AN: Thanks for reading
The Seventh Element: The Element of Hope
Chapter 8
Awakening and Explanation
Two and half hours later Lavender began showing signs of waking. Applejack hit the top of the cube and it lite up for a few moments before stopping. Lavender opened her eyes slowly and just stared up at her celling.
"Wha?... What hit me," Lavender wondered out loud.
"A dark magic energy blast," Applejack told her. Lavender shrieked and barreled backwards nearly falling off the bed before Applejack caught her and set her back in the bed properly. "Whoa there sugar cube. It's just me."
"AJ?"
"Yeah." Lavender moved slowly and Applejack watched as Lavender slowly realized the extent and pain of her injuries.
"Ugh my body is killing me."
"Demonica sent you into the stone structure you hit it pretty hard. A good portion of your body is bruised.
"No wonder I'm in pain. Can you go get a pain relief potion from my bathroom? It's on the left in the cabinet the blue bottle."
"Of course. Stay there." Applejack slid off the chair and went to the bathroom. While she was getting the potion the others came into the room and the second Silla saw Lavender she launched herself at her.
"Lavender," Silla cried out happily clinging to the unicorn. Lavender carefully hugged Silla.
"It's okay Silla I'm alright," She told the small dragon.
"See Sill I told you she would be okay. She's like Twilight she's strong," Spike spoke up from besides Twilight.
"Silla, darling let go Lavender still needs to rest," Rarity told Silla gently. Silla did as told and stood next to Spike before the two assistants went to the sitting room.
How are you feeling," Twilight asked as she and the other elements surrounded her bed.
"My body hurts but AJ is helping with that once she gets back," Lavender said and as if those were magic words Applejack entered the bedroom with the bottle in her mouth. She gave the bottle to Lavender who smiled gratefully at the orange pony.
"What's that," Rainbow Dash said looking at the blue bottle.
"Pain reliever potion extra strength according to the bottle color," Twilight said looking at the bottle in Lavender's hoof. Lavender took and drank the potion.
"Are you in that much pain," Fluttershy asked softly.
"Don't worry I'll be okay."
"Do you remember anything," Twilight questioned.
"Jumping in front of the beam and a feeling of water surrounding me whatever Demonica had in mind it didn't work on me. If it had it would have gone in my body not around me."
"We know that I ran a diagnostic spell on you to see the extent of what happened to you. If you remember anything else tell us okay?"
"Of course Twilight."
"Spike, Silla can you two go inform the Princess that Lavender is awake?"
"Sure," Silla said as she and Spike entered the room..
"Right away Twilight," Spike said at the same time as Silla. With that the two assistants rushed from the room and headed in the direction of the audience hall.
"Now we just need to figure out why Demonica was targeting you two."
"Uh Twi, I think it's obvious. Divide and conquer duh. I mean no offence Flutters but you aren't exactly known for your ability to fight," Rainbow Dash said.
"I don't know what if she was trying to protect something? I mean after all the clue in that book said her entrance was in the library, what if Fluttershy and I got to close," Lavender asked.
"You might be on to something," Princess Dusk said as she entered the room with Silla and Spike. "I'm glad to see you up Lavender."
"P-Princess!" Lavender moved to bow but Twilight stopped her and Princess Dusk smiled at the sight.
"Don't. You'll make your injuries worse," Twilight chided her softly.
"I see you are being well cared for. I'll leave you girls to care for my charge. I'll be in the audience hall if you need me or else a guard can help you locate me." With that Princess Dusk left the room.
"I agree with Lavender darling. There has to be something more than our Flutters and Lavender's seemingly inability for physical altercations, Dashie," Rarity said to Rainbow Dash.
"Yeah, yeah I get it Rarity," Rainbow Dash told the white unicorn.
"Lavender were you two near anything strange when Demonica attacked you," Twilight said interjecting the other two before they could start an argument.
"The statue thing you all came through but I don't know if that holds any real meaning."
"It's worth a shot but this time we go together, all of us. Once you are healed up of course." Suddenly Lavender's stomach rumbled reminding everypony that she had slept through lunch. Lavender flushed a dark pink color.
"What da say I get us all something from the kitchen," Applejack asked the group. The others quickly agreed and Applejack headed to the door.
"I'll help you carry everything Applejack," Fluttershy said before the country pony made it out of the room.
"That'd be mighty kind of ya," Applejack told her before the two left Lavender's quarters. The others settled in to begin discussing what to do from the point they were at.
"I say we go down there find Demonica and beat some sense into her for trying to hurt our friends," Rainbow Dash said.
"Now Dashie that won't help anything," Rarity reminded the light blue pegasus.
"Oh, oh, oh! We can go look for clues to her hidden room and learn more about her and how to find the seventh element," Pinkie Pie said excitedly bouncing about the room.
"Great idea Pinkie," Twilight told her.
"How do we go about it though," Lavender asked as her bedroom door opened and Applejack and Fluttershy came back in each carrying trays. Applejack's had apple slices, along with food from the party. Fluttershy' tray had had glasses of water. The two went about and handed food and drinks to everypony.
"So what did we miss," Applejack asked as she settled next to Lavender.
"We have a plan once Lavender is healed," Twilight told the two.
"Yep! It was my idea! We all go explore the basement of the library together," Pinkie exclaimed as she ate.
"Oh, uhm… okay…" Fluttershy said nervously at the thought of going back to the library basement.
"Its okay Flutters we will all be going this time," Rainbow Dash consoled her oldest friend.
"Dashie's right Fluttershy nothing is going to happen, not this time," Rarity said with an air of determinacy.
"I… guess," Fluttershy conceded to the plan.
"Well, at least we have a plan now," Lavender said.
"Yes. Just don't go jumpin in front of no pony! Ya got that," Applejack half scolded half told the unicorn as said unicorn smiled softly.
"Ma'am yes ma'am." Lavender saluted the country pony and winced as she did so.
"Careful. You don't need to make yourself worse," Twilight told her as Lavender looked like a foal who had been scolded by her mother.
"Sorry."
"It's okay, just get some rest alright?"
"Will do." With that the elements and Spike left Lavender and Silla.
"Are you sure you are alright," Silla asked once everypony had left.
"Yes Silla. I'm okay and I'll be all better soon. Promise." At that Silla smiled at her caregiver.
"Do you need anything?"
"A book would be nice how about I read aloud?" At her question Silla rushed to the bookcase and pulled a book out before rushing back to lavender's side. Once Silla was comfortable on the bed next to her Lavender began to read. Before long the baby dragon fell asleep and Lavender continued to read in silence. A few hours later Twilight entered her room again.
"Hey do you feel up to dinner in the dining hall or would you rather it brought here," she asked her new friend.
"I'll go to the dining hall, Lavender replied as she woke Silla.
"Huh? What's going on," The pink dragon asked sleepily.
"Dinner will be ready soon. I don't want you to miss that." Silla jumped from the bed while Lavender moved at slower pace.
"How are you feeling," Twilight asked as Lavender walked over to her and the three left the room.
"Better than earlier that's for sure."
"Good I'm glad to hear that. Take it easy a day or two more and you'll be back to normal."
"Alright. And thank you for caring for me Twilight." Twilight smiled at her.
"Of course. You are our friend we will care for you when we are able to."
"I'll have to get used to that. Having friends I mean."
"You will. It took me a while to get used to being able to rely on other ponies."
"You struggled with having friends?! I mean you are the Princess of Friendship…"
"Well, it still took me quite some time to understand friendship. Actually I'm still learning myself."
"Really?"
"Really." The two continued as the three walked toward the dining hall.
AN: R&R Please and Thank you. Also Thank you Amelia Rose and stankyledeansam for the repeat reviews they help motivate me to keep going