AN: I'm so sorry for the wait all. I've had a heck tick last few months. I've graduated college and moved and began doing job searching. This went to the back burner for a while. Good news is the end is coming a few more chapters need to be written but I should have this done in a few months. Any who enjoy and thanks to all who have kept with me and this story.
The Seventh Element: The Element of Hope
Chapter 16
Hopeful Loyalty
Meanwhile the room Lavender had entered was made up of thunder and rain clouds causing the room to be darker than the other rooms she had been in. The only light the flashes of lightning. On the walls were torn posters. Lavender walked toward one and saw it was a torn Wonderbolts poster. In the center of the room at what looked like a cloud couch was Rainbow Dash but the pegasus looked haggard and exhausted. Her mane was lackluster and the rainbow colors were faded.
"Rainbow Dash," Lavender said as she slowly approached her. Rainbow Dash whipped around to her and glared daggers at her. The pegasus moved and stood to face the unicorn completely before flying at her trying to hit her. Lavender barley got a barrier up in time. Rainbow began to beat at the barrier that separated her from her target.
"Get out. Get out! GET OUT," Rainbow Dash shouted at her.
"What?... Rainbow Dash calm down please," Lavender begged as her magic started to waver slightly from keeping the barrier in place while it was continually beat on.
"Not for a traitor like you! You sold us out!" Rainbow landed another blow on the barrier breaking it and hitting Lavender. Lavender teleported backwards.
"What do you mean sold out?! I'd never! You know that!"
"Liar!" Rainbow moved to try to hit her again when the room shifted and suddenly a Twilight replica was there.
"Enough Rainbow," Twilight said stepping between the pegasus and unicorn.
"No it's not. She betrayed us. She doesn't deserve to be one of us."
"I know that, but hurting her won't solve anything." Lavender moved closer to the two then.
"Rainbow Dash I don't know what you are talking about."
"Liar! You do you sold us out to Demonica remember?!"
"No."
"Let me show her Rainbow you know I can," the replica Twilight said. Rainbow Dash glared but made no move to stop the alicorn. What appeared before them was the main room in which the elements first entered Demonica's realm. There in the room stood Demonica and Lavender. Behind the two were the elements bound by magic.
"You see. I told you I could get them." The image Lavender said.
"So you have," the Demonica image said gleefully.
"Lavender what are you doing," Rainbow Dash image asked her shocked.
"What do you mean? I'm doing what I'm meant to do. Rule with Demonica. Did you actually think I wanted your friendship Dashie? Why have that when you can rule all of Equestria."
"Lavender… We… I… trusted you!"
"You did which made it so easy to trick you." The real Rainbow Dash wasn't watching the image she was watching the real Lavender and saw her look of horror and shock. The sight of the unicorn began to cause Rainbow Dash to rethink that what Lavender had said might be the truth. The image faded and Lavender looked as if she might be sick.
"You really don't know what happened do you?" Rainbow Dash asked her.
"No. I don't know what that is but Rainbow that wasn't me. Remember who you are. You are the Element of Loyalty. You chose to help your friends over becoming a shadow bolt. You gave up your dream for them. Don't give up hope for your element when you didn't give up on your friends."
"She's right Rainbow," replica Twilight said. Lavender turned to the replica and looked at her suspiciously.
"Why are you helping me? You are Demonica's shadow minion."
"I am but Princess Star Dust is fighting for control. You must hurry Lavender Heart. Before Demonica gets her hoofs on the Element of Hope. You are the only one who can save the rest of your friends." Suddenly the replica Twilight let out a piercing scream and shuddered violently before stopping. "Why is she here Rainbow? I thought we agreed to not let her near us. If you wont finish the traitor I will." The replica lit her horn and prepared to shoot Lavender. Lavender too shocked by what she had heard did not notice. The next thing she knew she was on the ground with Rainbow Dash on her. Rainbow stood then and faced the replica.
"No. I won't let you win Demonica. I will never give up hope for my element. I am the Element of Loyalty and I will stand by Lavender. Always." Rainbow turned to Lavender. "I'm sorry I let Demonica get to me."
"What?! H-how did you escape your trance?!"
"Easy I had help from some friends." The cyan pegasus moved and flew at the shadow replica and hit them hard sending them through the air.
"Thank you Dashie," Lavender said as she hugged her friend. The hug caused the two to glow and the bracelet on Rainbow Dash's leg to glow her red color before fading as they separated. "Well, at least now I know my theories are correct after all. At least when it came to me being the one to rescue our friends from Demonica's control."
"Now what?"
"You go through the door I go to find Twilight and AppleJack. The others are waiting on the other side of that door."
"Okay and good luck Lav." As Rainbow Dash moved the room became a white could home before becoming a plain room with a plain wood door. Rainbow Dash entered through the door and into the room where the others who were freed from Demonica waited. As Rainbow shut the door she glowed red and the bracelet became a new Element of Loyalty for her setting the silver necklace around her throat.
"Dashie," Pinkie exclaimed as the others saw her and all hugged the cyan pegasus.
"What happened darling," Rarity asked.
"Lavender helped me. But so did Princess Star Dust."
"What?!"
"Yeah. Princess Star Dust is fighting Demonica for control. Lavender needs to get Twilight and AJ back so we can defeat Demonica so Star Dust can get her body back.
"But we don't have the Element of Hope though," Fluttershy said softly.
"We can get her even if we don't have the wielder I'm sure of it."
"I hope you are right darling. I really do."
AN: R&R