After hearing about what Sunset and Wallflower found in the heart of the Everfree Forest, Twilight and her friends made several trips to study the large tree and give company to Wallflower’s counterpart, which Pinkie Pie named Treeflower.
However, when the discovery was made public, it wasn’t only them who made visits. Ponies from Ponyville and other nearby towns started to enter the forest so they could see Treeflower, leaving her gifts and keeping her company. Soon, large groups of creatures from all over Equestria started to pilgrimage to the forest so they could pay respects to the mare in the tree.
Zecora started a small business being a guide for the visitors, and soon noticed that the Timberwolves disappeared from the forest, and the Poison Joke had stopped growing as the sick trees and soil healed, even when Pinkie Pie went to check on the Mirror Pool, she only found a dry hole on the ground.
TreeHugger used one of the clearings in the forest to start an herbalist shop, and Fluttershy, with the support and founding of Celestia, started a campaign to tame or otherwise relocate the dangerous creatures that remained in the forest.
In just a few months, the Everfree changed from a creepy, cursed forest, to a beautiful landmark that Princess Luna declared it to be a national treasure.
But everything changed when King Sombra returned. It had destroyed the Tree of Harmony and trapped the main six in a cell of dark crystal, gloating about his future victory.
“With you out of the way, I will rule all of Equestria!” the king claimed as he looked at the six mares from outside the crystal cell he had made.
“No!” Twilight shouted, desperate to find a way to escape their prison.
“Oh, yes. And I think I know exactly where I'll sta–” Sombra was suddenly yanked away, letting out an annoyed grunt.
Twilight and her friends moved to try and see who had come to their rescue, but they could only hear wood creaking and muffled protests until everything went silent.
“Hello?” Twilight asked, trying to see what had happened with Sombra.
A figure slowly raised her head enough to be seen, and the alicorn’s jaw dropped.
In front of them was a mare made of wood, her body covered in light green moss like if were her coat, and her green mane had small leaves growing all over it.
The mare smiled at them, her eyes always closed, and lifted one of her forelegs. From near the tip of her hoof, three thin branches started to grow rapidly, forming letters that gave the message:
“Hello New Friends!”