Title: The Seventh Element
Rating: T
Chapter: Chapter 7 Hearth’s Warming Eve
AN: Er mer gerd! GWR! What hast happened to have thou update so late? What has caused this phenomenon? Here it is. I have no life. Porn just gets boring after awhile. Ya gotta take a break from it, or else… Dear lord, I don’t even want to think about it! D: I wouldn’t be able to live!!!
***

Pinkie Pie shuddered as she lay on the floor of the sitting room in front of the fireplace. She hadn’t had one of her predictions since they all changed. Why now all of a sudden? Pinkie huffed animatedly, “first I can’t come up with ideas, now I got the shudders!” She shuddered again, “ha-woooOOOoooOOOooo!!”

It had been a month since the awkward dinner between her, her friends and the princess. They were nearing the end of December, actually, today was Hearth’s Warming Eve, and they were to leave for Canterlot Theatre to attend the Hearth’s Warming Eve’s play of how Equestria was made. This year, they were not going to act in the play, this year, the Canterlot School of Actor-Extraordinaires, will be performing the play after much practice.

Pinkie was ready to go, all dolled up in her winter clothes made by Rarity, wearing a pink over coat with white faux fur on the inside with balloons and streamers embroided on the bottom, white tights with white snow boots, and a thick long sleeve light pink sweater with yellow mini skirt.

Braeburn sat by Pinkie, a mug of hot chocolate in his hand, along with another in his other hand. “Why’re y’all shakin’?” He offered the mug to pinkie, who sat up and snatched the mug from him. She sipped it and gulped it all down in one gulp. “Y’all aren’t gonna answer mah question, are ya?” Braeburn wore his usual trousers and boots, but with a thick brown jacket and thick brown/orange/tan sweater with his cowboy hat and his hair down.

Pinkie shook her head as her hair poofed suddenly, from the heat of the hot chocolate. “I get the shudders when a big doosie is gonna happen!”

Spike was in the same room, sitting at a desk by the door, wearing a thick purple coat and matching shirt and pants with green snow boots. He was currently writing down another of Twilight’s check lists so she wouldn’t go all crazy with her OCD. Gummy was sitting next to him in similar clothing as Pinkie, except the colors were in greens and purples, she was watching him write, occasionally pointing to an error Spike would make.

Braeburn took a sip from his hot chocolate as Pinkie shuddered then stopped entirely. “Are y’all done?” Pinkie nodded, “good. Now what ideas do y’all have?”

Pinkie groaned and threw her arms in the air, “nothing! I got nothing!”

Braeburn took the pen, which was sitting on the floor near them and wrote a few things down, “Ah was thinking we could do this. And maybe this. Just tah spice things up. What y’all think?” Pinkie looked them over, stealing glances at Spike, to make sure he wasn’t looking. “Good?”

Pinkie nodded, she then suddenly flopped her ears, fluttered her eyes and her knees twitched. “Uh oh.”

Braeburn stared at Pinkie, “and what was that?”

Pinkie was about to tell him, but the door to the sitting room suddenly opened, hitting Spike and crushing him against the wall with a crunch, also cracking the wall. Rainbow Dash was in the doorway, “Hey, have you guys seen Spike? He was supposed to give Twilight her check list. Seen him?”

Braeburn shrugged, “little guy was here a second ago.”

Rainbow huffed, “oh well. Anyway, we need to get ready, we’re gonna leave for the Theatre in a few minutes.” Rainbow closed the door, with Spike was stuck to the door. Gummy giggled silently as he slid from the door to the floor in a comical way.

“There ya are! Rainbow Dash was looking for ya!” Spike sat up and cracked his neck audibly. “She wanted tah know if ya had the check-list.”

Spike rubbed his head, “yeah, I heard.” He picked up the check list and walked out of the room, being closely followed by Gummy.

Pinkie waited for a few seconds then she said, “Poor guy, you know he told me a secret. A big BIIIIIIIIG secret.” Braeburn motioned for her to continue, “But I won’t say! It would be wrong to tell his secret to somepony else!”

Braeburn stared at her with a blank expression, “he likes Rarity.”

Pinkie gasped loudly, “ohmigosh did he tell you too!?”

Braeburn just pinched the bridge of his nose, “ah guessed.”

“You’re a good guesser than!” She looked at the list again, and then she frowned, “I don’t know, these things sound like I’d be betraying Spike.”

Braeburn placed his now empty mug on the floor than patted Pinkie’s head, “ahhh, don’t worry. We all know he just has a crush. He’ll get over it.” He smirked, “c’mon, we all know this is gonna help those guys out.”

Pinkie puffed her cheeks for a bit, and then she broke into a smile, “yeah.”

Canterlot Shakeshorn Memorial Theatre…

Since Princess Celestia herself was to be attending the play, the others in the theatre were all on edge. Everyone was craning their necks, just to get a look at their Princess. “Darling, do stop leaning over me! You’ll get my new sweater dirty! Hoity Toity himself did not spend time and life on this for it to get dirty!” The guy sat back down and grinned at his wife, then settled back in his seat.

Couples like these two, were all doing the same thing, all trying to find their princess. Sure they saw her all the time, but not since the whole craziness happened. Practically everyone was dying to see their princess. “Did you hear? A few weeks ago somepony told me that her friends saw this weird creature in the dark! It was pulling something!” some others gasped while others waved them off.

As Princess Celestia was getting off the carriage that they used to travel in, Twilight quickly followed with Lunar, who was not used to always being up so early. “Princess, I know this is sudden…” Lunar was now walking casually next to Twilight, some of the Canterlot residents were gawking at him, “…but me and my friends played the leads last year. But we didn’t see you in the crowds. Why is that?”

Princess Celestia then quickened her pace, “hurry everypony! The play will start soon! I have a section all to ourselves! Hurry hurry!” Big Macintosh stepped off the carriage and held a hand out for Rarity to take as she then stepped out. Rarity blushed and walked into the Theatre leaving a smiling Big Mac, doing a mental victory dance.

Apple Jack appeared next to Big Mac, “what was that big brother?” Big Mac shrugged, “Y’all better not have any ul-teer-ee-or mo-tives.”

Big Mac’s smile faded, “what do ya mean little sis?”

Apple Jack glared at him and whispered so only he could hear, “y’all know ah’ve been pining for Rarity.” Big Mac gulped, “and you’ve known that for years. Ever since when ah first met her in Kindergarten.”

Big Mac chuckled, “don’t worry little sis. You know ah wouldn’t do anything to hurt ya.” He chuckled as a huge sweat drop appeared over him. Shit! I forgot! Big Mac plastered a sincere smile on his face as Apple Jack continued to stare him down.

Apple Jack nodded then shoved her orange mitten clad hands in her yellow coat. “Alright. Ah believe you.” She then followed Twilight, who was closely followed by Lunar, as she kept saying about last year’s play.

Big Mac waited till Apple Jack couldn’t see him anymore, and he grabbed the closest lantern pole and smacked his head against it. Dear Celestia! Ah’m an idiot! Ah forgot mah sister has been in love with the girl ah want! He laid his forehead against the pole as the others all exited the carriage and filed into the Theatre. Ah gotta just forget about her. Apple Jack’s happiness is more important than mine. Big Mac sighed as he pulled himself away from the pole and went inside the Theatre to find their seats.

Inside the Theatre, Rows 1 and 2…

Ah hate my life.

Big Mac was in the front row right next to Rarity, in front of Pinkie Pie and Braeburn, and he was loathing Twilight at this moment. Twilight had put everyone in optimal places, fitting everyone’s; minus Big Mac cause he was given the left over spot, tastes. Rarity likes being in the front and center of anything, and Apple Jack likes to sit next to Rarity, Pinkie Pie likes to at least have others in front, so she’s always surrounded by others, Twilight has to be next to the Princess, and so on and so forth.

Big Mac was now wedged between Rarity and Lunar, who was practically glued to Twilight.

Twilight was now covering her face with her hands, frustrated with the fact that her mentor didn’t see the play she and her friends worked so hard to make possible. The lights then shut off and the spotlight placed its light center stage where a boy was now reciting the beginning of the play, telling the tale of the three races.

Now, as everyone was watching the play, and the others have finally gotten over how their Princess looks now, two particulars were not really watching the show.

Pinkie Pie and Braeburn were sitting behind Rarity, Apple Jack, and Big Macintosh.

Braeburn picked up the look that Apple Jack sent at Rarity, “Pinkie.” Braeburn whispered. Pinkie leaned towards him, “We got a problem. Ah’m sure Apple Jack has the hots for Rarity.” He slapped a hand on Pinkie’s mouth, to stop her from gasping out loud. “What do we do? We’ve seen how Rarity and Big Mac act together.”

Pinkie nodded, “yeah, but I don’t want to hurt apple Jack either.”

Braeburn replied, “either way, somepony is not gonna be happy.” Pinkie nodded. “Okay, we gotta come up with a new plan. Ah really want my cousins to be happy, but at what cost?”

Pinkie thought for a moment, “Well, it is up to Rarity on who she wants. And I think Rarity really likes Big Mac.” Braeburn nodded as he saw the way Rarity would try and steal a glance at Big Mac, and Big Mac doing the same. “But at the same time, I really want to help Apple Jack.”

Braeburn nodded. “Ah get ya. What about everypony else?”

Pinkie looked around, to see if anyone had heard any of their whisperings, “I think Twilight and Lunar should really just act like they’re not in the library anymore.” Braeburn nodded. “Let’s talk this over later.”

He was about to tell Pinkie something, but her attention was now back to the play, which was now at the part with Pudding-head being covered in snow.

Twilight was watching the performance, ignoring the fact that her mentor didn’t come to see the show her and her friends put on. Lunar saw Twilight with a pained expression on her face, and on the stage, the servant was now carrying Princess Platinum over the small stream. He smiled then leaned towards Twilight, “the show is quite lovely, don’t thou think?”

Twilight sighed as she watched the performance, “yeah, but…” Her voiced lowered and stopped, still not believing about her mentor.

Lunar smiled softly and sincerely to her, “I thought you played Princess Platinum’s Servant rather well.”

Twilight’s head whipped to him, “You saw our performance…?”

Lunar nodded, then turned his attention back to the play. He then said in a soft voice so that she couldn’t hear him, “I applauded the loudest out of everypony in the theatre when it was over.”

After the performance, back at the palace…

Pinkie Pie was now standing with Braeburn in front of the castle. The play went off without a hitch, and everypony loved it. Even Twilight had gotten over her initial sadness and applauded the ones that performed in the play, everyone was shocked to see that they could pull off the play in these new bodies.

The ride back home to the Celestial Palace was filled with chatter from everyone, Apple Jack and Rarity had actually sustained a conversation without arguing, Twilight was now actually acting civilly to Lunar, well, better than before. Everyone had a blast.

When the carriage stopped at the Celestial Palace, a guard came to Braeburn and handed him a letter, which was from Appleloosa via pigeon. Braeburn read the letter:

Braeburn,

This is the Sherriff writing, Appleloosa has not been the same without ya.

No pony really knows how to care for the apple trees during the winter.

We need you to come back as soon as possible.

Sherriff

Braeburn’s carriage had been fixed for awhile already, but he never had the heart to just leave everyone. Especially Pinkie.

He wanted to stay so he could be around them, but his town needed him back. So with a heavy heart he told everyone that he would be leaving for Appleloosa tonight.

“But Braeburn! It’s not safe tah travel durin’ the night!” Apple Jack had told him, but Braeburn had told her that the trip from Appleloosa to Canterlot was a week’s ride by his carriage.

Twilight had asked, “The guards pull the palace carriage, who pulls your carriage?” Braeburn smiled, he never showed them what appeared after they changed into these forms. He then took them to a small shed on the palace grounds. Inside was a creature which was all too familiar to them.

It was a horse.

Apple Jack took her hat off, “well by golly… Where did y’all find this? It looks just like-”

“Like me?” Braeburn finished for her. Apple Jack nodded, “well ah don know. They just appeared out of thin air after we all turned.” He stroked its long thin face and down the neck to its long amber mane. “All ah know is that I can talk to it.”

Rarity laughed, “Talk to it? Why, that is just absurd!”

Braeburn shook his head, “this critter ain’t got no wings or horn. Just like an Earth pony. And for some reason the others who were Earth ponies can talk to em. Easy.” He beckoned Big Mac to come over. Big Mac stepped closer to the horse; he was just a few inches shorter than the stallion.

Big Mac stared into its eyes and he could have sworn he heard a faint voice speaking to him. Have no fear. He gasped softly, the voice was now louder, and clearer. Big Mac smiled and stroked its mane with Braeburn. “Ah heard it.”

Braeburn smiled as he saw the faces of others stare in shock. Pinkie Pie was the only one who didn’t have an expression. She was like this the whole time since Braeburn told her that he would be leaving. “Now, ah wish ah could stay, but the trip is gonna be long. Ah better get him ready and hitch him to the carriage.” He then found the reins, which were hanging on the wall and dressed the horse into them. He then led the horse outside and started to get ready for his long journey home.

Twilight was intrigued deeply about these, ‘horses’. The anatomy was exactly like of how their old bodies were. Where did they come from? Twilight then grabbed Lunar, “Lunar, can you help me?”

Lunar nodded and they went inside and got to preparing something.

Later…

Braeburn had just hitched his horse to his carriage, he checked it out to see if anything was wrong, and found nothing. Pinkie was watching him, but was pretending to talk to the horse. “Do you have to leave Braeburn?”

He stopped when he heard Pinkie’s question, “ah have to. If ah don’t, Appleloosa will lose their trees.”

Pinkie huffed, “they’re just trees. They could live through the winter.”

He chuckled, “you might think that, but these trees are just too young. They need to be covered during winter.” He smiled, “bet y’all didn’t know that.”

Pinkie shrugged. “It’ll be weird. I finally had somepony to talk to.” Braeburn patted her head.

“Now now, we can still talk. We can send letters to each other.”

“But that takes too long!”

He sighed, but in the corner of his eye, he saw Twilight and Lunar coming towards them with a bag in their hands. Lunar had reached them first, what with his legs being longer. “Ah, thou must be leaving soon. No?” Braeburn nodded. “Well, it shall be quite frigid during your journey. So Twilight and I had created a magical relic for you.” He reached inside the bag and brought out an old brown cloak, “it is a magical cloak that when thee chant the enchantment inside of it, it shall heat thee thoroughly.”

Braeburn took the cloak, he was speechless. It wasn’t everyday that the prince himself would give anyone a present. Much less a handmade present. Lunar then handed him two papers, “on one is the enchantment thou must chant for the cloak to heat. On the other is the letter address for the palace.”

Twilight cut in, “I’m very interested on the horse. And there surely must be more where you live. So I was wondering if you could write about it and give me some information?” Braeburn nodded, and told her how he would be happy giving Twilight information about the horse.

Pinkie Pie sighed dramatically, “ugh! This is so unfair! Braeburn was the only pony around that I really talked to me all day everyday!” Twilight was going to tell her that wasn’t true, but she then realized, that it was. All day, every day since the big change, no one really had time to be with Pinkie, they were always off doing their own thing.

Twilight wanted to make it up to Pinkie, but her eyes landed on the two papers. “Pinkie, I got an idea.” She turned to Lunar, “Lunar, do you know the spell, Velox Nuntius? We can make a relic of it.”

Lunar was going to answer, but Pinkie stuck herself between them, “hold up! What’s a relic?”

Twilight smiled, “A relic is a magic made item that has specific uses. Like that cloak we gave Braeburn? It’s a Calor Cloak. You say Calor, and it heats up.”

Pinkie nodded, satisfied with the answer. Lunar sighed, “Yes, I know of the spell. High level grey magic. What of it?” Twilight smiled, “ah, I see.”

Lunar took up the pieces of paper and his horn glowed brightly. He chanted softly the words he memorized for the specific reason for creating relics. “Di magni antiquo. Hoc incantabit. Et vita. Ad nostram utilitatem.” The papers morphed into two square papers. He then stopped the glow and handed the papers to Pinkie and Braeburn. “This should suffice.”

Pinkie looked at the paper, “it just changed shape.”

Twilight laughed, “write on it.”

Pinkie pie looked at Twilight, “silly! I don’t have anything to write with!” Twilight summoned her quill and ink. Pinkie wrote down a random thought. When she was down and waited a few seconds, she saw the words disappear. “WOAH! Where did they go!?”

Braeburn looked at the paper when it buzzed, he read, “’my butt itches?’” Pinkie gasped, that was what she wrote!

Twilight smiled proudly, “that should make you happy. Now you can talk to Braeburn no matter where you’re at!”

Lunar turned away and walked back to the castle, Braeburn had said goodbye and had already set off for Appleloosa. Twilight went ahead and gave Braeburn her quill and ink, so he could write to Pinkie if he wanted to. Pinkie had watched him ride away back to Appleloosa until she couldn’t see him anymore. She eventually went back inside when the moon rose itself into the sky.

Lunar lowered his arms, his magic was out for the day, and he slowly slumped to the ground, his wings haphazardly lay against the ground. He stared into the sky and at the moon, remembering that fateful day he was sent into the moon. “We can give you power.” Lunar shook his head, closing his eyes, trying to block out the voices. “We can help you…” He placed his hands on his head, “NO!”

“Let us in!”

“NOO!!”

“LET US IN! WE SHALL MAKE YOU NIGHTMARE MOON!”

Lunar screamed as his hair changed to the night sky, his eyes shot open and changed to icy blue. “I… I am Dark Night… From now on…”

“And you are our servant. We own you.”

Dark Night growled, “I belong to no one.” He sighed and changed back to his regular self. He hiccupped as the tears streamed out. He lowered his head and buried his face in his hands as he sobbed.

“I’m a monster.”
DONE!
Anyway, I was supposed to post this earlier, but eh, I had no internet to access my page. So yeah, I made this chapter in five minutes. Hope you enjoy. READ RATE AND REVIEW! AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS! GOOD NIGHT!