Each of the Mane Six rose into the air and glowed with the color of their Element. The hues flowed off of them like water into a rainbow swirl which smashed into the smoldering abomination that called itself Animus. Fiery hatred was stripped from the being as wave after wave of friendship magic tore into its form. What remained, as was almost always the case after such a Harmony intervention, was a cowering, frightened pony.

As the rainbow light faded, the Mane Six slowly lowered back to the ground and took a few moments to compose themselves. The chamber was surprisingly nondescript for a place where a pony could summon, and be possessed by, all the powers of malice and hatred.

"I'm sorry, so sorr—" The semi-prone pony was cut off as a griffon, dragon, and two ponies rushed into the room and gripped them in a crushing embrace.

"See that they're well treated." Twilight smiled as she brought herself to her full height, which was completely neck and shoulders above even the tallest of her five companions. "They've been through a terrible ordeal and they will need to be shown compassion and forgiveness if they are to be rehabilitated."

The griffon saluted. "Yes Princess."

Twilight turned to a dragon that had attached themselves to the wayward pony's thigh. "You were right to bring this to my attention, Simmer. I know the Friendship Corps has been in operation for many years now, but you should never feel hesitant to come to us for a situation of this magnitude—"

Rainbow Dash collapsed to the floor, causing the Princess to choke on her words.

Twilight gawked for a moment but quickly recovered her composure. "Get them out of here, now! And send for the paramaredics!"

The Friendship Corps removed the apologetic pony from the room as Rainbow Dash struggled to get back to her hooves.

"Rainbow, stay down." Fluttershy's voice trembled and her cloudy eyes glistened. She was swaying a little herself.

"Naw... I... I just—" Rainbow pushed down with her wings as well and managed to stand again. She shook her mane out of her face. Where once it had been quite colorful, it had now faded to multiple shades of grey over the years. "—just haven't been the same since that stunt show a few years back..."

Applejack limped towards Rainbow and offered a steadying hoof. "Ya broke yer back, sugarcube. It's a wonder ya can still stand at all."

"Ha! You're talking to a former Iron Pony, AJ, nothing's gonna keep this pony down!" That didn't stop Rainbow from taking the proffered hoof for balance.

Rarity adjusted her conservatively coiffured mane as she looked from the pair towards Twilight. "Darling, I know that you wanted to tell those nice Friendship Corps ponies that they could come to us in an emergency, but... Twilight, dear... what I mean to say is—"

"We're too old for this BEEP, Twilight!" Pinkie interjected. A half dozen medical bracelets jingled as she gesticulated wildly with a hoof.

"It's true." Applejack added. "Yer the only one of us that's still getting stronger with age."

The other ponies nodded in affirmation. 

Twilight looked at her assembled friends.They all looked, and must have felt, much worse for wear than Twilight did. "I'm... I'm sorry everypony. I just wanted to be with you all again... It's... It's been so long..."

"Years." Rainbow, blunt as ever, said as she limped towards Twilight with some help from Applejack. "But Twi, don't worry. Even though I'm... hay, we're all going to be feeling this for months, it felt good to be back."

"Absolutely." Rarity said.

"Yay." Added Fluttershy.

"It's just—" Applejack paused as she struggled to keep Rainbow upright. "—Ah think this was the last time, Twilight. We can barely stand and all we did was walk past all those beat-up members of the Friendship Corps and use the Elements."

Again, the other ponies nodded in affirmation.

Twilight looked at the floor as tears threatened to spring from her eyes. "I'll have to make sure the new element candidates are ready then..." Twilight turned her gaze upwards towards each of her friends in turn. "I'm just glad that we got to do this. Even if it was just for one last—"

"And roll credits!" The years had been cruel to Twilight's friends, but hadn't diminished Pinkie's supernatural ability to ruin the mood.