Honesty... The power of the truth... To be able and willing to tell those around you what they need to know, even if it hurts them... Because, even when the truth hurts, it can never hurt more then to lie to those you care for...

"Applejack," Barthandelus said, mostly to himself. "Hard-working, proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres, one of the most faithful dependable ponies to be found anywhere in Equestria. Bearer of the Element of Honesty."

"That ah ahm!" Applejack said. She didn't quite trust the alicorn speaking to her. Freezing Rainbow Dash like he had, it made him look like a bully in her eyes. Then again, Rainbow had had it coming. That girl had always been temperamental, and if Barthandelus was even half as powerful as she thought, she was lucky to have gotten off so easily.

"I've heard that you don't put much faith in magic," Barthandelus said. "It strikes me as rather strange, considering who you're friends with."

"Ah ain't saying that magic ain't mighty useful, but ah think it's better to do things with your own two hooves."

"I agree completely, to be honest. It's just that some things can't be done with just physical labor. Nothing in your line of business, but it is an absolute necessity in my work."

"And just what is that, anyways?" Applejack asked. "Twilight said it was something to do with recording what goes on in Equestria, but just what do you do with all that?"

"Predictions."

"Say what?"

"Have you ever went to a carnival and had your fortune told?" Barthandelus said. "The so-called mystics say they can tell you your future with their crystal orbs, or tea leaves, or your hooveprints, or whatever they can come up with. Balderdash, every last one of them. The future has no set course. There are far too many variables involved. Time, wind, mood, the position of the sun, moon, and stars, other ponies. Heck, even the act of predicting the future changes the future. I deal with potential futures."

"For example, what would have happened if your friend Rainbow Dash had never accomplished the Sonic Rainboom that day, long ago? What of you never defeated Nightmare Moon? What if your brother Big Mac had never gotten injured during last years Applebucking Season? What if you had been successful in selling your apples at the Gala? Any number of things could have happened during any number of events during your life. My domain is the monitoring of the flow of time, to make sure that events unfold in the best possible manner... even if it doesn't seem so at the time."

"Well," Applejack said, "If that's what you do, then how come bad things happen anyways?"

"Ponies have to learn. If there is no sorrow, there is no joy. If there is no bad, there is no good. Only through conflict is there growth. Besides, there will come a time when I will no longer be able to continue my duties. When that day comes, ponies, zebras, griffons, and buffalo, and all the others out there, will have to be able to live on their own, and do what must be done."

"Ah' think ah' understand," Applejack said. "But what do you mean, when we have to 'do what must be done'?"

A look of extreme sorrow immediately overtook Barthandelus' face, his sadness palpable in the small side room. Applejack regretted saying what she did, even if she didn't know just what about it made him like this. She went over to his side, but he outstretched his wings, preventing her from getting any closer.

"No," he said. "Don't. It will only make it harder. Besides, there is one more thing I must tell you. Or rather, show you, if you so wish."

"What do you mean?" Applejack asked.

"Like I said," Barthandelus told her, "My domain is the flow of time and potential futures. I've developed a spell that allows me to show others what their lives could have turned out like. I must warn you, though, that some of the things that you may see may disturb you. You may find out things about yourself that you didn't want to know. It is up to you, but be warned, I have little control over what you may see."

That frightened the orange earth pony somewhat, but she never backed down from a challenge. She was curious as to what she would see, how her life might have turned out. And when she set her mind to something, there was little that could stop her.

"Show me," Applejack told him. "I'm not afraid. Show me what you will. I'm ready."

A grin slowly creeped up on Barthandelus' face. "Such bravery is commendable. That will be invaluable, in the times to come. But beware, for the line between bravery and foolishness is one often crossed."

Applejack was about to ask to ask him what he meant, but then he started an incantation. It was unusual

"O piedra arenisca de vicis, umquam liquidus, audio vestri vinco placitum. Ostendo nos un visum de posterus preteritus. Ostendo nos un universitas haber estado."

Without warning, Applejack's eyes glazed over, her vision shifting to somewhere deep inside her. Although part of her knew that she was still in the library, she felt as if she was hurtling through space and time.

Slowly, images began to form from the blackness. It was faint at first, but they slowly grew stronger. They fought for her attention, and she could only focus on one for a second, but that was enough.

Applejack and her friends were arguing. Though she couldn't make out the words, she remembered this from the Discord fiasco. The six of them ran away from each other...

She was in Manehatten. She was dressed up much like her Aunt Orange, with a pompous wig and outfit. She was looking at the picture of home she had brought with her when she went. She gave a look of distaste, then threw the picture in the trash...

She was at the Iron Chef competition in Canterlot. Her apple cake had won her the title of Iron Chef, and with the million bits in prize money, she could afford for all sorts of renovations back at the farm. Her friends were cheering wildly for her, even Pinkie Pie, who had won second place...

She was with her parents. In reality, they had died when she was even littler then Applebloom, but here, they were alive. Here, they were able to help her the the applebucking. Here, they were there when she needed to talk, or to cry. Here, they could watch as little Applebloom finally got her Cutie Mark...

Applejack was back at the library. Barthandelus was giving her a quizzical look. With a start, she realized that her legs were shacking violently. With a surge of pride, she stilled herself.

“Well,” Barthandelus said, “You seemed to have fared better then most do. I hope there wasn’t anything too disturbing.”

“My parents were there,” Applejack said, unable to keep the tremble from her voice. “They could still be alive. Why not? Why did they have to die?”

“Thousands of reasons. For example, as long as they were alive, you wouldn’t have direct access to the Apple Family fortune. Your brother, Big Macintosh, wouldn’t have grown to be as physically strong. You never would have gone to Manehatten, so you would have had to gain your Cutie Mark another way, which would change the Cutie Mark story you told to Applebloom and her friends, causing the lesson they learned to have changed. That would have been bad. The three of them need to-”

“Now hold on a minute! You leave mah’ little ‘sis outta all this!”

“That is no longer in my power,” Barthandelus said. “The six of you have a great destiny ahead of you. So great, in fact, that you’re affecting other’s fates by the mere fact that you know them, and they know you. They are chained to you, and not even I can change that.”

“And what do you mean by that? You obviously had a role in our lives. Why can’t you change theirs?”

“Because they have wills of their own. No matter what I may change, their knowledge of you would change their actions from what they might have chosen otherwise.”

“How can I put this?” Barthandelus paused to think for a bit. “The moment the six of you took up the Elements of Harmony, you became like magnets. You attracted those around you, shifting their future. Even now, their fates are changing because of you. While everypony can affect the fates of those they know, only the six of you can do so on such a mass scale. Even if you all disappeared, their paths had already been altered. Without true control over time, there is nothing I can do about it, even if I wanted to. Besides, each and every one of them has a part to play, if my plan is to succeed.”

“And just what is this plan of yours, anyways?” Applejack asked.

“That is something I cannot tell you. But know this, Applejack, Element of Honesty: If it fails, Equestria as we know it will cease to exist."