A Bridge Between Brothers

by Rammy

Vs Memories

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

ENOUGH!

I blinked as I suddenly realized I standing in my basement laboratory. Nothing odd about that except it was now inexplicably outside in the square in front of the library. Was I so deep in my research that I kept going while Rainbow Dash, Pinkie or mostly likely both (with help from Spike I'm sure) managed to move my lab piece by piece as an intervention prank!? I hope not, because this isn't like when I went back in time or when I tried to find a friendship lesson for an arbitrary deadline! There was an actual quantifiable rational threat!

"Mine apologizes for not ridding thou of thine nightmare sooner..."

"Princess Luna? Nightmare?" As I looked around the signs that I had been dreaming became apparent, besides the fact that Luna was flying down from the moon in the middle of the day, metaphorically speaking. I just hope that when I fell asleep I didn't mess up any of my notes... again.

At least this gave me a perfect opportunity to talk to a former bearer about the Elements! Now what should I ask? I quickly searched through everything my subconscious had reproduced but my glee quickly turned to despair. I couldn't find the list of questions I created for Luna! Of all the things!

"Interesting..." I looked up to see that Luna was looking at my chalkboard that dealt with the Element 'speaking.' Perfect

"I've been meaning to ask you about the Elements. Back when..." I began before I paused to quickly go through the calming exercises Cadance taught me. "Back when you wielded the Elements did they ever... uh speak to you? Verbally-telepathically-or-metaphysical?"

Princess Luna seemed a bit taken back, blinking a few times before finally giving a tepid answer. "We are not sure..."

I squashed the urge to sigh in disappointment. I had hoped that she could shed some light on what I experienced with the dragon and my Element in the forest. Maybe Spike was right and it was just a trick of Discord's... or exhaustion or both. No! No, there has to be reason besides that! I just know I'm missing it somehow.

"But," Luna stomped twice and suddenly every thing around us brighten into white. "There is a way..."

I blinked as the whiteness dimmed enough for me to see again. Luna must had moved us out of my dream as I was no longer standing in the middle of my lab but inside what looked to me to be a a cave. At least I think it was a cave. The demarcation between the starry sky that was the dream realm and the cave was not clean so it was possible that I was in a cavern, canyon, quarry, or it could just be a simple rocky outcrop. Worse still everything looked look fuzzy and kept coming in and out of focus, the starry dream realm occasionally over taking rock. It reminded me of some of the very first films ever made, overexposed and constantly going in and out of focus.

I nearly jumped out of my fur when Princess Celestia walked right through me. I backed up just as two Princess Lunas joined her. Wait, two!? My head snapped back as I did a double take.

"Relax my young Twilight 'tis only mine memory though quite faded..." One of the Luna's explained. "Thou art merely seeing mine memories some fourteen hundred years ago. Even for alicorns 'tis a long time..."

Ohhh... At a closer examination it was clear which one of them had to be a memory construct. Princess Celestia and the other Luna's coat and mane seemed to be a bit dull. Furthermore both look a bit haggard with their fur was matted and scuffed in places.

"The Tree of Harmony." Memory Princess Luna gasped.

I followed the memory construct's gaze to a very interesting crystalline tree in the back of the cave. Carved into the trunk was a sun and crescent moon similar to the ones of the Princesses' flanks. But what really caught my attention was the Elements of Harmony. Even though they looked different there was no mistaken those were the Elements embedded into the branches. But what were they doing in a crystal tree?

"Are you sure?" The memory Luna nervously questioned as Princess Celestia flew up towards the Elements embedded in the tree.

I know things are becoming desperate Tia... but... this could backfire badly!

I nearly jumped out of my fur at the sudden booming sound of Luna's voice. Which was strange given that neither one's lips where moving... Oh that's right, this is Luna's memories so that must be her inner dialogue.

"It was the only means we found by which we can defeat Discord and free the citizens of Equestria..." Celestia countered as she began to remove the Elements. "And even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony possess a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here."

Luna hoof stomped twice again and the cave faded away to a familiar sight, one of which I couldn't help but let out an amused snort. For a being that claims to be the Spirit of Chaos his shtick hasn't changed a bit. This looks exactly how Ponyville was when he first escaped.

"Oh, this is so much fun. How about a game of 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'?" Discord grinned, holding what looked very suspiciously like Princess Celestia's actual tail.

I was right as Celestia gasped when she looked back to see that it really was her tail in Discord's grasp. "Play time is over for you, Discord." She glared angrily at the draconequues.

"Oh, I doubt that." Discord noted, munching on what looked to be similar to sunflower seeds, which I wouldn't be surprised if they were not seeds but something completely ridiculous. "Hungry?"

"Suit yourselves." Discord shrugged when the Princesses merely glared harder at his offer.

A look passed between the sisters and out of Celestia's saddlebag came the elements: magic, kindness, and generosity in Celestia's aura with loyalty, honesty, and laughter in Luna's.

Let's hope that H.K. was right...

"Oh! What have you got there?" Discord exclaimed, tossing away his bag of 'seeds,' leaning forward as the Elements hovered around the Princesses.

"The Elements of Harmony." Princess Celestia explained as the Elements began to spin around the two princesses.

"With them, we shall defeat you." Princess Luna added as the Elements speed up to a intense white, a shell of mana forming around them.

Discord rolled around in his throne, laughing. "You should see yourselves right now. The expressions on your faces. So intense. So sure of yourselves. Hilarious!"

"We are afraid that is all..." Luna spoke after memory Discord was stoned.

My mind was buzzing from what was revealed. While none of it explained what happened to me specifically it did give me another line of inquiry. There had to be some relation between the Elements of Harmony, the tree, and why the Elements were not functioning as expected... like talking to me! The problem was I had no idea where this 'Tree of Harmony' was... "Luna do you remember where the Tree of Harmony is?"

"If nothing has transpired in the intervening years, a cave near our old castle."

My eyes widen in shock. The Tree of Harmony, the source of the Elements, was in the middle of one the most disharmonious, dangerous places know to pony-kind!? I mean it makes sense for the Elements to be in a hard to reach place but to be there!? Well at least that explains why Princess Celestia had no issue giving the Apple family a land charter so close to the Everfree without having a guard detachment or even building a fence!

"Is that why-" I stopped mid question as a strange ripple past through us. "What was that?"

"Luna wait!" I called out as Luna suddenly galloped out into the sea of stars.

---

How can I run out of breath while dreaming!? I thought as I finally caught up to her some time later.

"Luna what-" My question died as large a group of lights blinked out in front of me and given the alarm on Luna's face it was clear that whatever just happened was not normal. Was this related to the strange ripple?

"Normally a pony doesn't go from dreaming to wakefulness in a flash. And even with those demon boxes being so popular... to have that many at once..." Luna muttered as she paced.

"Princess Luna?" I questioned, trying to not let my voice betray my building worry.

"We shall send a messenger to waken thee if thou art needth. For now thou art to" sleep.

"No, wait! Princess Luna I can hel-"