(A one shot idea based on this beautiful comic, takes place in an AU post Season 8 due to (Spoiler Alert!) the Season Nine trailer revealing the Tree of Harmony will be destroyed.)
Twilight Sparkle thinks she knows everything there is know about the Tree of Harmony and the map within the castle that it spawned. So she is surprised when the map calls her alone to the Tree of Harmony's location.
It is there that the Tree of Harmony reveals a secret known only to Twilight's students, it has taken on a physical form and gained sentience. Taking the form of Twilight herself, the tree wishes to talk with the young princess about many details.
Much will be revealed as the Tree of Harmony shares in its experiences, and Twilight will be left with a sense of perspective, both on the tree's role and the role friendship plays in promoting harmony throughout the world.
It might not necessarily NEED to be in an AU.
For all we know, the tree will be restored. Plus, at least based on the description, it could just take place between season 8 and 9
Remove the AU tag until we know for sure in season 9, and the fate of the Tree. Its destruction is more than likely to be one of Sombra's fear-induced visions, ala season 3. Why?
If it was gone forever, the Elements of Harmony would be destroyed as well, and the Mane 6 have them in the trailer. Watch it all next time to be safe.
Too late, she gets the award anyway. Again.
Wow you work quick to have already included News of The Tree.
The trailer has just been released !
9496158 9496184 I prefer to err on the side of caution for this one. Even if it isn't destroyed I somehow doubt Twilight will communicate with the tree, much as I am tickled pink at the idea.
In my story, the Tree of Harmony gets destroyed by a zebra named Magitus, who has the ability to manipulate, destroy, and control any type of magic in Equestria, including dark magic and the magic inside the Tree of Harmony. He was one of the few that actually witnessed the tree grow, and years later, under the persuasive influence of Lord Maelstrom, and a little bit out of hatred, Magitus uses his powers to slowly demolish the tree, while the Mane 6 can feel the Elements of Harmony being crushed within the tree, groaning in pain, and this magical Twilight form screams in agony. After the Tree of Harmony is finally destroyed, Magitus uses a chunk of the Element of Magic to recreate a helmet he once lost, a helmet that makes the wearer immune to every type of magic that is thrown at them.
And my story takes place WAY after the events of the show, so now this may become obsolete XD It doesn't matter to me, but you know what I mean XD
This has NOTHING to do with Season 9, but oh well lol XD
Hey there. Thanks very much for sharing this one shot. Yeah, I've seen the trailer(s). I can understand why you would want to be cautious, but there is no reason that this can't be set AFTER Season 8 but BEFORE Season 9 rather than being an AU. Still, I LOVED the chat between Twilight and the Tree of Harmony (as well as the Tree's explanation of why the manifestation took Twilight's form). .
Actually, I have some possible "What If?" ideas (probably for Volumes Ten or Eleven):
"Hearts and Hooves Day": Basically replace the canon plot with a light-hearted slice of life set entirely in Canterlot that has Shining Armor and Cadance out on the town seeing how they and other Canterlot couples celebrate Hearts and Hooves Day (basically an "early bird appearance" episode for both Shining AND Cadance).
"On Your Marks": Pretty much getting STRAIGHT TO Apple Bloom helping out Tender Taps with Diamond and Silver trying to fill in for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo while the latter two are both passingly mentioned as being busy with stuff from their families.
"Hard To Say Anything": Basically set entirely in Our Town, like in most of the actual episode. However, the main male is Party Favor instead of Big Mac (in fact, NONE of the ponies from Ponyville appear in this episode). Party Favor has known Sugar Belle long enough and well enough to already know most of her likes and dislikes and is trying to work up the nerve to ask her out on a date, but it isn't until Feather Bangs gets in on the act that enough of a fire gets lit under Party Favor's flank for him to make any semblance of a move.
"Ail-icorn" (one of the shorts, expanded to a "whole length episode"): pretty much replacing the "Break-Up Breakdown" on the Season Eight roster. Most of the stuff from the short actually happens, but it has a lot of stuff to expand it out to a 22-minute episode (such as showing the circumstances where Twilight falls ill in the first place, going into a bit more detail concerning the efforts Twilight's friends make toward helping her while she is sick and showing the rest of the Mane Six helping Spike take care of baby Twilight until that "side effect" of Zecora's medicine wears off).
A short VERY loosely based on "the Break-Up Breakdown", but condensed to three minutes by completely avoiding any unnecessary sub-plots that go nowhere AND completely averting Plot-Induced Stupidity.
But, on the upside, now you know that you can FINALLY get around to doing your first (and probably not last) "Comics Edition" of your "What If? Series around Volume Twelve.
Okay. Sorry I got carried away.
9497893 The "Ali-corn" idea will probably be saved until at least Volume Ten. We'll have to see about the comics since the show will be long since wrapped up by then, and I'll probably have some stuff from the final season to consider.
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Yes, that IS a very good point.
Of course, at worst, Volumes Ten and Eleven will probably cover most of the final season.
Oof somebody forgot how she and Starlight teleported across Equestria multiple times for fun.
That was beautiful
*despairs because I realized too late that the spoiler in the description was for season 9, and a doozy of a spoiler, too.*
(My heartbeat actually quickened and my chest tightened when I realized what I had just read.)
Please, I beg of thee, make the spoiler warning a bit more specific before it claims more unfortunate people like me.
Now I have to repeat a mantra of "the spoiler is a lie" in my head. I hope I can convince myself.
And here I was, hoping that I'd get to watch at least one season spoiler free. Before it all ends, you know...
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Well, you know the tree gets destroyed, but you don't know how, by whom, why, and if it gets repaired. You still get to enjoy those aspects. And you never know, knowing the tree gets destroyed may even heighten the feelings of suspense and thrill leading up to and beyond it.
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Well, at least I have that to look forward to.
You know, one thing still puzzles me from time to time: is Harmony purely the result of the Pillars' magic, or is she a fundamental aspect of reality? Did Harmony always exist, and the Tree allowed her to more directly influence events in the physical world? Or could such a powerful entity really grow from the magical essence of six mere mortals?
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And why should we care at all about it here?
9905505
To show how garbage I am compared to the rest of you professional writers. 🤣
And since this guy's story is related to the Tree of Harmony... 🙂
I think this could've been a better episode 2 of season 9 after the premiere based on the fic The Crusaders Save the Day.
I love this story. Great.
It looks like the tree of Harmony has its own name tag you can use
I'm sure the kids will be okay they're pretty smart and the friendship are pretty strong
Yeah after what Discord did not cool
Yeah I was actually hoping the tree of Harmony will meet Twilight and her friends
Believe us Twilight she fooled us really good but somehow I had some suspicious from the other episode when the Flim Flam Brothers try to open up their own Academy
This was a pretty nice story and also seems Twilight got the chance to meet with the tree of Harmony and even explaining how she became that and everything and it was kind of cool the tree of Harmony have a sort of personality and how it explains how she did it to protect itself as a holographic Twilight this was a pretty good story keep up the good work
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You were right as it turns out. Maybe the biggest wasted idea in Season 9 was Twilight and the tree never talking. But nope. The tree apparently only gave enough of a fuck about the Mane 6 to steal Twilight's look.