Chapter 7: Plundervines and the Tree of Harmony
The Mane 6, Spike and Dusk went to the city of Canterlot. Twilight and Dusk had lessons in flying thanks to Rainbow Dash, but they were off balanced. But, they would get better if they did what Rainbow Dash taught them. Eventually, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie eventually had to get back to Ponyville.
Right now, in the room they were staying at in Canterlot, Spike was checking off a list of things to do. "Check, check, check, check, and... check! Huh, whaddaya know? We're way ahead of schedule! I credit your extremely competent assistant."
Twilight and Dusk were hovering over Spike and were coming down. They had a little trouble landing, but they recovered. Twilight then said, "So do I."
"The Celebration isn't until the day after tomorrow," Spike said. "We could still fit in a quick trip to Ponyville and be back in plenty of time to finish off these last few things before the main event!"
Twilight sighed and said, "That would be nice, Spike, but what if something else came up while we were gone?" She then started flapping her wings, worried about the things that might happen. "What if we were delayed getting back and I wasn't able to finish everything on that list? What if we lost the list on the way to Ponyville and then couldn't remember which things we'd done and which things we hadn't done, and then spent so much time trying to figure out what we hadn't done and what we had done, and we ruined the entire Celebration by not doing the one really important thing that we were supposed to do?!" She then banged her head on the ceiling and fell to the floor.
"Are you okay, mom?" Dusk asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Twilight said. "Ow..."
"Uh... so that's a 'no' then?" Spike asked.
Twilight got into Spike's face and said, "These are the first royal duties Princess Celestia has given me. I can't risk letting her down!"
"And I'm sure you won't," came the voice of Princess Celestia. They looked towards the door and saw her coming in.
"Your highness!" Spike said, bowing and getting onto his knees. Twilight and Dusk began to bow.
"No need for that now, Princess Twilight and Prince Dusk," said Princess Celestia.
Twilight and Dusk stood up and Twilight said, "Sorry."
Princess Celestia giggled and said, "No need to apologize."
"Sorry!" Twilight apologized again. That made Dusk snicker.
"I must admit that it is wonderful to actually be looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration," Princess Celestia said. She headed towards the window to see Princess Luna raise the moon.
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.
"For my subjects, it has always been a celebration of my defeat of Nightmare Moon," Princess Celestia said. "But for me..." She then sighed. "It was just a terrible reminder that I'd had to banish my own sister."
"Guess it's hard to do such a difficult task," said Dusk. "Having to deal with a powerful villain is one thing. But if that villain is someone you love, especially a sibling, that's the most difficult thing you'd have to bare."
"That is correct, Dusk Shine," said Princess Celestia. "I know your human parents didn't have any other children when you were there, but at least they get another shot at it. Too bad you wouldn't get the chance to meet the new baby."
"Yeah," said Dusk. "But, I know that they're doing alright."
Princess Celestia nodded and said, "But now it has become a wonderful reminder of her transformation back into Princess Luna, and our happy reunion. I am so pleased that you will be playing a role in the festivities. I know it must have been difficult to see your friends return to Ponyville without you two."
"Maybe a little," Twilight said.
"You may no longer be my student, Princess Twilight," said Princess Celestia, "but I hope you know that I will always be here if you need me. Just as I hope that you will always be there when I need you." She then nuzzled Twilight's cheek.
Spike cleared his throat and said, "I think this guy needs you?" He held his arm out for the mail pony.
"Uh, a message for Princess Twilight," said the mail pony.
Twilight took the letter, and opened the top, and confetti came out of it.
"A letter from Ponyville, I presume?" Princess Celestia asked.
"Never mind. It's not important," said Twilight. She then turned to Spike. "Spike, where were we?"
"About to call it a night?" Spike asked.
"We should probably go over the checklist one more time," said Twilight. That made Dusk groan.
"I knew you were gonna say that..." Spike said, pulling out the checklist.
"I'm heading to bed," said Dusk.
"I'll leave you to it," said Princess Celestia. She walked out of the room, heading towards her room. As she was walking out, a black vine sprouted from the stone floor, and grabbed Princess Celestia, making her gasp and yelp.
The next morning, Dusk got out of the bed he was sleeping in. He looked at Twilight, who was sleeping at the desk. Dusk chuckled and headed towards the bathroom. He failed to notice that both the sun and the moon were up in the sky, making it day and night. He went into the bathroom, did his business, and went to the sink. As soon as he was washing his hooves, something from earlier caught his attention. Finally.
Dusk finished washing his hooves, and ran towards a window, seeing both the day and night problem. He then shook Twilight and said, "Mom! Mom, wake up!"
Twilight woke up, and looked down at Dusk, smiling. She yawned and said, "Good morning, Dusk. "
"Mom, look outside!" Dusk said, pointing his left hoof out the window. Twilight looked out and gasped.
She walked towards Spike to wake him up. In his sleep, he said, "Check-check-check-check-check-check..."
"Spike!" Twilight shouted. That got Spike to wake up.
"Ungh... What time is it?" Spike asked, a little groggy.
"It's the middle of the night!" Twilight said. "But it could be morning. That's just it! I can't tell!"
Spike looked out the window with Twilight and Dusk. He then said, "Whoa. That is weird."
"Come on, you two, we have to find out what's going on," Twilight said. Then the three of them headed out.
Things haven't been the best of news for Twilight, Spike and Dusk. The ponies of Canterlot were worried about what's going on with the sun and moon, both of the royal sisters have vanished, and since Princess Cadance has royal duties in Canterlot, Twilight was left in charge of the kingdom until Celestia and Luna were found. And to top it off, there was trouble going on in Ponyville. According to one royal guard, the Everfree Forest was invading Ponyville.
Twilight, Dusk and Spike were heading towards the Train Station. Twilight was putting on her Element of Harmony Crown. Spike then asked, "Where are we going?!"
"The Everfree Forest is... 'invading'," Twilight explained. "Whatever is going on, I'm sure we're going to need our friends and the Elements of Harmony to stop it! I just hope we haven't missed the train..."
Spike was gasping. He was running short on breath. He then said, "Twilight? There is another way for us to get to Ponyville, remember?"
"There is?" Twilight asked stopping on a bridge. He then fell off the bridge, but Twilight extended her right wing so Spike could catch it.
"You and Dusk can fly!" Spike said.
"Oh, right!" Twilight said.
"Oh, boy," Dusk said. "I'm still not used to these wings."
"Well, we don't have time to bicker, Dusk," Twilight said. "Let's get flying." Spike got on Twilight's back, then Twilight and Dusk started flapping their wings, flying all the way to Ponyville.
"Oh, I'm not going to enjoy this," said Dusk. He followed Twilight in the air.
It took them a while, but they made it to Ponyville. Spike wanted to take extra precautions, and pulled a seat belt, and buckled himself.
Dusk noticed and asked, "A seat belt? Where did you get a seat belt?" Spike shrugged his shoulders to answer Dusk's question.
"Almost there!" said Twilight. "Come on, you two, we need to get the Elements of Harmony and find the others!" She then dived in towards the library.
"Incoming!" Spike shouted.
Twilight then teleported into the library, without Spike. She came in, rolling, and landed in a pile of books, getting the attention of Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Spike on the other hand hit the window. Dusk grabbed him before he could fall to the ground.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Rarity said.
"Oh, I hope you know we wouldn't normally go through your books without permission..." Fluttershy said before the door opened, having Spike and Dusk walk in.
"Sweet ground!" Spike said before kissing the floor. "Sweet, sweet, wonderful ground!"
"Okay, I get it! I need to work on my flying!" Twilight said, unamused.
"I thought I'd be the one complaining," said Dusk. "But, it actually wasn't that bad."
"I dunno if you've noticed, but the Everfree Forest is just a teeny-tiny bit out of control," Pinkie Pie said, before her tail twitched. She then ducked and a plundervine came in, hitting Rarity.
"Guess it turned out you were missin' something here in Ponyville after all," Applejack said after closing the window on the vine.
Rarity recovered and said, "But perhaps you already know what's causing all of this calamity. Has Princess Celestia sent you to dispel it posthaste?"
"Not exactly," said Twilight.
"Both princesses Celestia and Luna have gone missing!" Dusk said, making the other mares gasp.
Twilight walked up to the case where the other five Elements of Harmony were. She then said, "I don't know who has taken them, but I've got a hunch we're going to need the Elements of Harmony to get them back." She put the Elements of Harmony around the necks of her friends.
"Oh, yeah, just like old times," Rainbow Dash said.
"A-boo-yah!" Pinkie said, doing a hoof bump with Twilight.
"I told ya we'd always be connected by the Elements," said Applejack. She then sighed. "Now we just gotta figure out who to aim these bad boys at so we can get Celestia and Luna back and keep the rest of Equestria from becoming plant food! Any ideas?"
Dusk walked towards the window, and took a look around. He then said, "I might have an idea who might have started this. Basically, it's chaos out there. You think he has something to do with this?"
Twilight looked around town from inside the library and said, "I think you're on to something, Dusk. Half day, half night... strange weather patterns... out of control plants. You might be correct on this."
The six mares, Spike and Dusk headed out towards the middle of Ponyville. Twilight used her magic to activate the Elements of Harmony. They were using them to summon the lord of chaos himself, Discord. What they weren't expecting was that Discord was in the shower.
Discord noticed that he was being watch, and draped a towel over him, saying, "Now, Twilight, you know Princess Celestia said that you were to give me a heads up before you summon me with that little spell she gave you. In case you haven't noticed, I was in the middle of a particularly invigorating shower."
"E-nough!" Twilight stated. "Release Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and stop the Everfree Forest from invading!"
Discord chuckled, saying, "Why, whatever are you talking about?" He was also drying himself off and tossed it away.
"Don't you play dumb with us, Discord!" Applejack stated. "We know you're the one behind all of this!"
"Don't get me wrong," Discord said, swinging on a lamppost and using a camera. "I absolutely love what you've done with the place, but I couldn't possibly take responsibility." He then leaned towards Fluttershy. "I'm reformed, don't you remember?"
Dusk was looking around at all of the chaos was going on. Along with the Mane 6 having an argument with Discord. Except for Fluttershy. He then noticed Zecora coming in with a wagon full of her stuff.
"Hey! Is that Zecora coming in?!" Dusk said, getting the attention of the Mane 6, Spike and Discord.
The Mane 6 ran over towards Zecora, helping her out.
"From my home, I have had to flee! The forest has grown too wild, even for me!" Zecora explained in rhyme.
"Any idea why all this is happenin'?" Applejack asked when a vine grabbed her hat. She quickly grabbed it and put it back on her head.
"I'm afraid it is a mystery to me as well, but I may have something that, if combined with a spell..." Zecora said searching her stuff. She then pulled out a bottle with a purple liquid inside. "I do not dare to use it myself, the results would be tragic." Twilight then looked at her horn, then her wings. "Princess Twilight, you can turn the potion from purple to white. After a sip, you may see why the sky is day and night."
Twilight then used her magic on the potion, turning the liquid from purple to white. Pinkie looked at the potion astonished. Twilight then drank the potion.
"Doesn't seem to be worki..." Twilight said after drinking part of the potion, but then her eyes turned white.
"What's happening?!" Dusk asked.
"Relax, Dusk Shine, Twilight Sparkle is just fine," Zecora explained. "The potion let's the drinker see the past. For what has happened, it'll be explained at last."
Twilight was struggling, mumbling and crying when seeing the past. Her eyes went back to normal. She saw all of her friends, Spike, Dusk and Discord looking at her. She then asked, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"It's just... you were mumblin' to yourself..." Applejack said.
"Ooh! And don't forget the uncontrollable sobbing!" Pinkie added.
"We were really worried about you," Fluttershy said.
Discord was on a vine, looking down at Twilight, saying, "I for one found it delightful. Sort of a one-pony theater piece, if you will. You should really consider taking it on the road." He held out a poster of Twilight, which was doing what Twilight was doing when she was seeing the past.
"Did you find out whose rump we need to kick and where we can find them?" Rainbow Dash asked, doing a mid-air kick.
"I saw something from a long time ago," Twilight explained. "But it didn't explain what's happening now."
Zecora walked up to her with the potion and said, "Perhaps farther back still are the answers you seek. Another sip of the potion will give you a peek."
Twilight picked up the bottle while Spike asked, "You sure about this?" Twilight then drank the potion, and her eyes went white, again.
Discord was in a Hollywood Director's outfit with a camera, saying, "Oh, I do hope she breaks into a song this time!"
Twilight was looking confused on what was happening. When she saw enough, she came back to reality. Spike and Dusk came up to Twilight.
"So what did you find out?" Spike asked.
"I still don't know what's happened to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, but I think I know why the Everfree Forest is acting this way," Twilight explained. "Something's happened to the Tree of Harmony." Discord was watching from a recliner, holding a bag of popcorn and wearing 3D glasses.
"The tree of what now?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"It's where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna found the Elements," Twilight explained. "I think it's in danger."
"Well, all right then!" Applejack stated. "Let's go save a... tree." She then got confused and asked, "Uh... where is it exactly?"
"I think it's in... there," Twilight said, pointing to where she thinks the Tree of Harmony is. The Mane 6, Spike and Dusk got a little worried that they have to go into the most dangerous forests in Equestria, which is currently even more dangerous due to the plundervines.
"Ooh-hoo! I'm going to need more popcorn!" Discord said, breaking 4th wall.
Things haven't been smooth sailing from there on. The Mane 6, Spike and Dusk headed into the Everfree Forest, Dusk staying very close to Twilight. But then they were all attacked by a cragadile. Then the girls thought it'd be best for Twilight, Dusk and Spike to go back to Ponyville. Twilight, Spike and Dusk went back to Ponyville, but Discord persuaded them to go back in and finish the job.
Twilight, Dusk and Spike went back into the forest, and Spike climbed up a tree to see if the other girls found the tree, only to look back to see Twilight and Dusk being gassed by plundervines with venus fly trap heads. Spike went down to tell the other girls that Twilight and Dusk were in trouble. They basically went to help Twilight.
As they went to the Tree of Harmony after Twilight recovered, they saw that the tree was covered in Plundervines. Twilight decided on one thing. To save the Tree of Harmony, the Mane 6 had to give up the Elements of Harmony. Basically, returning the Elements of Harmony to the Tree of Harmony had saved it, and got rid of the Plundervines. There were also two cocoons made of plundervines, and both of them dissolved, revealing Princesses Celestia and Luna.
Twilight ran up to the princesses, and the three of them hugged. Princess Celestia then said, "We know how difficult it must have been for you to give up the Elements. It took great courage to relinquish them."
Then the Tree of Harmony reacted. A flower bloomed, and came a box with six keyholes. The Princesses inspected it.
"What's inside it? How am I supposed to open it?" Twilight asked.
"Six locks, six keys," Princess Luna said.
"I do not know where they are," said Princess Celestia. "But I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone." She was referring to her friends. But then the Tree of Harmony started reacting.
"What's going on?!" Twilight asked.
"I don't know... but it's a doozy!" said Pinkie Pie, her entire body shaking. Then a portal came out in front of the Element of Magic. Then from inside the portal something came out, and rolled on the ground.
What came out of the portal was a black, alicorn filly, with a purple mane and tail, and her cutie mark was of a blue kite shaped shield, with a silver outline, and a lighter blue crescent moon.
"An... alicorn... filly?!" Twilight asked. The Mane 6, the princesses, Spike and Dusk surrounded the filly, and inspected her.
Princess Luna got her head in closer and said, "There is something familiar about this young filly, but I can't place my hoof on it."
"Let's get this filly to the hospital and see what's going on with her," said Twilight. She then used her magic to place the black filly on her back. Then all of them headed out.
Later at the hospital, the black alicorn filly was in a hospital bed, being watched over by the Mane 6, the Princesses, Spike and Dusk.
"Are you sure you've seen this filly before, Luna?" Twilight asked.
"I'm not sure," said Princess Luna. "But there's something about her that's awfully familiar."
Then a popping noise came in, and Discord appeared over the sleeping filly. He then said, "Such an incredible discovery. But, this filly is extraordinary. I've checked this filly's mind, and she happens to come from an alternate Equestria."
"An alternate Equestria?" Fluttershy asked. "Like when we went to an Equestria where everypony's gender was switched?"
"No, but you're on the right track, Fluttershy," said Discord. "In the Equestria this little filly has come from, things have been... a little... dark."
"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked.
"This little filly's name is Nyx," said Discord. "She was actually created due to a ritual created by a cult who was all corrupted by a dark force."
"This filly wasn't born like any other filly?" Dusk asked. "What makes her so special?"
"The cult were trying to resurrect an evil figure to try and dethrone Celestia and Luna, and rule Equestria the way they believed what was right," said Discord.
"And this filly came from that ritual?" asked Princess Celestia. "Who was this filly supposed to be?"
"See for yourself," said Discord as he used his eagle talons to open one of Nyx's eyes. The ponies, minus Dusk, and Spike gasped at what they saw. The eyes of Nyx were turquoise, but the pupil was dagger shaped, and the whites of Nyx's eyes were actually a lighter color.
"Nightmare Moon?!" everyone said except for Discord and Dusk. Discord let go of Nyx's eyelids.
"Yes," said Discord. "But, this filly had an interesting life. She's not evil at all. The cult never got to make her who she was supposed to be that night when they cast the ritual."
"So... she's not evil? At all?" Twilight asked.
"Nope," Discord said. "In fact, it was you who raised her that way, Twilight Sparkle."
"Me?!" Twilight exclaimed, but then Applejack and Fluttershy covered her mouth. But, that made the little black alicorn squirm. She was about to wake up.
"Shoot..." Applejack whispered. "She's wakin' up."
"Everypony, stand behind me," Princess Celestia stated. Then all of the ponies and Spike went behind Princess Celestia and Discord snapped his eagle talon, making him disappear.
The filly then woke up, and looked around. She looked from her right, then to her left. She then noticed that the Princesses and the Mane 6 were in the room.
"Princess Celestia?" asked the little alicorn filly, confused. "What happened? Why am I here?" She then noticed Twilight. "Tw-Twilight?"
"I... I'm afraid... that you're... not in the same Equestria where you're from," Twilight said.
"Wh-what?" Nyx asked.
Twilight exhaled and said, "Let's... start from the beginning."