Four days, eleven hours, twenty-three minutes and eight seconds later a small group of ponies had assembled in front of the cavern wherein grew the Tree of Harmony. They were led by three alicorns and consisted of one draconequus, two pegasi, three earth ponies, one adolescent dragon, one zebra and two unicorns.
Celestia glanced over at Big Mac. “Are you certain it was necessary to assemble this many ponies? The secrets of this cave are known to but a few. To show it to so many might not be wise.”
The alicorn prince nickered softly. “The secret could be known by half o’ Equestria and none would successfully overcome the tree.”
“How can thou be so sure?” asked Luna.
“Because Aural knows what Aural knows,” he replied.
“Darling, you’ve been talking about this Aural person since breakfast this morning,” Rarity observed.
“Who exactly is he or she and when will we meet them?”
“Soon,” said Big Mac. Turning he took the lead and trotted into the cave, the others followed.
“Seems a bit different than last time,” muttered Rainbow.
Fluttershy tremored with nervousness. “It looks and feels darker. Has something happened to the tree?”
“A lot of magic was used to defeat our foes and break the curses they placed upon our world,” Trixie observed. I would be surprised if it didn’t have an effect on the tree.”
As they went deeper into the cave a nimbus of light gently surrounded the Element Bearers. At Big Mac’s insistence they each wore their elements. Even the stallion had reversed his collar so that his Element of Courage shown as brightly as the others.
Pinkie Pie laughed infectiously. “What a great place to throw a party,” she pronounced. “It’s all dark and echoie....echoie....echoie....echoie....echoie.”
Applejack glanced over to Babs. “So’s how come Pinkie’s the only one ta make an echo in here?”
The police pony just smiled. “Youse got as good an idea as Ay do. She’s Pinkie and that’s enough an explanation as any.”
“The others being here I can understand, but I was not a part of your heroic band.”
Big Mac looked back at a youthful and energetic Zecora. Her stone curse, now cured, had, like Trixie, left her with a bit more energy than one would normally expect. “You, Spike, Applejack and Twilight all had parts ta play in what happened, and now yer here as witnesses ta what will follow.”
“Sounds epic,” Spike replied. He looked around the cave. “It’s not dangerous, is it?”
“No worse than a stroll through the Everfree,” Twilight joked.
“You are so not helping my confidence,” the dragon muttered, causing the others around him to giggle nervously.
“Hey guys? I know these glowy chrystal things are part of the tree’s roots,” said Pinkie Pie as she edged over towards the wall of the passage. “But what are these other black vine thingies?” She paused and reached out a hoof, brushing it lightly against the strange, dark tendril. Without warning the vine suddenly snapped out, wrapping itself around the party pony’s barrel. “Ouch, this thing has thorns... Definitely not a party favor.”
Twilight was the first to react, hurling herself across the passageway to grab the vine below where it had ensnared Pinkie. Her clawed hands glowed for an instant severing the vine and releasing her friend. The vine twisted itself into a loop and ensnared the draconequus’ hands even as it wrapped itself around her serpentine body and slammed her to the floor.
“OOOFF!”
Applejack raced over and grabbed a mouthful of vine, biting down hard enough to snap it in two. Twilight used the opportunity to slither out of range, snatching up the farmer so they were both clear of the wall.
“Blech! That there’s the foulest tastin’ plant Ah ever did see.”
Zecora called towards Big Mac. “These vines appear to be a lot of trouble. Our need to find your tree I think is double.”
The stallion nodded and picked up the pace some. “Everypony stay away from the cave walls so them vines won’t be able ta grab ya.” As he said this, a pair of black tendrils ripped themselves from the ground and completely enveloped Luna and Celestia. Before anyone could react they were dragged down the passageway and into a distant chamber.
Big Mac and the others galloped after them. A solid curtain of vines dropped down in front of them, blocking access to the chamber beyond. Without missing a stride the alicorn prince galloped forward and blasted them with his horn, turning them into burnt vegetation before physically crashing his way through the charred remains and into the chamber beyond.
The stallion slid to a stop even as the others joined him. He stared, not believing what he saw. Less than eight days ago, Aural had stood vibrant with magic. Now the tree’s glow was only a third of what it had been. Black, thorny vines hung everywhere, choking off the tree’s magic. Large parts of the tree were ashen gray. At the base of the tree sat a pair of thorn encrusted cocoons containing the princesses.
“Oh Great Celestia!” exclaimed Rarity. “They’re everywhere. What do we do?
“Everypony!” Big Mac called. “Ah need ya ta take off the Elements and pass ‘em ta me.”
“What? Are you CRAZY?” Rainbow responded. “We NEED the Elements to clear these vines out of here!” Even as she spoke, a vine whipped out and snagged one of her back hooves. The cyan pegasus leapt upward, trying to get above the attack. Other tendrils began reaching out to every pony present.
“LISTEN TA ME!” commanded the stallion. “WE don’t need the Elements! Aural does!”
“Aural?” asked Babs, jumping over a vine that was reaching for her.
“The Tree of Harmony... Only she can fight off this attack. If we don’t give her back the elements, Aural will die!”
With little hesitation, save for Rainbow, the bearers removed the gemstones from their necks and held them aloft. Big Mac focused his magic and telekinetically brought each Element forward to himself. When a second vine reached out and snagged Rainbow’s barrel, she tore the Element of Loyalty from around her throat and hurled it to the alicorn prince. He snagged it with his magic, then began levitating each gem towards its place on the tree.
Almost as if aware of its danger, the vines began ignoring the other ponies and reaching for Big Mac. He was quickly finding himself as thoroughly ensnared as the two princesses, but he kept struggling. Pinkie, Rarity and the rest charged forward and attacked the thorny tendrils, slowing down their efforts to capture the stallion.
Cursing himself silently, Big Mac fought to lay each Element in its proper place on the tree. He’d allowed his exhaustion from the fight with Nightmare Moon to delay his return to Aural. He’d thought having removed the vines before, the urgency to return had been itself removed. Unfortunately, not only did they prove to be more virulent then he first believed, the use of the Elements to set things right had obviously weakened the tree even more. If it died, harmony across the eleven realms of Equestria might itself die.
As he levitated the Element of Honesty toward the top branch, the vines finished just cocooned him, sealing his magic off. The Element, unsecured in its branch, dropped toward the ground, threatening to fall among the thorn encrusted shoots. This did not happen. Instead there was the rapid clop of hooves. An orange mare hurled herself forward as she leapt and grabbed the Element between her teeth. Twisting, she flung it straight at the branch it was intended for even as one of the vines slapped her hard and sent her tumbling across the cavern floor. The element locked itself into place on the tree.
Everything went silent in the cave for several seconds, then there was a sudden explosion of light. The tree became a brilliant white, tinged around each limb with the rainbow colors of the Elements. A high pitched whine seemed to fill the air, causing every pony to slap their hooves over their ears. Long moments passed, then both the sound and light faded.
Blinking desperately, Twilight looked around to see what had happened. The vines had all been charred black and the Tree now glowed with a brilliance to rival the sun. The three cocoons entrapping Luna, Celestia and Big Mac crumbled away into dust, followed by every vine in the cavern.
The stallion looked up to see a completely restored Tree of Harmony standing tall and proud before him. “Aural? Can you hear me? Are you all right?”
The princesses looked curiously at him then each other. “Is he talking to... the tree?” Luna asked.
“It looks like it,” Celestia observed. The watched in silence as the alicorn prince waited for a response. To everypony’s amazement a soft, harmonious voice seemed to whisper through the chamber.
“I am whole once more, thanks to you and your friends.”
“He’s talking to the tree,” muttered Twilight in incredulity. “And it’s actually talking back!”
“Is that so hard to believe? After all, does not your friend Fluttershy speak with her animal friends? Why should this be so different?”
Celestia stepped forward. “Why did you not speak to my sister and I when we first found you all those centuries ago?”
“I did speak to thee. But you forgot, as you also forgot your promise to return the Elements to me once you had defeated chaos.”
"The sun princess bowed her head. “Yes... I forgot...”
“We forgot...” Luna interrupted
Smiling at her sister Celestia continued. “We forgot. We were confronted with so many threats to our kingdom in those day that though we intended to return them to you, we felt it was necessary to keep the Elements a while longer.”
“I understand,” said Aural, “but the consequence was that you eventually took their power for granted and then mis-used them. You lost your connection to them, and to me, and the world suffered more than it would have had I the power to defend it.”
“We are sorry and ask forgiveness,” Celestia replied humbly.
“Forgiveness is easy to grant... Trust, not so much. You are forgiven, but neither you nor you sister shall ever be allowed to tap their power. Instead, you shall seek champions, such as those you have gathered here and they shall, when necessary, wield the power of the Elements.”
Babs stepped forward. “So, if Ay understands youse correctly, My friends and Ay have to come to yew to borrow the Elements if there’s an emergency.”
“Though not spoken directly, you make a valid point, but it is essential that I never again be separated from the Elements. I can, though, offer an alternative.” As Aural spoke she delicately removed a small sliver of each chrystal and floated it down toward the six bearers. Her magic touched each pony delicately on the throat, embedding the tiny shards which glowed briefly then faded.
“When the need arises, you shall, collectively, each be able to draw upon the power of the Elements to face down that which threatens your world. Be aware though, the time you are allowed to draw this power will be limited, so you must wait until absolute need guides your actions.”
“Wait,” said Trixie. “Why is the magic you gave me green and not the purple color I had before?”
“In saving those ponies so long ago from chaos, and bravely continuing to live your life despite your own fears and pain, I grant you my element of Courage. It is a better fit for you than Magic.”
“But who then will wield...” Trixie paused, her eyes straying across to the others. “Oh... Never mind.” She was looking at a shocked Twilight who, in turn, was staring at the tiny shard representing Magic as it floated in front of her.
“Me?” she muttered. “But why? I hardly did anything to defeat Discord or Nightmare Moon. I’m not even a pony anymore. How can I become a Bearer?”
“You know more of magic than anyone else here. It is a better fit for you, not only because of your skill, but you’re ability to set an example. As to not being a pony, the outside form does not reflect the inside truth. Stay true to who you are, and the imagined issue of your form shall one day resolve itself.”
Aural touched Twilight on the throat which briefly glowed purple, then faded. “That tickles,” muttered the draconequus.
Watching, Big Mac could not help feel that Aural was smiling. He turned and faced the tree. “Is there anythin’ more that we need ta do ta help?”
“There is much, much more that must be done,” Aural replied. “But your part of it has been completed. You came here unto chaos and because of chaos, and have helped restore the balance. You have learned much... more than almost any pony knows about the worlds beyond. You may have once believed the wish you made was a foolish mistake. Fate has proved otherwise.”
Big Mac turned and faced Celestia and the others. “Ah think it’s time fer me ta go home.” He instantly found himself enfolded in a massive group hug.
“We’re gonna miss youse cousin.”
“You’ve help us all. You will always be my prince charming.”
“Yer the best big brother any gal could have asked fer.”
“If anypony here is the great and powerful... you are.”
“Dragons don’t cry... But they can hug.”
“We’re gonna have the BIGGEST PARTY EVER, and it will have a piñata shaped just like you!”
“I’m going to miss you. Thank-you and please be safe.”
“So long, big guy. You’re twenty-one percent cooler than any other stallion I know.”
“Always know that you will be our friend...forever.”
The ponies separated and Big Mac looked at Zecora, Celestia and Luna who were standing to one side. The zebra shaman bowed deeply before him. “We won’t forget you’ve saved our home. Remember us where ere you roam.”
“Ah don’t think Ah’ll ever forget any of this, or you,” the stallion replied.
“I wish there was more we could do for you,” Celestia said, bowing to Big Mac. “Know that you will be remembered now and forever.” Her horn flared to life as she approached the stallion, touching it once upon each shoulder. “I hereby dub thee Lord Prince Macintosh, First Knight of Harmony.” The others cheered and shouted briefly.
“Thank you yer majesty.”
Big Mac turned to look at Luna who was also bowing before him. When she raised her head to speak she was surprised to find he had taken a step forward and briefly kissed her on the lips.
“Always remember that yer loved,” he said smiling. Luna briefly put a hoof to her lips, then returned his smile.
“As you are, by all of us,” she replied.
One side of the chamber began to fill with a swirling nimbus of light. “It is time,” commanded Aural. The light coalesced into a portal that looked out onto a gazebo resting atop an orchard hill.
“Be safe, be well, and be happy.”
“Thank ya fer what y’all taught me. Perhaps we’ll talk again one day.”
“Perhaps. If you ever wish to do so, all you have to do is stand quietly and listen, no matter where you are.”
With that, Big Mac nodded and stepped through the portal which closed after him.
Every pony looked at each other quietly until Applejack broke the silence.
“Well... What now?”
“We wait.”
“Wait,” asked Twilight. “Wait for what?”
“For the final player in our story,” replied Aural. As she spoke a soft combination thrumming and grinding sound began to fill the chamber, growing louder with each passing second. “I believe that he is arriving even now.”
Moments later a large, rectangular, blue box with a flashing light atop it materialized in front of them. The sound stopped with a distinctive thump. A few seconds later the door opened and a chestnut colored pony wearing a collar with a red bow tie and a fez appeared. He held up a large picture of Prince Big Mac with the word MISSING printed on top.
“Excuse me... but have any of you chanced to see this pony?"