.  When he broke the silence, he addressed the room as a whole.  “It seems I may be staying in Ponyville longer then I planned.  With your permission, I would like to examine each of your Elements individually over the next few days.”
Rainbow Dash interjected.  “I’m not sure I feel comfortable with you looking into my soul and all.”
“I assure you that I have no interest in prying, and will only be examining your Element of Harmony.  Besides, it would be hard for to concentrate on anything else because of the intensity of the Element’s spark.”  He takes off his glasses and looks over at Fluttershy, with general concern in his eyes.  “Would that be alright with you, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy bowed her head, avoiding his gaze.  “I…I guess that would be alright.”
Soul flashes a smile before turning his attention toward Twilight.  “I would also like to use your library from other research as well.”
“Of course.  Do you have some place to stay?”
“Not yet.  I just got here this morning, and I haven’t had the chance to look town yet.  I’m used to camping out in the open, though.”
“Well, you’re more than welcome to stay here.  I have a room downstairs that I occasionally use for late-night studying.  I even have an extra bed set up.”
“Thank you.  I’d appreciate that.  I should probably go pack up my tent and get my cart.  I suspect the market probably closing up now.”  He turned to Pinkie and gave a slight bow.  “Thank you for this wonderful party.  The food was delicious…” he then turned to Applejack, “…especially those wonderful apples.”
“Ah well, thank ya kindly.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll familiarize myself with Ponyville.  Then we can begin making arrangements for my studies.  Again, it was nice meeting you all.”  With that, he put his glasses back on and went out the door.
Twilight looked around at the mares.  “I think that means the party is over Pinkie.”
“Aww, but we didn’t even play any games.”  Pinkie looked a little down-trodden, but managed to maintain her smile.
Rarity came up beside her.  “Come on, darling.  I’ll help you clean up.”
Twilight started up the staircase.  “Spike, are you upstairs?  I need your help cleaning up the downstairs room.  I also need The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.”


********

After returning to the library with his cart, the sun had set, and Soul wanted to check on his temporary bedroom.  As he opened the door, he almost slammed into a young dragon carrying a stack of books.  The dragon let out a yell and dropped the books as he nearly avoided the opening door, “Hey! Watch it!”
“Sorry, I didn’t realize…”  Soul finally got a good look at what he nearly crushed into the wall, “…you’re a dragon, aren’t you?”
The small dragon was busy picking up the books that he dropped.  “Yea, I’m Spike, Twilight’s assistant.  Are you the pony who’s using this room?”
“Yep, the name is Soul Seer.  Sorry about opening the door on you like that, I didn’t realize anyone was down here.”
Twilight’s voice came from upstairs, “Spike, are you alright?  I thought I heard you yell.”  She soon after entered the room.  “Oh, Soul, your back.  I see you met Spike.  He was just finishing clean the room.”
“Yea, we kind of ran into each other.”  Soul gave a quick smile to Spike, who was giving a little scowl in return.  “I’ll admit I didn’t expect to see a dragon here, even a young one.  Most of the tales of heard regarding dragons say they are ferocious monsters.”
“Most are, but I basically raised Spike since he hatched.  We’re practically family.”
Soul thought to himself, interesting, a tame dragon.  I’ve never tried to look at the soul of any other creature before.  I wonder if they even have a spark.  I might have to work on getting on his good side though.
“Well, everything should be set up down here now”
He finally took the time to look around the downstairs room.  Compared to main library room, this room was rather barren.  It only had a few small shelves that weren’t completely filled with books.  There was a small desk with a lamp on it, as well a single book resting in the center.  The bed was up against the far wall.
“It’s not much, but by the looks of it, you don’t have much either.”  Soul only had a small saddlebag over his back.
“No.  Besides my fortune-telling tent, I travel fairly light.”
“Alright then.  If you need anything else, just let me know.”  She began to walk out of the room before quickly turning around.  “Oh, right!  The book on the desk is the same book I read to learn about the Elements of Harmony.  I figured that would be a good place to start on your research.”
“Thank you, that sounds perfect.  I guess I’ll see you in the morning then.”
“Alright, good night Soul.”
“Good night Twilight.”
After Twilight had left and closed the door behind her, Soul went to the desk and opened the book to read.  He pulled out a notebook and pencil from his bag and placed them on the table as well.  It wasn’t until several hours later that we went to sleep.
He woke up late the next morning.  He slowly trotted over to the desk, which still had the book wide open and his notebook riddled with his scribbles.  He quickly read over his notes and thought that this was a good start.  His stomach reminded him that it was time for food.  He went upstairs into the main library.  Twilight was reorganizing some books when he walked in.  She turned around to address him, keeping the books afloat with her magic.  “You’re finally up.  How did you sleep?”
“I haven’t slept in a bed for a while.  It was nice.”  He took a look around the room and noticed something was missing.  “Where’s Spike?”
“He’s out picking up a few supplies around town.”
“Ah, I see.”  He heard a growling reminder from below. “Do you know a good place to get a cheap bite to eat?”
Twilight thought for a moment, still organizing her books.  “There’s a nice little café near the town square.  If you head towards the town hall, you can’t miss it.”
“Sounds good.  When would be good time for me to examine your Element?”
“Ah, hold on.”  Twilight levitated a thin book off a small table over to her and flipped it open.  “I can schedule for tomorrow afternoon.  Does that work?”
“She must be busier then she looks if she needs a schedule,” Soul thought.  He responded, “Uh, yea that should be just fine.”  He opened the door and immediately noticed the bright sun.  He quickly turned around and went back downstairs, returning with his dark glasses.  He took a step outside, smiled, and went on his way.
After enjoying a couple of Sweet Apple Fritters at the café, Soul decided to take a walk around town and mentally map out Ponyville.  He had seen the Carousel Boutique and Sugarcube Corner and was heading down a road which led to a schoolhouse when three fillies appeared before him.  He recognized them as the heads he saw in the window the day before.  “Hello there,” he decided he would play ignorant for now.
“Hi, are you really a fortune-teller?”  Asked the filly on the right, a white unicorn with a purple-pink mane.
“I am, but how did you know that?”
“I heard my sister mention a fortune-teller she saw yesterday.”
“…and we kinda saw you through the window,” added the filly on the right, an Earth pony with a yellow body and red mane with a big bow on top of her head.”
The pegasus filly in the middle, with her orange body and purple mane, nudged the yellow filly in the side.  “Why did you go and tell him that?”
“Well, if he’s really a fortune-teller, wouldn’t he already know that?”  The earth filly defended herself.
“Truth is,” Soul interjected before things escalated, “I did see you three peeking at me yesterday.”
The three fillies seemed a little sad and a tad embarrassed.  “We’re sorry,” the three said in unison.
Soul smiled, “Don’t worry about it.  Now how about you tell me your names?”
The Earth filly spoke first, “My name is Applebloom, and my big sister is Applejack.”
“I’m Sweetie Belle,” said the young unicorn, “and I live with my sister, Rarity.”
The orange pegasus was quick to finish, “The name is Scootaloo, and one day, I’m going to be as cool as Rainbow Dash.  Together we are…”
“…The Cutie Mark Crusaders!”  All three of them jumped in the air shouting this.  It wasn’t until now that Soul noticed that none of them had a cutie mark.  Not again, he thought.
“So mister,” Applebloom said with enthusiasm, “can you see into the future?”
“My name is Soul Seer, and yah, something like that.”  He said with a less energy.  He wanted to avoid giving them the idea that he could see their special talents.
“That’s kinda cool, I guess,” said Scootaloo, with a tad of a snarky attitude, “but it isn’t Rainbow Dash cool.”
“Do you think you could tell us our fortunes?”  Sweetie Belle asked, with a gleam in eye.  “We’re willing to pay.”
It couldn’t be avoided, he thought.  A customer is a customer, but I can’t really take their money.  I should be able to give them a reading without giving anything away.
“Alright, I can tell you you’re fortunes, but I can’t take money from a trio of cute fillies.”
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle blushed just the slightest bit, but Scootaloo stuck her tongue out in disgust.
“Alright now just stand right there next to each other…like that, good.  Now just give me a moment while I channel my power.”  He was always more willing to put on a show when he was on the job.  He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nostrils.  When he opened his eyes, he went slack-jawed.  He tilted his head forward and his glasses slid off his face, revealing the solid blue orbs that were is eyes.  The fillies screamed in terror and ran off.  “No…it can’t be…there is something very wrong here…Wait!  Come back!”  It was too late, they had vanished.  “Horse feathers...no time for that now!  I need answers!”  He quickly grabbed his glasses and headed back to the library.
When Soul slammed open the door to the library, he was breathing heavily, and Twilight was staring at him with a face somewhere between concerned and annoyed.  “Soul, what was that all about?  What’s wrong?”
“Twilight, do you have a way of contacting Princess Celestia?”  He had slowed down to catch his breath, but he was still moving towards the downstairs room.
“Yes, Spike can get a letter to her.  Why?”
“I need you to send a letter on my behalf, requesting an audience with her?”
“Why?  What is this all about?”
Soul was downstairs, packing his small saddlebag with a few supplies, calling up to Twilight. “I can’t really explain right now.  I just need to talk with her.  I think she has some answers I need.”
“But do you need to go now?  Why all the rush?”
Soul emerged from the downstairs room, clearly frustrated.  “I just do!  OK?”  He realized he was yelling when he saw Twilight start to tear up.  “Look, Twilight, I’m sorry.  I just need you to do this one thing for me, alright?”
Twilight stood there for a moment, with an occasional sniff breaking the silence.  “There’s a train that will take you Canterlot.  That will cut your travel time in half.  I just wish you would tell me what’s going on.”
Soul sighed.  “Thank you Twilight.  When I know more, I’ll fill you in.”  He started to head out the door.  “I’m leaving my cart here.  I will be back.  I promise.”  With that, he promptly left, heading towards the train station.
Twilight stood there, drying the tears from her face.  “Spike, I know you’re there.
Spike quietly descended the staircase.  “What was that all about?”
Twilight didn’t look at him, instead staring at the door.  “I don’t know, but I don’t think it was anything good.”  She took in a quick breath and a look of determination came to her face.  She quickly turned to face Spike.  “Spike, take a letter…”
	
> Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	When I look into a pony’s soul, the world around me goes dark.  The pony becomes a dim outline.  Inside, I see tiny motes of light, like stars in a night sky.  These are pony’s ideals:  their morals, their dreams, and their secrets.  In the center lies the spark; a much larger star that represents the pony’s special talent.  Structurally, all sparks are the same; an orb of colorless light with tendrils that seem to fade into the darkness.  By staring directly at the spark, I can see flitting images, I can hear words being spoken, and given enough time, I can even feel his or her very essence; what it means to have their gift.  The longer I look, the more I can learn, though I generally limit myself out of respect.  The Elements of Harmony appear to be similar to these sparks, but they hold key differences.  They are much larger, much brighter, and possess different colors.  When they are together, their intensity grows significantly, and the tendrils reach out and intertwine with each other.  At that point, I had yet to study one of the Elements to see just how similar or different they were from a typical spark.  My mind had become preoccupied with what I had just seen before heading to Canterlot.  I could only hope that Princess Celestia had the answers I sought…
The train ride to Canterlot was uneventful.  Soul paid little attention to the landscape as it whipped past him.  He was lost in his own thoughts.  They proceeded as such:  Was I too hasty in coming to see Princess Celestia?
No, I’m sure she has the answers I need.  If she doesn’t, she will know where I can start looking.
Why am I so sure about this?
She used the Elements of Harmony herself to banish Nightmare Moon.  She has also been around for a very long time.  She has to know something about it.
Why would something like that have been omitted from the book?
Perhaps the author didn’t know about it…or perhaps it’s not related.  It could have been something completely different.
It sure looked like one of the Elements…
He was flipping through pages of The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.  He had a clear look of annoyance on his face.  At one point he said loudly, “I need answers!”  He was met with stares from the few passengers he was sharing a car with.  It was fairly quiet on the train, as it was barely even at half capacity.
It wasn’t until the train was pulling into the Canterlot station that another thought came to his head.  “How am I supposed to know when my appointment with the Princess is, or if she even accepted it?”  As he walked off the train, still pondering this new conundrum, he noticed a sign bearing his name.  The sign was held by magic, coming from a unicorn wearing a helmet and armor.  As Soul approached the sign, the unicorn addressed him, “Are you Soul Seer?”
“I am, and who are you?”
“I am a member of the Royal Guard.  You are to come with me.  You have an audience with Princess Celestia.”
Well, that takes care of that, he thought, as the guard led Soul through Canterlot towards the castle.  He had not been to Canterlot during his travels.  Big cities like this often had regulations that were a hassle for traveling ponies such as him; Street booths require permits, accommodations are generally more expensive, and the city crowd usually seems to disagree with the idea of a fortune-teller, especially if that crowd is mostly unicorns.  He only came to cities if his funds were beginning to run dangerously low.  Cities are good for finding temporary work.  Doing menial tasks and heavy labor reminded him that he was an Earth pony, despite his near-magical talent.  Luckily, he had pulled in good crowds in the last couple of towns he had visited, and with his general frugality, he had little monetary worries at the moment.
As they walked through the main gates to the castle, Soul couldn’t help but let out a little whistle.  It was quite a sight to see, its gleaming towers rising into the sky.  The castle gardens were immaculately well kept, featuring statues and flowers of a wide variety.  The inside of the castle sported tapestries and stained glass, depicting various images of lore, a few of which he recognized as the Elements of Harmony.
They stopped in front of a large set of double doors, where two other guards, both pegasi, stood on either side.  The pegasi guards opened the doors, and the unicorn guard prompted Soul to go inside.  The room in question appeared to be a private meeting chamber, as it was smaller than most of the other chambers he has seen on the way here.  There was a low table in the middle of the room with several places to sit around it.  On the other side of the table was Princess Celestia, lounging on a couch and sipping some tea, gently keeping the teacup afloat with her magic.
As the doors closed behind him, she directed him with a soft but commanding voice, “Please, have a seat.”
Soul obliged and positioned himself on one of the floor cushions across the table from her.
“Your name is Soul Seer, correct?  My student, Twilight Sparkle, told me that you wished to discuss something important with me.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“First, tell me a little bit about yourself.”
Why does she seem more interested in me then my message, he though.  “I don’t know where I should begin.”
“How about where you came from?”
Soul cleared his throat.  “I come from the town of Saddle, up north.”
“I remember Saddle.  It was the host for the Summer Sun Celebrations about six years ago.”
“Indeed.  That was the first time I saw you.  It was quite a spectacle.  I was glad I had the chance to see it with my parents.”
“So, what brought you down south?”
“The quick answer is that I’m a fortune-teller.  I make a living traveling from town to town.  The truth, however, is that I’m still looking for what I’m supposed to be doing.”  Soul paused to see if the Princess’s curiosity had been peeked.
“Yes, Twilight told me about you special talent.  Please, continue,” she said calmly, after taking another sip of tea.
“As my power began to manifest, I had no idea what it meant to have this gift.  At first, it was fun to look at everypony’s souls, just to see what I could see.  I learned I could see a pony’s special talent, even before their cutie mark appeared, and when that word got out, all of the town’s fillies and colts crowded to me.  My mother, who is a teacher, began to notice an influx of cutie marks appearing overnight, and she got suspicious.  It didn’t take long for her to find out I was telling the young ponies what their talents were, making their cutie marks appear.  She set me straight, though.  She told me it was wrong to do that, as it was denying them the chance to find out for themselves what made them special.  In a way, I was taking the magic of their foalhood away from them.  She also taught me to respect a pony’s privacy; that I shouldn’t just go around looking at their souls without their permission.  After that, it seemed like my power was nothing good.  I tried to live a normal life.  I tried various jobs around town, including working for my dad in construction, but nothing satisfied me.  I realized that I would be missing something until I figured out what I was meant to do with my power.  As I was having no success in my home town, I decided to travel abroad would be by best course of action.  I taught myself how to ‘tell fortunes’ by gathering information I saw in a pony’s soul to give them advice, so I could support myself during my travels.  I have to do the occasional odd-job now and then to supplement my income, but I generally manage.”  Soul let out a long sigh.  He was used to talking to a variety of ponies, but something about talking to royalty was exhausting.
Celestia gave only a small smile.  “I must say, that is an interesting story, but I have asked enough questions.  I believe you had something important you wished to discuss with me.”
“Yes, I do.”  Soul fished out the book from his saddlebag and placed it on the table.  “Last evening, I read over this book, learning everything I could about the Elements of Harmony.  I also acquainted myself with the stories and legends about Discord and Nightmare Moon.  From what I have learned, you personally have wielded the Elements of Harmony on two occasions:  Once with your sister to seal away Discord, and again by yourself to banish Nightmare Moon.  You, of all ponies, should be able to answer this question:  Are you absolutely sure that there are only six Elements of Harmony?”
“Yes, I am sure.”  Celestia went to take another sip of tea, only to find that her teacup was empty.  She poured another cup from a tea kettle on the table while she continued.  “When my sister and I discovered the Elements of Harmony, there were only six, and as I’m sure you have done your research, the true power of the Elements can only be used when all of the Elements are together.  That should be all the proof you need.”
“Then do you know of any other power that could be similar to the Elements of Harmony?”
“Similar in what way?”
“A great power that could lie dormant in the souls of ponies, like the Elements of Harmony before Twilight and her friends awoke them with their friendship.”
Celestia sat in silence, not even drinking her tea, thinking for a moment.  For the first time, she looked as if she was deep in thought, instead of just answering matter-of-factly.  “Before I answer your question, I must ask you one more:  Why do you wish know?  What was so urgent that you had to rush to talk to me personally?”
Soul knew that he would have to answer this question, so he was ready.  “I saw a spark in the soul of a young filly this morning, and that spark looked surprisingly similar to an Element of Harmony, which I had just seen first-hoof the day before.  You can understand my shock, considering I had just spent the night before learning about how there were six Elements of Harmony, which I knew resided in the six mares I had met that day.  If that spark I saw wasn’t an Element of Harmony, then what was it?”
Celestia stood up, rising to her majestic glory, and stretched out her wings.  She really was a sight to behold, he thought.  “There were tales of a great power known as the Elements of Nature, but they were lost a long, long time ago; before the Discordian Era.  I’m afraid I know little about them, but there may be some texts about them in the ancient archives.”
“And how do I get to the ancient archives?”
“By me allowing you access, of course.”  Celestia said this with a grin.  “I will allow access to the archives, and to take whatever pertinent material you find for research, under one condition.”
“I will make sure it is upheld, you majesty.”
“You must keep me informed of your investigation into this anomaly, including the whereabouts of any other Elements of Nature, if that is indeed what you end up discovering.”
“You have my word.  I’m sure your student will be eager to keep you informed of my work.  I will probably need her assistance as long as I am in Ponyville.”
“Very well.  I will have a guard escort you to the ancient archives.  Guard!”  The doors to room opened and one of the pegasus guards came in.
“Yes Princess?”
“Please see that my guest is escorted to the ancient archives.  He has my permission to enter and leave with materials from the archive, understood?”
“Yes, your highness.”  The guard turned his gaze to Soul.  “If you would come with me, I’ll take you to the archives.”
Soul began to walk towards the door, when the princess called to him.  “Don’t forget this book.”  He turned to see The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide levitate towards him and deposit itself into his saddlebag.
“Thank you Princess.  I wouldn’t want Twilight getting mad at me for losing her book.”
Celestia let out a small laugh, “Yes, she can get a little crazy about her books.”
As Soul was led down the hallway away from the meeting room, he turned to see the other pegasus guard walking in the other direction, as two unicorn guards came to relieve them of their positions.


********

To Soul’s surprise, the ancient archives weren’t located on the palace ground so much as they were located inside the mountain.  A unicorn guard replaced the pegasus that was leading him when they arrived at the entrance to a cave leading deep into the mountain.  It became apparent as to why when then only light in the cave came from the unicorn’s horn.  It felt like they had been walking for miles before they came to a pair of large doors bordered by torches.  The doors opened in response to the unicorn’s magic, and the two walked inside.  Soul was amazed at how large the chamber was.  He couldn’t even see the other side, and it was cluttered with large shelves, which were filled to brim with tomes and scrolls of varying sizes.  How am I going to find anything in this place, he thought.  He trotted over to the nearest bookshelf and looked it over.  I sure hope there’s nothing important on the higher shelves, he said in his head, the things near two feet high!  There also didn’t seem to be any identifying markers as to what was on each shelf.  He looked over to the guard, who stood near the doors. “Could I get some help over here?”
Before the guard could respond, the large doors began to open.  The guard turned to see who was entering the chamber.  At the door was an older unicorn, sporting a beard that was longer then Soul short goatee, but still well kempt.  He also didn’t have the signature armor of a guard.  The newcomer spoke with a commanding voice, but with a slight quiver that hinted at his old age.  “I will watch over our guest for now.  You may wait outside.”
“Yes sir,” the guard responded and promptly left the room, closing the doors behind him.
The old unicorn stared at Soul for a few seconds before muttering something under his breath, which he was just able to make out due to the acoustics of the chamber, “an earth pony…”
Soul pretended he didn’t hear the remark.  “Hello there, and who might you be?”
“I am the Royal Archivist, and I don’t like other ponies nosing around them without my supervision.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I make it my business to know when strangers are allowed into any of the private archives.”
“Well, I can assure you that Princess Celestia gave me admittance…”
“I know that!  You wouldn’t have been able to get this far if she hadn’t.  I’m here to make sure you don’t cause any damage.”
“Then you’re going to help me?”
“Of course!  Can’t very well have you climbing the shelves and trying to read every book you see.  What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for anything related to the ‘Elements of Nature’.”
“Doesn’t sound familiar.  Just give me a moment…”  The old unicorn closed his eyes and his horn started to glow.  Soul watched him in silence, noticing that his eyes were rapidly moving behind his eyelids.  He also took the time to notice his cutie mark: a closed book with a quill over it.  He was a tad startled when the unicorn’s eyes quickly shot open.  “I think I found something!”
“What?  How?”
“I’m the Royal Archivist for a reason!  I can’t remember everything, but I can remember the titles of books and where they are in the archives.  I just had to cross-reference your search parameters with my database.”
“Uh…”
The old unicorn shook his head, “Just follow me…”  They began to walk down rows and rows of shelves interspersed with desks and tables.  To Soul, every row looked exactly the same, and he could see himself easily getting lost if he wasn’t following the elderly stallion, who walked amongst the endless books with confidence.  They finally came to stop in front of one of the many bookshelves.  The unicorn quickly scanned the shelves before his horn lit up, levitating a book carefully from its position on a high shelf.  He brought the book down safely to one of the nearby desks.  “That might be what you’re looking for.  Take a look at it while I do another check to see if there is anything else.”
Soul went over to the book and read the title, The Power of Nature: Elements and Aspects.  It was a small book, but the first thing he noticed as he opened to the first page was how well the book the kept.  “This is amaz…”
“Shh!”  The unicorn interrupted him, as he was clearly still busy with his ‘search’.  Soul decided to wait and instead continued to look into the book.  It appeared to start with a story about a creature that guarded the ‘power of Nature’ and lived in a world where the land grew wild and free.  It went on to say that a dark force attacked this world and the creature fought back with all its might.  During the fight, however, the ‘power of Nature’ disappeared, and the world began to change.  With the power gone, the creature no longer could fight off the dark force, and was forced to retreat to a small corner of the world, which for some reason remained unchanged.  An interesting story, he thought, but what else does this book have to tell me?  He flipped a few pages farther into the book.  It now went on about various ‘aspects’ of nature; personifications of certain elements.  He noticed the emboldened words at the top of the pages as he continued to flip through the book:  Fire, water, air, earth…  “This must be it!”
“Must be,” returned the unicorn, who was now standing next to Soul, “I didn’t find anything else that appeared to do with the ‘Elements of Nature’.”
“I have to ask:  How is this book in such good condition?  It must hundreds, if not thousands, of years old!”
“Powerful magic protects the archives.  It was originally put in place by the royal sisters, and it has to be rejuvenated every decade.  So…is that what you were looking for?”
“Looks like it.  If you are sure that this is only book…”  Soul noticed the unicorn giving him a powerful stare.  “…which I’m sure it is, then this is book is what I need for my research.”
“So, you’re taking it out of the archives then?”
Soul placed the book into his saddlebag.  “That is the plan.  I am conducting my research in Ponyville.”
“Nothing better happen to that book!  If there is so much as a wrinkle in that book when it returns, I will hunt you down personally!”
“I assure you; no harm will come to this book.  Twilight Sparkle will be helping me with my research, and I know she’s just as zealous about books as you are.”
“Ms. Sparkle, you say?  Hehe, well then I have nothing to worry about.  She certainly will make sure no damage is done.”  He started to walk away.  “Well, come on.  It’s time to get you out of here.”  Soul quickly followed behind him, not wanting to get lost.  They walked in silence, and Soul began to think about what he would have to do when he got back to Ponyville, after researching the contents of the book.  If it really was an Element of Nature that he saw, he has some tough choices he was going to have to make in the near future.  What was the best way to approach this, and what sacrifices would have to be made?  He wasn’t looking forward to the next couple of days.
Eventually the large doors came into view, and Soul’s guide opened them with his magic.  The entered the cavernous hallway, where the lone unicorn guard stood sentry, vigilant as ever.  The archivist turned to Soul.  “I wish you and Ms. Sparkle success in your research.”
“Thank you.  I’ll make sure this book is returned unharmed.”
The elderly pony returned a grin.  “You better.”  He then turned to the guard.  “You may escort our guest off the premises.  I have some work to attend to.”  With that, he turned and headed down the tunnel in the opposite direction that Soul and the guard was headed.  By the time they emerged from the cave, the sun was already setting, and once they reached the main gates, the night sky was in full view.  The guard left him just outside the gates, and he started to walk slowly in the direction of the train station.  He did some quick calculations in his head and considered his options.  He then realized that he hadn’t had anything to eat since the train ride, so he went to a nearby café to grab a bite to eat.  After this, he though while he ate his sandwich, I’ll head to train station and catch a night train back to Ponyville.  The sooner I get back to the library, the sooner I can start my research.  He would also change the life of a certain little filly, but he didn’t really wish to think about that.  He only hoped he could get some sleep on the train because tomorrow was going to be a long day.

> Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It turned out the Elements of Nature shared similarities with the Elements of Harmony beyond their appearance.  The book stated that there were six Elements of Nature, but only five of them were known, just like the Elements of Harmony.  The elements were as follows: Water, Air, Fire, Earth, and Time.  It also appeared to be that the Elements of Nature, even if dormant, could be seen in the bearer’s actions and personalities.  According to the book, each element presented aspects of itself in those who carried them.  This still wasn’t much to go on at the moment, however.  I had no idea how I was going to find the rest of them, after I had identified the one in Ponyville.  So much was going on in my head, I didn’t get much sleep on the train that night.  In fact, I got to the library early that morning, showed Twilight the book, and promptly took a nap…
Soul slowly walked into the main room of the library, stretching his limbs.  “Alright!  I’m recharged, refreshed, and ready for research!”
Twilight looked up from the book she was reading on the table in the center of the room.  “Good to hear.  This book you brought is fascinating, to say the least, but I’m still not sure what this has to do with anything?”
“Right, I still owe you an explanation.”  He went on to tell her about what he saw the previous morning, his meeting with the Princess, and what little he had read out of the book.
“…so you think what you saw was one of these Elements of Nature?”
“I’m almost sure, I just need to confirm it and figure out which one.”
“Well, then we should go find her then!”
A look of discontent came over his face, “It’s not that simple.”
Her face scrunched in confusion, “Why is that?”
“Well for starters, the last time I saw them, they ran screaming in terror when they saw my eyes.”
Twilight’s eyelids fell halfway, “Whose fault is that?”
“It’s not like I planned for my glasses to slide off my face!”  She gave a quick sigh before he went on.  “More importantly, for now it’s best that she doesn’t know about the power that is lying dormant inside her.”
“Doesn’t she have the right to know?
“Of course she does, but not now!  Telling her now would be like revealing her cutie mark, only about 100 times worse.  When the time is right, she’ll learn of her power, but for now I need to figure out a way to examine her soul without her knowing.”
“How are you going to manage that?  It seems to me it would be hard not to notice you staring directly at her.”
“Which is why I’ll probably have to do so from a distance.”
“And you can manage that?”
“Generally it would put more strain on me because of the extra focus required, but considering the intensity of the Elements, it might actually be easier to examine them from farther away.  The downside is that it is rather like looking through binoculars; it will be hard to keep track of her if she is moving too much.”
“So…you just need her to stand still out in the open without her noticing you…you’re right, that’s doesn’t sound simple.”
Soul raised his hoof to his chin, “Actually, she might not have to be out in the open.  You see, when I look at a soul, everything else fades into darkness.  I just sort of ignore it, so theoretically, I should be able to see a soul even if there is a wall in between…I need to confirm this.  Twilight, could you go outside for a moment and close the door behind you?”
Twilight smiled eagerly, “Glad to see somepony else use the scientific method for a change.”  She opened the door, walked outside, and closed it.  Soul wasted no time activating his power.  A grin appeared on his face as he saw her Element shine, clear as day.  “Alright, you can come back in,” he shouted out.
Twilight walked in through the door, “did it work?”
“Indeed it did, making my task a whole lot easier.”
“Good and I’ve thought of an idea.  The school might be a good place to observe her.  She will be sitting still for long periods of time, and you can observe her through the walls without her being any wiser.”
“That certainly is a possibility.  I should check that out.”  He slid his glasses down over eyes, after making sure they were really on his head.  As he walked out the door, he mumbled to himself, “I just hope I don’t run into any foals on the way there.”


********

Soul passed a few groups of fillies and colts on his way to the schoolhouse, but they paid no attention to him.  It looks as though they might have just finished for today, he thought.  That may delay me, but at least I can check out the school in peace.  When he reached the school, however, the first thing he noticed was that the building was in the middle of a small clearing.  While he may be able to hide from the students inside, any passersby would be another issue.  He had already managed to frighten three fillies in public; the last thing he wanted was a reputation as some sort of creeper.  He was just about to leave when he notice a purple mare with a striped pink mane leaving the schoolhouse.  He quickly walked up to her, “Excuse me.  Are you teacher here?”
She seemed a little surprised to see him, “Uh, yes, I am.  My name is Cheerilee.  Do I know you?  Do you have a foal in my class?”
A quick look of annoyance crossed his face.  He thought; I don’t look that old, do I?  “No, nothing like that.  My name is Soul Seer, and I’m just traveling through.  I’ll be staying in Ponyville for a few days doing some research.”
“What are you researching?”
“Actually, I was wondering if you could give me some information regarding one of your students: Scootaloo.”
She broke eye contact.  “I’m sorry, but I shouldn’t be talking about my students with a stranger.”  She began to turn away.
“No, wait!  Just hear me out.  I’m trying to help her.”
She stood still for a moment, looking at the ground.  Then she turned back and looked at him in silence, waiting for him to continue.
Soul removed his glasses, let out a deep breath, and began to explain, “I have a special gift that lets me see a pony’s soul.  I saw something in Scootaloo that makes her different from everypony else, and if it isn’t handled properly, it could be dangerous; to her and those around her.  I need to know more about her so I can determine what exactly I saw, and for the time being, she cannot know about it.  Do you understand?  This must be kept a secret.  I just want to help her.”
They stood there for a few seconds, looking at each other, before she said, “I believe you.”  She turned back towards the schoolhouse.  “We can talk inside.”  They walked into the small building.  It looked like an average schoolhouse:  There was a big desk up front with a blackboard behind it, and an array of smaller desks for the students set up on the other side of the room.  There was also a variety of artwork posted around the walls, most clearly done by the students themselves.  Cheerilee made herself comfortable behind her desk.  “Alright, what do you want to know?”
Soul was slowly walking around the room.  “Anything about her personality: what she does in her spare time, who she looks up to, unique characteristics she exhibits…”
“Well, she is often seen with her friends, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.  She idolizes Rainbow Dash.  I believe her words to describe her would be ‘the most awesome pony ever’.  She wants nothing more than to be like Rainbow Dash when she grows up.  Unfortunately, her ability to fly is rather weak at the moment, due to family issues.”
“What do you mean?”
She was a little reluctant to continue.  “Well, I’m not entirely sure what it is her mother does, but I do know that she is always traveling.  She is often gone for long periods of time, leaving Scootaloo home with her father…who is an Earth pony.”
“I see…so she is not just missing a maternal figure in her life, but also a pegasus figure.  That would explain why she clings to Rainbow Dash so much.”
“Exactly.  She’s a lot like Rainbow Dash: determined, loyal, always looking towards the sky.  She tries so imitate her when she can.  Though she can’t fly well, I’ve seen her around town on a scooter, and she can get pretty fast on that thing.  It’s wonder that she doesn’t hurt herself more often.”
“Speed, huh…”  He mumbled under his breath, “…she only wants to be free.”
“What did you say?”
He quickly looked up.  “Nothing.  Um…do you know where she might be now?”
“She is probably hanging out with her friends, as usual.  I think they usually go to their clubhouse after school.”
“Clubhouse?”
“Yea, I’ve heard them talk about a clubhouse they have set up somewhere on Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Ok, thank you for your time, Ms. Cheerilee.”  He began to head for the door when he stopped for a moment and turned back around.  “What made you decide to trust me?  You were reluctant at first.  Why did you change your mind?”
She smiled at him.  “Two reasons:  Scootaloo hasn’t had the best circumstances in her life.  You said that you wanted to help her, and right now, I believe that she needs it.  Also, there is something about your eyes.  Call it intuition, but I know when a pony is trustworthy.”
A smile slowly appeared on his face as he recalled a memory.  “It must be a teacher thing.  My mother is teacher back home, and she always knew when a student was trying to lie or cheat.  She always knew when I was up to something, too.”
She let out a little chuckle.  “That’s just being a mother.”  Her face slowly became somber.  “Good luck, Mr. Seer.  I do hope that you can help her.”
His expression became serious.  “I’ll do everything I can.”  He then turned around and walked out the door.


********

Sweet Apple Acres was exactly what it sounded like:  acres and acres of apple trees.  It was a good thing Soul decided to get Applejack’s assistance in locating the clubhouse, as he would have almost certainly gotten lost.  Unfortunately, that also meant letting another pony in on the situation.
“So, why do ya need to go to the ol’ clubhouse again?”  Applejack asked as they cantered though the apple trees.
“I need to examine Scootaloo’s soul to confirm which Element of Nature she is carrying.  If I can catch her at the clubhouse, it could be the perfect opportunity.”  Soul was starting to become annoyed with her constant questions.
“And that is…”
“…something similar to the Elements of Harmony, except it can have a powerful impact on the world around it, even without its counterparts nearby.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Exactly”
The clubhouse finally came into view.  It was a small structure that was built in an old apple tree.  It had a couple of windows on opposite sides, and a ramp that led up to the door.  Applejack began to walk towards the ramp.  “I’ll just let the girls know you her to see them.”
Soul let out a stifled shout that stopped her in her tracks.  “No!  They can’t know I’m here!  That’s the point!”
“I don’t like this sneakin’ around business.”
“I’m not asking you to do anything.  Please, just stay here, out of sight, and stay quite.”
Her face scrunched up in annoyance as he made his way around the perimeter until he got to the side opposite the door, where there was no window.  He positioned himself just within the clearing around the tree house, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.  When he opened them, he was immediately drawn to the bright light that floated in the sky in front of him.  There were also two smaller sparks nearby, but trying to observe them was impossible with the intensity of the third spark.  The element had a greenish-blue tint to it, and its tendrils all reached out in the same direction, as if being blown away.  His suspicions were already confirmed, but he had to look deeper.  He began to feel the element reaching out to him.  He could feel its freedom, its desire for speed, and the knowledge that nothing could stop it.  It truly was a force to be reckoned with, and it was in the soul of a little pegasus who could hardly fly.  It’s just as I feared, he thought as he deactivated his power and made his way back to Applejack, who still clearly disagreed with his methods.
“Well, did you get what ya needed?”
Soul spoke with a dejected voice and continued to walk past her.  “Yea, I got the truth.  It’s just as bad as I expected it to be.”
Applejack’s expression changed to one of concern as she caught up with him.  “What do ya mean?  What ya see?”
“Scootaloo is in possession of the Element of Air.”
She thought for a moment.  “Huh…well I’d think that makes sense, considerin’ she’s a pegasus and all…”
“…A filly who can barely fly!”  Soul was getting worked up.  “She would do anything to be like Rainbow Dash, and the Element of Air can do just that, and probably more.  As soon as she learns she has that kind of power, she will try to use it, and she will more than likely bite off more than she can chew.  She won’t even consider the consequences until it’s too late!”
“Whoa, hold on there!  You gotta calm down!”
He slowed down and took a deep breath.  “You’re right.  Everything should be fine as long as there is no reason for her to suspect anything.  She has gone this long being ignorant of its presence.  Why should that change anytime soon?”
“I’m sure everything will turn out all right.  It’s like what I keep telling Apple Bloom:  She just needs to be patient.  Her special talent will reveal itself when the time is right.”
“I’m just worried about how she will discover her power.  I can only hope it will reveal itself when she is ready to wield it.  For now I should write my letter to the princess of what I have learned of the Elements of Nature so far.”
Applejack slightly rolled her eyes.  “What is it with the princess and her letters?”  Oh well, her right, I s’pose.”
“Just remember, Scootaloo’s power must remain a secret…”
“…from everyone, especially her.  I know.  It’s just, I ain’t good at lying.  It just ain’t right.”
Soul turned to look at her in the eyes.  “Look at it this way:  You’re doing this protect the citizens of Ponyville.  You’re doing this to protect her.  Besides, if all goes well, you won’t actually have to lie at all; the topic should never arise in the first place.”
“Yah, I guess so.”
He smiled.  “Thank you Applejack.  I knew I could count on you.”
She smiled back.  “I aim to help wherever I can…”  A puzzling look came to her face.  “…by the way, now that you figured this out, what are you going to do now?”
“Now?”  He appeared to think for a moment, though he already knew the answer.  “Now I look for the others.”

> Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Excerpt from The Power of Nature: Elements and Aspects regarding the legend:
Long ago, before the founding of Equestria, the pony tribes lived in small settlements that dotted the vast wilderness.  The alicorns observed the ponies in secret; assisting in their survival as unseen protectors.  The wilderness was controlled by nature, and a guardian protected the Elements of Nature, the source of its power.  The guardian and the alicorns had a standing agreement: The alicorns would tend to the needs of the ponies and make sure that they cause no unnecessary damage to nature.  In return, the guardian ensured that the creatures of the wilderness would not harm the ponies or their settlements.  Everything was well and good, until one day, when the alicorns disappeared.  The guardian did its best to maintain its part of the agreement, but without the alicorns to maintain peace, dissension began to grow among the pony tribes.  Their bitter emotions allowed a dark force to enter the world.  It quickly learned of the Elements of Nature, and sought them out for its own purposes.  The guardian fought against the dark force.  In power, the guardian was stronger, but the dark force was cunning, and eventually managed to slip past the guardian to reach the Elements of Nature.  Before it could claim them, however, the Elements vanished.  The world began to change, as nature no longer had control over the wilderness.  The dark force spread its influence across the unprotected land, changing it to its will.  The guardian, weakened now that the Elements were gone, retreated to the sanctuary where the Elements once laid.  The sanctuary still remained under nature’s control, as the Elements’ power had saturated the very land.  There the guardian remained, bidding its time; hoping that one day the Elements of Nature could be restored…


********

“I have no idea where I should start looking!”
Soul was in the downstairs room at the library.  His letter to the princess had been written and delivered via Spike, and he now had his muzzle buried deep into The Power of Nature.  “The Elements of Nature have been missing for centuries.  It was by pure chance that I happened to find the one in Scootaloo.  I don’t want to go wandering aimlessly across Equestria in hopes of miraculously running into another Element after who-knows how long!  I just wish I had a clue!”
“Well, then it’s a good thing I did my own research earlier.”  Twilight wandered into the room, levitating a glass of water alongside her.  “I thought you could use a drink,” she said as the glass landed on the table next to him.
He took a long sip and then let out a sigh of relief.  “Thanks, I needed that.  Now, you said you had something?”
“You know the legend behind the Elements of Nature?”
“Yea, I was just reading over it…again.”
“Well, it talks about a sanctuary where the Elements once resided, as well as where the guardian retreated to after they disappeared.  The sanctuary remained unchanged after the Elements vanished, apparently due to their power having saturated the land, and there is no reason to believe that has changed since then.”
“That certainly makes sense.”
“Well, there is only one place in all of Equestria that I know of where the land and animals are tended to by nature, and that is the Everfree Forest!”
Soul’s expression showed he was waiting for more.  “…and that is where?”
Twilight seemed shocked.  “I really expected you to know more than this.  The Everfree Forest is just east of Ponyville, how could you miss it?”
He responded matter-of-factly.  “When traveling, I observed ponies and the societies they live in.  I never really took the time to study the land.”
Twilight shook her head.  “The point is that the Everfree Forest must have some connection with the Elements of Nature, perhaps even a clue to their whereabouts.”
Soul thought for a moment.  “It also means that the guardian is probably in there as well.”
“You think the guardian is still there?”
“It doesn’t seem like it would go anywhere else.”
“I mean, do you think it’s even still alive?”
“At least how the legend is written, it seems like the guardian could afford to wait.”
“So it’s settled then!  Tomorrow, we investigate the Everfree Forest.”
Soul was surprised.  “Now hold on a moment!  For starters, I never said anything about you coming with me…”
“…and why not?”  Twilight was suddenly serious.  “You know nothing about the Everfree Forest and you are going to need a guide.”
He let out a sigh.  “We’ll discuss that later.  Secondly, I’m not about to rush into a potentially dangerous forest without doing some reconnaissance first.”
“How do you plan on doing that?”
“I have a plan, but I need to test something first.”  He quickly made his way to the main room.  “Hey Spike, come here for a minute.”  There was no response.
Twilight emerged from the downstairs room and called out, “Oh Spike…”
Spike appeared at the top of the stairs.  “Yes Twilight?”
“Soul needs your help with something.”
A slight scowl appeared on his face as he descended that stairs.  “Oh yea, and what’s that?”
Soul approached him slowly.  “Ever since I met you, I’ve wanted to look into your soul.  Now is the time.”
Spike’s eyes were wide, and he spoke with clear apprehension.  “Uh…Twilight?  This guy is freaking me out here.”
She reassured him.  “Don’t worry Spike, it won’t hurt.  Soul just needs to confirm a theory,” she turned to Soul, “right?”
“I’ve only ever looked at pony souls before; this is the first chance I’ve had to look at a dragon’s soul.  I need to see if other creatures possess sparks or not.”  He could see that Twilight was curious, so he continued.  “In a pony, their spark is the essence of their special talent, which is represented by their cutie mark.  Since other creatures don’t have such identifying marks, I’ve been curious to see if they have sparks, and what they look like.”  He now turned back to Spike.  “So, with your permission, I would like to look at the soul of a real dragon.”
Soul’s attempt at flattery did not go unnoticed by the young dragon, who puffed up his chest in pride.  “Well, I guess it would be alright, but I should warn you:  You may see some frightening stuff in there.  I am a dragon after all, and we are known for our ferocity.”
Soul gave a quick glance at Twilight, who was holding back a laugh.  “I’ll keep that in mind.  Now, if you could just stand right there for a minute.”  He backed up until he was about a table’s length away from Spike.  When he activated his powers, Spike let out a little yell and fell back on to the stairs.  “Oh, sorry Spike!  I forgot about my glasses.”  What he saw, however, was not as surprising.  The young dragon did possess a spark, though it appeared dimmer then a standard pony spark.  As he dug deeper, he could feel heat coming from the spark, and its essence was tough and scaly.  He did eventually see images of ferocious monsters, depicting the dragons he had heard about from stories, but they were so deep and subdued that they more likely racial remnants then anything that actually defined Spike.  Soul was satisfied and was about stop, when a mote floated into his field of vision that caught his eye.  It was a strong emotional memory that appeared to feature a certain white unicorn.  “Well, what do we have here?”
Spike appeared surprised and embarrassed at his comment.  “What?  What did you see?”
Soul stopped his powers and whispered to Spike.  “No worries, your secret is safe with me.”  He followed up with two quick clicks he made with his tongue.
Twilight appeared to ignore the preceding event.  “So, what did you find out?”
“Well, he certainly has a spark.  Fundamentally, it very similar to a pony’s soul, but with distinct differences:  Mostly how it felt.  More importantly, it confirms that other creatures can have sparks, which means I can move on with my plan tomorrow morning.”
“…and what does that entail, exactly?”
“Ideally?  Getting a pegasus-eye view of the forest.”
Twilight gave a little smile.  “How do you plan on doing that?”
“I don’t know yet.  I’m going to sleep on it.  Tomorrow morning I’ll have a fresh head and I’ll be ready to tackle that problem.”
“Does that mean you’re heading to bed now?”
Soul detected something in her question.  “Yes, it does.  Why, do you have something planned?”
She was quick to turn around before Soul could see her face.  “Nope, nothing planned.  Goodnight Soul.  See you in the morning.”  She quickly made her way up the stairs to her bedroom, with Spike right behind her.
Yea, that’s not suspicious at all, he thought as he went downstairs to his bed.  He lay in his bed for a while, and he swore he heard a door being opened and closed at least once before he drifted off to sleep.


********

When Soul emerged from his room, it was late the following morning.  He shuffled over to the table in the center of the library, and rested his head on it, thinking about what this day would bring.  Out of nowhere, a voice proposed, “Muffin?”
He turned to see Spike next to him, carrying a plate that had two blueberry muffins on it.  “Uh…yea, thanks.”  Spike put the plate down on the table in front of him before going over the shelves with a feather duster.  An awkward silence filled the air, forcing Soul to break it.  “Look, I’m sorry about last night.  I really didn’t mean to…”
Spike turned to face him, and Soul saw he had a slight smile on his face.  “Eh, don’t worry about it.  Just…don’t go around telling anyone else, alright?”
Soul replied with a smirk.  “I may be nosy, but I’m no gossip.  I won’t tell a soul.”  He chuckled at his quip.  Spike just rolled his eyes.  Soul began to enjoy the muffins set before him when a thought came to him.  “Say, where’s Twilight?”
“Beats me.  She said she had an errand to run this morning.”
Soul let out a little grunt.  “She’s up to something…”
“You’re tellin’ me!  She always gets excited when she finds something new to study.  Ever since you came back with that book, ‘The Elements of Nature’ is all that seems to be on her mind.”
“That’s why she’s so eager to help.  She wants to be on top of any discovery I make.  Still, I can’t say I blame her.  Locating the Elements of Nature will be quite the feat.”
After finishing his muffins, Soul was ready to start the day.  Alright, now to figure out how to view the forest, he thought as he headed out the door.  He barely got three steps outside before he noticed an object floating in the sky.  “Okay, you don’t see that every day.”  What he saw was a hot-air balloon slowly descending towards him.  As it got closer he was able discern the two ponies that were standing in its basket:  Pinkie Pie and Twilight.  Even from this distance, Pinkie’s voice was clear.
“Heya Soul, you look so small from up here!  You look like I could squish you with my hoof.  Not that I would do that; that would just be silly!”
“Pinkie, what are you doing up there?  Whose balloon is that?”
“It’s my balloon, silly!  Otherwise what would I be doing in it?”
He sighed.  There was no point in trying to talk to her until she was back on the ground.  He had to admit, Twilight was stubborn when she wanted to be, and she did know more about Ponyville and the Everfree Forest then he did.  I guess I don’t have much of a choice, he thought as the hot-air balloon finally came in for a landing near the library.  “Pinkie, why do you have a hot-air balloon?”
“Well, duh!  I really love balloons!  And this is just a really big balloon!  Why wouldn’t I have one?”
He gave Twilight a look of bewilderment as she was leaving the basket.  She picked up on the unsaid question.  “Don’t bother trying.  I gave up trying to understand Pinkie a long time ago.”
Soul just shook his head.  “So this is your plan to help me examine the forest?”
She attempted to mock surprise.  “Well now, I hadn’t thought of that.  I figured we could just go for a ride, but it certainly could be used to get a pegasus-eye view of things…”
He smirked.  “You are such a bad liar, Twilight.  I appreciate the help you’ve been giving me, and I’ve realized that I will need guide.”
A wide grin appeared on her face.  “So that means I’m coming with you, right?”
“Yes you can come with me…”  Twilight let out a squee of delight.  “…but first we need to figure out where we are headed.”  He turned to Pinkie, who was still in the basket.  “Pinkie, can you take us to the sky near the Everfree Forest?”
Pinkie brought her hoof to the side of her forehead.  “Okey dokey lokey!  All aboard!”
Soul entered the basket, followed by Twilight.  With the three of them in, it wasn’t the most comfortable fit, but it was manageable.  Pinkie wasted no time getting the balloon up into the air.  She attempted to regale the two with a story, but she often broke into tangents that made it hard for Soul to follow.  It wasn’t long before they were floating high above Ponyville, slowly making their way to the edge of the Everfree Forest.  Pinkie was right: everything looked so small from up there.  Soul began to wonder if he could even see any soul from this high up.  He remained confident, however: If the guardian really was still in the forest, he doubted it would have a weak spark.
To the south he could see just how large Sweet Apples Acres was, but as they got closer to the Everfree Forest, what caught his eye was a large tree that appeared to have fenced-off section around it.  Soul pointed out the tree to Twilight.  “That’s where Fluttershy lives,” she responded.
“Why does she live all the way out here, so close to the Everfree Forest?  Is she really that much of a recluse?”
“It’s not that, per se.  She takes it upon herself to take care of the various woodland animals that live nearby.  She may seem defenseless, but believe it or not, she can take care of herself.”
Pinkie’s sing-song voice broke through the conversation.  “We’re here!”  The sight that lay before them was a sea of trees, only occasionally broken by jutting rocks and space that designated either river or chasm.
Soul was awe-struck.  “It’s massive!  Even from this vantage point, I can barely see its borders.  The canopy is so thick!  I can only imagine how dark it is under all of that foliage.”
“Boy, I’ll say!  I can get mighty spooky down there.  I bet it would be great place to tell some nifty ghost stories though!”
After a few moments, Twilight nudged him a bit.  “I thought you didn’t care to study the land.”
He replied with a smirk.  “You can’t travel without learning how to appreciate it, though.”
“Still, we came here for a reason.”
“Right, of course.”  He took a deep breath and activated his power.  Though he was impressed with the forest, the sight he saw now was on a whole other level.  “I really wish you two could see this.  It’s like looking at the night sky.”  He saw points of light all over the forest; slight variations could be detected among them.  It was deep into the forest, however, that he saw what he was looking for; a spark that outshone the rest.  Even at this distance it was bright, but it didn’t seem to possess any color.  “That must be it,” he muttered to himself.  Working his power over such a large area began to take its toll.  He closed his eyes and let himself rest for a few seconds.
“So, did you see it?”
“I sure hope so.  It wasn’t an Element, but it certainly was bright enough.  I’d hate to know what other spark could be that intense.”
“Excellent!  Then we know where we are headed.  Pinkie, take us home.”
“Why don’t we just take the balloon?”
“You saw how dense that forest is.  There would be no place to land.  Besides, any pegasus would tell you that the air currents over the Everfree Forest are dangerously unpredictable.”
That figures, he thought, nothing can ever be easy.  “Alright then, let’s get moving.”
Pinkie started to get excited.  “Oooh!  I’m not sure what you two are up to, but be careful, ‘cause I feel a doozy!”
Soul looked at Twilight, expecting to see her shaking her head, but he couldn’t help but a notice a flash of concern cross her face.


********

Upon arriving back in town, Twilight and Soul quickly packed some light provisions, and soon found themselves back at the edge of the forest, this time on the ground.  From this angle, the trees cast an eerie darkness over the ground.  Soul took note of the situation.  “Hopefully we’ll be back before nightfall.  I’d hate to see just how dark it could get in there.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine…”  Twilight had her eyes fixed on the forest, and her voice didn’t carry any confidence it her words.
Soul exhibited concern.  “Hey, are you worried about what Pinkie said?”
Twilight appeared shocked.  “What?  What do you mean?”
“When I first met Pinkie, she told me about how she dabbled in fortune-telling and about her ‘Pinkie Sense.’”
Twilight let out a sigh.  “A gave up trying to understand Pinkie’s twitches.  I can’t explain them, I just know that they always right.  It’s impossible to tell what the ‘doozy’ will be, but given the circumstances…”
“…you don’t think it’s anything good.”
She nodded her head.  “I’m just not sure if this is the best idea anymore.”
Soul was silent for a few seconds, and his voice carried a serious tone when he spoke.  “Go back if you want to.  I don’t want anyone getting hurt, but I don’t have a choice.  I’m going in there, with or without you.”
She just shook her head.  “Now I can’t tell if you’re being brave, or just ignorant.”
“It’s not about bravery; it’s about doing what needs to be done.  No one else can see the Elements of Nature, and right now, the guardian is the only chance I have at finding them.  I can take care of myself; no pony else needs to get involved.”
“It’s a little late for that, and I’m not about to let you go in there alone.”
A small smile appeared on his face.  “Thanks Twilight, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
She smiled back.  “I have more than a few magic spells in my repertoire that could come in handy should things get out of hoof.”
“Alright then.  Now, if I use my power about every 15 minutes, I should be able to keep us heading in the right direction as well as keep track of any creatures nearby.  We just have to keep our eyes and ears open.”
“We should stop by Zecora’s hut first.”
Soul looked slightly confused.  “Who’s Zecora?”
Surprise quickly turned to embarrassment on Twilight’s face.  “What?  Oh!  I’m sorry, I completely forgot!  Zecora is a zebra that lives in this forest.  She’s kind of an expert on a variety of potions, and I need to pick up some herbs for an experiment I’ve been working on.”
“Very well, but you should keep your visit short.  We have a long trek ahead, and I would still like to be out of this forest before nightfall.  Remember…”
“…I know; don’t tell her what we are doing.  The less involved the better.”  Twilight responded with a hint of mockery.  Upon seeing Soul’s look of disapproval, she added, “I Pinkie promise,” crossing her hoof over her chest before bringing it up to her right eye.
Soul raised an eyebrow in curiosity before shaking his head.  “I assume you know the way?”
“Follow me,” she said, and began heading down a path into the forest.  He followed quickly behind her.  It wasn’t long before they found themselves at a small hut made out of an old gnarled tree.  Twilight knocked on the door, which was soon opened by a female zebra Soul assumed was Zecora.
“Well, hello Twilight,” she turned to acknowledge Soul, “and guest.  Please do come in and take a rest.”
As they entered, Soul took notice of the unusual décor.  Wooden masks adorned the walls and strings of herbs and bones hung from the ceiling.  Much of the walls also had shelving carved into them, which held a few books, many different plants, and a variety of bottles that held colored liquids.  While these surroundings slightly worried him, Twilight appeared to be comfortable.
“It’s good to see you again Zecora.”  She pointed towards Soul, who was slowly walking around the room, keeping his eyes on the masks.  “This is Soul Seer, a friend of mine.  I’m sorry, but we can’t stay long.  I just wanted to stop by and pick up those herbs I needed for my potions studies.”
“Ah yes, I hope your studies go well.”  She turned to search for the herbs on her shelves.  “Now, Soul, what brings you out here?  Do tell.”
Soul cleared his throat and spoke with a professional attitude.  “I’m conducting some research on the Everfree Forest.  Twilight and I are exploring various regions of the forest.”
“Well, you’d do best to be quick and be wary.  When the night falls, the forest can get quite scary.”
He gave a polite smile.  “I assure you, we have taken the necessary precautions, and we plan to be done before the sun sets.”
Zecora eventually found the herbs and gave them to Twilight, who promptly put them into her saddlebag.  “Thanks again for the help, Zecora, and don’t worry about us.  We’ll be fine.”
As they began to walk out the door, Zecora spoke these words: “I hope you find what you are looking for, and that you are unharmed when next you knock on my door.”
They had walked for a few moments before Soul decided to speak.  “Well, Zecora is…”  His eyes scanned the trees, looking for the right word, “…interesting.”  He kept looking for a moment before he gave up, hung his head and sighed.  “Please tell me you knew she spoke in rhyme.”
Twilight shrugged.  “It’s just the way she talks.  No one really questions it.”
Soul rolled his eyes and made sure his voice conveyed clear sarcasm.  “Oh, well, that’s not weird at all!”
Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle.  “You should have been here when we first met.  Everyone in Ponyville was convinced she was some kind of evil enchantress.  Pinkie Pie even wrote a song about her!”
Soul shook his head in disbelief.  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?  I only just met her about three days ago, but I could see her doing that.”
Now it was Twilight’s turn to look into the tree tops.  “A strange turn of events led us to find out what she was really like.  Now we are good friends.”
“You would think out of anyone, I would understand that:  You can’t judge a pony from the outside.”  Soul stood still for a few moments, reflecting over these words.  When he brought his eyes back down to ground level, they had once again taken on a serious appearance.  “Alright, down to business.”  No sooner had he said this then he was scanning the horizon with his power.  When his eyes returned to normal, he merely pointed in a direction and said, “This way.”  
Soul led the way, with Twilight staying close behind him.  Twilight’s teleportation magic allowed them to easily overcome small obstacles, such as a river or chasm.  They had only one small mountain they had to climb, but this only slowed them down shortly.  They took only one break in a rare clearing to enjoy a sandwich and a view of the sky while they could.  For most of the time they traveled in silence, broken only by Soul pointing out directions.  After a while, Twilight finally ask, “It feels like we have been walking for miles.  How long have we been out here?”
“It’s because we have been.  I’d say we’ve been on the move for about three hours or so.  Good news is that we are getting closer.  It shouldn’t be too much longer now.”
Twilight was beginning to look weary.  “I hope so.  If we don’t turn back soon, we’re not going to make it back before sunset.”
Soul wasn’t paying much attention to her.  “I’m sorry, but something else has been bothering me.  Every time I’ve used my power, I’ve noticed other creatures around us, but we haven’t run into any of them yet.  As I see it, there are only two reasons for that:  Either they don’t know we are here, or they are purposely avoiding us.”
Twilight’s eyes went wide with surprise.  “Why would they be doing that?”
“I don’t know…”  As he said this, a sound of rustling leaves came from nearby.  He quickly looked around.  “Shh…I thought I heard something.”  They stood there in silence, quickly looking around to see if they could spot anything.  Suddenly, before either of them could react, a rush of leaves led to a wolf, seemingly made of wood, jumping out of the forest landscape, pinning Twilight to a nearby tree.  As soon as he saw what had happened, Soul cried out, “Twilight!”  He quickly slammed into wolf, knocking it aside and freeing Twilight.  Her horn quickly lit up and was aimed at the bush where the wolf had disappeared when a gruff voice came from the shadows.
“Now that won’t be necessary.  I just wanted to get your attention.”
They both turned around to locate the source of the voice.  What they saw was a creature that appeared to be a mish-mash of a multitude of creatures.  It towered over them with its serpentine body and horse-like head, which I had two different horns growing from the top.  It appeared to be observing its left paw, which featured stubby fingers and an opposable thumb.  Its other arm, which was very similar to the wolf’s that just attacked them, was crossing its body.  It sported a pair of miss-matched wings on it back:  one that was leathery, and the other which appeared to be those of an insect.  It stood on a reptilian leg on one side and an ursine on the other, and its scorpion-like tail ended in a vicious stinger.
Soul was the first to find his voice, though he stuttered a bit in his speech.  “Who…what are you?”
Twilight, who was now standing beside him, replied, “He’s a draconequus, like Discord…”
The creature’s stinger quickly appeared very close to Twilight’s face.  He growled angrily at her, bearing his sharp teeth. “Don’t you dare compare me to him!  It’s his fault the Elements were lost…”
Soul’s eyes grew wider.  “Wait…does that mean you’re the guardian of the Elements of Nature?”
The creature appeared to calm down, pulling his tail back behind him.  “Indeed I am, and I’ve been waiting for the chance to meet you, Soul Seer.”
“How do you know my name?”
He chuckled a bit.  “I make it my business to know everything that goes on in the forest.”  His eyes slid over to Twilight, who was still in a defensive stance.  “There is no need for that, Twilight Sparkle; holder of the Element of Magic.  Even though you were unable to thwart the parasprite swarm, your skill in repelling the Ursa Minor was quite impressive…”
Twilight’s jaw went slack for a moment and her horn ceased to illuminate.  She quickly pulled herself together and returned to a more relaxed pose.
He smiled a bit before returning his gaze to Soul.  “…but enough of this.  As you said before, let’s get down to business.  You are able to see into the souls where the Elements now reside, is that correct?”
Soul had managed to collect himself, and now stood with serious composure.  “Correct.  I came looking for you in hope of learning where to find the Elements of Nature.”
“Then it seems we need each other’s help:  You wish to find the Elements of Nature, and I want to return their power back to their rightful place.”
Soul’s eyes lit up.  “Then you do know how to find the Elements.”
The guardian began to pace around the two ponies.  “I can point you in the right direction.  I’m afraid my senses are not as refined as yours, but I can hear the Elements calling out to me.  It’s as if they knew they were being sought, but I can only detect their general location.  It will be up to you to find the souls they are hiding in.  Once you find them, you will bring them to me.”  He quickly turned his head to look at Soul, bearing a toothy grin.  “So…do we have deal?”
Soul brought his hoof up to his chin, stroking his goatee as he thought over the proposal.  He turned his head up to make eye contact with the guardian.  “I have one condition I would like to add, guardian”
He raised his left eyebrow in curiosity, and held out his paw upright, signaling Soul to continue.
“As I find the elemental bearers, I will gather them in Ponyville.  Once I have found them all, then I will bring them to you.”
The guardian grunted.  “May I ask why?”
“If you wish to return the power of the Elements to nature, you will need the cooperation of their holders.  It seems to me they would be more agreeable if they have been gathered within civilized borders, as opposed to feeling trapped in the wilderness.”
The guardian looked up into the trees, combing through a tuft of hair on his chin with his wooden claws.  His mouth wriggled and contorted as he thought.  He then turned his head down towards Soul.  “Very well; I accept your terms.”
Twilight, who had remained silent and out of the way so far, finally decided to speak up.  “Do you have a name?”  As the guardian quickly turned and lowered his head towards her, she backed up just a bit.  “I’m mostly just curious, but we only really know you as ‘the guardian.’”
His eye’s closed slightly as he stared at her, before raising himself back up to full height.  “I have never needed a name.  However, if you must; since you have come to call this sanctuary the ‘Everfree Forest’, it seems you may call me ‘Everfree.’”  He brought his head back down to her level.  “Is that good enough for you?”  He asked with condescension.
“Oh yes, that is just fine,” she said nervously, taking another step back.
Soul was staring at Everfree with scrunched eyes.  His annoyance was conveyed in his voice.  “Very well, Everfree.  Now, if you’ll just tell me where to find the Elements, we’ll be on our way.”
Everfree smirked as he looked back at Soul.  “An Element calls to me from the north…” his smirk dissolved into a frown, “…in that fortress of a city you call Canterlot.”  Just then, a howl came from the shrouded surroundings, causing both of the ponies to quickly look around.  Twilight became more nervous, as her eyes darted around and her breathing hastened.  If Soul was afraid, it was hidden by the annoyance that still lay on his face.  Everfree just kept on looking at the two, unfazed by noise.  “You needn’t worry.  Your safe passage will be assured,” a smirk returned to his face, “as long as you do as I say.”
Soul stared back at him.  “And what about Twilight?  Is she protected too?”
“The Elements of Harmony have their part to play.  After all, they did imprison Discord…“for a moment, his face became distorted with anger, “…even though he deserves far worse.”  He quickly became nonchalant and appeared to become occupied with a spot on his paw.  “For that, they have my respect.  I have no intention of harming them… “His eyes quickly darted towards Soul, “…for now.”
As the two turned to leave, Soul whispered to Twilight, “We have to warn Zecora.  It’s not safe for her to stay in the forest, for the time being.”  Twilight nodded her head in agreement.
They heard a quiet chuckle from behind them.  “Do hurry back now.  I’ve waited an awful long time for this day to come, and my patience is wearing thin.”  With that, he disappeared into the woods.
Soul and Twilight moved as fast as they could, using the glitter of Ponyville’s souls as their guide.  Even under the dark canopy of the forest, they could tell the sky was getting darker.  By the time they reached Zecora’s hut, it was getting hard for them to see.  Soul stood guard outside while Twilight went in to talk to her.  She was reluctant to leave at first, but Twilight eventually convinced her that it was for the best.  With the help of a simple illumination spell, the three managed to find their way out of the Everfree Forest.  The sun had already set.  Spike, worried when Twilight hadn’t returned, alerted her friends to the situation.  When they finally got back to the library, the others were their waiting for them, and Soul had some explaining to do.  Despite his hopes, it seemed they were all involved now.

> Part 5.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The following morning, Soul was once again on a train to Canterlot. He slept restlessly last night after the exhausting trip out of the forest, and the steady ‘click-clack’ of the tracks was attempting to lure him into a nap.

This was being foiled, however, by Rarity. She sat across him, wearing a purple hat with a large brim and a ribbon wrapped around the center. “It’s nice to have a travel companion for once.”

He looked up at her, dreary-eyed. “You travel often?”

She was happy to have someone to talk to. “Oh yes. I have clients in Canterlot and it simply wouldn’t be right to send their orders by mail. I take these trips every so often to make deliveries personally. It helps maintain my relationships with them, and often produces opportunities to meet new clients.” Her eyes lowered a bit. “I hope you understand that I won’t be able to help you with your search.”

That would explain why she had so much luggage, Soul thought as he remembered the large suitcases being loaded into the baggage car. He gave her a weak smile. “Don’t worry about it. You and the others weren’t supposed to be involved anyway.” He let out a sigh. “I just wish I knew where to start looking, or at least which element I’m looking for.”

Rarity waved a hoof as if to dismiss his worries. “I’m sure everything will be alright darling. You can certainly locate the element with your power, can’t you? You were able to find your way back to Ponyville by using the Elements of Harmony as a guide after all.”

“It’s not that simple.” Soul propped his head up with a hoof. “While the Everfree Forest is home to many creatures, it is nothing compared to Canterlot in terms of density. There are simply more souls packed together in a city then there are in the forest. Not to mention that the sparks of the creatures are dimmer then those of a pony. Trying to locate a particular spark, even an element, through distant observation would be incredibly difficult.”

Rarity produced a slight frown. “I really wish there was some way I could help. You could have at least let me get you a room at the palace. Given the circumstances, I’m sure the Princess would let you borrow a room.”

Soul slowly shook his head. “It’s better that I find a place to stay closer to the heart of the city. That way I have a better chance of locating the Element….” Soul began look about the room idly. “…Because, you know, there will be more ponies about and….” He began to tap his hoofs together slowly while he was thinking. “…central location and all….”

Rarity lowered her eye lids halfway and stared blankly at Soul. “You don’t really have much of plan to find the Element, do you?”

Soul let out a sigh and hung his head in dejection. “No. All Everfree did was reduce my search area to Canterlot. I still have no idea how to go about actually locating the Element, aside from hoping it will come to me. Setting up my stall in Canterlot isn’t that easy, and the odds of the right pony coming to me are ridiculous.”

Rarity produced a small smile. “Now, now, I’m sure you’ll think of something, darling. These things have a way of turning out alright in the end.”

Soul raised his head to look at her. He knew she was trying to cheer him up, but he could tell by looking at her that she was having trouble believing her own words: Her smile was weak, and her eyes did not show confidence behind them. Still, he appreciated her effort. “Thank you Rarity, I’m sure you’re right. Now, if you could do me a favor? I’m still fairly exhausted from yesterday’s events and would like to get a nap in before we get to Canterlot-”

Rarity was quick to respond. “Say no more! I understand completely. You have been through a lot recently. Besides, I should check on my dresses to make sure none of them shifted while they were being brought aboard. It wouldn’t be right to deliver a dress that had wrinkles, now would it?” She got out of her seat and headed towards the rear-facing door. She was just about to go through when she turned around. “Oh, I almost forgot. If you do need to get a hold of me-for whatever reason-don’t hesitate to send me a letter. Canterlot has a fantastic courier system that prides itself on their rapid deliveries.”

Soul raised himself up so that he could see over the back of his seat. “I’ll keep that in mind, and thanks for understanding.”

Rarity just tilted her head with a smile. “No problem at all. You just get your rest. I’m sure you’ll be busy once we get to Canterlot.” She then turned back around, went through the door, and closed it behind her.

Soul finally laid himself down on the seat and closed his eyes. Yes, I’m sure I will be, he thought as he let himself fall into a comfortable sleep.


********


Soul was jolted awake as the train lurched to a stop at the Canterlot station. He yawned and stretched his legs before retrieving his saddlebag from under the seat he had been sleeping on. He headed towards the rear of the train, so as to pass through the baggage care before departing. As he passed through two other passenger cars, he noticed a few other ponies had done the same as he had; They were slowly making their way off the train, still waking up from the nap they had taken.

The baggage car was mostly empty, as most of the passengers had kept what little luggage – if they brought any – with them on the train. Most of the luggage that was in the car belonged to Rarity: several cases designed to safely transport dresses and suits. A member of the train’s staff was at work moving the cases onto the station’s platform through the large sliding door on the side of the car. As Soul walked through the car, he could see Rarity outside watching to make sure that nothing happened to her creations as they were being unloaded.

Soul departed from the train via the exit in the following passenger car. The station platform had the hustle and bustle of passengers who had just arrived and those who were waiting to board the next train out. However, the platform was far from crowded, so moving about was not a problem. A couple of young earth stallions were having Rarity’s cases placed upon their backs. They wore simple uniforms that bore the royal insignia on the side. Soul guessed that they were palace staff sent to help Rarity with her belongings. Is this all because of Twilight’s connection with the Princess, Soul thought, or is she always this hospitable?

Soul slowly walked over to Rarity. “Need any help there?”

Rarity turned her head to face him, her hair flipping to the side. “That won’t be necessary.” She tilted her head to address the two stallions, now completely loaded up with her luggage. “These two fine gentlecolts have it covered. Isn’t that right?”

The two stallions’ legs occasionally shuddered under the weight of the cases, but they tried to maintain a straight face. One of them responded, “O-of course, Miss Rarity.”

She returned her gaze to Soul, along with a smile. “Again, I wish you the best of luck.” She turned and began to walk. “Off we go,” she called out to the burdened stallions, who slowly followed behind her. 

They are young earth ponies, so they’ll be fine, Soul thought as he watched them walk away, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d think Rarity enjoys watching them suffer. His mind wandered before he shook his head rapidly, as if to erase an image from his head. Nah, she just appreciates the help. With Rarity gone, he now headed off towards the center of Canterlot.

Canterlot - as Soul would later find out - is separated into unofficial districts. The north, west, and south sides of the city belong mainly to the high society crowd. The palace takes up most of the west district, the north is primarily residential, and the south side – where the train station is located - is commercial. The eastern district – which connects with the mountain – is the small industrial center of Canterlot. In the center of it all is the middle-class. Here is where everyone else – who is not considered part of the elite – lives, eats, and enjoys their spare time. It is in the heart of Canterlot that Soul will search for next element.

Soul could tell when he crossed into the middle district; the buildings weren’t nearly as tall, and they didn’t have that “gleaming” quality that the buildings in the more elite areas had. The architecture hadn’t changed much, but ponies around them had. First off, there weren’t nearly as many unicorns walking around; Soul could see more earth ponies and about an equal amount of pegasi. Secondly, those ponies who wore clothing did so as a symbol of their profession, not of status. Lastly, there were more foals around. They were playing in the streets with their friends and families. Soul let out a slight smile; he felt more comfortable here than he would in the palace. It was still far from a small town, but these were more his kind of ponies.

After walking through several city blocks, Soul finally found what he was looking for: a hotel. This particular hotel was called The Sunrise Spire, and that is exactly what it was: a large, cylindrical tower with balconies spaced evenly around the second and third floors. As Soul walked into the relatively small lobby, he was greeted by a dark orange mare standing behind a desk, sounding rather bored with her work. “Welcome to The Sunrise Spire. You lookin’ for a room?”

Soul continued to look around the room. It was lightly furnished: there were only a few couches located around a couple of low-lying tables. There were some pieces of art on the walls which meant nothing to Soul, who never took much of an interest in the arts. Two hallways were open on either side of the back of the room, and in the center was the main desk were the earth pony that addressed him stood. Behind her was a small array of cubbyholes with numbers below each one, some of which contained keys. There was also a door that was labeled “Staff Only.” With his quick survey complete, Soul finally answered the pony at the desk, “Indeed I am. What’s the cheapest room you got?”

The hotel mare’s face remained emotionless. “Going rate is twenty bits a night.”

Soul eyes grew a tad wider. “Twenty bits a night?” Maybe I should have taken the room at the palace, he thought as he considered his options. “Surely I can talk you down to fifteen.”

The mare reared up, placing her front hoofs on the desk. This made her appear larger then she actually was and allowed her to look down on Soul. “Listen pal, we don’t haggle here. Its twenty bits a night. Take it or leave it.”

Soul narrowed his eyes and stared back at her. The fact that the mare’s face refused to show any kind of emotion was rather unnerving to him. They stood there in silence for about ten seconds before he backed down. “Fine, I’ll take it. I hope I can at least pay for each night separately. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here.”

She let herself back down onto the floor. “Yeah, that will be fine. I’ll take your first payment now then.”

Soul proceeded to reach into his bag and pull out a bag with his mouth, which he laid on the desk. He counted out twenty bit, which she swept into a secure container on her side of the desk. She went to one of the cubbyholes and returned with a key with a tag hanging from it.

She placed the key on the desk in front of Soul. “You’ll be staying in Room 205; second floor, east side. Go down either hallway and you’ll find a staircase at the end. Your room will be to your left.”

Soul thanked her half-heartedly as he took the key and headed down the hallway on his right. He began to notice how quiet it was; he hadn’t seen any other ponies inside the hotel so far, and there wasn’t even any sound coming from the room (at least not that he could hear.) It’s the middle of the week, and it is early afternoon, he rationalized. It’s not surprising that there aren’t many ponies around. Plus, I am in the middle district. He figured most out-of-towners coming to the city would probably splurge on a room in the elite districts.

Following the emotionless pony’s directions, Soul easily found his room up the stairs and on the east side of the spire. The room itself was small and cozy, containing a small bed and desk, with a couple of candle lamps situated around the walls. Another door led to a tiny bathroom with only the barest essential items. A set of glass doors revealed the balcony and the cityscape beyond them.

Soul tested the bed by lying down on it, and found it rather comfy. He left his bag on the bed and went out on to the balcony. As he looked about his surroundings – the empty balconies of his neighbors, the fillies and colts playing in the streets, the older ponies going about the work – he thought back on the what Rarity said aboard the train. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to try. He closed his eyes and called forth his power. Upon opening his eyes, he took in the sight he saw: a multitude of sparks existing in close proximity to one another; walking amongst themselves, clumped together in buildings. When they gathered, their combined brilliance prevented Soul from getting a clear view of any one soul. The souls of the city lived in groups, rarely ever far from another for any period of time. Just as I thought, not even an element could stand out in this environment. Even its color would be bleached away by the surrounding sparks. He closed his eyes and let the power fade away before opening them again. He walked back into the room and lay down on the bed, letting his mind wander. However, his stomach quickly interjected, pointing out that he had not eaten since he left Ponyville. He placed his bag on his back and headed out into Canterlot once again.

Soul recalled seeing a café and a marketplace on his way to the hotel. He first stopped at the café and ordered a fern sandwich, which he ate quickly. He then wandered about the marketplace for a bit, eventually buying a few apples. Now that his hunger was sated, he had no desire to go back to the hotel quite yet. He decided to check out the rest of the district; he mainly wanted to time to think, but if a clue to the element’s whereabouts was to show itself to him, he wouldn’t complain. While he walked lazily down the city streets, his mind was buzzing with thoughts: How am I going to find the element? I don’t even know which one I’m looking for. I wish I at least had that information. I should go over the book again and remind myself of all the elements and their defining characteristics. Good thing I brought it with me. I’m still stuck; I need to find something that will lead me to it. I just need a sign!

As if on cue, something caught Soul’s eye: a poster advertising a performance at the small establishment he now stood in front of. He couldn’t see much from the outside; there was just a doorway with a lamp above it, and a sign beside the door, designating the place as “The Horseshoe Theater”. There were several posters lining the stone wall, but the one that caught his eye featured an azure unicorn wearing a starry, purple cape and matching pointed hat.


“Come see THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE as she performs mystifying magic tricks and mesmerizes you with her amazing illusions! Three nights only! Right here at the Horseshoe Theater! Seating limited.”


There was nothing extraordinary about the poster, but one word was burned into Soul’s mind: ‘mesmerizes’. Could this be it? He thought as he stared intensely at the poster. Is this really the lead I was looking for? It’s just one word, and yet it feels like it’s a step in the right direction. Why not? It’s not like I know where else to look. I can only hope it’s not a complete waste of my time. He began to walk away, back to the hotel; back to the book, for more research on the element he may see that night.


********


Soul was lying on his bed back at the hotel, munching on an apple and reading The Power of Nature. The sky was beginning to grow dark as the Princess was slowly lowering the sun. Soul finished up his apple, closed the book, and put it back into his bag. Alright Miss Trixie, he thought as he placed his bag on his back, it’s time to show me what you can do.

He left the hotel and began walking towards the Horseshoe Theater. As the sky grew darker, he noticed the lamps that were placed around the city began to spontaneously alight. Fascinating system they have, he thought. They must be magical, responding to the Princess’ power and the setting sun. You don’t see that in a small town. He retraced his steps from that afternoon, and soon found himself out the theater. He walked through the doorway, following a couple of unicorns that had arrived shortly before him. 

The doorway led them down a hallway that made a couple of sharp turns before opening up into a relatively large room. There were eight round tables set up around the room, each one having seating for five around them. On the right side of the room was a bar, with a gruff stallion behind it ready to serve drinks. The stage at the front of the room took up most the wall; there was a small door on the right side that Soul assumed led backstage. Red curtains currently crossed the stage, blocking most of it from view. There weren’t many ponies there yet; only about half of the seats were occupied. Soul noticed that most of them were unicorns, though the lack of clothing seemed to indicate that they weren’t upper-class.

Soul sat down at one of the unoccupied tables and nonchalantly observed the other patrons. Most of the other ponies had drinks at their tables, taking sips of what appeared to be cider as they talked about their daily lives with their tablemates. A few more groups entered the room, claiming tables for themselves. All in all, nothing seemed out of the ordinary as far as Soul could tell. I can only hope this ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie is the Element bearer I’m looking for, he thought while staring blankly at the stage, otherwise I’m back to square one.

“Excuse me friend, mind if I sit here?”

Soul turned to see who had addressed him. He found a light green unicorn standing next to him, sporting two stars connected by a dotted line on his flank. Soul gave the unicorn a cursory glance and asked, “Do I know you?”

The unicorn returned the glance. “Well, I don’t recognize you, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” he said, flashing a smile. Soul gave a slight smirk and motioned with his hoof to take a seat next to him.  “After all, we are both here for the same reason: to see the Great and Powerful Trixie perform,” the unicorn continued as he took the seat at Soul’s right.

“I suppose that’s true,” Soul said he turned his head back towards the stage, “but to be honest, I’ve never heard of her before today.”

The unicorn’s mouth fell open. He stared at Soul for a moment before he spoke. “So this is your first time seeing her then.” His mouth slowly turned into a smile. “Well, prepare to be amazed.”

The lamps that hung from the ceiling began to dim, until the only light in the room came from a dull glow that emanated from behind the curtains on stage. The audience that had been talking amongst themselves suddenly went quiet, and all eyes were focused on the stage. Suddenly, two tiny orbs of magenta-colored light shot out from behind the curtain and whizzed around the room, leaving a trail in the air that disappeared after a couple seconds. Then a booming voice that seemed to come from nowhere filled the room.

“You have come to witness the most spectacular feats of magic ever performed!” The orbs of light flew back over the stage and began to write words in the air. “Prepared to be awed…” The words ‘Great and Powerful’ took form just above the stage. “…by the Great and Powerful TRIXIE!” As the last word was shouted out, a puff of smoke obscured the stage and the two orbs of light shot over the audience and exploded like fireworks. As the smoke cleared, a beam of light lit up the center of the stage, revealing Trixie. She stood on her hind legs with her front legs outstretched, and her cape blowing in a breeze that seemed only to exist around her.

The show mainly consisted of Trixie telling stories about a unicorn fighting off great beasts and performing great feats. It was obvious she was referring to herself, but nopony really seemed to care. This was mostly in part to the illusions she was casting while telling these stories. Some were simple outlines drawn in the air, but others were more detailed and incredible life-like. At one point, she even made a life-size duplicate of herself and played out a rather dramatic internal conflict. The entire audience was absolutely spell-bound by her magic. I don’t understand, Soul thought, his eyes locked on the stage. What is it about these illusions that make them so… fascinating? Certainly they are quite impressive, but I feel like I don’t have full control of myself just looking at them. However, Trixie had saved the best for last.

“Now, for Trixie’s final act….” Trixie paused as she double-checked to see that all eyes were on her. “…Trixie will take you to a place few ponies would even dare to tread: The heart of the Everfree Forest!” She closed her eyes as magical energy began to concentrate at her horn. The energy built up, producing a powerful magenta aura, before she reared up on her hind legs and released it. A bright white light covered the room, causing Soul (and most of the audience) to cover their eyes. Soul quickly brought his hoof down, however, and noticed that while the rest of the room was hidden by a blanket of white light, the rest of the audience, the tables they were sitting at, and Trixie were all clearly visible. Soon, shapes and colors began to appear from the white light, emanating from Trixie – who now appeared to be floating as the magical energy was still bring released from her horn. Soul began to see trees all around them; large, gnarly trees with vines that draped across the floor, which was now dirt covered with unusual foliage. Eventually all the white light had vanished, replaced by this scene of a dark forest with unusual plant life. The canopy prevented any view of a sky and kept the area dark.

Incredible, thought Soul as he looked around at the forest, it really does look like the Everfree Forest! Soul raised his head and sniffed the air and his eyes suddenly widened. It doesn’t just look like it, it even smells and feels like we are actually there! The air did have a particular scent; that of moist dirt and plant life and he swore he could feel moisture forming on his coat. The rest of the audience seemed thoroughly impressed; a few gasped at the sight, but many stayed silent, just taking in the mysterious setting that have found themselves in. That was when a loud roar grabbed everypony’s attention. Soul could feel it vibrate through his body. Several ponies were shocked, rapidly looking around trying to find the source of the noise, but before they could find it, the world around them began to fade away. The entire scene started to flow towards Trixie, vanishing as it reached her. It wasn’t long before they found themselves back inside the theater.

Trixie stood on stage, breathing heavily through her nostrils. “That was the cry… of one of the most fearsome creatures… in Equestria: the dreaded Ursa Major. Only somepony as great and powerful as Trixie could capture the sound of such a beast, but now she is tired. Remember to come back tomorrow night to see more amazing magic performed….” Trixie mustered up the strength to stand up on her hind legs with her fronts legs outstretched. “… By the GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” With a puff of smoke, she vanished from the stage. The audience was applauding her performance by stamping their hooves on the tables. The lights in the room were reignited, and the audience slowly began to disperse; some left the building, but other’s made their way to the bar.

Soul’s tablemate turned to look at him. “So, what did I tell you? I could see that you were amazed. She even surprised me a bit; that last illusion was absolutely incredible!”

Soul was still looking towards the stage and he responded as if in a daze. “It certainly was, and very accurate too….”

The unicorn slowly nodded his head. “Yea….” He stopped and his eyes quickly squinted. “Wait, are you saying you’ve actually been in the Everfree Forest?”

Soul turned his head to see his companion staring at him intently. He brought his front hooves together, tapping them lightly. “Well… yea, I was just-“

The unicorn smirked. “You’re more interesting than I thought.” He got up from his seat and motioned toward the bar. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink and we can talk. They walked over to the bar, which had the few remaining audience members lingering around it. “What will you have?”

Soul responded promptly, “Non-alcoholic cider, if they got it.”

The unicorn raised his hoof towards the barkeep. “Hey Cart! Two ciders, one clean.”

The barkeep nodded his head and responded in a slow, deep voice, “Gotcha Star, two ciders comin’ up.”

The unicorn turned to address Soul. “The name’s Star Tracker. Nice to meet you.”

Soul returned the greeting. “Soul Seer. Likewise.” The barkeep soon placed their drinks in front of them. They each took a sip to make sure that the two didn’t get mixed up. Satisfied that he had received the proper cider, Soul asked, “So, what do you know about Trixie?”

Star looked at him from over his cider mug for a moment before setting it down and wiping away some froth from his face. “Well… I’ve never met official met her, per se, but I do make a note of never missing a performance, if I can help it. You’ve seen for yourself what kind of performer she is, though her act has changed a bit since that incident two years ago.”

Soul had just put is mug down, and was looking at Star with his head tilted and one eyebrow raised. “What incident?”

“She was going to perform down in a town south of here….” Star put a hoof to his head as tried to think.”

“Ponyville?” Soul volunteered.

Star quickly pointed his hoof at Soul. “That’s the one! Anyway, apparently a couple of fans she acquired down there got the stupid idea of luring an Ursa Minor in town.

Soul nearly dropped his drink. “Wh-why would they do something like that?”

Star put his front hoofs in the air. “You heard her stories. She often boasts about defeating such powerful creatures, including an Ursa Major, which what her fans thought they had found. Trixie thought the same thing when it started to tear up the town. Everypony could see that she was just as frightened of it as they were, and though she tried to stop it, her magic did next to nothing to it.”

Soul gave a little grunt. “So she was exposed as a fraud.”

Star continued, “Things only got worse –for Trixie anyway- when another unicorn stepped forward and actually succeeded to drive the Ursa Minor back into the forest!”

Soul thought, could that have been Twilight? I know she possess the Element of Magic, but is she really that powerful?

“It seems that Trixie considers this other unicorn a rival, and since then has been working hard to improve her magical abilities. After seeing tonight’s performance, I’d say she’s finally found her niche. A big part of her act used to be a sort of challenge; she would ask somepony from the audience to perform a talent of theirs, and then she would attempt to one-up them. Now she seems to be focusing on producing illusions, and I say that certainly working in her favor.”

Soul was staring into his mug, deep in thought. She’s a unicorn that can produce mesmerizing illusions, with a desire to grow in power, and the determination to best a rival. Everything seems to be lining up…

Star gave a slight chuckle. “You sure there’s no alcohol in your cider?”

Soul rapidly shook his head, and then turned to face Star. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

Star looked back at him with a smirk. “Well apparently I’ve done enough talking. So what’s your story? Why would you go in the Everfree Forest?”

Soul thought about this for a moment while he drank some more of his cider. He didn’t want to tell him too much; no more ponies needed to get involved. “I was doing some research. I’ve come to believe there is ancient power out there known as the Elements of Nature, and my search had led me to the Everfree Forest.”

Star’s smirk hinted at his skepticism. “That’s quite a story. Did you find it?”

Soul slowly shook his head. “No, it was a dead-end, but I’m sure it’s still out there. I just got to find it.”

Star shook his head and chuckled in his throat. “The Elements of Nature, huh? Sounds far-fetched to me, but who am I to judge? To each their own, I suppose.” Star swigged the last of his cider, pounding the mug down on the bar. Star lifted his head and released a satisfying sigh. “Well, it’s about time I get out of here. You think you’ll come to see the next show tomorrow night?”

Soul gave him a slight smile. “You know, I think I just might.”

Star returned the smile. “Then I guess I’ll see around.” Star tossed a few bits onto the bar and walked towards the exit.

Soul remained at the bar for a bit as he finished up his cider. I’m sure it’s her, so I just need to the opportunity to talk to her, but how? An idea came to him as the last drop of cider went down his throat. Rarity did say she wanted to help, and she is quite the socialite…. Soul put the empty mug down on the bar and gave the barkeep a nod. The barkeep nodded in response, and Soul headed back to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow night.
> Part 5.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	That morning, Soul was ready for a fairly relaxing day. When he returned to the hotel last night, he had inquired about the courier system from the front desk – which, to his relief, was then manned by a chipper, mauve pegasus – and learned that a courier box was located on the main balcony of the 2nd floor. His first order of business was to write a letter to Rarity. He searched the desk in his room to find a sheet of parchment and a pencil. He wrote as follows:

Dear Rarity,

If you are not too busy, I would be pleased if you would come see a show with me tonight. I should inform you that this is related to the Elements of Nature. I have reason to believe this performer is the element bearer I am looking for, but I need the opportunity to talk with her to confirm this. As a member of high society, I was hoping you would be willing to assist me in reaching her. I understand that you have your own business to attend to, and if what I ask would interfere with that, just let me know. The show starts shortly after sunset. Please send a response as soon as you can. I am staying at The Sunrise Spire, Room 205.

Sincerely,
Soul Seer

Soul folded up his letter and labeled it, “Rarity, Palace Guestroom”. He made his way to the 2nd floor balcony, which was right above the lobby entrance. The courier box was a blue wooden container that stood on a wooden pedestal. It bore a picture of a scroll with a pair of wings; the emblem of the Canterlot Courier Service. As he was about to slip the letter into the slot on the side of the box, he remembered that the Princess wanted him to update her on his research. He let the letter fall into the box and decided that he would write up his report after getting some breakfast.

Soul headed down the stairs and out the lobby door. The sound of flapping wings drew his attention to the sky above him. He looked just in time to see a white pegasus wearing a uniform and carrying a satchel leave the balcony above him. That was fast, he thought as the pegasus flew out of his view. I wonder how they know when a message needs to be delivered. This thought still was on his mind by the time he got to the marketplace. In the end, he shook it off thinking; cities are strange places, especially where magic is widely used. He bought some carrots – apples were nice, but he needed some variety – and headed back to the hotel.

Back in his room, Soul gathered more parchment from the desk at set to work writing his report to Princess Celestia. He wrote about the book from the archives, including the legend at the beginning and unknown sixth element, comparing them to the Elements of Harmony. He told of how Scootaloo possess the Element of Air, and how it should best be kept secret from her for the time being. He also mentioned his current search for the element in Canterlot, and how he believed it is in the performer known as Trixie. He wrote slowly and carefully; he was writing to royalty after all, and he wanted to make sure his writing appeared formal.

Soul eventually got to the point where he had to write about Everfree:

Twilight and I have met the guardian of the Elements of Nature. He is a draconequus, currently residing deep in the Everfree Forest, which would seem to indicate that it was once the sanctuary for the elements. When prompted about his name, he decided to take the forest’s name as his own; from this point on, I will refer to him as ‘Everfree’.

Everfree appears to be connected to the elements, and can sense their general location. He says that they ‘are calling out to him’ and that they ‘know that they are being sought out’. He is assisting me and locating the Elements of Nature under the condition that I gather them for him. He wishes to return the element’s power ‘back to their rightful place’, to which I assume he means to give the power back to nature. His intentions seem good enough, but I worry about what he is willing to do to achieve them. He appears to have great power over the creatures of the forest, and he was not above attacking us to get our attention.

For now, I am playing along so that I may find the other Elements of Nature, but I did convince him to let me gather the elements in Ponyville before bringing them to him. That should at least give us all sometime if Everfree decides to get more aggressive in his approach.

I should also mention that he has a rather fierce hatred towards the spirit of Chaos known as Discord; Everfree claims it is Discord’s fault for the Elements of Nature being lost, which would make Discord the ‘dark force’ mentioned in the legend.

I know it is not my place to give you advice, but for I would ask that we make sure Everfree remains ignorant to your involvement in my search. I am unsure of how much he knows about you, but he seems to be well informed about events that have occurred in or around the forest. I will try to get some more information out of him the next time we meet. The more I know about what he knows, the better I can determine his motives. I will send my next report as soon as I can.

Signed,
Soul Seer

Soul read over his report to make sure that he had not left anything out. Satisfied that it was complete, he rolled it up into a scroll and carefully placed it in his bag. While writing it, he considered whether it would be a good idea to send it to the Princess via courier. While he had no reason to doubt that the courier pegasus would deliver it to the palace, he was worried about it not getting to the Princess directly. He didn’t think anyone at the palace would look at the report if it was addressed to Princess Celestia, but he thought that if it wasn’t brought to her immediate attention, it could get lost amongst other incoming message for her. She was the ruler of Equestria after all; He was sure she was busy dealing with important business all the time. In the end he decided it was best to make sure it got delivered to her personally. Perhaps Rarity can get my report to the Princess, he thought. I’ll ask her about that after my chat with Trixie.

He headed downstairs, wondering when he would get a response from Rarity. As entered the lobby, the dark orange mare behind the desk turned to look at him. “You’re the one staying in Room 205,” she called out. “Is your name Soul Seer?”

Soul was surprised for moment that she was talking to him before he registered what she said. “Yea, I’m Soul Seer.”

“A message for you was just dropped off.” She quietly turned and grabbed the folded parchment that was resting in the cubbyhole labeled “205”.

Soul approached the desk quickly. “She wasn’t kidding, those couriers are fast.”

The hotel mare rolled her eyes as she pushed the message across the desk. “Yeah, whatever.” Then she leaned forward, making direct eye contact with Soul. “Since you’re here, mind giving me your payment for tonight? I assume you are staying tonight as well.”

Soul averted his eyes, giving a quick sigh before returning a weak smile. “Yes, of course.” After taking another twenty bits from his money pouch, he took his message over to one of the couches and proceeded to read it:

Dear Soul Seer,

As it so happens, I do not have any previous engagements for this evening, so I would be delighted to see a show with you. I do hope I am able to help you, and as you say, I do have a certain amount of influence in this society. I do wish you would have told me what kind of performance this is so that I could have picked out the perfect outfit. I’ll just have to wear an ensemble that is appropriate no matter what. I will meet you outside the palace gates shortly before sunset.

Sincerely,
Rarity

Soul folded up the note and placed it in his bag. That takes care of that then. He began to think about what he would do until that evening. I kind of wish I had taken the time to get my street booth permit. I’ve been ending up with a lot of downtime…. He gave a weary glance over at the front desk. …and considering the amount of money I’ve been spending…. He gave a quiet sigh as he lifted himself off the couch. …but it isn’t worth it to try to get it now. Hopefully I’ll only be here for about one more day, and who knows how long it would take to authorize the paperwork. In the end, he decided just to walk around the city and enjoy the day. He took his glasses from his bag, placed them over his eyes, and headed out the door.


********


The sun was slowly approaching the horizon as Soul approached the palace gates. He could see that Rarity was just arriving at the gates as well. She was wearing an azure dress with trim around the neckline and hem and a stylized saddle, both a golden-yellow. Her mane was pulled up into a fashionable tower of hair.

“You didn’t have to get dressed up on my account,” Soul said as they met just outside the gates.

Rarity let a burst of air escape her lips as she shook her head. “You simple don’t understand anything about high-class society, do you?” She looked at him, determined to pass on some class to this ignorant pony. “I dress according to any outing, as it is the fashionable thing to do; it is expected of me as a fashion designer.”

Soul rolled his eyes. I don’t think I’ll ever understand high-class society. “Well, I do hope I’m not impairing your image if you’re seen with me.”

Rarity smiled and waved a hood at him. “Don’t be silly, you look....” She looked him over as she tried to think of the right word. ”… You look fine.” Then she saw the top of his head; she clicked her tongue and sighed as she tilted her head. “But those sunglasses… I mean really, sunglasses at night? That’s just common sense.”

Once again, Soul rolled his eyes; this time rolling head along with them for emphasis. “You know why I need these glasses. Besides, it’s not like I’m actually wearing them.” He wanted to change the subject before he was critiqued anymore. “We should get going. We wouldn’t want to miss the show.”

They began walking into the heart of the city, with the palace gates and setting sun behind them. They exchanged small talk – how Rarity’s business was doing, the wonderful weather that was being maintained, and the efficiency of the courier service – but as they grew closer to their destination, the conversation switched over the show.

“Now, you have kept me in suspense for far too long; who is this performer that you absolutely must talk to?” Rarity was walking side-by-side with Soul; her head was now turned to face him.

Soul had been waiting for her to ask. He kept himself facing forward as he began to talk. “Actually, you might have met her once before. She was in Ponyville a couple of years ago. She is an illusionist that calls herself ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie.’ I’ve heard stories about what happened back then, and about how she has been improving her talent. I’m not sure what she was like back then, but she’s really good at what she does now. I’ll think you’ll be surprised at - Rarity?” Soul had turned his head to face Rarity, only to find that she was no longer beside him. He looked back to see her standing still, staring to space. He trotted back to her, saying, “Rarity, are you ok?”

Rarity shook herself out of her daze. She said calmly, “I’m sorry dear, I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say her name was?”

Soul repeated her name with concern in his voice. “Trixie… you have met her before, haven’t you? That day, two years ago…”

Rarity suddenly stared at Soul, a glint of anger in her eye. “What she did that day is unforgivable,” she said in a loud whisper.

Soul took a step away from her. He had never expected to Rarity angry. “Look, I understand it was bad, but that was two years ago. Besides, it’s not like it was really her fault-“

“She turned my hair green! GREEN! Of all the things she could have done, that was the worst possible thing!” Even angered, Rarity knew she was in the presence of Canterlot society, and managed to keep herself mostly composed.

Soul just stared at her. That’s what she’s angry about? Forget high-class society, I know I’ll never understand Rarity. He pulled himself together so that he could try to calm her down. “Look, I’m sure it couldn’t have been that bad-“

Rarity continued her angry stare. “It was a crime against fashion that I will never forget!”

Soul decided he needed a different approach. He furrowed his brow and returned Rarity’s stare. “Rarity, I need you to calm down.” He spoke with a calm but stern voice. “Like it or not, I am positive Trixie is the element bearer I’m looking for, and I need to speak with her. On the train, you expressed an interest in helping me, but you were unsure how. An opportunity has arisen for you to help me, and you are letting an incident two years ago affect you emotionally. If you no longer wish to help me, fine. You can go back to the palace, and I’ll find a way to handle this on my own.”

They stood in the street, staring at each other, ignoring the world around them. The city ponies that passed them chose to ignore them as well. The remained in silence for about half a minute before Rarity closed her eyes and quickly turned her head, breaking her gaze.

“Fine, but I’m only helping because I know how important this is,” Rarity said with her strong, sophisticated voice. “I will have nothing to do with her.”

Soul gave a small sigh as his eyes returned to their usual caring appearance. “All you have to do is help me get to her. She doesn’t even need to see you.”

“Very well,” Rarity said, keeping her head turned away from Soul. She began to walk off in the direction they had been going. Soul quickly caught up with her and made sure they were going the right way. Shortly after the magic lamps had been lit, they arrived at the Horseshoe Theater. A few ponies were milling about outside, and Rarity muttered about how there were no high society ponies here. Soul ushered her inside, which she acknowledged with a polite nod of her head. He followed her inside, where they took a seat at a table near the backstage entrance.

As the show started – and Trixie made her flashy entrance – Rarity forced air through lips as a sign of disapproval. She whispered to Soul, “She hasn’t changed at all.” The show was almost exactly the same as the previous night; some of the details of the stories were different, but they were all basically the same. While Soul got caught up in the illusions, Rarity scoffed at Trixie’s transparent attempts to make herself look like a hero. She looked about at the other audience member; purposely avoiding looking at Trixie for too long.

For her final act, Trixie ‘transported’ the crowd to a vast desert with a blazing sun overhead. Several ponies reported feeling the sand vibrate under their hooves and a low rumbling coming from beneath the ground. After the scene had vanished, Trixie explained that there was a fearsome creature that lived under that desert that dragged ponies down to their doom in the sand. “I was lucky… to get out of there… alive!” Trixie said as she was recovering from final spell.

After Trixie retreated behind the curtain and the lights rose in the theater, Soul asked Rarity, “So, is she the same Trixie you knew?”

Rarity turned just enough that one of her eyes was looking at him. “I will admit that her… illusions have improved… but even I can do that. I’ve used my magic to create lighting effects for fashion shows, similar to her immersive illusions.”

“… But just visually.” Soul smirked at her. Rarity conveyed her annoyance by lowering her eyelids before quickly turning her head away from him. Soul just shook his head. “Come on Rarity, she’s a performer, but you’re a fashion designer. There’s no point in comparing you’re abilities because they are going to be different. Now prove you’re the better pony….” He stood up and walked around her until he was in front of her. “… We’ve got work to do.”

Rarity sat there for few seconds before raising her head to look at Soul. A determined smile had appeared on her face. “You’re right!” She quickly stood up, maintain eye contact with Soul. “I am a prominent fashion designer in Canterlot, and I’m not about to let some show-mare get the better of me!”

Soul kept his happy smirk as he pointed his hoof towards the backstage door. “Lead the way.” Rarity trotted towards the door with determined poise and grace and made had hesitation when opening it. Soul followed right behind her.

The door led to a straight hallway with door marked “Exit” at the end. Another hallway intersected it, going behind the stage and leading to the dressing rooms. A large stallion stood in this hallway, turning his head to see the two when the turned the corner. He spoke with a deep, gravelly voice that added to his intimidating appearance, “What are you doing back here?”

Rarity gasped with exasperation, “Do you know who I am?” The stallion tried to respond, but she didn’t wait for him to respond. “I am Rarity; Fashion designer extraordinaire! This is my assistant.” She nodded her head towards Soul, who waved a hoof in greeting. “I absolutely must speak with the Great and Powerful Trixie, for she has inspired me with her illusionary artwork! I have to let her know that I wish to work on a fashion line featuring her immediately!”

The stallion stood there with his eyes wide and mouth hanging for a moment before saying, “I’ll be right back.” He went down the hallway and knocked on a door on the right before opening it.

Meanwhile, Soul and Rarity were conversing in whispered tones:

“You’re quite the actor, Rarity.”

“Thank you. I’ve always had a flair for the dramatic and it has its uses every now and then.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“Do give me some credit; no performer worth their talent would give up the publicity that having a fashion line named after them would bring.”

Less than a minute passed before large stallion returned and beckoned them to follow him to Trixie’s dressing room. The room was small, but comfy compared to the cramped backstage corridor. There was a low-lying table in the center of the room with a couch right next to it. Trixie’s pointed hat rested on a hat rack that stood next to the couch. Trixie was standing in front of a vanity mirror along the back wall, still wearing her cloak and brushing her mane. The brush was levitating, surrounded by a pale magenta glow. She spoke with that same tone she used on stage: dramatized and brimming with confidence. “Well, it’s about time the Great and Powerful Trixie was recognized for her beauty.” She shifted her eyes to look at the reflection of the stallion, who was standing in the doorway. “You may wait outside, Bastille. I wish to be alone with my guests.”

“Of course, Miss,” the stallion uttered before stepping outside and closing the door.

Trixie’s brush slowly landed on the nearby table as Trixie turned around to view her two guests. She looked them over casually while sporting a smug smile, but then the smile began to fade as her eyes grew slightly wider. “Trixie recognizes you…,” she said quietly, staring at Rarity,” … from Ponyville.” Her eyes squinted, seemingly increasing the intensity of her stare. “You’re acquainted with Miss Sparkle, aren’t you?” The emphasis on Twilight’s name dripped with spite. Suddenly, her face seemed to lighten; her eyes returned to normal and a smirk appeared on her face. “Now I remember… green hair, right?”

“Why you….” Rarity attempts to take a step forward - anger burning in her eyes - but Soul holds out a hoof in front of her, stopping her advance.

“Not now, Rarity,” Soul said calmly, while maintaining eye contact with Trixie.

Trixie let out a short, smug laugh, before turning her smirk towards Soul. “This isn’t about a fashion line featuring Trixie, is it?”

“No, it’s not.” Soul maintained his calm demeanor, but started talking casually. “I’m the one that needs to talk with you. Rarity is only assisting me because of the importance of mission.”

Trixie raised her voice slightly. “You better start explaining yourself before the Great and Powerful Trixie is forced to take action.”

Soul gave a slight cough to clear his throat. “My name is Soul Seer. I have the ability to look at a pony’s ‘spark’ – what makes them unique – and you possess a power known as an Element of Nature; in particular, the Element of Fire.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “What are these Elements of Nature you are speaking of? Trixie has never heard of them.”

“That’s not too surprising,” Soul continued in a calm voice, “The Elements of Nature were lost long before the events of Nightmare Moon even occurred. Somehow, they have ended up in the souls certain ponies, and you’re one of them.”

Trixie raised her muzzle with a huff and a smile. “Trixie already knows she is great and powerful, but what proof do you have of your claim?”

Soul hazarded a glance at Rarity, who rolled her eyes before returning a glare back at Soul. Soul gave a slight cough. “Right now - only your personality and your talents. You see, the Elements of Nature express certain aspects of their element onto the bearer. In your case, the Element of Fire reveals itself through your desire to grow in power, your determination not to be outdone, and your particularly mesmerizing illusions.”

As Trixie absorbed these words, her smug eyes and confident smirk slowly began to droop. This reaction confused Soul. Isn’t this want she wants? Why does she look sad?

After a few seconds, Trixie looked up at Soul. “Very well,” she said in a somber tone that seemed out of place coming from her, “Trixie will allow you look at her soul.” A bit of energy came back to her. “Only long enough to confirm your suspicions, understood?”

“You can trust me,” Soul said with a slight smile as he dropped his glasses over his eyes. As soon as his power activated, he felt the temperature rise. The intense spark that burned before him was reddish-orange in color, and its tendrils softly flitted towards the sky, like a dancing crown. Soul was careful not to look at it for too long, as he could feel it trying to draw him in. He was afraid its power could make him forget everything else, just so he could stare at it for eternity. He began to feel himself getting weaker, and knew he could no longer stay. He closed his eyes and violently shook his head to break the Element’s enchantment.

Both Trixie and Rarity were looking straight at him; the latter with concern, and the former with anticipation. “Well?” Trixie blurted out, eagerly awaiting an answer.

As his strength returned, Soul brought his gaze upon Trixie. “It is as I predicted. The Element of Fire – a powerful force of nature – exists inside your soul.”

Again, Trixie surprised Soul by looking relieved instead of excited. “Trixie always knew… Trixie could feel a power deep inside her, but could never quite reach it.”

Soul nodded his head slowly. “No doubt a driving a force behind your desire for power.”

Trixie nodded her head in response. “But now I know why. I was always looking for a source of magic in my head, not an elemental power in my soul.”

The three stood there in silence for a moment before Soul brought up something on his mind. “If you don’t mind me asking: I understand that you didn’t start focusing on illusions until after the incident in Ponyville, and I can’t help but wonder why. What changed?”

Trixie raised her head slowly, fixing a glare on Rarity. “Miss Sparkle was the first pony Trixie ever met that bested Trixie at her own game.” The spite behind Twilight’s name was still there, but it was not as thick. “She gave Trixie a goal; she was determined to gain more magical talent then Twilight.”

Her gaze shifted towards Soul. “As for Trixie’s illusions: She has always used them, though generally only to gather the crowd’s attention before the real show began. It wasn’t until Trixie was learning some new tricks that she realized just how powerful they could be.” A large smirk grew on her face. “Now that Trixie knows of this Element of Fire, not even Twilight can ignore how great and powerful Trixie is!”

Rarity shook her head and sighed. “You really haven’t changed all that much…”

Before Trixie could interject, Soul spoke up. “I have one last favor to ask of you: I need you to come back with me to Ponyville.”

“What?” Both mares shouted in unison. They look at each briefly, before turning their heads away from one another, their muzzles in the air.

Soul sighed. “The current situation is… complicated, but I’ll give you the short version: I need to gather the Elements of Nature together so that they can eventually be returned to where they rightfully belong. Right now, Ponyville makes the most sense as the gathering point. Not only is Twilight helping me with my research, but from what I have heard, the Elements of Harmony have done a fine job of keeping the town safe so far.”

Trixie thought for a moment; her forehoof just under her chin before waving it across the air. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has no intention of giving up her newfound power! However… going back to Ponyville would mean meeting Miss Sparkle, and this time, it is TRIXIE that shall claim victory!”

Soul nodded his head in relief, but Trixie continued before he could speak. “Regardless, Trixie has an obligation to uphold. She must perform her final show tomorrow night before she can consider leaving Canterlot. The Great and Powerful Trixie will give you her answer after her performance.”

“Of course, I understand,” said Soul as he bowed his head. “Then for now, we shall say farewell, and I will see you tomorrow night.” Soul turned around to see Rarity already heading out the door. He quickly followed her, noting the guard stallion eyeing the two as they walked through the door.

The theater was mostly empty by now, save for a few patrons taking their time at the bar. As the entered, Rarity started to whisper loudly into Soul’s ear. “You not seriously considering taking Trixie to Ponyville, are you?”

“I don’t have a choice,” Soul said quietly as he turned his head slightly towards Rarity. “The Elements of Nature need to be gathered together, and I already told Everfree that I would bring them to Ponyville. They need to be kept under watch, and the Elements of Harmony can manage that.”

Rarity huffed, not liking the idea of being volunteered for watch duty. “Why not leave her here in Canterlot. Let the Princess and her guards watch over them.”

“Too risky; Everfree still knows where the elements are, and if he starts to realize that I’m gathering them in Canterlot, he might think I’m going against our arrangement. He clearly doesn’t like Canterlot, and I’m not sure how he feels about the Princess. For now, it is best that Celestia remains unconnected to my mission, at least as far as Everfree knows.”

“You know, there is going to be trouble when Trixie meets Twilight again, right?”

Soul stopped in his tracks as he thought about this. How is Twilight going to react to Trixie? Will she try to diffuse the situation, or will she make it worse? How exactly is Trixie going to ‘claim victory’? “I’ll think of something when the time comes.”

“Of course…” Rarity said with a roll of her eyes as they both made their way outside. Soul walked with Rarity back towards the palace. Just because he didn’t care for high-class society doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a gentlecolt. Rarity went on talking. “I should be finished with my business here tomorrow, which means I’ll be ready to go home the day after.” Rarity addressed Soul through her peripherals. “You should be ready to leave then as well, yes? All you have left to do is get your answer from…” She trailed off, but kept her pace as her eyes began to stare into space. “Oh sweet Celestia, I’m going to have to share a train car with her, aren’t I?” She turned her head to look directly at Soul. “Please tell me there is a way to avoid this.”

Soul looked at Rarity and quickly thought of a possibility. “Trixie seems to enjoy attention. Even on the train, she’ll probably try to draw an audience, which means she will naturally move towards a more crowded car. If you stay in a quieter car, she shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I suppose it will have to do,” Rarity said, turning her head forward. “She is still going to be Ponyville, but I suppose that can’t be avoided now.”

It wasn’t long before they were back at the palace gates. Rarity turned to face Soul one last time before heading to her suite. “I don’t mean this to offending darling, but… tonight did not turn out as enjoyable as I had hoped. You do understand, don’t you?” She did not wait for him to respond. “Now, I simple must get my beauty sleep. My clients have expectations of my appearance, and a good night’s sleep is necessary to uphold them. Good night, Soul.”

“Good night Rarity and I am sorry,” Soul said as she turned to walk away. He began to walk back to hotel when he remembered about his report to Celestia. Rarity has already done enough for me, he thought. At this point, it’s probably just as well that I wait until I can give the letter to Spike. It's the only way I can guarantee my report gets to the Princess directly. Besides, it’s not like she gave me a deadline or anything.

He looked up at the starry night sky as he let his thoughts wander. They were mostly pleasant memories of his travels, until a certain thought raised its ugly head. My reservations about revealing Scootaloo’s power had a lot to do with her just being a blank-flanked filly, but how is Trixie’s situation different? It both cases, the Element inside them can give them what they want. Now that Trixie knows, what is she going to do? He hoped nothing, but only time would tell, and he needed sleep just as much as Rarity did.


********


Soul’s final day in Canterlot was uneventful; that evening would hold all of the excitement. Since he had nothing to do, he decided to visit the public Canterlot archives for some personal research. He looked into the various creatures that live through Equestria; especially the Everfree Forest. He grew worried as he learned that both dragons and ursas resided in the forest. He also read about manticores, cockatrices, timberwolves, phoenixes, and parasprites. Out of curiosity, he tried to look up the mysterious desert beast that Trixie had reported encountered, but found no records of such a creature. She probably made that one up, he thought. She is a storyteller after all. Sometimes you have to bend the truth to make life more interesting.

The rest of the day was spent wandering around Canterlot and relaxing, and it wasn’t long before night began to fall. Soul made his way through the crowded streets to the Horseshoe Theater. He claimed his spot from last night and waited for the show to start. His thoughts from last night crept up on him, but he tried to dismiss them. Certainly she understands the importance of practice, he thought as he tried to comfort himself. She wouldn’t do anything reckless… I hope.

As the curtain rose, Trixie started her show with same entrance she had used the previous nights and proceeded as usual. Soul found that he was relaxing, but took note that this was probably in part to the mesmerizing illusions. He hoped that he was beginning to build some kind of resistance to their mesmerizing effect, but it still felt that same. At least they don’t seem any stronger.

When Trixie reached her final act, she began to speak instead of preparing an immersive illusion as usual. “All of you that have gathered here tonight are in for a treat,” she spoke with her showmare’s flourish. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is about to perform a trick, the likes of which no pony has ever seen!”

Soul’s eyes grew wide. No, she wouldn’t dare…. Soul could only stare as Trixie began to channel energy into her horn… before she burst into flames. Idiot! Soul screamed in his head as his face contorted into a mixture of fear and anger. He wasn’t one to normally let himself get angry, but this act struck him deep in his soul. I have to stop her! He tried to get up, but it was in vain; the flames were mesmerizing him, locking him in place. He couldn’t move; he could only watch as blaze raged on. The rest of the audience took in the sight with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’; to them, it was just an act.

Soul began to feel tears reaching his eyes, but then he noticed the flames start to move in an unusual way; they were rising off the stage. The flames rose into the air above the stage and began to take shape. Soul began to realize it was taking the form of a phoenix, when he finally noticed what was left on the stage. Beneath the fiery visage stood Trixie; up on her hind hooves, with her fore hooves stretched out in front of her. She appeared unscathed; not a burn on her or her cloak. She just stood their smiling, but it wasn’t long before she started to speak.

“Like the noble phoenix, Trixie has been reborn; Greater and more powerful than ever!”

The phoenix hung in the air for a few more moments before it faded away. Wisps of fire extinguished themselves in silent explosions, and soon there was nothing left of the flaming image. The audience applauded with vigor; stamping their hooves on the tables and cheering for the performer. Trixie basked in the glory and bowed her head several times before leaving the stage.

Soul just stared at her the entire time with an angry look in his eyes, a promptly headed backstage soon after she left. He headed straight for her room, but was blocked by the stallion guard standing in front of the doorway. “I need to talk to Trixie. Now,” Soul said with a loud, stern voice.

The stallion just stood and stared back until Trixie’s voice came from the room. “Let him in, Bastille. He is allowed.” The guard stepped aside, and Soul forcefully entered Trixie’s room, closing the door behind him.

“What were you thinking?” Soul yelled at Trixie, but tried to keep his volume down, so that the security pony didn’t think he was a threat.

“Trixie though it would make an absolutely amazing finale… which it did,” Trixie said with an air of smugness about her. She removed her cloak and placed in on the nearby rack where her hat rested, and began to brush her hair.

“You not only risked your own life, but the lives of everyone in that theater! Can you imagine what could have happened if you couldn’t have control that fire? What if it had jumped to the curtains or the tables?” Soul didn’t want to be angry, but Trixie’s nonchalant reactions to his outburst were not relieving his emotions.

She stopped brushing her hair and gave a slight frown towards Soul. “Do you think Trixie is some amateur? She practiced all day to make sure she could perform that act perfectly.” She turned and pulled her hair to the side to reveal a small burn on the back of her neck. “This was my only injury, and I would say it was worth it. There was never any doubt that the Greater and More Powerful Trixie could pull off that finale!”

Soul just stood and stared at her. He wanted to say more, but he realized there was no point in arguing with her. She did practice, just for all the wrong reasons. He brought his hoof up to his forehead and sighed. At last he said, “You’re coming with me to Ponyville. It’s simple too dangerous to leave you anywhere else.”

“Of course,” Trixie said before giving a sly smirk. “I can’t wait to see Twilight again.”

That’s what I’m afraid of, Soul thought. “The train leaves tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you at the station.”

Trixie let out a small laugh. “Don’t you worry. The Greater and More Powerful Trixie will not be late.”

Soul shook his head as he left the room. The guard eyed him warily as he left, but Soul didn’t care enough to notice. He had other things on his mind. As he went out into the cold night air, his thoughts of the past and the future intermingled. I have traveled many roads since I left home, but none will be more treacherous then the one this journey will lead me on. It will be long, and it will be difficult, but it must be done. It is my burden to bear because no one else can.
> Part 6.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 6.1

        The train arrived at the Ponyville station a little before noon the following day. Trixie was the first to disembark. She wore a smile on her face, still happy over the impromptu performance she put on in the dining car. She ignored the near-mishap that was quickly doused by Soul, who was nearby with a pitcher of water. Rarity, who had noticed the potential disaster, was giving Trixie a firm glare as she exited the train after her. She quickly turned her head away as she went to go check on her luggage. Soul was the last of the trio to leave the train. He quickly noted Trixie’s whereabouts before trudging off to help Rarity with her luggage.

        With the dress cases now void of dresses, they were much lighter, but they still proved to be quite heavy when all stacked up on Soul’s back. Though slightly encumbered by the weight, Soul was still willing to carry them back to Rarity’s boutique; He didn’t want to argue with Rarity at the moment, as his mind was on other matters. 

        Trixie is hiding something from me, Soul thought as the three ponies began their slow walk into town. There is more to her than just the attributes of Fire; Why this rivalry with Twilight? Is it really just a desire for power? Even if she did let me look at her soul again, I doubt I’d be able to see what she’s hiding past the element’s brilliance. He gave a sideways glance to Trixie, who was walking at his right side. I guess I’ll have to find out the hard way; the way everyone else learns about a pony’s secrets: make them open up.

        Soul was busy thinking about how he was going to accomplish this when the sound of hooves pounding across a stone bridge rose from the background. He looked up just as Rarity called out, “Applejack? Where are you off to in such a rush?”

        The orange mare stopped in front of them. She was a little out of breath “Rarity? Soul? Thank Celestia your back! We got ourselves a problem. I’m gatherin’ –“ Applejack froze mid-sentence as she finally noticed the third member of their party. “What in tarnation is she doin’ here?”

        Trixie raised her muzzle at Applejack while flashing a small smile. “The Greater and More Powerful Trixie will have you know that she is playing an important part in the future of –“

        Soul let out a loud groan. “We don’t have time for this!” His stern voice gathered everyone’s attention. “Applejack, Trixie is the Element of Fire, and whether you like it or not, she’s going to be staying in Ponyville for a while.” Applejack opened her mouth, but Soul quickly continued. “I’m not going to argue with you at the moment. Now tell us, what is going on?”

        Applejack closed her mouth briefly before answering, “Scootaloo’s been kidnapped.”

        “WHAT?” Soul yelled, his eyes failing to hide his anger as his mind immediately jumped to Everfree.

        Rarity appeared equally mortified, but did not raise her voice. “Oh dear! That’s simple dreadful!” Her eyes widened as a new thought crossed her mind. “Wh-What about Sweetie Belle? Is she alright?” Rarity said with a tremble in her voice and a sense of urgency.

        Applejack walked slowly over to Rarity to calm her down. “She’s fine, Rare. A lil’ shaken up, but fine.” She turned her head to face Soul. “I’m gatherin’ everypony at Twilight’s so we all know what happened, and we can figure out how to get her back. I was on my way to get Pinkie when Rarity saw me.”

        Soul let out a deep breath as he collected himself. “Alright, we don’t have any time to lose. Go get Pinkie. We’ll drop off Rarity’s luggage and meet you at the library.”

        “Gotcha!” Applejack shouted as she galloped off towards Sugarcube Corner.

        Soul turned to face Trixie, who appeared to be preoccupied with a spot on her front hoof. “Trixie, I think –“

        “Trixie is coming with you,” Trixie said over him without looking up.

        “- you should go –“ Soul blinked as he processed what was just said. “What?”

        Trixie looked at him, wearing a smirk across her face. “You are going to Sparkle’s house, right? That is exactly where Trixie was planning on going.”

        Soul stared at her, his facing twitching to hide his severe disapproval. There is a missing foal and she is still thinking about her petty rivalry! Can she really be this callous? “Fine,” he eventually blurted out, “but you will stay out of the way. We’ve got a crisis to deal with first, and then I’ll deal with you, understood?”

        Trixie shrugged her shoulders. “Trixie will wait until she can get Sparkle’s undivided attention.”

        Soul turned his head away from Trixie and sighed deeply. “Alright, let’s get going.” He gave a nod towards Rarity, and the three galloped off towards Carousel Boutique.

********


        When the trio arrived at the library, the scene inside was one of anxiety and tension; It felt like a group waiting for a big storm to strike. Rainbow Dash was hovering around the room – her forelegs crossed and brow furrowed – when Soul opened the door. Her forelegs quickly rose towards the ceiling as the door opened. “It’s about time!” She yelled, but quickly brought landed when she saw who had arrived. “Wait, when did you get back? Where’s Applejack and Pinkie?” RD’s eyes grew wider as she finally noticed Trixie. “And what’s she doing here?”

        Twilight, who had been concentrating on a book, looked up when the door opened. “Soul?” she said, but she quickly picked up on Trixie’s presence. “Trixie?!”

        Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had been sitting together with Fluttershy, who had been trying her best to comfort the two fillies. However, as soon as Rarity entered the room, Sweetie Belle began running to her shouting, “Rarity!”

        Rarity met her halfway, embracing her as she ran into her forelegs. Rarity gave a dramatic cry, “Oh Sweetie! I’m so glad to know you aren’t hurt!”

        Soul could overhear Applebloom commenting on a stallion with glowing eyes. He had kind of hoped they would have forgotten about that, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He first answered RD’s initial questions. “Applejack told us about what was going on before running off to get Pinkie Pie. They should be along shortly.” He gave a side glance towards Trixie, who was staring intently at Twilight and grinning. “As for Trixie, she will not be bothering us while we discuss the current situation.” He turned to face Trixie, giving her his own intent stare. “Isn’t that right?”

        Trixie broke her stare and slowly began to wander over to the adjacent room. “I’m sure the Greater and More Powerful Trixie can find something in this quaint library to amuse herself with.” She entered the other room and closed the door behind her.

        Everyone in the library had watched her silently as she entered the adjacent room, with the exception of Rarity and Sweetie, who were still embraced in their sisterly moment. As soon as the door was closed, Rainbow Dash floated down to Soul with a look of annoyance on her face. “No, seriously, what is she doing here?” she demanded.

        Soul crossed the room and dropped his bag next to the basement door. He gave a heavy sigh before answering. “Trixie is the Element of Nature I was looking for in Canterlot.” He turned his head to address Twilight. “The Element of Fire, to be precise.” He then turned back to RD. “Unfortunately, that means she is going to be staying in Ponyville for a while.”

        Rainbow Dash brought her hooves up to her face and let out a loud groan. “She’s gonna be unbearable!” Twilight also brought a hoof to her face, but she turned her head and gazed at nothing, as if deep in thought.

        Before Soul could ask what was going through her mind, the front door burst opened and Applejack came trotting in. Pinkie Pie came hopping in behind her, wearing loaded saddlebags. “We’re here!” cried Pinkie’s usual cheerful voice, “and I brought snacks!”

        Rainbow Dash quickly turned to look at her, squinting her eyes. “Pinkie Pie, this is serious! Scootaloo is missing!”

        “Well jeez Dash, I know,” Pinkie retorted, “but we can’t very well be a search party on an empty stomach!”

        Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, unable to argue against Pinkie. “Whatever, we’re all here now, so let’s get going!”

        She was about to bolt out the door when Twilight called out, “Hold on, Dash! We can’t go rushing into the Everfree Forest without a plan!”

        Rainbow Dash came to an abrupt stop, hovering inches off the ground. She turned to look at Twilight before blurting out a quick, “But-“.

She stopped herself, and gave a quick look at AJ, who was nodding her head in agreement. “’Fraid she’s right, sugarcube.”

Rainbow turned to look at Twilight again, this time with a disappoint scowl across her face. She let herself plop to the ground, sitting upright with her forelegs crossed. “Fine, let’s hurry this up. I’m tired of just sitting around here knowing that Scootaloo is still in danger.”

“We’re all worried about Scootaloo,” Twilight said while casting her eyes towards the ground, “but it won’t do her any good if we run into our own troubles in the forest.” She looked up see that Rainbow Dash had averted her own eyes to the ground before turning to look at Applebloom. “Applebloom, could you tell us exactly what happened?”

By this time, Applejack was sitting by her sister’s side. Applebloom slowly got up, giving a worried look at her sister, who nodded her head to encourage her. She turned to face the group. “Well… the three of us we’re headed t’ Fluttershy’s place –“

Sweetie Belle, still by Rarity, suddenly spoke up. “We knew Zecora was staying there.”

Applebloom continued, “Right, and we were hopin’ she could teach us about certain plants and their uses –“

Sweetie Belle suddenly jumped up. “That’s when that big, nasty monster jumped out of the forest and grabbed Scootaloo!”

Sweetie’s outburst riled up Applebloom. “It all happened so fast!” she yelled. “It wrapped her up with its pointy tail, let out a loud roar, and ran back into forest.” She closed her eyes tightly. “There wasn’t anythin’ we could do….”

The big sisters wrapped their forearms around their younger siblings, trying to comfort them from recalling the event. Soul ran over the information in his head before turned to Twilight. “Judging from their description, the ‘monster’ was probably a manticore.”

“Those mean, ol’ nasty manticores!” Pinkie exclaimed as she procured cupcakes for the young fillies.

Twilight nodded her head and placed a hoof on the book she had open on the table in front of her. “I agree, but it doesn’t make sense. A manticore wouldn’t leave its territory to hunt, and if it was really hunting for food, it wouldn’t have carried Scootaloo off….” She quickly shook her head to get rid of the image she had created.

Soul brought a hoof up to his chin. “In other words, the manticore acted with a purpose; like something else was controlling it.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “It seems my suspicions are accurate. Everfree is more than likely behind this.”

Twilight’s eyes drooped as she sighed. “I was afraid of that, but you’re probably right.”

Fluttershy, who had been sitting quietly between the two pair of sisters, suddenly spoke up. “B-but why take Scootaloo?”

Applejack beat Soul to the response. “It’s ‘cause she’s one of those Elements of Nature he’s lookin’ for, remember?”

Fluttershy nodded her head slowly. “But – I mean – why take her at all?”

Suddenly, a thought donned on Soul. He can sense their presence…. He hit forehead with his hoof as he shouted out, “Idiot! Why didn’t I figure that out sooner?”

Everypony was now staring at him with a confused – and in Fluttershy’s case, a startled – look upon their faces. They sat in silence, waiting for him to continue. “Everfree can sense the general location of the Elements, which means he already knew there was an Element in Ponyville. However, he also seems to be in tune with every inch of that forest; he was probably able to pin point Scootaloo as the element bearer when they got close to the forest. To make matters worse, I already knew about the Elements of Nature before I met him for the first time. He probably put the pieces together and figured out that I had already identified Scootaloo as one of the Elements before I met him. This whole situation is his way of showing his power.”

Rainbow Dash quickly hovered into the air from her sitting position. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go teach that monster a lesson,” she said as she pounded her front hooves together, “Ponyville-style!”

AJ shook her head. “Weren’t cha listenin’ Dash? Fightin’ him head-on ain’t gonna work!”

“AJ’s right,” Twilight spoke up. “If we try to fight him, we’ll end up fighting an army. We would be overwhelmed.” Thoughts of the changeling invasion floated around the room as everypony considered the consequences.

“Well, what about the Elements of Harmony?” Rainbow said. “Couldn’t we just zap him and be done with it?”

“It’s not so much a zap,” Pinkie pointed out with her usual energy, “It’s more a sorta woosh or shoom!”

Twilight shook her head. “You said so yourself, we don’t have time to retrieve the Elements from Canterlot.”

“Besides…” Soul began to speak, “I’m not sure they would do anything anyway….”

Once again, all of the heads in the room turned to face Soul. Twilight was the first to speak up, “What do you mean?”

Soul lowered his head. “Well, from what I understand, the Elements of Harmony are designed to defeat beings that are threatening the harmony of Equestria. While Everfree’s methods may not be… harmless, I doubt his intentions are threatening.”

AJ spoke up, “Uh, beg pardon, but he nabbed a filly from her friends – with a manticore, no less – that seems pretty threatenin’ to me.”

Soul sighed. “You’re right, but he’s only trying to get back what he lost so long ago; what he was meant to protect. He’s desperate, and willing to do anything to fix what was broken.”

AJ lowered her head and sighed. “I- I guess I understand that,” she said before quickly raising her head with stern eyes, “but he can’t just get away with what he’s done. What are we gonna do?”

Soul thought for a second before he raised his head. “I can assure you that Scootaloo will be safe. He needs the element bearers if he wants to give their power back to nature. He also needs me to get the rest of the Elements back to him, so I’m also safe.” Turning his head away from the others, he continued, “That being said, it is far too dangerous for any of you to go into the forest at this point. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I will not let anyone else get hurt. Just let me handle this and –“

Rainbow’s frustration had finally reached its boiling point, and she let out a scream. “Enough! Just who do think you are telling me what to do!?” 

“Rainbow!” Twilight yelled in shock.

Rainbow ignored her and continued shouting. “I barely know anything about you besides your weirdo power. I only met you a week ago, now you want me to just sit back and do nothing while Scoots is trapped with some monster!?” Rainbow quickly closed in on Soul, getting right up in his face. “There is no way I’m putting the life of that filly in hooves of a complete stranger!

Rainbow then turned to face the others. “I don’t care what you say; I’m gonna go rescue her, and ain’t no monster gonna to stop me!” She zoomed out a nearby window before either AJ or Twilight could grab her.

The verbal assault left Soul shocked, his mouth hanging open. He let his body drop to the floor. It wasn’t long before it turned into a frown, complete with downcast eyes.

“Oh Rainbow…” Fluttershy said softly.

“Dashie…” muttered Pinkie as her mane slightly deflated.

Twilight approached Soul slowly. “Soul….”

Soul slowly shook his head without looking up. “She’s right… You’ve all been so willing to trust me without really getting to know me,” he raised his head to look at Twilight, “especially you, Twilight. You invited me into your house – gave me a place to sleep – on the very first day we met! I’ve dealt with the kindness of strangers before, but this is far more then I have ever experienced in such a short time.” He lowered his head again, turning away from Twilight. “Perhaps it was a mistake to accept your generous offer; then maybe you wouldn’t be in this mess now.”

Rarity stood up and slowly began to approach Soul. “You mustn’t blame yourself for this, darling. Scootaloo still would have been an Element of Nature, and Everfree still would have needed her. This would have happened eventually.”

“She’s right,” said Twilight, “and we would have rushed in to save her without knowing what we were up against.

Soul still kept his head down. “I only wanted to know more about the Elements of Nature. I thought… I thought this was my chance; my opportunity to find out what I’m really meant to do with my talent. Everfree needs me, and I’m just letting him use me… for my own selfish desire.”

Twilight looked downcast. “At least your ‘selfish desire’ is for a worthy goal. To be honest, when I heard about your talent, I only thought about what a fascinating study you would make.” She looked up and gave a quirky smile. “I wanted to know how your power worked; you were an anomaly, and I wanted to know what made you tick… but then you discovered the Elements of Nature… a powerful source of magic like the Elements of Harmony, and yet so different….” Twilight’s sight drifted towards the ceiling, looking at nothing in particular.

Applejack finally stood up and broke her trance. “I hate to break this up, but we do have two ponies now that are in the Everfree Forest.

Soul rubbed his face with hoof before finally raising his head to look at the others. “I understand that I can’t stop you from trying to save your friends, I just wanted to make sure that nopony else got hurt….”

AJ gave a faint smile. “We understand, and we trust ya,” she turned her head to look at the other mares, “ain’t that right girls?”

Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy all slowly nodded their heads. Pinkie was beaming once again. “Why wouldn’t we trust a traveling fortune teller, especially one with a super mysterious power like yours?” she said with complete sincerity.  

Applebloom slowly approached Soul. “Mr. Seer, are you really gonna save Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash?”

Before he could answer, AJ put her hoof on her sister’s head and rubbed it gently. “Of course he is.” She looked back at Soul. “You just make sure y’all get back in one piece, ya hear?”

Soul looked around the room at all the comforting faces looking at him. They really do trust me. Even if I have made a mistake, their counting on me to do what needs to be done here and now; I can’t let them down! He stood up quickly; his strength renewed. He looked towards Rarity and Sweetie Belle, then to Pinkie, then to Fluttershy, turned to Twilight, looked down at Applebloom, and then up to Applejack. A smirk appeared on his face. “You can count on it!” He said with conviction before bolting out the front door.

Fluttershy’s smile began to falter. “Do you really think they’ll be okay?”

Twilight turned to her, maintaining her reassuring smile. “I think Soul is right; he’s the only one that can deal with Everfree now. I’m sure they’ll be alright.”

        A noise at the other end of the room made them all turn around. A door had opened, and Trixie was entering the room. “Now that your little crisis is being dealt with,” she said with a smirk, “you can give the Greater and More Powerful Trixie your undivided attention.”

        The five mares looked at each other with worried looks as Trixie stared directly at Twilight.


********


Soul galloped non-stop until he reached the Everfree Forest. He slowed down as he entered only because the path faded into underbrush. “Scootaloo! Rainbow!” He called out, but was met with only the eerie silence of the forest. Everfree, if you did anything to hurt them… he thought before coming to his senses and activating his sight. It didn’t take long for him to see the two sparks he was looking for; their intensity easily made them stand out from the dull sparks of the forest creatures. There was, however, a lack of a greater spark he expected to see. I’m sure Everfree is behind, but where is he? He was also disturbed by the fact that neither of the sparks appeared to be moving. He quickly ran towards them without concern for the cluster of dull sparks he had seen before.

        As Soul entered one of the rare clearings that allowed him to see the sky, he came across an odd sight: What appeared to be toppled statue of a pegasus was lying in near the edge of the clearing. The wings were outstretched –as if in mid-flight – and one was dug into the ground, keeping the statue propped up. When Soul moved in to get a closer look, he was shocked at what he saw. The statue’s face bore a look of terror with the eyes and mouth wide open. It was when he saw that the statue had a cutie mark that Soul realized what he was really looking at: a petrified Rainbow Dash.

        The sound of rustling leaves penetrated Soul’s shocked state. He quickly turned around to try and locate the source of the noise, though in his mind he already knew what to expect. “Everfree!” He shouted, “Show yourself!”

        Everfree slowly stepped into the clearing, scratching the back of his neck with his wooden claw. “I knew you would show up eventually,” he said nonchalantly, “but the pegasus was a surprise.” He pointed past Soul to Rainbow Dash. “I’ll admit she put up quite a fight,” he said as his smirk turned into a toothy grin, “but you can only avoid the gaze of a dozen cockatrices for so long.” He could see Soul was about to speak, but he quickly interjected. “Before you get all worried, she’s fine. She’s unconscious, can’t feel any pain, and is completely unharmed.”

        This did nothing to ease Soul’s mind. “Where is Scootaloo?” He said with stern determination, aiming his steely gaze directly at Everfree’s eyes.

        Everfree stared back, unfazed by Soul’s piercing eyes. “She’s safe, just like her ‘savior’ behind you.”

        “Show me,” Soul said while maintaining eye contact.

        “What, you don’t trust me?” Everfree replied with smile. They stood there for a moment in silence, staring at each other, until Everfree’s smile eventually disappeared. “Oh, very well,” he said as he rolled his eyes, finally breaking the impromptu staring contest. He turned his head towards the trees to his right, bore his teeth, and emitted a growl from his throat. A few seconds later, a manticore wandered into the clearing with a petrified filly on its back. It stopped about a quarter of the way into the clearing before shaking the stone pony off. The statue – which certainly appeared to Scootaloo – landed on her back. Her legs were spread out and her head turned back, as if trying to run away from something. “Satisfied?” Everfree asked after the manticore had left the clearing.

        Soul turned to look at Rainbow Dash, then to Scootaloo, before returning his gaze to Everfree. “Tell me why you did this,” Soul demanded. “Tell me why you kidnapped Scootaloo.”

        “To prove a point,” Everfree replied, raising a single finger from his right paw. His eyes momentarily dart upwards before he raises a second finger. “Two points, actually.” He crossed his arms behind his back and began to slowly pace around the clearing. “First off,” he said, quickly turning his head towards Soul, “I don’t like being lied to.”

        Everfree watched as Soul quickly looked towards the ground. He grunted as he smiled. “You already figured that out, I see.” He went back to his pacing. “You already knew about Scootaloo being the Element of Air when we first met, and yet you failed to tell me.” Without looking, he waggled his finger at Soul. “Don’t try to come up with excuses; you were to inform me when you had gathered the Elements, and you purposely left out that you had already found one.”

        Soul looked up at Everfree, who currently had his back turned to him. “How long have you known?”

        “Oh, I’ve known for quite some time,” Everfree responded without turning to face Soul. “This was not her first visit to the forest, but that’s not the point.” He quickly turned to look at Soul, extending his serpentine body to get as close to his face as possible. “The point is that lying to me is futile; I will find out eventually, if I don’t already know.” He pulled back and began to stroke his thin beard with his paw. “On that note, do you have anything to report to me?”

        “I have retrieved the Element of Fire from Canterlot,” Soul said without question. “She is currently in Ponyville and will remain there until I am ready to deliver the Elements of Nature to you,” He added with a hint of defiance.

        Everfree smirked. “Of course. Now, on to point two,” he said as he restarted his pacing. “Though losing the elements so many years ago weakened me, I am far from powerless. The creatures of the wild follow my every command,” he said while swinging his arms out, “and I’m not afraid to send them out of the forest to get what I want.” He crossed his arms in front of his body and stared down at Soul. “So, if you ever even think about crossing me, remember this,” he said with a sinister growl, “Ponyville is not far away, and manticores are the least of your worries… Do you understand?”

        Soul lowered his head in submission, but quickly raised it again, his brow furrowed. “I understand my place,” he said with conviction, “now understand yours. You need me to gather the elements for you, and technically, there is nothing stopping me from leaving now –“

        “- Except your sense of duty and your search for a purpose,” Everfree added matter-of-factly.

        Soul continued to stare at him. “You have left me with little choice but to do as you say, but I do ask for some answers in return.”

        Everfree thought for a moment, tugging at his goatee. He eventually said, “I suppose that’s fair. What do you wish to know?”

        “I know the legend involving the Elements of Nature as it is written in a book,” Soul began. “I know about your arrangement with the alicorns, how Discord came to our world, and how the Elements were lost. What I don’t know is what happened after that; what happened after Princess Celestia and Princess Luna defeated Discord? Why didn’t you go to them for help?”

        For once, Everfree’s face wasn’t smug or angry. His eyes drooped and his smirk turned into a frown. “Is that what you think?” he said with a half-hearted chuckle. It was quickly followed by a sigh, after which he continued, “When I heard that Discord had been defeated by a couple of alicorns, I thought that they had returned; the alicorns I had made my arrangement with. When I went to find them, however, I instead discovered your ‘royal sisters’, Celestia and Luna.” He said the princesses’ names with a slight growl. “Unlike their predecessors, they decided to live amongst your kind as rulers. Still, I explained to them my situation; about the agreement and the loss of the Elements. I asked for their assistance in restoring nature’s power,” he leaned in close to Soul at this point, “and do you know what they did?”

        Soul looked passed Everfree’s head to see his paws clenched tight. He shook his slowly and in silence.

        “They ignored my pleas for help,” Everfree shouted,” And instead handed over the responsibility of nature to you ponies!” He backed away from Soul, but continued to stare at him. “Discord may have ruined this world, but your princesses did nothing to restore it! They took advantage of its broken state and remade it in their own image.” Everfree swung his arms around, gesturing at the forest around them. ”You ponies fear this forest because you believe it be ‘unnatural’, when in fact it is the only natural place left in all of Equestria!”

        Everfree breathed heavily through his nostrils. He closed his eyes and brought his paw up to his forehead. Eventually his anger subsided and a smug appearance returned to his face. “No matter. Soon nature’s power will be restored, and this world will be fixed at last.”

        Soul stood staring at Everfree, deep in thought about what he just heard. Is it true? Did Celestia and Luna really just cast him aside? Celestia said she knew little about the Elements of Nature, but if Everfree’s story is true, she at least knew about him. Had she forgotten… or did she purposely not tell me about him?

        Everfree roused Soul from his daze. “You’ve wasted enough time asking your question. It’s about time you go looking for the next element.”

        I don’t have much of a choice, Soul thought. For now, I have to continue on. I’ll just have to get my answers later. “And where is the next element?”

        Everfree smirked. “Curiously enough, there is another element residing in Ponyville: The Element of Time. Unfortunately, that element’s bearer has shown no interest in exploring this forest.”

        Soul furrowed his brow in confusion. “If there was a second element in Ponyville, why did you have me go to Canterlot first?”

        “I wanted to get the element out of Canterlot as soon as possible,” Everfree responded with a growl.

        “What about Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo?” Soul asked, gesturing towards the two statues.

        “I will release them as a sign of good will,” Everfree said as he turned his back to Soul. “As long as you follow my orders, we can keep this peaceful.” As he began to walk back into the forest, he snapped his fingers and said, “Don’t disappoint me, Soul.”

        The trees around the clearing rustled with activity. As Soul looked around to see what was moving through the trees, he noticed the stone around Rainbow and Scootaloo begin to recede. As soon as Scootaloo’s head was completely free, the air was filled with the scream of a filly. Soul pressed his ears against his head before quickly moving to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, calm down! It’s going to be OK. You’re safe now!”

        When Scootaloo turned to looked at Soul, it did little to calm her down. However, she stopped screaming and instead launched into a tirade of questions. “What happened? What’s going on? Where are we? Where are those cocka-thingies?”

        As Rainbow Dash became un-petrified, she began asking her own questions. “What hit me? Where did they go?” As she turned around, she tripped over her own legs, still stiff from bring encased in stone.

        “Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo shouted as she caught a glimpse of her idol. Now that she was completely freed from stone, she flipped herself upright and ran towards Rainbow, ignoring Soul.

        Scootaloo ran straight into Rainbow Dash, who was still picking herself up off the ground. The collision knocked her off balance again, but she managed to keep herself upright. “I knew you’d come to save me!” cried Scootaloo.

        Rainbow looked up and noticed Soul. “Yeah, of course,” she said with a weak chuckle, “but Soul helped save you too.”

        Scootaloo turned around to look at Soul. “The fortune teller with the glowing eyes?”

        That left quite an impression on them, Soul thought. He tried to smile at the filly, but the combination of embarrassment and annoyance turned the smile into an awkward grin.

        Scootaloo didn’t seem to notice, as he mind jumped to a more pressing thought. “What about Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?” she said with a slight gasp, “Are they alright?”

        “They’re fine,” Soul responded, “It’s because of those two that we knew the manticore kidnapped you.”

        “But why would it do that?” Scootaloo asked, her youthful curiosity getting the best of her.

        It can’t be helped, Soul thought. She has to know the truth. “It’s… complicated,” Soul sighed, “but it’s about time you learned about something that makes you very special.”

        Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?” she asked. Her voice had a slight tremble of confusion and worry.

        “Can we get out of here?” Rainbow Dash spoke up, stretching out her wings. “This isn’t the best place for a chat. Besides, we don’t want to keep the others waiting.”

        Soul nodded his head in agreement. “Come on Scootaloo, I’ll explain everything on the way.”

        The three of them started their trek out of the forest. Scootaloo stayed close to Rainbow Dash, who had decided to fly slowly just a few feet from the ground. As they walked, Soul began to talk, “So, you know about the Elements of Harmony, right?”

> Part 6.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Part 6.2

The sun was nearing the horizon as Soul, Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash were nearing the edge of the forest. Soul had done his best to explain the situation to Scootaloo, but she was still trying to wrap her head around what it all meant for her.

        “So… I have this power inside me,” Scootaloo said slowly, still thinking it through, “that lets me affect… nature?”

        “The element of air specifically,” Soul said. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about how your power works. They only other element bearer I’ve seen is a unicorn, so I’m not sure how much of her power comes from her magic.”

        “But, it would let me fly, right?” Scootaloo asked, a slight smile appearing on her face.

        Soul sighed. “I have little doubt about that. Being able to control the wind around your wings will probably allow you to fly better than most other pegasi.”

        “That… is so cool!” Scootaloo said with a squeal of joy. She hopped into the air and wings buzzed, letting her hover for a few seconds before falling back to the ground lightly.

        “But you have to be careful,” Soul added. “I highly doubt flight is the limit of your abilities, but controlling that power may not be so easy.”

        Scootaloo’s excited smile quickly turned to a frown. “Ok…” Scootaloo said quietly. She lowered her head down and softly kicked at the ground.

        “Besides, you might not have that power for much longer. Everfree plans to return the elements to nature, where they belong.” Soul paused for moment. How does he plan to do that, anyway? He grunted and continued walking. Great, more questions I don’t have answers to.

Rainbow Dash had volunteered to scout ahead after quickly becoming bored with Soul’s explanation. She was now returning, flying freely through the thinning trees. “It’s so good to be out of that cramped forest! The exit’s just a litter further.” She landed next to Scootaloo. “Oh, and there is someone waiting for ya, Scoot.”

        “For me?” Scootaloo said in a confused tone. A small smile appeared on her face, and she started to gallop faster. Soul’s curiosity had also been piqued, and he quickened his pace to keep up with her.

        As they finally stepped out of the forest, Soul could see an earth stallion standing a fair distance away from the forest entrance. His coat was a slightly dark orange; his mane was light brown, and he sported a yellow cap with a visor that bore a checkered pattern around the middle.

        Soul slowed down as he exited the forest, but Scootaloo kept running towards the stallion. Her smiled had grown wider as soon as she saw him. She yelled out, “Dad!”

        The stallion smiled as he saw her. He started to run towards her, shouting, “Lulu!” Soul was surprised at how he sounded; despite his large appearance, his voice was surprising soft. They quickly embraced each other as they met. “I was so worried about you, my little pigeon,” her father said, his head pressed against his daughter’s.

        Scootaloo pulled herself away so that she could look at her father’s eyes. “Don’t call me ‘pigeon’, dad!” she said as her cheeks began to redden, “it’s embarrassing.” 

        “I’m sorry, Scoot,” he said as his smile began to falter, “it’s just – I thought – I’m so glad to see you’re not hurt!” He laid his head next to hers.

        “I know dad,” Scootaloo said softly, leaning in to nuzzle her father’s neck.

        Soul had been slowly walking towards the pair when Rainbow Dash landed next to him. “Why ya walking so slow?” she asked.

        “I’m in no rush,” he said, “besides; I figured I’d give them some space. I do wonder why he was out here though.”

        “I wanted to know that myself,” Rainbow Dash responded. “Apparently Fluttershy found him and told him what was going on. He dropped what he was doing and came to wait for us. He hadn’t been here long when I found him.”

        Soul smiled. “Well that’s good,” he said. His smile faded away and he stopped walking, however, as other thoughts entered his mind. “Listen, about what happened back at the library,” He lowered his head while tilting it so he was still looking at Rainbow Dash. “You were right; I was in no position to tell you to stay out of this. I am a stranger to you, and I was dealing in your personal affairs. I’m sorry.”

        Rainbow Dash turned her head to avoid looking at Soul. “Yeah, well…” She turned back to him with her own downcast eyes. “I guess you were right, too. I mean, you did end up saving both of us, after all,” she said, nodding towards Scootaloo. “I’ll admit; I can get a little carried away sometimes. You were trying to protect us from… well, I guess from what ended up happening today.”

        Soul raised his head. “So… than we can get along?”

        Rainbow Dash’s eyes lightened up as a grin grew on her face. “I’m not one to hold a grudge. We’re cool.”

        “That’s good,” Soul said with a weak smile. “Um, I don’t mean to ruin the moment,” he said as he began to lower his head, “and I understand if you don’t want to do this, but….” He quickly raised his head to look at Rainbow Dash, “I have a favor to ask of you.”

        Soul waited to see if Rainbow would object, but she just looked back at him, waiting for him to continue. “Now that Scootaloo knows about her power,” he continued, “I have no doubt in my mind that she will want to learn how to fly. However, I fear that if left to her own devices, the results might be more than she bargained for.”

Rainbow looked like she was having a little trouble grasping the point Soul was trying to set up, so he went on. “What she needs is a mentor: someone that will teach her and watch over her, to make sure that she doesn’t bite off more than she can handle. I can’t think of anyone better to handle this task than you.” 

Rainbow Dash opened her wings in pride of the compliment she believe she received, but they quickly deflated. “But, I don’t know anything about her power.”

“No, but you do know how to fly fast and free,” Soul pressed on, “which is exactly what the Element of Air will push her to achieve. She looks up to you; she’ll listen to you; if anyone can keep her in check, it’s you.”

Rainbow Dash’s wings were once again spread out in pride. A playful frown appeared on her face as she brought her forehoof up to her chest. “I dunno, sounds like a lotta work to me….”

“Please?” Soul pleaded. “Don’t do this for me; do this for her, and for your friends.”

Rainbow Dash looked past him at Scootaloo in the distance before nodding her head. “Alright; for my number one fan, I can do that,” she said with a wink.

Soul winked back. “Then go make your number one fan really happy.”

Rainbow Dash began to fly off towards the two orange ponies before she turned around to see that Soul wasn’t following her. “Where are off to?” she called out.

“I’ve got Trixie to deal with, remember?” Soul responded.

Rainbow made a face of disgust as she rolled her eyes. “Eh, I bet Twilight put her in her place again. There’s no way that phony could ever be better than her at magic,” she said before flying off.

Maybe, Soul thought as he began trotting towards Ponyville, but what is she really after? It wasn’t long before he heard Scootaloo yell, “Are you serious?” followed by a squeal of delight.


********


        As Soul approached the library, he was pleased to see that it was still in one piece. It could have been far worse, he thought, I just hope the inside isn’t a complete disaster. He entered the main room and saw that it was mostly unchanged. The only difference was one bookshelf that was now completely empty. Soul became worried when he noticed that the bookshelf appeared to have scorch marks on it. 

Spike was up on a ladder cleaning the shelves when he heard Soul enter. He turned his and said, “Hey Soul, your back!” He quickly slid down the ladder. “Boy, do I have a story to tell you!”

Soul looked around the room before asking, “Where’s Twilight?”

“She’s in the other room,” Spike said while pointing towards the closed door at the other end of the room, “but you really need to hear what happened today.”

Soul had a feeling that Spike was frightfully out of the loop on current events, but he could at least fill him in on what happened while he was in the forest. “Alright Spike,” Soul said with a nod, “go ahead.”

Spike cleared his throat and took in a deep breath. “Well, I had just woken up from a rare mid-day nap. They help keep your mind focused and your body strong.” He pointed at his head before flexing his arms. “Twilight really should let me take mid-day naps more often.”

Soul cleared his throat, catching Spike’s attention. “Right, sorry. Anyway, I come downstairs to find that everyone else is here - which I found a little odd - but I was really surprised when I saw Trixie come out of the other room! Trixie is this –“

“Yes, I know who Trixie is,” Soul interrupted. How long was he asleep?

“Oh, you must have heard from the others. Apparently she wanted to try show up Twilight – like that could ever happen. I mean, Twilight is the Element of Magic! No unicorn could do better magic than her!” Spike threw his arms up. He appeared to be enjoying himself.

“She started out with some lame illusions…” Spike’s eyes began to shift back and forth as he tapped his claws together. “… I have to admit though; they looked pretty real. Real enough to frighten Fluttershy away, at least.” He steeled himself and clenched his claws together. “But still nothing compared to what Twilight could do!”

Soul couldn’t help but smile and admire the way Spike put Twilight on a pedestal. He would do anything for her, he thought.

“That’s when Trixie pulled out the big guns,” Spike continued. “She conjured up a phoenix made with real fire. It flew around with grace, showing off its beautiful wings…” Spike’s eyes were beginning to glaze over, but he quickly shook off the trance before it got worse. “That was until it crashed into the bookshelf and set the books on fire! Twilight quickly put the fire out, but not before the books were seriously damaged.

Now, I’ve seen Twilight get frustrated when things are out of her control, but this was probably the first time I’ve really seen her angry. She was trying to fight it back, but it eventually burst through. She yelled at Trixie from being so reckless, about how she didn’t care about her power, and commanded her to leave.”

“Wow,” was all Soul was able to say. I didn’t know Twilight could get so worked up.

Spike raised his claws into the air. “If you were surprised by that, wait till you hear what happened next: Trixie actually apologized for the whole thing!”

“What!?” Soul was taken aback by this news. I haven’t known her long, but Trixie has never apologized for anything.

“She said she was sorry for the damage she had caused and that it was an accident. As far as I could tell, it looked like she really meant it too. She quickly left after that. Rarity and Sweetie Belle had left earlier to make sure Fluttershy was OK, so only Applejack, Applebloom, and Pinkie Pie were left. Applejack volunteered to help clean up, but Twilight said that she needed to be alone for a while. That’s when she took the damaged books and locked herself in the other room. Pinkie Pie wanted to cheer her up, but Applejack convinced her to leave by suggesting a party for Scootaloo when she got back….” Spike trailed off his brought his claw up to his head. “Come to think of it, I never did find out what she meant by that. Where was Scootaloo during all this?”

Soul let out a little sigh and shook his head. “I’m sure you’ll hear all about it soon enough, but I thinks it’s about time we check on Twilight.” He walked over to the door and knocked on it. “Twilight? This is Soul. Spike told me what happened. Can I come in and talk with you?”

Initially there was no response, but eventually the door opened and Soul entered the other room. Twilight was seated at the table in the middle of the room. Parchment was neatly laid out on the table, and a quill was floating over it, levitated by Twilight’s magic. At the edge of the table lay a small stack of books, exhibiting scorch marks and signs of water damage. Twilight was focused on the parchment in front of her. Soul stood and watched as Twilight continued writing in silence. He eventually decided to break the silence by asking, “What are you working on?”

“I’m ordering replacements for the books that got damaged,” Twilight responded with only a slight delay. She spoke with a stern voice and her gaze remained on her written words.

Soul thought for moment how to best approach the subject at hoof. He eventually settled on, “Are you still upset?”

“Over the damaged books, yes,” Twilight responded the same as before. “It always upsets me to see books get damaged in any way, especially if they can’t be repaired.”

Soul took a deep breath. “And what about Trixie?”

Twilight finally stopped writing and lowered her quill, but she did not raise her head right away. “I want to be angry at her… for everything that she’s done… but….” It was a moment before she finally looked up at Soul. “She never even apologized for the Ursa Minor incident, but now this?” She motioned her hoof over to the stack of damaged books. Twilight let out a sigh. “Before, I thought of her as an ego-centric unicorn who wanted to be better than everyone else, but today she showed a moment where she actually cared about another pony. I… I just don’t know what to think anymore.”

“You’re right,” Soul said, “there is definitely more to Trixie then she is willing to let on, and the fact that she apologized for today is proof of that. There is something else going on behind this rivalry of hers that I just don’t get, but I intend to find out what it is.”

Twilight cocked her head to one side. “Why are you so interested in helping her? Don’t you have more important things to take care of?”

“You should know by now,” Soul said with slight smirk, “I don’t like to see any pony in pain, physical or otherwise.” He smirk slowly changed back to a slight frown. “Besides, Trixie is proving to be reckless with her newfound power. She may think that she can control the Element of Fire, but this wasn’t the first accident that she’s had, and it won’t be the last unless she’s willing to get some help….” His eyes maintained a fixed gaze on Twilight.

Twilight’s ears perked up. She quickly put her hooves up on the table. “Are you suggesting that I should help her learn how to control her power?”

Soul gave on awkward smile. “I’m not suggesting anything… yet. I need to learn more about the motives behind her current behavior before I can do anything to help.” He lowered his head a bit to avert his gaze. “You need to figure your own thoughts on the matter anyway. When comes time to answer that question, you need to have a clear head.”

He looked up to see Twilight gazing at table once again, thought the quill remained still. “For now, I should go find Trixie,” Soul said. “You wouldn’t happen to know where she might have gone, would you?”

Twilight remained silent for a few moments before she spoke up. “Given her reputation here, the only place she could get a room for the night would be the only inn in town, The Hayloft. It’s on the main road, near the town hall.”

“Then that’s where I’m headed.” Soul turned to leave the room, but turned his head around before exiting. “Thanks again Twilight… for everything.” Twilight looked up with a smile as he walked out into the main room.

Spike had finally completed cleaning the scorched bookshelf. Once the paint dried, it would be hard to tell that the bookshelf had been hit by a firebird at all. He was putting away the ladder when Soul asked, “Hey Spike, can you do me a favor? In my bag by the basement door, there’s a report that needs to get sent to Princess Celestia. Think you can take care of it?”

“No problem,” Spike said, raising his opposable thumb towards the ceiling.

Soul continued across the room with a smile. “Thanks.” He paused for a moment at the library door before turning around. “I’ll actually have another letter to send after I get back.”

Spike took a look out the window and noted the darkened evening sky. “I’ll take care of that one too,” he said, though his drooping eyelids told a different story. “Where are you off to anyway?”

“I just got one more errand to run,” Soul said, and promptly left the library before Spike could ask any more questions.


********


        The Hayloft was a quiet little inn that got just enough business to keep it up and running. The structure itself wasn’t much bigger than a large house, but it gave off a rustic lived-in feel that apparently appealed to the few tourists Ponyville received. This is where Soul would have ended up staying had Twilight not offered the downstairs room to him. Soul now approached the inn in hopes of finding Trixie inside.

        As Soul expected, the lobby was quiet and empty. The receptionist lazily wandered around the room, dusting off shelves and tables. His energy appeared to pick up when he heard Soul enter; he turned around to see who it was and quickly approached him. “Hi there! Welcome to the Hayloft. Can I get you a room?” The young stallion said with a smile.

        Soul responded with his own smile. “Actually, I’m here to see...” He would have said ‘friend’, but somehow it didn’t feel quite right. “… an acquaintance of mine. Do you know what room Trixie is in?”

        In a big city, this might have seemed like an odd request, but in small town where visitors usually come because of family or friends, it wasn’t that uncommon. “Let me check,” said the receptionist as he trotted over the desk in the center of the room. He opened a large book on the desk and scanned through the entries with his hoof. He eventually tapped his hoof to the open page and said, “Ah, there we go! Trixie is staying in room 4.” He looked up at Soul. “If you go up the stairs, it will be the second room on the left.”

        Soul thanked the stallion with a nod of his head and promptly headed towards the staircase. He soon found himself outside room 4. He knocked on the door lightly. “Hey Trixie,” he said, “It’s Soul Seer. Can I come in? I want to talk with you for a bit.”

        “The Great and Powerful Trixie has nothing to say,” responded Trixie’s voice through the door.

        “What’s this?” Soul said with a sarcastic tone. “You’re no longer the Greater and More Powerful? Is this about what happened at the library today?”

        There was a moment of silence before Trixie responded with an annoyed tone. “Very well. You may come in and talk, but make it quick; Trixie needs her beauty sleep.”

        Soul opened the door and entered the room. It was a small room, but well furnished with a bed, desk, chest, and small couch. Trixie’s signature cape and hat sat neatly on the chest, while Trixie sat on the bed, brushing her mane. He closed the door behind him and said in a concerned voice, “Seriously thought, about what happened at the library –“

        “Twilight once again showed Trixie up,” Trixie interrupted. She gave a fierce stroke with her brush, which pulled her head a little. She placed the brush on the desk and began to slowly wander around the room.

        “That’s not what I heard,” Soul said while shaking his head. “I heard that your ‘fire phoenix’ flew into a bookshelf, lighting several books on fire. Twilight used her magic to try to save the books from your mistake –“

        “Trixie can’t make mistakes,” Trixie mumbled loudly.

        “But you apologized for it!” Soul responded, his voice rising in volume. “That’s what surprised me the most! I’ve never heard you apologize for anything – and trust me – you’ve had plenty to apologize for.”

        Trixie was speechless; her mouth hung wide open and her eyes were just as wide. She looked as though she was searching for the right words to say, but nothing was coming to her.

        Soul allowed himself to calm down. “Look, something about this rivalry of yours just doesn’t make sense to me: If you really just want more power, why fight against the one pony who could probably help you?”

        Trixie’s mouth slowly closed as her eyes turned downcast. “Why would Twilight help Trixie?”

        Soul looked up at the ceiling for a bit. “Well, to be honest, she has grown quite interested in the Elements of Nature. Helping you develop and control your power would give her an opportunity to study one of them.” He dropped his head to look at Trixie. “Personally, I think she’s also the kind of pony who’s willing to help other improve themselves. You just got to be a little friendlier,” He said with a smile, “and you could start by not trying to show off all the time.”

        Trixie turned her head away from him. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is a showmare; showing off it what we do.”

        “Okay,” Soul said with a roll of his eyes, “but you don’t have to go around proving that you’re better than everyone else. No pony is perfect, but you seem to think that you need to be.”

        Trixie quickly turned to look at Soul. “Who could like a performer that makes a mistake?”

        “Someone who likes the performer for who they are, not their performance,” Soul quickly retorted. “A friend isn’t going to like you any less because you made a mistake; that’s just another part of who you are.” Soul gazed beyond Trixie and out the window as he continued. “Even if the mistake you made ends up causing a lot of trouble, a true friend will look beyond the mess you’ve made and still see you as a friend.”

        The two stood in silence for about a minute, letting the words sink in. Eventually Soul looked back at Trixie. “I think you know what I’m talking about. The fact that you apologized for your actions today shows me that this rivalry with Twilight stems from something deeper than I desire for power.”

        It was a moment before Trixie looked up at Soul. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is tired of listening to you talk,” she said. She had mournful eyes and there was no energy behind her voice. “It is time for her to sleep.”

        “I understand, Trixie,” Soul said as he slowly made his way to the door. “Just think about what I said.” Trixie did not respond. She just sat on the bed on the bed with her head hung down. Soul left her room and closed the door behind him. He yawned as he made his way down the staircase. I’m tired too, he thought, but there is one last thing I need to do….


********


        Dear Princess Celestia,

        To start off, the Element of Fire – positively identified as Trixie – has been relocated to Ponyville in accordance with my arrangement with Everfree. There are some personal issues involving her that have caused a few problems, but I am hoping that can be resolved soon. I must also inform you that Scootaloo is now aware of her power as the Element of Air. I have made arrangements for her to be supervised as she discovers more about her power. We can only hope that it doesn’t get out of hoof.

        I have more pressing issues to discuss, however. I have gathered some more information from Everfree. He has told me about how he met with you and Princess Luna after you defeated Discord. He said that he asked for assistance in restoring nature, and that you refused to help. I’m sure that there are details I am missing, but that still brings up an important question: Have you forgotten about your meeting with Everfree, or was there a reason you didn’t tell me about him before?

        Another question that is beginning to plague me involves the actually restoration process: How does Everfree intend to return the Elements to nature? Can the Elements simply be removed from the souls they now inhabit, and what consequences are there for doing so? I don’t know how, but I need to find these answers before it is too late.

        I will continue to gather the Elements for Everfree and write reports to keep you informed. However, this situation is become more complex as I move forward, and truth behind it is becoming hazier as opposed to clearer. I will do whatever I can to keep every pony safe; I’m just not sure what that will require me to do.

                                                                        Signed,
                                                                        Soul Seer
> Part 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 7
        Three souls… I can hear them… no, no words… emotions… excited… insecure… confident…. They’re connected… but how...? Something… watching… waiting….
        Soul’s eye flew open. He was lying in bed, now staring at the earthen ceiling above him. The sheets were tangled around him, and he was wet with perspiration. Just a dream, he thought as he sighed. He rolled over to look at the desk. The Power of Nature laid open where he left it the night before, and a piece of parchment rested next to it, marked with his own notes.
        He slowly untangled himself from the sheet and flopped onto the floor. He carefully picked himself up and walked over to the desk. The book was opened to the section detailing the Element of Time. Amongst his notes, he had underlined three words: progression, precision, and stability. I know what to look for, he thought as he picked up his glasses from the desk. Now I just have to figure out where to look. He closed the book before climbing the stairs to the main room.
        In the main room, Twilight was sitting at the table. On the table was a plate with a couple slices of toast covered in jam. Twilight levitated one piece of toast to her mouth and began to eat it.
        “Good morning, Soul,” said Twilight between bites of her toast.
        “Morning, Twilight,” said Soul. “How are you feeling today?”
        Twilight put her toast down on the plate. “Better,” she said with a sigh. “Spike is dropping my orders off at the post office. He sent off your report to the Princess before he left,” she added.
        Soul asked, “Couldn’t he just send your order the same way he sends letters to Celestia?”
        Twilight held back a small chuckle. “His dragonfire only delivers to Princess Celestia. Any other mail has to go through the Equestrian Postal Service.”
        “I suppose that makes sense,” Soul said. He tapped his hooves on the table. He was unsure whether to bring up Trixie or not. This is a decision Twilight has to make on her own, he thought, but maybe she should know what I found out last night.
        Twilight picked up her unfinished piece of toast with her magic before sliding the other piece in front of Soul. “So, what’s next?” she asked.
Soul was pulled from his thoughts. “Huh?”
“The Elements of Nature,” she responded earnestly. “Do you know where you’re going next?” She rubbed one hoof over the other. “I hope you didn’t forget about it yesterday, what with everything else that was going on.”
“Oh, right!” He exclaimed. “I’ll bet you’ll be surprised to hear that there is another element here in Ponyville.”
“You’re kidding!” she said, wide-eyed. “What are the odds of that?”
Soul thought about this for a moment. “Well, all of the Elements of Harmony live in Ponyville,” he said before picking up the slice of toast and taking a bite of it.
“Well, that’s true,” she said, “but we were destined to be friends. Fate brought us together.” She was about take another bite of her breakfast when she suddenly stopped and closed her mouth. “The same could be true in this case,” she eventually said. “It’s like you said; you are the only one who could bring the Elements of Nature together.” She took a bite of toast and slowly chewed it while looking towards the ceiling in thought. “Perhaps this is how it has to play out…” she muttered.
While Twilight had been talking, Soul had become lost in his own thoughts again. Her talk of ‘destiny’ and ‘fate’ called forth memories of his grandfather. He had spent a lot of time with him; he enjoyed listening to stories about his travels across the world and the interesting facts and tidbits he always shared. One memory in particular floated to the surface; it was a few days after his mother had warned him about misusing his newly discovered talent….
“What am I going to do, grandpa? I messed up big time.”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do, sport. You just have to learn from your mistakes and move on.”
“I should have known better! I know what it’s like to grow up; doing everything you can to find your special talent. I just went and told them what their talents were, without even thinking….”
“You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself.”
“I ruined their foalhoods! *sniff* I wish I never got this stupid power.”
“Now hold on there! Listen to me; whatever you may think, that power is what makes you special. I understand you regret what you have done with it so far, but that doesn’t change the fact that fate gave you that power for a reason. In all my years of traveling, I have never once seen anyone else with a gift quite like yours. You are destined for great things; I’m sure of that. Your power has a purpose; you just have to go and find it.”
It was that day that the idea of traveling around Equestria was implanted in Soul’s mind – though it wasn’t until much later that he actually began his journey. Soul left his hometown with his grandfather’s blessing and his words of wisdom. When this was all over, he would go back home with his own story to tell. He only hoped he would be returning with a purpose.
“Well, at least Ponyville is a smaller area to search than Canterlot,” said Twilight as Soul slipped out of his thoughts.
“Actually,” he said slowly, “we may be able to narrow it down even further. Everfree told me that I should be looking for the Element of Time. It’s a long shot, but if you know any pony in town that could be associated with time, I could at least start there.”
Twilight looked towards the ceiling as she finished her toast. “Well, Pinkie Pie could help you there,” she said once her mouth was empty. “She knows everyone in Ponyville.” She paused momentarily before raising a hoof on to the table. “However, I can think of one pony that could fit the criteria. He’s known as Doctor Hooves, though most ponies just call him Doc. Not only is he a clocksmith, but he’s also the town’s official time keeper.”
“Time keeper?” Soul said, hoping for an explanation.
Twilight fed his curiosity. “Whenever there is an event or competition that needs to be timed, the official time keeper is called in to make sure accurate time is kept.”
Soul brought a hoof up to his chin. “He sounds like a good possibility. If it turns out to be a dead-end, then I’ll go talk to Pinkie.” He quickly finished up his slice of toast before grabbing his bag that was near the basement door. “Thanks again for all your help, Twilight,” he said as he went out the front door.
“You’re welcome,” Twilight shouted after him, “and good luck!”



        Soul wandered down the streets of Ponyville until he found what he was looking for: A storefront with a sign featuring a slightly-tilted hourglass. A large window bore the words ‘Doc’s Clock Shop’ across the top. Behind the glass stood several clocks of varying sizes; some were small, plain, and simple, while others were large with intricate designs carved into their wooden exteriors.
Out of the back room came a light brown Earth pony with a dark brown mane and an hourglass for a cutie mark. Strapped to his head was a set of magnifying glasses layered over one another, each smaller than the one behind it. “Hello there! Welcome to Doc’s Clock Shop,” the stallion said with a smile. “I’m Doctor Hooves. How can I help you?”
        “That’s an interesting name,” Soul said with a slight smile. “I doubt it’s your real name, so I can’t help but wonder why?”
        Doctor Hooves raised an eyebrow. “You’re rather curious. Who are you to ask such personal questions?”
        Soul Seer scratched his head with his hoof as he let out a nervous chuckle. “My name is Soul Seer. I’m a stranger around here, and I’m trying to get to know the locals a bit better. Sorry if I came off as a bit rude.”
        Doc’s face quickly relaxed back to its original smile. “No worries. You’re right though; I’m a ‘Hooves’ by birth, but ‘Doctor’ is a nickname I acquired during my foalhood. I started asking ponies to call me Doctor, and the name just sort of stuck – though it has mostly been reduced to just Doc.” He leaned closer to Soul and lowered his voice slightly. “To be honest, I prefer it over my real name.”
        Soul followed suit by leaning in closer to Doc. “Which is…?”
        Doc’s smile turned into a smirk. “Now you’re just being nosy.”
        The two ponies pulled back to a natural speaking position before Doc continued. “Now, I’m sure you didn’t come here just to talk about my name, so what can I help you with?”
        Soul started, “Well, I’m a traveler –“
        Doc’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Of course” He interrupted energetically. “I should have known you were a traveler just by looking at you!” He raised his forehooves onto the glass case. “You’re looking for a watch.” Soul noticed a pair of thin metal bands wrapped Doc’s forehooves before he started to move onto another section of the glass case.
        “Check this out,” Doc said as he pulled out a covered watch from inside the case. “It was designed with a pegasus in mind, but it’s a great choice for any traveler. It’s scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and lightning-resistant; guaranteed never to slide off, no matter what conditions you may find yourself in.” He closed the cover to reveal a compass embedded into the top of the watch. “It even comes with a functioning compass in the cover. This watch is an excellent companion for any pony that wants to wander the world.”
        Soul nodded his head slowly as he looked over the watch. “Well, I’m certainly going to have to consider that, but I really did come to talk with you. See, I’m doing some research on clocksmithing while I’m travelling, and when I heard that there was an Earth pony clocksmith right here in Ponyville, I had to check it out for myself.”
        Doc’s enthusiasm diminished as he crossed his forelegs on the glass case while he raised an eyebrow. “Excuse my disbelief, but clocksmithing isn’t exactly known for its recognition. However, if you’re serious…” Soul nodded to confirm. Doc’s smile returned. “Well then, come on back and I’ll show you what I’m working on.”
        Doc slid his forehooves down to the ground and turned to face the doorway to the backroom. He stood still and looked at a box filled with packing material located next to the doorway before he said, “Hold on a moment. I need to do something quickly.” He picked up the box and moved around the store before placing it in front of one of the shelves near the center of the room. Soul watched him with curiosity. Doc nodded at the box before turning to face Soul. “Now we can go.”
        The backroom was slightly smaller than the store front. The walls were lined with shelves and drawers, and a sturdy work bench resided in the center. On the bench was a medium sized clock that had its inner-workings exposed, along with a drawn blueprint of a clock. Doc motioned at the other clocks that were sitting on the shelves around the room. “I’m always trying to find the next step in making a better clock. I’ve designed clocks that track the seconds as they go by, depict the day and night cycle, and even have an alarm that goes off at a set time.” He stood behind the bench and nodded towards the incomplete clock. “My latest design will simplify the alarm system so that any pony can set it for any time they want.”
        Soul leaned in to look at the exposed clockwork. “Building a piece like this must require a high level of precision.”
        Doc turned to look at Soul. “I know what you’re thinking, and I suppose you’re right; almost all clocksmiths are unicorns because it requires a gentle, precise touch that generally only magic can achieve. However, I assure you, I’m just as good as they are,” Doc raised his forehooves up to his face, “and all I have are a pair of hooves and my mouth.”
        Doc began to fiddle with various thin tools scattered over the workbench. He started by sliding a pair of long-handled tweezers into a loop on one of his metal bands. He tightened a bolt on the metal band with his teeth, which not only locked the tweezers into place, but also clasped them around a tiny gear that was lying on the bench. He repeated the process with a similar-sized straight socket wrench on his other hoof. He lowered the first lens of his magnifying set over his eyes as he carefully moved the gear towards its proper place within the clockwork.
        Soul was getting nervous just watching the gear enter the jungle of springs and cogs, but Doc’s hooves remained steady as rock as he meticulously placed the gear onto it’s turning pin. He gently released the gear from the tweezers and proceeded to grab a nut with them. He carefully placed the nut on the turning pin and ratcheted it into place with the wrench. He then pulled his tools out of the clock without hitting a single piece of clockwork.
        Soul let out a small sigh of relief. “Alright, that was impressive,” he said.
        “That was a fairly standard procedure,” Doc said as he raised the lens away from his eyes. “There are plenty of other things that I have to do that are much more complicated.”
        Soul asked, “How can you keep your legs so steady?” Then a thought washed over him as he took a step back and look down at Doc’s hind legs. He had been standing on them during the whole procedure. Soul motioned a hoof toward them and said, “Doesn’t that get tiring after a while?”
        Doc turned his head to look at Soul. “I’ve always had steady hooves; unlike you, apparently, I don’t get shaken so easily.” 
Soul gave him a slight scowl, which Doc responded with a gleeful smile.
“As for standing on my hind legs: of course they get tired after a while; it’s unnatural to be in that position for too long.” Doc brought one of his forehooves to his chin. “However, I have heard of other ponies who have tried to stand that way, and they say they find themselves quite unbalanced. I’ve never had that problem myself.” He chuckled a bit, “At least not until they start to give out. Maybe it’s because I’m an Earth pony; more stamina and all that.”
“Yeah, maybe…” Soul muttered as he continued to stare at Doc’s hind legs.
Doc’s smile flattened out as he rolled his eyes. “Well look,” he said as he carefully removed the tools from his metal bands, “if you’re going to keep staring at me, I’ll stop standing up like this.” He rotated his body so that his forelegs slid from the workbench to the floor.
A bell from the storefront rang, and a feminine voice called out, “Delivery for you, Doctor.”
Doc yelled back, “Be right there, Ditzy.” He walked out of the backroom, with Soul right behind him. Waiting among the shelves was a female pegasus carrying a small package under her wing and a small pouch wrapped around her midsection. She was light grey with a blond mane, but Soul’s eyes were quickly attracted to her own. They were golden in hue, but one looked lazily towards the ceiling, while the other addressed the two stallions.
“Oh, hello,” the mare said as she walked towards the glass case. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. My name is Ditzy Doo-oof!” She bumped into one of the shelves, knocking over one of the clocks from the top shelf. Soul was expecting to hear a crash, but he was surprised to only hear a soft crunch.
Ditzy shook her head rapidly before starting to apologize profusely. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to! I can pay for that!” She brought her hoof to her worried face. “How much does a clock like that cost?”
Doc started to chuckle, which surprised the other two ponies. “Don’t worry Ditzy,” he said. “No harm done. Look.” He motioned his head towards where the clock had fallen.
Both Ditzy and Soul moved to see the clock lying in the box full of packing material, completely unharmed. Soul’s eyes widened while Ditzy let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad I didn’t break anything,” she said.
Doc walked over to the box, and placed the clock back on the shelf. He looked at Ditzy and said, “That makes two of us. I guess luck was on our side.” He held out his hoof to her. “Now, I’ll take my package, and you” he said while nodding towards the box on the floor, “can take that box and packing material back for recycling.”
“Oh, right! Of course,” Ditzy said as she passed the package to Doc. Then she pulled a piece of twine from her pouch and carefully wrapped it around the box so that she could carry it with her mouth. She carefully carried it over to the front door. She placed it on the ground, look over at Soul, and said, ”It was nice to meet you… uhh…”
“Soul…” responded Soul automatically. His eyes were still wide and transfixed on the spot where the clock had fallen.
“Uh, right…” Ditzy said with a slightly worried smile. She turned to Doc and said, “See you around, Doctor,” before picking up the box again and backing out of the store.
Doc watched as she flew away before he turned to Soul and asked, “Now why are you acting weird all of a sudden?”
Soul’s eyes returned to normal as he quickly turned to face Doc. “That settles it! You must possess the Element of Time!”
Doc raised his eyebrows quizzically. “What?”
Soul explained his ability to see souls, what he’s discovered about the Elements of Nature, and who Everfree is and how he wants Soul to gather the Elements for him.
Doc remained silent as Soul spoke, slowly nodding his head as he let all the information wash over him. When Soul was done, Doc said, “So, you weren’t really interested in my clocksmithing; you wanted to see if I had one of these Elements inside me.”
Soul scratched the side of his head with his hoof. “That’s not to say your clocksmithing isn’t interesting, but yeah, that was my intention. I’m sorry I had to lie to you, but I didn’t want to get you involved in all this unless you had to be.”
“So, have you been looking at my soul?” Doc asked. “Is that how you’re sure I possess one of the Elements?”
Soul quickly shook his head. “No, of course not! I would never look at someone’s soul without their permission.” He started to slowly pace around the room. “You appear to possess all of the attributes associated with the Element of Time. You drive towards progress, you possess uncanny stability, and your precision is superb. To top it all off,” he said as he suddenly turned towards Doc, “you can predict the future!”
Doc sputtered out air before sharply declaring, “What!?”
“Oh come on!” Soul said as he rolled his eyes. “Don’t play dumb with me. You could have placed that box anywhere – near the door or in the back – but you put it in that very specific spot. There was no other reason to put it there but to catch the clock that that mare knocked over.” He took a large step towards Doc. “You put that box there because you knew that was going to happen!”
Doc took a deep breath and released it before responding in a firm voice. “I didn’t know the clock was going to fall. I just knew I had to put the box there.” He looked away from Soul. “I don’t know how to explain it, but every now and then, I am compelled to complete certain tasks. I don’t know why I do them – the reason doesn’t become apparent until after the event,” he turned back to Soul, “I just know I have to.”
Soul brought a hoof up to his chin. “If you’re not predicting the future, then I would have to guess that the Element of Time is allowing you indirect knowledge of your immediate fate. All other creatures would see it as their conscious choice, but perceive it differently. You would act according to your fate, regardless of other events.” Soul raised his eyes towards the ceiling. “Fascinating, even when you consider what else you could do…”
Doc’s ears perked up. “What do you mean, ‘what else I could do’?”
“I’ve seen what the Element of Fire allowed its host to do,” Soul said. “She was able to conjure a large fire and was able to control it enough that she could engulf herself in the flames without harming herself. She may be a unicorn, but I doubt her magic would have allowed her to learn such a feat overnight.” Soul’s voice rose slightly. “If all the Elements allow their hosts that level of control, then you should theoretically be able to manipulate the flow of time!”
Once again, Doc’s voice rose to match Soul’s. “You can’t be serious!”
Soul shrugged. “Well, it’s just a theory, but from what I understand of the Elements’ power, I’d say it’s a fairly accurate assumption.”
Doc stomped his hoof on the floor. “Then I want no part of it! Time is a constant; fate is already written. To alter the flow of time would be to tear at the very fabric of reality! No pony should have that kind of power!” He stared at the ground for a moment before turning back to Soul. “You said that this guardian of Everfree wants to return these elements to nature?”
Soul nodded “That’s right, but-“
“Then we should go see him. Now,” Doc said as he pulled the strap of lenses from his head.
“I’m pretty sure he needs all of the elements together before he can return them,” Soul said hastily as Doc placed the lenses in a drawer.
“Only one way to find out,” Doc responded as he removed the metal bands from his forelegs.
“Are you sure about this?” Soul asked. “I mean, the Element of Time may well be amplifying your natural talents, and I’m sure it’s given you your unnatural knowledge of your fate. Are you really willing to give that up so quickly?”
Doc dropped the bands into the drawer before slamming it shut. He turned around to face Soul with a very determined look on his face. “What would you do if someone told you had a gift that goes against everything you believe in? Would you willingly hold on to that?”
Soul’s eyes roamed the floor as he thought about what trouble he had caused with his own gift, and how bad he felt afterwards. This may be different, he thought, but if I had the opportunity then, would I have given it up? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before raising his eyes back to Doc. “I understand. I’ll take you to see Everfree.”
Doc’s stern face softened up with a smile. “Thank you, Soul.”
Doc flipped the sign on the door to indicate the store was closed while Soul placed his sunglasses over his eyes. The two ponies then walked through town towards the Everfree Forest.



Shafts of light from the midday sun pierced the canopy of the Everfree Forest, lighting up the otherwise eerily dark landscape. Although Doc had told Soul that he had never been inside the forest before, he did not appear too shaken as the two walked amongst the trees.
Eventually, Doc asked, “Where exactly is this guardian?”
“I’m sure he already knows we’re here,” Soul responded. “It’s just a question of how long he’s going to make us wait.”
They took a few more steps before Soul suddenly stopped and signaled Doc to do the same. That means he’s watching us, Soul thought as he quickly looked around them. Not this time, Everfree. This time, I’m going to get the drop on you. The world around him faded to black as he concentrated on finding souls. The Element of Time shone bright beside him; it was light yellow in color, and its tendrils appeared to slowly rotate around the center at a constant pace. Soul struggled to ignore it as he looked around the forest.
He could see dim sparks of wildlife in the distance, but he finally caught sight of a tiny creature in a nearby tree. It wasn’t long before another similarly sized creature joined the other; however, this new arrival had a brighter spark. The dim spark flew off as the brighter spark slowly descended. To Soul’s surprise, the spark began to grow in size and intensity, and the faint outline of the creature’s body began to change into a now familiar shape. The strain became too much, forcing Soul to shut his eyes and drop his head.
“Are you okay?” Doc asked as he moved in to check on Soul.
“He’s fine,” said Everfree as he stepped into view, flashing a sly grin. “He just got caught off guard.”
Soul slowly raised his head just enough to make eye contact with Everfree. He spoke with a slight rasp, still recovering from the strain. “You can –“
“Change shape?” Everfree interrupted. “Yes, I can. It was a gift from nature I managed to hold on to.”
Doc stood up straight and looked at the draconequus. “You must be the guardian, Everfree.”
Everfree locked down at Doc with a grin. “And you’re the pony that carries the Element of Time.”
Doc returned with his own slight smile. “I’m here to make sure this element is returned to nature, where it belongs.”
Everfree shot up straight as his eyes widened slightly. “Really?” he said with a sign of surprise in his voice. His eyes quickly shifted over to look at Soul – who had now fully recovered – before turning back to Doc. “Well, as much I would love to return the Element of Time to nature right now,” he said as he relaxed his body,” I’m afraid I must wait until all of the Elements are present.” He rotated his wooden paw in the air. “If I were to return the Elements one at a time, it might cause an imbalance in their power. The results could be…” He brought his paw up to his chin for a moment before continuing,” Let’s just say I’m not willing to take that chance.”
Doc lowered his head and stared at the ground for a moment before saying, “So that’s how it must go.” He raised his head to look at Everfree. “Then I will continue to wait in Ponyville until Soul has gathered the other Elements.” He turned to nod at Soul. “You know where to find me.” He then turned towards Ponyville and walked into the forest.
Soul and Everfree watched as Doc disappeared into the trees before Everfree said, “I like him; He gets it! I can only hope the other bearers will be as understanding.” He turned to face Soul, his eyebrows scrunched into a serious expression. “Not that they’ll have a choice, but it would make things easier for everyone involved.”
Soul looked up at Everfree. “Surely you can understand their reluctance though, right? The Elements have become part of their soul; they impact who they are. Removing them will not only take away the power the bearers have been granted, it could also alter the aspects of their soul that the Elements are associated with. They may not be the same after all this is over!”
Everfree’s eyes drooped. “You’re right, and I’m sorry that it has to be that way. I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he said before quickly returning to a serious demeanor, “but I have to do what needs to be done. I have waited far too long for this damage to be repaired; Nature will be restored, no matter what the cost!”
I just hope those costs aren’t greater than they need to be, Soul thought.
“Now then,” Everfree said in his usual, relaxed state, “I know where the next two Elements are located. The Element of Water is located to the southeast – in a desert, oddly enough. Meanwhile, the Element of Earth is located to the northwest, high in the mountains.” Everfree pointed in the directions as he spoke them, and crossed his arms in front of him when he was done. “Once you have located and retrieved those two elements, bring them all to me.”
“What about the final Element?” Soul quickly asked. “We agreed that I would bring you the Elements after I had gathered all six of them.”
Everfree turned away from Soul. “I’m aware of our agreement. However, the sixth Element is remaining quiet; it is not calling out to me like the others. If the other Elements of Nature were to gather here with me, I’m sure it would reveal itself so that it could be reunited with nature.”
Soul narrowed his eyes while keeping his gaze fixed on the back of Everfree’s head. “Why would the Element be hiding from you?”
Everfree kept his back to Soul as he talked. “It is probably to ensure nature’s security. The Elements of Nature dispersed in the first place so that their power couldn’t fall into Discord’s control.” His paws clenched as he spoke the spirit’s name. “The final Element is hiding to make sure the full power of nature cannot be accessed until the Elements are securely reunited with the land.” Everfree finally turned around to look at Soul. “When it senses that the other Elements are gathered here under my protection, I’m sure it will reveal itself.” He walked past the pony as he said, “You’d better get going. The Elements are waiting for you.” He then disappeared among the trees.
As Soul headed back to Ponyville, he though, I can’t help but feel you’re lying to me, Everfree. I just don’t know about what… or why.



“Hello”, Twilight said automatically when she heard the front door to the library open. When she turned to see who had entered, she added, “Oh, Soul, it’s you. Did you find the Element of Time?”
Soul propped his sunglasses on his forehead before nodding in affirmation. “Your guess was right; it was Doc, but get this – his element is allowing him to react to future events, but he doesn’t know what the events are until they happen.”
“Whoa, hold on!” said the voice of Rainbow Dash, who was lounging on the stairs overlooking the library. “He can see into the future?”
Soul looked surprised at the pegasus. “No, he only acts in accordance to events that haven’t happened yet. What are you doing here?”
Rainbow Dash sported a look of confusion before raising an open book so that Soul could see it. “Uh… I’m reading a book. This is a library, remember?”
Soul let out a small sigh. “I mean, I wouldn’t have thought you were the reading type.”
“Have you read Daring Do?” Rainbow Dash retorted. “She’s so awesome!”
Soul held up a hoof. “I’ll take your word for it,” he said before lowering his hoof and tilting his head slightly to one side. “I’m still a little surprised that you’re not training Scootaloo right now.”
Rainbow Dash had gone back to reading her book. “Her mother flew in this morning, so she’s spending some quality time with her.” She waved her hoof towards Soul. “Her flight training will start tomorrow.”
Soul smiled. Good, he thought. If her mother’s attention can override her elemental desires, then this should still work.
Meanwhile, Twilight had pulled a book from a nearby shelf and was frantically flipping through the pages. “This isn’t good,” she said, acquiring Soul’s attention. “If Doc’s element is allowing him to react to future events without him realizing it, I would hate to think of what he could do with control over the Element’s power. Time magic is dangerous and can have unexpected consequences.”
Soul shook his head. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Twilight. Doc doesn’t want that kind of power. He doesn’t believe anyone should. In fact, he has already resigned to giving the Element to Everfree so that it can be returned to nature.”
Twilight raised her head from her book. “You took him to see Everfree?”
Soul sighed. “He insisted upon it. However, Everfree told us that it would be best to return all of the Elements to nature at the same time. Doing otherwise might produce unwanted results.”
Twilight closed the book in front of her. “Do you believe him?”
Soul shrugged. “I see no reason why he would lie to prevent getting the Elements back sooner.”
Twilight though about this and nodded while Soul walked over to a stack of scrolls. “He told me where to find the next two Elements,” Soul said before grabbing one of the scrolls with his mouth. He placed the scroll on the table and unrolled it, revealing a map of Equestria. “The Element of Water can be found in the desert southeast of the Everfree Forest,” he said while pointing at the region on the map.
Twilight had joined him on the other side of the table. “That desert is quite a large region to search, but it only has a couple of towns; Dodge Junction and Appleloosa. As for where you could start looking, I would recommend Appleloosa; it’s a small town that was only founded about three years ago, but they have formed a friendship with one of the nomadic buffalo tribes that live in the area. Several members of the Apple family were responsible for founding the town, so I’m sure you can find some help if you need it.”
“I guess we can only hope this bearer doesn’t live alone in the middle of nowhere,” Soul said, tapping the side of his head. He then pointed toward a cluster of mountains northwest of Ponyville. “The Element of Earth should be located here, in this mountain range.”
Twilight’s nose scrunched up as she stared at the map. “I don’t know much about those mountains besides the fact they act as physical boundary between Equestria and the Griffon Empire. I certainly don’t know of any settlements near there.”
“There’s a griffon village in those mountains.” Soul and Twilight looked up see Rainbow Dash hovering above them, looking down at the map.
“How do you know that?” Twilight asked with genuine curiosity.
Rainbow Dash turned her head away from Twilight and Soul as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Because… that’s where Gilda grew up.”
Twilight produced a quiet, awkward oh and looked back at the map. Soul looked over at Twilight, then back up at Rainbow Dash before asking, “Who’s Gilda?”
Rainbow Dash remained silent for a few seconds before facing Soul. “Gilda… was an old friend of mine. We both attended the Junior Speedsters Flight Academy. We… don’t see eye to eye anymore.”
“I’m sorry,” Soul said with apologetic eyes. “I didn’t mean to bring up old wounds.”
Rainbow Dash flashed a half-hearted smile. “Don’t worry about it; She’s a jerk,” she said before her smile turned back into a frown. “It just took me awhile to see that.”
Soul turned back to the map. “Well, if that’s the only settlement in the area, I guess that would be the best place to start looking.”
Rainbow Dash landed near the table. “It’s not going to be easy for you to get up there. There’s no trailing leading up the mountain. Unless you can climb the cliffs, the only way to get there is to fly.”
Soul brought a hoof up to his chin. “Maybe Pinkie Pie will let me borrow her hot-air balloon. I’ll see about that when I get back. I’m heading to the desert first.”
Twilight watched as Soul walked over to the basement door. “Are you leaving already?” She asked surprised.
He opened the door before turning around to say, “As soon as I can catch a train heading out that way.” When he noted a look of concern on Twilight’s face, he added, “Don’t worry, I’m used to being on the move a lot.” He proceeded down into the basement to pack his bag with The Power of Nature and his notes, along with a few other essentials.
Twilight called down the stairs to him. “At least go talk to Applejack first. She can let her family out there know that you’re a friend.”
Soul came back up the steps with a smile. “Alright, Twilight, I’ll go talk to Applejack before I leave.” Twilight stepped out of his way as he walked towards the front door. He turned around and waved back at the two mares. “You two makes sure that Trixie and Scootaloo don’t do anything reckless while I’m gone.”
Rainbow Dash waved back while keeping her eyes on her book. “You can count on me!”
Twilight just smiled and nodded back at Soul.
Soul knocked his sunglasses over his eyes as he said, “Take care!” He then turned around and walked out the door.