AN: Thanks everypony for reading

The Seventh Element: The Element of Hope

Chapter 10

Second entrance

Three weeks passed since the spa trip and Rainbow Dash and Rarity becoming a couple. The elements had yet to find anything to help them find the seventh element. The trip to the library yielded no results. The group was currently in Twilight's common room trying to figure out what to do. Lavender and Twilight decided to have Spike and Silla entertain themselves away from the group for they both feared for their assistants' safety.

"So any ideas on how to find the second entrance," Twilight asked.

"What if we looked in the wrong place," Lavender asked causing the others to stare at her.

"What do you mean darling," Rarity asked her.

"Well, we looked only around the stone statue you all appeared from what if the second entrance is around the structure and not the structure itself?"

"Hmm… Maybe. I mean nothing happened when we stood in our spots on the structure."

"Maybe because we don't have the seventh element," Applejack said.

"Well, why don't we go and see if we can find something else," Pinkie asked the group. They agreed and the elements and Lavender went back to the basement. The elements looked at the structure and Lavender began examining the book cases around the structure.

"I don't have anything does anyone else," Fluttershy asked.

"Sorry maybe if we look elsewhere," Twilight said as the elements stepped off the structure.

"What if we split up and search the entire basement level," Rainbow Dash suggested.

"Yeah okay. Flutters and I can look around the east side, Rainbow and Rarity can look in the south side, Pinkie, AJ, and Lavender can look at the southern area."

"But that leaves the north with no pony. I could look around the North section since I know the lay out better," Lavender offered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes this way we cover all four sections."

"She has a point Twi," Rainbow Dash added.

"Alright well, girls meet back here in an hour with our findings." The group split up and Lavender headed straight to the book case that held the origin story of the elements of harmony and the seven princesses. There must be something here that can help us… Lavender thought as she pulled them off and levitated them to her back and took one to read as she walked back to the structure. As she read she became absorbed into the world of the seven princess and didn't pay attention to where she was headed. She walked up to the stone structure where the element of hope would stand and Lavender was about to step on it but stepped to the side of the structure with a practiced ease. Lavender continued and walked to the wall at the back of the structure running into it.

"Ow," Lavender said as she rubbed her head where she collided with the wall. The books that had been on her back were strewn about the area. Lavender gathered the books and set them in a neat stack next to the wall. She settled herself down and continued reading about how the elements of harmony would only be known when they were needed most. That's it! That's why they can't find the seventh element the seventh element can only be revealed when they are in need of that element the most. From what rarity told me it was only due to their own unique gifts that caused them to become the elements. Pinkie's fun nature with laughing at the trees, Fluttershy's kindness to the manta core, Rarity's generosity to the water dragon, Rainbow Dash's loyalty to the others through the refusal of the shadow bolts, and Twilights ability with magic! Based on that the element of hope won't be able to come out until things seem hopeless! … But things do seem hopeless… if we don't find the seventh element Demonica could destroy all of Equestria… Lavender thought as she leaned against the wall and slid till she sat down.

"I need to tell the others." As she moved to resettle herself her cutie mark glowed like it had in the common room, and just like in the common room the wall fell away and Lavender fell into darkness. She screamed out as she fell backwards but it was to late for as soon as she stopped falling the passage way was sealed once again.

Meanwhile the rest of the group weren't finding anything and were in the process of getting back to the stone structure. Rarity and Rainbow Dash were walking together tails entwined when they heard Lavender's scream.

"What in the world was that," Rarity asked concerned.

"I don't know but I'm going to find out," Rainbow Dash said as she raced off leaving Rarity.

"Wait I'm coming!" Rarity raced off after her marefriend. As they ran to the structure they came across Fluttershy and Twilight who were running to the structure as well. The four ponies rushed as quickly as they could to the source of the scream. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were the closest of the group to the structure. Due to that they could tell exactly who had screamed.

"Lavender," Applejack shouted as she and Pinkie Pie rushed to the stone structure just in time to watch the opening close. A few seconds later the other four elements came to the structure to Applejack and Pinkie staring in horror at the wall beyond the stone structure.

"What happened," Twilight asked.

"Lavender got sealed in a room," Applejack said as she raced to the wall she had seen close. "Lavender! Lavender!"

"Calm down AJ, We'll get her back," Rainbow Dash said pulling the country pony away from the wall.

"You'd be worried too if it were Rarity in there!"

"Hey! That's not fair!"

"Quiet! Both of you," Twilight shouted over them.

"Quite we need to be focusing our energy on getting her out," Rarity said.

"What are those," Fluttershy asked pointing to a stack of books by the wall.

"They are on the seven princess! Ooo I wonder if Lavender figured out why we can't find the element of hope! I bet it's the reason she disappeared," Pinkie pie questioned as she looked suspiciously about the room.

"Why in tarnation would that be the reason," Applejack asked angrily.

"Cause she found the way to find the seventh element and the evil princess Demonica sealed her away for it so she couldn't tell us."

"It doesn't matter the reason. We will worry about the books later," Twilight said levitating the books out of the way. "What we need to do is get in and get her out of there who knows how much air she has in the room," Twilight said as she started closely examining the wall. The others followed suit and as they searched they realized it was like the common room. They found no secret switch or button to help aid in their finding of Lavender.

While the girls were trying to get Lavender out of the room Lavender was examining the room she was in and realized she had been in this room before.

"Princess Demonica's room… That was the second entrance! But how did I get in here? And how do I get out," Lavender asked herself as she lit her horn with her magic and slowly walked up the stairs away from the bookcase she had somehow come in at. As she carefully examined each step she came across the hidden switch in the third step from the top of the stair case that opened the passage way to the common room. She rushed out and ran as fast as she could back to the basement of the library.

"Girls," Lavender shouted as she turned the corner to the stone structure.

"Lavender," The elements shouted back happily as they raced to the unicorn. Applejack reached her first and hugged her tightly followed by the others until they were all hugging and crying in relief that lavender was okay.

"What in tar nation happened to you sugar cube," Applejack asked Lavender once everyone had calmed down.

"Honestly its just like in the common room. I'm leaning against the wall and the next thing I know I'm screaming falling into Demonica's room again. But I found that the way out! It's the third step from the top of the stair case there is a switch that opens the common room passage way entrance," Lavender told them excitedly.

"So that means you found the entrances to the secret room," Twilight said happily.

"Yes but with no clue how I actually got into it through either entrance…"

"That's alright Darling we will figure it out," Rarity reassured her while noticing that Applejack had yet to really separate herself from the unicorn. She filed it away for later but she hoped that it wouldn't be much longer for their feelings for each other to come to the surface. As the elements and Lavender discussed what lavender had discovered not only I the room but in the books they never noticed the dark purple cloud that disappeared from behind a nearby bookcase. Demonica paced in a room within the castle.

"So those ponies have begun to figure out there is more to her than meets the eye? No matter I'll stop them long before they figure out just who the seventh bearer of the element of hope is. Oh yes it's not much longer now," Demonica said laughing darkly.

AN: Please read and review. So I am starting my last term of college and I am overloading on classes so I don't know how regular my updates will be other than once a month. Thanks for sticking with me everypony