Stepping Down
Twilight Sparkle, current sole Princess, and matriarch of Equestria waited at the head of her former castle's table, where she had spent much of her time. She had learned from Starswirl how to influence the map and repeated the spells she would be casting over and over in her head as the clock ticked. She looked to her right to see Spike, her Royal Advisor, and her closest companion. Her charge, her brother, her best friend. He was trying to find a comfortable seat in the chair that was now far too small for him, and Twilight chided herself. Just because she was preoccupied did not mean Spike deserves to be left out of her thoughts.
With a few moments of deliberation, she focused her thoughts and released the spell into the table, watching as her and Spike's thrones increased in size (her's just a little, and his almost doubled). He gave her a thankful look before sitting back in the chair. Twilight wondered why he had not spoken his thanks but brushed it aside. She could assume what he felt, as she felt it too- like breaking the silence would make it irreparable. She decided she would save that destruction of silence for when the conversation was forced to begin.
The clock ticked further, and the door creaked open. Pinkie Pie came bouncing through, decorated in confetti and streamers. "Hi Twilight, hi Spike! Man, it's been a loooooong time since we met in this castle! When I heard we were meeting here, I thought we were throwing a surprise party for someone! So are we!?" She bounced over to her seat, leaning on her hoof to look at Twilight with waggled eyebrows.
Twilight felt the weight float off of her shoulders and was surprised to realize she had been so tense. "Hi, Pinkie. I'm afraid this isn't about a surprise party. It's a bit more... serious than that." Pinkie gave her a concerned look, and Twilight raised a hoof. "No threat is facing Equestria or anything like that. If it's alright, I'd like to wait for the others to show up before we discuss it."
Pinkie nodded and mimed zipping her mouth shut (which only left Twilight suddenly remembering her magic duel with Trixie, as long ago as it was), and tapped her hooves on the table and floor. Eventually, the other four arrived, with a repeat of each conversation. "This is a serious discussion. No threat is facing Equestria. Can we wait for the others?"
Once they had taken their seats, Twilight raised her voice. "Girls, it's wonderful to see you all." She looked at the door and called, "Starlight? You can join us now." The mare trotted in through the door, a nervous look on her face. As the Headmare of the School of Friendship, she felt it was important to contact someone who had personally taught the alumni of today's focus.
"Twilight, what is this all about?" Rarity asked, and Twilight was reminded how gracefully the mare had aged. Rarity had learned to let go of her ego, especially after meeting Mistmane, but that had seemingly done nothing but ensure she would forever retain her beauty, no matter how gray her hair became. "All this cloak and dagger has been rather concerning. I know you said there is no threat, but I can't help but worry."
Twilight chuckled softly. "I understand. The reason I have gathered you girls here today is that..." She took a deep breath. "Celestia had another vision a few weeks ago."
The others quickly shot glances around, and Rainbow's voice was the first to respond. "Hasn't she only had visions about, like, disasters and threats to Equestria? I thought you said this wasn't a threat to Equestria." Her hoof went unconsciously to her neck, where her Element had many times hung until it had been shattered.
"It isn't, and it wasn't about that." Twilight crossed her hooves and looked forlornly into the table. "We all know the Elements of Harmony were destroyed. If it weren't for the students, the Tree of Harmony may have never recovered. They have proven themselves to be wonderful heroes and creatures, and they have helped save Equestria two-times over." The others leaned in, preparing for Twilight's big finish. "In Celestia's dream, the Elements had new bearers in those students. The Tree has decided to fully pass down her Elements to them."
There was a soft silence, and then Starlight stepped forward, biting a hoof nervously. "But how? The Elements were destroyed, and Celestia passed them all down to you originally."
Applejack brought her hat over her eyes. "The Pillars had their artifacts, though. They planted the seed of the Tree and those artifacts were what they used to banish Stygian, right?" She tilted it back up, tapped a forehoof on the table. "The Elements aren't always gems, are they?"
"You're right, Applejack," Twilight smiled. She gave a knowing glance at Starlight, who seemed to come to the same dawning realization. "And I think the six artifacts that Cozy used in her attempt to steal the magic from Equestria might become the new elements." She shook her head. "But that's just theorizing, and the Tree of Harmony has never been predictable."
"So, um..." Fluttershy traced her hoof across the crystal table. "I don't mean to be rude, Twilight, but why would discussing this mean we have to talk here?"
"The vision also told Celestia something else. Every time the Elements had gained new bearers, the former bearers were incapable of using them during a crisis. The Tree said that there was another way to abdicate the Elements to their new bearers, however. The old bearers have to choose to give them up." She looked up at all of her friends. "If we give this up, we won't be able to be the heroes of Equestria anymore. We'll have to give responsibility entirely over to those six."
Silence followed, and Twilight felt like she would flinch at the sound of a pin drop. So instead, she broke it herself. "I..." She looked around with a guilty expression, avoiding her friends' gaze. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to give them up. I know we're all so busy nowadays, but... I don't know if I'm ready to give up that role."
Spike placed a claw on her shoulder, and then she was shocked to hear the sound of laughter. She looked at the source and found Rainbow Dash, buckled over in her throne, the others all gaping at her. "Oh, man! Oh wow, hahaha!" She tried to control her laughter, grinning wildly. "S-Sorry Twi, I just-" she burst into giggles again, "I was worried about the exact same thing!"
"You were? Then why are you laughing?" Spike gaped from beside her, confusion evident on his face.
"Because I guessed this ages ago! I mean, you aren't a pony with an adrenaline rush like mine without questioning what happens when you're out of the job." She wiped a tear from her eye and gave Twilight a cool look. "I didn't wanna stop being a hero either! Why couldn't we keep showing up, why couldn't we keep working together to save the day? And you know what I realized?" She grinned and smacked the table. "We could! We still could! Did Luna and Celestia ever just quit on us when things got tough? They may have gotten their flanks beat down a few times, but they never stopped showing up to help us!"
Fluttershy giggled, and attention shifted to her. "If I'm being honest... I thought about this too. I know this may be hard to hear, Twilight, but being a hero was never something I wanted for me. I'm happy to help and do my best to help others, but all the attention and power that came with those Elements... It was kind of overwhelming." She blushed and ducked behind her hair. "They can turn creatures to stone, and banish monsters to another world! I don't want all that power in my hooves."
Twilight was floored. She stared at her two friends, and didn't know what to say. "I don't know what to say. Did you all think of this before me?"
The others nodded, though Spike quickly piped up with a "Not me, Twi!" She leaned back in her throne and sighed. "I guess I wanted to hold on to the past more than I thought I did. You all are ready to move on, but I don't know if I am, or ever will be."
"Well, who says you have to?" Pinkie Pie snorted. "Like Dashie said, you don't have to stop pitching in! And besides, you studied the Elements and their magic way more than any of us. You could help out the kiddos! Show them the ropes!" Pinkie gave a conspiratorial wink and whispered out of the side of her mouth, "Besides, if I'm being honest, it'd be more advice on how to use them than we got from Celestia."
"Don't be mean!" Twilight said, but she found herself laughing. The tension had been drained from the air, and she found a hardness in her throat like she could cry. She wiped at her eyes and looked at her friends. "I guess I do need you all to talk me out of my own mind sometimes... It's a good thing we still meet, huh?"
"We'll always be there for ya, sugarcube," AJ said and reached to place her hoof on Twilight's. "You know that. Come Tartarus or high water, we ain't gonna just sit back on our flanks when others take up the fight. And that's a promise."
"A Pinkie promise!"
"And a Pinkie promise will never be broken," Rarity nodded. "If you're not ready to give them up, Twilight, then we'll wait for when you are." She tutted, "Oh, but do try and make sure a fashion show isn't interrupted by some Equestrian threat and the students can handle it." She gave a wink, and the rest burst out laughing.
"Thank you all so much," Twilight said, and let out a sigh. "But... I think I'm ready." She glanced at the one pony without a chair. "Starlight? Can you bring the new bearers here?"
With a nod and a flash, Starlight was gone, and Twilight put the right words together in her head. With a flash of purple and her eyes turning white, the table began to glow. Rising from it came the sparkly, young version of herself. The embodiment of the Tree of Harmony. With a cerulean flash, Starlight returned with the alumni, all looking at each other with certainty. Twilight had made sure to contact them before this meeting during the weeks after Celestia's vision. They knew what this ceremony was.
"Welcome," the Tree said, "bearers old and new. Something wonderful is beginning, and something wonderful is ending. This ceremony, this abdication, has never been performed before. The Harmony I represent must maintain its cycle as every new age lives and dies in Equestria. And so I must change and evolve with it."
The Tree turned to Applejack. "Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Honesty, in its current, future, and former forms to its rightful heir?"
"Ah do." She gave the students a solid nod, full of silent pride, and leaned back in her chair.
"Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Generosity, in its current, future, and former forms to its rightful heir?"
"I do." Rarity glanced at the students. "You'll do wonderful, darlings."
"Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Laughter, in its current, future, and former forms to its rightful heir?"
"Yessirree!" Pinkie promised with a salute and looked at the students. "I'm going to throw you all the biggest party when this is over!"
"Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Kindness, in its current, future, and former forms to its rightful heir?"
"Mm-hm," Fluttershy nodded and gave the students a small wave. "I know you can do this, everyone."
"Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Loyalty, in its current, future, and former formers to its rightful heir?"
"Heck yeah!" Dash pumped the air and gave the students a smirk. "Don't forget to invite me the next time you kick some monster flank!"
Finally, the Tree turned to her and gave her a small bow before it spoke. "Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, the mare I have obtained the image of. Do you hereby abdicate the Element of Magic, in its current, future, and former forms to its rightful heir?"
Twilight felt her heart almost turn to lead, and she took a deep breath. She had her friends beside her. No matter what happened, no matter what fear or worry she held, she would always be supported by her friends. She met their gaze, one by one, and found no apprehension or regret. Only love, and it was direct at her. She squeezed Spike's claw and felt the tears almost bubble to the surface. "I do."
The Tree turned to the students. "Bearers, the new carriers of Harmony. Beacons of everything the Elements will and have stood for. Do you promise to follow through with the ideas presented by the former, and create your own? Do you promise to uphold your Element and bear it truly, in times of strife and it times of peace?"
The students looked at each other and nodded. "We do," they said in almost perfect sync.
The Tree began to glow brilliantly, and she smiled at them. "May the new dawn of Equestria be just as brighter, if not stronger, than its past dawns. Harmony embraces you as you embrace harmony. May you never lose sight of your virtues, and help the world through all that may harm it." A glowing light struck their chairs from the Tree's projected horn, and Twilight felt something inside her leave. It was not painful or uncomfortable, but she knew a potential had been locked off, and the new bearers looked exhilarated as something inside them opened up. A new door to enter.
"Now them," the Tree said, and glanced at Pinkie. "I believe you suggested a 'party'?"
Confetti cannons sounded before anyone could reply.