Chapter Six: The Great Boggly Tree
"Oh, Spike, I'm so glad you're alright! We've been so worried about you two! Why didn't you ever send us a letter?"
"Oh, that..... sorry, I forgot..."
Sweetie Belle and Spike were now resting comfortably in the residence of Cheerilee, along with Fluttershy, who decided to tag along with them back to Rogueport (after picking up a rather grouchy rabbit from Petalburg). Twilight and Cheerilee had been rather relieved to know an adult pony had accompanied them on their journey, especially after learning they had faced a dragon.
"So are you going to stay here and recover for a couple days?" Twilight asked hopefully. Spike considered for a moment.
"Hm.... nope! We're heading out again in a second, I just have to check the map really quickly...." Wondering what map he was talking about, Twilight peered over to look at what Spike was doing. He pulled the map from Sweetie Belle's bag. After a moment Twilight realized it was the letter written by Rarity.
"That's...." Spike looked at it closely, showing it to Sweetie Belle.
"Look! We have Fluttershy's Element but it's not colored in like Rarity's!" he exclaimed. Sweetie Belle scratched her head.
"Maybe we have to go back to the Thousand Year Door?" she wondered. Spike nodded.
"Alright... let's do that. It might make some sort of a difference." Sweetie Belle didn't exactly agree, but decided to go along with it. They headed to the door.
"Wait. Spike, I'm coming with you this time." Spike turned to face Twilight.
"No, Twilight, I told you before! You have to stay here in case Celestia comes by with your Element!" Twilight wanted to protest again, but Spike seemed adamant. She remained quiet. "Good. Ready to go?" Sweetie Belle nodded. Fluttershy stepped forward.
"Um, I'd like to come along with you... if that's alright. But... I want Angel to stay here. Would that be ok with everyone?" Spike looked over Fluttershy.
"Hmm.... I guess that's alright..." Fluttershy smiled. Twilight walked up to her as Angel hopped off of Fluttershy's back, finding a couch to relax on beside Cheerilee.
"Keep an eye on them, ok?" she asked her friend. Fluttershy nodded.
"Of course I will, Twilight. Don't worry!" Twilight smiled as she turned back.
"Alright ponies, let's get a move on!"
Like Spike had thought, bringing the map to the Thousand Year Door caused the map to become updated, including the background of Applejack's Element appearing to be moved.
"Dang, I don't know where that is...." Spike muttered. Fluttershy had been astounded by the size of the room the door was in, aside from having a minor freak-out when the map began floating and lit up by itself.
"Um, do you think we could get out of here now possibly?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"Yeah, I guess so...." Spike said, still examining the map, trying to figure out where to go next. "Let's head back to upper Rogueport."
As the trio headed back, they came across the hole in which Spike had spotted a phoenix earlier. To his surprise, it had returned. It slowly approached him.
"Oh, hey, little guy! You're back!" The bird hopped around impatiently as if it wanted something. Fluttershy studied it, fascinated.
"Do you need help, dear?" she asked the creature. He flapped his wings and cawed. Fluttershy faced the others. "I think he said he needs our help!" she said, sounding worried. The bird jumped again and ran back through the hole. Spike examined the bars to the right of the hole.
"I don't know if we can get through these.... I can try melting them or something, but...." They stood unsure of what to do. Fluttershy was becoming increasingly worried.
"Umm... well... we have to try! We have to do something!" A cry from the phoenix could be heard on the other side of the wall. "I'm coming, sweetie!" Fluttershy turned around and bucked a weak spot in the wall, causing the weak bricks to come tumbling down. Spike and Sweetie Belle stood in awe. Fluttershy rushed through and reunited with the bird. "Don't worry, I'm here for you!"
"Well, that was unexpected." Sweetie Belle murmured as they walked over the debris. They attempted to keep up as Fluttershy followed the frantic phoenix. After crawling through many holes and tunnels, they strangely emerged in a monochrome forest. Fluttershy and the phoenix had stopped just outside the exit.
"What... is this?" Spike asked.
"I think it's the Boggly Woods." Sweetie replied. "I read about it in a book Cheerilee had. Somewhere here is the Great Boggly Tree, too." Before Spike could ask what that was, the phoenix started moving again.
"Come on, guys! He needs us!" Fluttershy yelled back. Rolling their eyes, they chased after them again.
After journeying for a while through the strange forest, they came across the tree Sweetie Belle had spoken of earlier.
"Wow, I see why they call it 'Great'." Spike noted. The tree stood hundreds of feet tall, still in the monochrome pattern which made up the landscape. The phoenix approached the base of the tree and, after manipulating some unseen thing, revealed an entrance to the tree. Without hesitation, Fluttershy followed the bird inside.
The inside of the tree was more grand than the outside, just because of how complex it was. Many other phoenixes resided within the tree as well. Spike and Sweetie Belle stuck by each other.
"What kind of help do you think that phoenix needs?" Spike asked. Sweetie Belle shrugged. Before long, they came to a large room where the phoenix parted to reunited with an even younger phoenix. A very large and elderly phoenix sat perched in the center of the room. Another figure, one of familiarity, stood beside it.
"Familiar faces, how great to see! What are you doing in the Great Boggly Tree?"
"Zecora!" Spike exclaimed. "I'm pretty sure I should be asking you the same thing!" The zebra smiled.
"In these surrounding woods, I had resided, until in my aid these creatures confided. They needed my aid to settle a dispute as their kind isn't the only to settle over these roots. On yonder side lives in great herds creatures called the Thunderbirds. Over a matter of shared lands, a fight has broken between the clans. These two groups I wish to unite, as well as end this silly fight!"
Spike looked at the supposed leader. She eyed him beadily as he listened to Zecora's rant.
"Of course, we will aid you in helping reunite the two clans! That must be why that little guy brought us here, after all!" Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
"But this won't help us find any of the Elements! You said it yourself, we can't waste any time!" Spike turned to her.
"Sweetie Belle, we have to do this. He came to our aid! There must be a reason for it!" Zecora smiled and bowed to the three.
"I thank you kindly, my dear friends. I truly hope this dispute shall end."
After a lot of planning, Spike came to the conclusion that their best plan would be going with the phoenix elder to speak with the Thunderbirds face to face. With Zecora and the elder now traveling along with them, they ventured to the other side of the tree. They finally came to Thunderbird territory.
"Um, hello! I'm Spike, and-" Spike was immediately cut off as one of the apparent Thunderbird guards swooped down at his face.
"Hey! Shoo! Get off of him!" Sweetie Belle jumped at the attacking birds.
"Oh my, ah, Sweetie Belle, wait! Stop!" Fluttershy pulled back the young filly. Eventually, the birds stopped attacking Spike and returned to their posts, watching the group. Zecora stepped up.
"I can understand their speak, but only the birds can talk beak to beak." Spike laughed timidly as he stepped back beside Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy, rubbing his wounds. Zecora bowed to the guards as the phoenix elder began communicating with the two. After a bit of conversation, the guards changed position, apparently letting them pass through.
"Can we go?" Spike asked. Zecora nodded.
The Thunderbird's elder was much larger than that of the phoenixes. He sat perched on a much grander throne than that of the phoenixes, static jolting from his feathers. Spike gulped at his enormous size.
"Wow, he's so...."
"Magnificent." Fluttershy finished, astonished by his beauty. The five lined up before him and bowed. The phoenix elder began communicating to him as she had the guards earlier. This time, though, things seemed to not be going quite as smoothly.
"Hey, what's going on?" Spike asked Zecora.
"According to his angered song, the phoenixes have done him wrong. He claims they've stolen from his lands though she states that was never in her plans. The phoenix claims quite the reverse and through her lands did he traverse. Both elders claim the other lies while I hear honesty in their cries. After listening for a time, I believe neither is guilty of the crime."
Spike rubbing his chin in thought.
"Who would try to get two clans of birds to fight, though? That seems pointless!" Before Zecora could reply, the phoenix elder rose up into the air, flames enveloping her wings and licking the air around her. The Thunderbird elder rose as well, sparks shooting from the tips of his wings. The two guards began crowing angrily. Spike looked over at Zecora.
"Run!" she shouted. The four turned around and quickly fled the other direction, leaving the fighting birds behind.
"What about the elder??" Fluttershy asked in an anguished voice.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, she's a phoenix!" Sweetie Belle retorted as they ran. They only reached the central hub of the tree, though, when they were stopped.
"Well, well, well. Seems like Silver Spoon came through for me, didn't she?"
A large machine stood in front of them. It appeared to be a bipedal robot of tremendous size with a small cockpit towards the top. Not small enough, however, to stop a certain filly from residing inside.
"Diamond Tiara!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed angrily. The filly laughed.
"Of course, blank-flank! Did you not figure out earlier that I was the one behind this stupid bird fight?" Sweetie Belle pawed the ground angrily. "Hah! Do you really think you're that tough? You only escaped earlier because you had that silly little unicorn bookworm to help you before! Besides that, look at me now! There's no way you can overcome this!" She laughed hysterically as the expression morphed on Sweetie Belle's face. She was starting to believe her. "Oh, good, I can tell you and I have come to a bit of an understanding. Now, then, you know what I want, don't you?"
"Diamond Tiara, I'll never give you any of the Elements of Harmony!" The smile left Diamond's face.
"Is that so? Fine. I see how it's going to be now. Just because you won't give up any of the Elements for you sister doesn't mean you won't for yourself, though. Let's just see how far we have to push the bar, hmmm?"
A clanking sound filled the air as the machine began to move around. It's arms spread apart, revealing cannons for hands. After entering a command into the machine, two rockets released from the hands and fired at the group. They scattered as the rockets hit the ground.
"Oh, Sweetie Belle, I'd like to introduce you to this little machine of mine. Daddy had it manufactured especially for me!" She smiled as she motioned to the machine. "Have fun with it now, alright little blank-flank?" She grinned devilishly as she eyed the filly. Sweetie Belle glared.
"Spike, we have to do something!" she yelled at him. He wracked his brain for an idea. He examined the machine.
"Uhh.... let's, um.... destroy the rockets!" Sweetie Belle shot a look at Spike, who shrugged his shoulders. "Fluttershy, try ramming into one of the arms!" Fluttershy looked at the machine and shuddered with fear.
"O-ok!" She flew into the air and flew over to one of the machine's arms, barely tapping it. Spike covered his face.
"Hah! That's the best you can do? Pathetic!" Diamond Tiara sneered as she input more commands. The robot clumsily moved towards the group. After a few more commands, it reared a leg back.
"Sweetie Belle, look out!" Spike shouted, a bit too late. The leg moved forward at a quick speed and directly hit Sweetie Belle, kicking her against a wall. She struggled in pain.
"Hold on, young mare, I shall be right there!" Zecora called out to her. Spike looked around, trying to figure out what to do with just him and Fluttershy. Then an idea struck.
"Fluttershy! Come down here and pick me up!" She flew down to the little dragon who hopped onto her back.
"W-what should I do?" she asked fearfully. He simply gave a tug of her mane which sent her flying up in panic.
"Straight forward! Go!" Fluttershy did as told and aimed straight for the cockpit of the machine. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes.
"You really think ramming into this thing will do any good at the speed you're going, pegasus? Please!" Fluttershy slowed down, feeling disheartened.
"Come on, Fluttershy! You can do it!" She whimpered fearfully. "Do it for the birds!" In an instant her personality changed.
"You... meany.... you hurt those poor little birds!" She picked up speed quickly and reached the cockpit, turning around and kicking the window. Diamond Tiara shielded her eyes as the glass fell. Spike jumped into the cockpit.
"Wait, no! That isn't possible!" Spike ignored her and turned to the control panel, taking in a breath and letting loose his green fire. After a few malfunctioning noises, the machine broke down, the legs collapsing underneath and causing the machine to topple over. Fluttershy moved the debris to rescue Spike. Diamond Tiara surfaced afterwards, looking worn.
"Gah, how dare you! Do you know how expensive that machine was?" She shook her head furiously. "When my father hears of this, you don't know how angry he'll be! This won't be the last of us, blank-flank! She called back to an injured Sweetie Belle. After she noticed the bird elders were in the room, she turned and quickly fled for the exit of the tree.
"Are you ok, Sweetie Belle?" Spike asked worriedly, quickly running to his friend. She nodded.
"Yeah, I'm alright, just a little sore after hitting this wall." She got up slowly, Zecora helping her. The zebra smiled.
"The birds, it seems, had come to see and now they both seem to agree. They realize now they were both wrong and there is peace throughout their song. With harmony around, I can see it is time now to leave this tree." She bowed once again to the elders, who returned the gesture. The other three cheered.
"That's great! Now we can begin looking for the Elements again!" Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. "Are you going to stay in the woods, Zecora?"
"I believe that it is so, these birds may need me, so I shan't go. I wish you all luck on your quest, and please, tell Twilight I hope her the best." Spike nodded an began leading the other two out of the tree. They needed to begin their quest for the next Element.