At the last possible second, Celestia teleported to the other side of the room evading Nightmare Moon’s attack. Nightmare Moon groaned in annoyance over her dodged strike. She, however, recomposed herself as she turned to face Celestia. Celestia and Nightmare Moon were now facing each other and neither seemed to notice Twilight in the center of them and the throne room. Twilight spoke out turning to Nightmare Moon as she too got back on her feet. “Luna! Think! Stop!” She called out as focus gem started to glow, ready to cast a powerful spell. “You were banished to the moon for a thousand years! Please, don’t force our hand and send you back!” she continued to plead hoping to reach Luna. “I know you’re in there Luna, you can’t let your shadow take over!”
And yet neither Celestia nor Nightmare Moon seemed to give a care for what Twilight said, as if they were in their own world, “I will not fight you, Luna. Sister, please listen to reason. Our subjects don’t shun you on purpose. They lack the means to take on a nocturnal lifestyle.” Celestia pleaded not wanting to fight.
“Wait, that’s not true, there are plenty…” Twilight started only to stop when she heard Nightmare Moon roar in anger.
“The Nightborn thrive in the night, dancing in Our moonlight.” Nightmare pointed out. Twilight was taken aback by that, the Nightborns are technically a sub-race of Skyborn and were never many so why would Nightmare Moon bring them up. “So what is stopping the Magicborn from using their magic?” A fair question and point Twilight had to concede if there weren’t Magicborn, Skyborn, and Earthborn that were active during the day. “What is preventing the Skyborn from dancing with our stars? What gives the Earthborn pause when so many creatures are also active at night and during the twilight and before the dawn?” Nightmare Moon asked as she lowered her blade ready to start the fight anew. “One shall stand, one shall fall, Sister!” Nightmare Moon hissed and renewed her attack forcing Celestia’s hand. Twilight was beyond confused as if she was was in a completely different universe from the one both Celestia and Nightmare Moon were in. However, she had no time to think as Nightmare Moon charged as if to steamroll her over to get to Celestia.
Twilight narrowly dodged in time, but she could still feel the power that Nightmare Moon gave off, the power of a demigod that didn’t care about the world around it, and it horrified her. But she could not look away as Nightmare Moon and Celestia clashed. Nightmare Moon was clearly powerful, more powerful than Twilight expected, perhaps more than she remembered, but Twilight was comforted that Celestia was still the more powerful of the two. Yet each time it looked like Celestia was about to deliver the winning blow she froze as if she was haunted by something. Shortly Nightmare Moon caught on and capitalized on Celestia’s hesitation blasting her deeper into the castle, to where Celestia’s private study was. “Celestia!” Twilight screamed as she flew in after her mentor. She landed and looked down as she kneeled to the solar princess. “No…” tears continued to flow from her eyes as she started to weep and Nightmare Moon laughed in the background. “Why would Luna this again? Why now?” she asked as if to some unseen divine force as she continued to cry. Just then Celestia started to get up. Seeing this Twilight gasped in joy, “You’re all right!” She got to her feet and tried to hug Celestia only to pass right through her as Celestia look beyond Twilight, “Princess Celestia?” she asked utterly confused at all that was going on. Then she saw them, The Elements of Harmony in their previous form.
Tears formed in Celestia’s eyes as she looked to the Elements Celestia couldn't take one more blow and then reached for the six elements, and then out to her sister, “forgive me, Woona…” as in front of Celestia the Element of Magic hovered as the other five spun around her. She shut her eyes as two large tears start to form. “For being so blind…”. At the moment Nightmare Moon was charging at full speed ready to run her bladed staff into Celestia’s heart. At the last femtosecond, the Elements activated forming a shield that stroke Nightmare Moon. The blast sent Nightmare Moon straight into the moon, screaming a defiance ‘NOOOO!’ all the way. The Element of Magic that hovered in front of Celestia shattered as the other five fall to the ground as stone orbs. Celestia could only stare forward into the moon, into the face that appeared, her sister. Soon the realization that not only was she alone but that she had not seen or had flat out ignored her sister's torment and sorrow, that this was all her fault hit her like an asteroid. “WOONA!!!” Celestia cried as the tears didn't stop.
In that second it finally dawned on Twilight, “This… was…” she started.
“The night Celestia banished Luna. It sure took ya long enough, Sugarcube.” came Applejack’s voice from behind Twilight. The new arcane master then turned around to see her fellow bearers and Discord.
In a flash, they were all back in the present, “What happened? Why did you show us that night a thousand years ago, Discord?”
“A thousand and one years ago, Nightmare Moon’s sentence was a millennium and it has been a year since she was reformed back into Luna.” Discord started as he walked among the six and took a seat on Spike. “But don’t look at me, time travel is not like window shopping princess, you actually have to try the dresses on. Besides these are the rules the Elements of Harmony impose on their use. Their power supersedes my own. Remember they can be used to turn me into stone and back. But when you thought Luna killed Celestia, Oh I for one found it delightful. Sort of a one-man theater piece, if only I could have been there … oh, wait I was.” Discord said as he pulled down a screen with him recording all of Twilight’ facial reactions as she bore witness to the event. “it was quite the one-man theater piece if you will. You should really consider taking it on the road. Or I could sell the recording, while I did actually shot the footage and enable you to see the event, your reactions are what people will want… so 80-20 split your way?”
Not even Fluttershy was remotely amused with Discord’s antics as they all gave a deadpan expression, save Twilight and Rainbow Dash, the former scowled with a groan while the latter was looking to smash something. After giving a growl and pulling on her hair in exasperation, “But we didn’t find out whose rump we need to kick and where we can find them.” Rainbow then took a breath and looked at the Erisadies and placed her hand near her bow, “Although I might settle for Dipcord here.”
Twilight grabbed Rainbow Dash’s shoulder and shook her head with her eyes closed. Reluctantly the elementalist removed her hand from near her quiver and crossed her arms in a pout. Twilight then turned to the everyone there, “What we saw was something from a long time ago. But it didn't explain what's happening now.”
Discord popped to be standing on Twilight’s focus gem the size of a pixie, “Again I don’t make the rules concerning looking into the past uses of the Elements of Harmony, you should cast some sapient and sentient granting spell on them and ask them to explain their rules.” He then flashed in white and appeared next to Zecora with a nice looking table and a large platter of spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce for two with a nice accompanying red wine in two glasses and a bottle. “So Zecora, I understand you caused quite the chaos when you first moved into town.”
The shaman only rolled her eyes before turning her focus to Twilight and company, “Perhaps farther back still are the answers you seek.” She then looked to Discord and back to Twilight, as she raised her right thumb to point at Discord, “Another trip with him will give you a peek.”
Every one of the six bearers and Spike looked to each other, to Zecora to Discord and back. After a couple of seconds of awkward silence, Spike spoke up asking Zecora what was their mind, “You sure about that? Discord is not known to play by the rules.”
Before anyone else could say anything else, “Do it Discord,” Twilight commanded, “Use your magic again, take us back farther!”
Discord conjured a sofa, a set of 3D glasses, popcorn and a soda, “Oh I hope this one leads to a song and dance routine!” He then used his right hand on the Element of Magic and Twilight’s et al’s vision went white.
Twilight and company looked around and found themselves in a place best described as unadulterated chaos, very much how Magiville was before they blasted Discord with the Elements of Harmony, however, there were significantly fewer buildings and much more open spaces. They soon saw Celestia and Luna both looking slightly ragged and battered as they each carried a satchel. The two demigoddesses walked until they all saw a skyboat, however it was impossibly large, dwarfing both the Night Song and the Phoenix put together and the entire thing was in a state of flux and change, logically the thing shouldn’t be in the air but there it was, the boat’s name, written in ever-changing font styles was Non Sequitur. The scene changed as the two flew up and landed on the deck, there on an earlier model of the thrown he made for himself in Magiville where the main mast should be was Discord in the form he held before Applejack suggested that he might want a different form, with all the mismatch madness therein. The past Discord was drinking a glass of chocolate milk, while also munching on some black seed like candy from a movie theater popcorn box. He stopped as he noticed the two, “So you’re back for more fun I see.” he mocked. “This time how about a game of 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey'?” he asked in a cruel joke has he took the flowing hair of the two with a snap of his talon and with a snap of his paw returned them but on the other sister.
Neither Celestia nor Luna were amused nor were they surprised. They were resolute in what they were there to do. “It’s over,” Celestia said as she and Luna looked at each other and nodded before they levitated the Elements of Harmony out of the satchels they brought.
Discord mindlessly reached into the popcorn bag and was about to put some more of the candy into his mouth, all the while spilling the candy all over the deck, “Oh, I doubt that.” After munching on the candy for a bit and with it still in his mouth, “Hungry?” getting no answers beyond a set of scowls from the sisters, “Suit yourselves.” Discord was about to go back to munching on his snack when he finally noticed the gems floating around Celestia and Luna. “Oh! What have you got there?” He asked as he threw his popcorn box over the deck of the boat.
Celestia and Luna closed their eyes for a second and opened them, they were fields of white light and they spoke together as one in a third voice as the Element of Magic hovered in front of Celestia as the other five started to spin around the two, “THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY, AND WITH THEM, YOU ARE NOW BEATEN!”
“This must be when they turned you into stone,” Twilight commented as she and the others were in awe. All the while, a bubble similar to the shield the Elements made around Celestia formed around Celestia and Luna.
The Discord sitting on the throne turned to where Twilight and company were and groaned, “Don’t remind me.” He then started laughing as he turned back and pointed at Celestia and Luna. The two started to hover and confident smiles on their faces as if they knew nothing Discord could do would beat them. “You two should see the looks on your faces right now. So confident. So certain. So intense.” Discord continued to laugh at the two as he stood up and started taking the stance he was in when he was trapped in his effigial prison. “Hilarious!” At that moment the Elements of Harmony fired the rainbow that turned him into stone.
“Not one of my smartest moves.” Discord’s voice was heard commenting and as everyone returned to the present. “Underestimating Celestia and Luna like that and the Elements of Harmony.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that you're not omniscient.” Twilight couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, because you’d think you’d learn to dodge, Dissy.” Pinkie joked and all the others started to laugh as well.
Discord rolled his eyes, “very funny, ladies. But once more into the breach.” Discord then repeated his previous action and the six’ eyes became a field of white as they looked once more back into the past.
Twilight and company, this time Discord in tow, saw that they were in a ravine and right in front of them were Celestia and Luna, this time they were not as battered and ragged as they were when they faced Discord. In the ravine was a cave and in the cave was a strange tree that seemed to be a crystal, on the tree were six gems, each looked like one of the Elements of Harmony in the form they were in when Celestia and Luna were attuned to them. Also on the tree were a series of marks, on the trunk were Celestia’s, Luna’s and Twilight’s aura mark and on the five main boughs were two marks a piece, one had Applejack’s with another similar looking apple aura mark, one had Rainbow Dash’s with as series of similar lighting bolts, one had Pinkie Pie’s with another set of balloons, one had Rarity’s with another that was made of four kites arranged into another kite and the last had Fluttershy’s with a large stylized flower aura mark on it. Everyone watching gasped as long side, Princess Luna. The nocturnal diarch continued after the gasp, “Sister is that the Tree of Harmony?” she asked in disbelief, “Master Star Swirl said it was just a folk tale.”
Celestia walked up to the tree, “Mother never doubted that it existed.” Celestia then reached her hand out to the tree and three of the gems, the Elements of Magic, Generosity, and Kindness detached from the tree and floated towards her. “And with this, we can stop Discord.”
Luna was more reluctant as she looked around and saw black thorny vines like the ones that have infested Magiville. “Are you sure about this, Tia?”
Celestia stepped from the tree and walked to be behind Luna, “All other ways have failed to defeat Discord. This is our last chance to free the people his chaos reigns over and stop it from taking over the world. Even without the Elements, the Tree has a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will maintain all that grows here.” Reluctantly Luna followed her sister’s example and the Elements of Loyalty, Laughter, and Honesty came to her. “Now let’s deal with Discord.” Luna nodded.
“Interesting…” Discord whispered to himself as he rubbed his small beard before everything flashed white again and they all returned to the present.
Spike and Zecora were at the table that Discord conjured and after getting a couple of smaller plates, were eating the spaghetti and meatballs. After he swallowed his current mouthful, “So what did you all find out?” the dragon asked as he went over to the others.
The six Element bearers looked at each other while Discord floated on cotton candy cloud. Twilight then spoke up, “We don't know what's happened to the princesses, but I think I know why this is happening.”
“Why?” Spike asked.
“Remember in the book The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide, The Elements were recovered from a crystalline tree called The Tree of Harmony?” Twilight asked her familiar.
“It’s been a year since we read that book and we never really talked about it.” the dragon deadpanned.
“Well, that’s where Celestia and Luna found the Elements and something happened to the Tree. It's in danger. We have to find it and save it.” Twilight ordered as she held her head up.
“All right then! Let's go save the tree.” After a moment of thought, “So where is it? All wah saw was that it was in a cave and the cave was in a ravine.”
“A crystal tree you say, I have seen something like that the other day,” Zecora informed.
“Where?” the six asked in unison.
“Near the castle of the two sisters there is a moat, you can find it easily with a skyboat,” Zecora informed. The six bearers looked to the Everfree and nodded to each other, “This time bring Spike, he really could do for a hike.” Zecora added as she poked at Spike’s belly.
“Hey!” Spike exclaimed as everyone chuckled a little at his discomfort. After the laugh, Twilight and company then headed in the direction of the Everfree.
Discord snapped the fingers of his left hand as he made a chair with the black vines, conjured a set of 3D glasses and a box of popcorn as he witnessed their departure, all the while more black vines and rogue clouds, “Ooh-hoo!” he cheered before he looked at the amount of popcorn he had, “I'm going to need more popcorn!” he snapped his fingers and conjured a huge tube of popcorn, “And movie theater butter, I spoil myself so.” he laughed before he started to eat. While chewing on the popcorn, “Best of ladies, Luck.” he called out to Twilight et al as they vanished from his sight as he turned to watch the chaos unfold in Magiville.
“You are terrible and you know it. Must you really go out of your way to show it.”