Element of Love

Chapter 20- Kindness, Honesty, Loyalty, and Love

"All I did was hand Twilight a bunny. And then I ponied-up."

"I just don't get it. Rarity's magic came out when she made us outfits-"

"The act of generosity, thinking of others and their happiness rather than herself and her happiness."

"Pinkie's when she fixed the party-"

"Her element is laughter, and back in Ponyville, she mostly represents it by throwing parties for anything and everything. They make people happy and... laugh."

"And now Fluttershy."

"An act of kindness. Fluttershy showed she was nice toward the other team, even though we're long-term rivals."

"And then Twilight's pendant thingy just pulled the magic right out of me. I couldn't even stand up," Fluttershy explained.

"Like me at the party," Pinkie said.

"Or me right before we met Twilight," Rarity agreed.

"So, she's stealing magic?" Sunset questioned, looking at me.

"Probably not intentionally. Pinkie, what did she say she had?" I asked.

"A spectacle-thingy," Pinkie said.

"A spectrometer?" I guessed.

Pinkie nodded. "It basically measures things. Maybe it's absorbing the magic to measure it. Like collecting data. And Twilight didn't put a limit to it or anything, therefore, it sucks the magic right out of us."

"But we still have our magic, right?" Rainbow asked. "Because my wings are sick."

"The magic relies on you as a host. Like unicorns, we contain magic inside ourselves to manage and use," I explained. "As long as you remain loyal, Rainbow, then yeah, you'll always have your magic."

"Come on, we have to figure this out," Caramel said, leading me away from the group.

~~~

"Welcome, everyone, to the Friendship Games Tricross Relay! In this event, our qualifying competitors will compete in archery, speed-skating, and finally, motor cross. So, if the competitors are ready..." An air horn started Fluttershy off. "Each competitor must hit a bulls-eye before their teammates can start the next leg of the relay."

Fluttershy shot a bulls-eye, then Applejack. I noticed Applejack helping Twilight. CHS only did two laps before CPA started. Applejack ponied up, and I beamed. She helped Twilight, even though she was the enemy. And she didn't trick her. Honesty.

My mouth opened in shock. Twilight's pendant was absorbing Applejack's magic. Twilight snapped her pendant close, and it fell onto the field. Weeds grew around the track, reminding me of Ponyville.

"What a finish!"

The six of us started at the same time. I observed as I took the lead. I smiled when Rainbow cheered. She ducked when a weed was about to grab her. This was getting out of hand.

I needed to protect my friends.

My wings and ears grew. I flew around the stadium, saving both the CPA and the CHS students. Rainbow flew next to me, distracting the plants. My eyes glowed as the plants were surrounded by pale pink magic.

"Canterlot wins!"

I huffed, and the plants disappeared. Twilight got a hold of her pendant and snapped it shut. I felt my energy being sucked out of me. I fell to the ground, laying on top of a ramp.

"Love... never... dies."

I got up from the ground, breathing deeply. My wings, ears, and tail appeared again, but I didn't feel the adrenaline rush I had before. The girls watched me in amazement as I flew down to them.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I said as Rainbow wrapped an arm around me. "I'm supposed to know-"

"How to control it? Yeah, we're both supposed to. But we don't," Sunset said softly.

"I have the element of love. Do you know how powerful that is? I've been learning how to control it since I was a foal. I play matchmaker twenty-four seven, and I don't know how to control it now? What'll happen when she releases it?"

"We'll be ready when she does."