Chaos Theory

by Rose Quill

Chapter Four - Tree of Harmony

“Last time we were here,” Sunshine said with a frown. “You said only those that had carried the Elements were called by this table.”

“Yes, that’s right,” the princess replied. “And while Sunset did carry my crown for a short while, I didn’t think it was long enough to imbue her, and the table hadn’t been created until after her reformation.”

“I’m right here, you know,” I teased, tossing my mane back.

They both looked over at me sheepishly, their ears folding back along their heads. “Sorry, honey,” Sunshine said. “It’s just a habit.”

I softened my look with a wink at her.

“What if the recent events at the camp and the games opened up the elemental equivalents for that world?” I said, moving the conversation along.

“But there shouldn’t be Element equivalences across the mirror,” Twilight said. “They come from the Tree of Harmony and were only taken in a last ditch effort by the Two Sisters.”

“Everything else has a rough equivalent in my world,” Sunshine said. “What if the sudden infusion of magic caused them to manifest. Magic does still have some properties that follow Newtonian laws.”

“Newtonian….”

“Newton theorized that every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” I explained. “When we use magic, it draws from our mana, and if we try to push against something we’re not strong enough to move, it doesn’t move or it reflects our efforts.”

“Latent magic?” Twilight mused. “It’s possible…”

“But it’s just a theory,” Sunshine said.

“And I have no clue what I’m supposed to do,” I said. “The flashing cutie mark is gone, but it’s still circling the castle.”

“Is there a friendship problem here involving you?” Twilight said.

“Not that I can think of,” I said.

“Tell her,” Sunshine said.

Twilight looked confused as I sighed and took a deep breath. “We came through this time because of something happening on our side of the portal.”

Her face turned horrified as I related the dream attack, the request from the Sirens, all the nightmares and sensations we had been getting since the last time she had come over.

“And through all of it, we can’t even communicate with you.”

“I haven’t gotten a message from you since my last visit,” Twilight said, levitating the message book over and opening it to the last page, showing the message I had sent regarding returning with my sisters.

“Then why…” I began, bewildered.

“Some sort of interdimensional interference?” Sunshine proposed. “Like the celestial conjunction you had here a few weeks ago?”

Twilight shook her head. “It’d have to be on your side,” she said, levitating out some loosely bundled pages with handwritten notes on it. “But according to these notes we took that night nothing like that is even close to occurring.”

I frowned and rubbed my head with my hoof. “We’ll figure it out when we go back,” I said. “Right now, let's figure out why I’m suddenly getting summoned by the table and get the research Adagio asked for and see what we can find about Acerak.”

Twilight and Sunshine were already pulling books from the shelves.

The stacks of notes kept getting taller, each of us jotting down anything we found about Sirens, Harpies, the portal, and the Tree of Harmony. The last stack was pitifully small. We had been at it for hours, and Starlight had joined in shortly after Celestia raised the Sun.

“We’ve confirmed that once upon a time the Sirens were plentiful, and they weren’t always evil,” Sunshine said, returning another book to its spot on the shelf and pulled the next down. “We also found what their Song and gems used to do; store power from emotions to be redirected later.”

“They probably turned it against negative emotions because they’re easy to stir up, but they don’t last long,” Starlight said. “That might be why they got twisted and addicted like you said.”

“Not much on Harpies,” Twilight said. “They apparently have been extinct for almost a thousand years, before Starswirl banished the Sirens. I did find that they feed on the same type of energy, Harpies preferring the agony and chaos of madness. The more they can twist their victims, the more they can feed.”

I felt sick to my stomach. “How did they go extinct?”

“It doesn’t say,” she replied, closing her book. “But given the way they and Sirens feed, I can easily see them being natural enemies, competing for food. The Siren’s Song probably overrode the insanity Harpies can cause.”

I sighed. “I didn't find out much about the portal,” I said. “Not even a why it was built in the first place.” I pushed the book closed and rested my head on the table, closing my eyes in fatigue.”

“What about the Elements?” Sunshine asked.

“Everything about them is sketchy at best,” Starlight said, nudging her notes. “There’s so much myth and hearsay about them that Twilight is probably the foremost expert on them. I don’t know why Sunset would suddenly be attuned to the table.”

“I guess there’s only one thing to do then,” I said. “Go to the tree itself.”

“Ah, Sunset,” Twilight said. “The tree is deep inside the EverFree Forest. It’s not exactly a picnic spot, you know.”

“And you all venture in there all the time,” I replied. “I heard the stories Dash would tell, and even editing them for her exaggeration I’m sure it’s not as bad as you make it out to be.”

Twilight rubbed the bridge of her nose before scratching at her muzzle. “I still don’t know,” she said. “You don’t know the way, and I have to be in Canterlot today for a summit.”

“You don’t have to guide me, you know,” I said. “I could ask Fluttershy.”

“She’s out preparing the next Breezie migration,” Twilight said. “And before you go down the list, Dash is out on tour with the Wonderbolts, AJ is in Appleloosa on a friendship mission, and Rarity is in Manehattan seeing about expanding her boutique.”

“What about Pinkie?” Sunshine said.

“I’m getting ready to head out for the big bake-off in Las Pegasus with the Cakes,” the pony said, appearing out of nowhere.

I blinked. “Pinkie,” I said. “Where did you come from?”

“My parent’s rock farm,” she said simply. “Where else, silly!”

None of us even groaned. Pinkie was Pinkie, and that brought specific risks along.

“We’d never find it going in there ourselves,” I said. “What about a map?”

“If you truly wish to see the Tree,” a deep voice said from the doorway. “Then the guide you wish for would be me.”

We turned, and I saw a zebra mare standing in the doorway, a small pack on her withers.

“Zecora!” Twilight said. “You don’t usually come by the castle, what brings you here?”

“The herbs that you asked for blossomed today,” she replied. “Dropping them off is not out of my way.”

I looked at her, dipping my head in respect. “You would guide me to the tree?”

“The path I know well, but it is a tangled way,” she said. “We should reach it by midday.”

Sunshine stood. “Then what are we waiting for?” she asked. Starlight stood as well.

“Starlight?”

“Might as well go with you,” she said. “If nothing else, it’ll be another horn in event of danger.”

I shrugged. “Sure,” I turned to Zecora. “Lead the way.”

“This is the Tree of Harmony?” Sunshine asked as we gazed upon the crystalline tree.

I shook my head. “It’s loud,” I said.

Starlight looked at me. “I don’t hear anything,” she said.

“Nor do I,” Sunshine said.

“The ears of Sunset Shimmer may hear what we do not,” Zecora said. “But what it is, I know not what.”

“You can’t hear that?” I asked. “It’s like a ringing sound.” I took a step forward. “It sounds like it’s coming from the Tree itself.”

A flash of light blinded me for a second, and I felt myself being lifted into the air.

“Sunset!” Sunshine rushed forward, her horn charging.

“No!” Starlight said, blocking her path. “Look at the tree!”

Even through the glow that surrounded me, I could see a branch glowing and a faint mark appearing in the bark, a two-toned sun.

The light intensified and I heard the sound of chimes even louder. I tossed my head back, trying to pull free from whatever had me in its grip, but I barely budged. For a second, the itching in my back returned and increased slightly and my horn started to feel like it was being grabbed. I felt a cry of pain slip from my mouth.

“Sunny!” Sunshine pushed past Starlight, rushing to me and was swept up in a lambent glow of her own. I couldn’t see what was happening, but I heard her own cries of discomfort.

I dropped to the ground, gasping. It was a moment or two before I realized I had a solid weight around my neck. I heard Sunshine hit the ground too, and I looked over to see that she had a gold collar around her neck, the outline of a six-pointed star stamped into it.

“Sunset, Sunshine!” Starlight called. “Are you ok?”

“I, I think so,” I said, looking down at my chest. A golden collar surrounded my neck as well, but where Sunshine had a symbol stamped into hers, mine held a gleaming stone of cat’s eye agate, shaped like my cutie mark..

Starlight gasped. “The Elements,” she breathed. I followed her gaze and saw five more collars drift down to the ground, each with easily recognizable symbols in them.

Generosity. Laughter. Honesty. Loyalty. Kindness.

“This is unprecedented,” Starlight said. “Twilight returned the Elements to the tree before the events with Tirek.” She picked one collar up with her magic, examining each of them in turn. “They have bezels but no gems.”

“Why wasn’t this one pulled before?” I asked. “Why did Celestia only pull out six elements?”

“I don’t know,” Starlight said.

More chiming sounds rang in my ears, and I felt a twitch in my flanks again. Looking back, I saw my cutie mark flashing again.

“Looks like you did whatever you were required to do,” Starlight said.

I got ready to respond when there was a surge of magic in the cavern, raising the fur on my back. I saw the other three mares shiver a bit.

“Let’s get back,” I said. “I have a feeling that something else just happened.”

There was a thick tome on the map table when we got back, solid runes embossed into the spine.

“What does it say?” Sunshine asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, glancing at Starlight, who was shaking her head.

“I don’t recognize it,” she said. “It may take a while to decipher it.”

“If you have to, send someone through the portal,” I said. “I’m not trusting the books right now.”

Sunshine glanced at the window. “Sun’s going down,” she said. “We might want to get back.”

“In the morning,” I said. “We might actually get a good night’s sleep here.”

“Heading to Canterlot, then?” she asked.

“For the night, yes,” I said. “I also wouldn’t mind checking up on Dew while we’re there.” I lit up my horn and used my magic to scratch at the irritation on my back, the itching unbearable for a moment.

“You ok?” Starlight asked.

“Just an itch,” I said. “Nothing serious.”

Comments

[MySisterBroughtMeHere]

An interesting turn of events. I'm curious about that reoccurring itch Sunset gets on her back.

[Fangren]

'Just an itch' my butt.

Also, interesting means of formally giving Sunset her Element. And I wonder what secrets that book will hold...

[Fetch]

8002097 She is getting her wings. Harmony has willed it.

[Rose Quill]

8002157
8002097

Oh, I'm going to have to warn you that your heart may get broken when i finish chapter six later tonight.

[jaroslav]

“What if the sudden infusion of magic caused them to manifest. Magic does still have some properties that follow Newtonian laws.”

They aren't so close to our reality to have the same history and people. You will not find mane six in our world and you will not find Newton in their.

[Rose Quill]

8026573

I couldn't come up with a good pony-fied name for him

[Luminous Shine]

How about Neighton?

[Midknight Defender]

Been wondering when this was going to happen. The wing-dreams forecast it pretty clearly. Considering what the Elements did to Twilight (magic without end, HAH!) I can easily believe the Tree itself, the source of said Elements, all by itself, with no extra spell involved, could do the same thing to Shimmy, if it wanted.

[Vic Fontaine]

Ohhh this is getting interesting! Onwards!

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

“I, I think so,” I said, looking down at my chest. A golden collar surrounded my neck as well, but where Sunshine had a symbol stamped into hers, mine held a gleaming stone of cat’s eye agate, shaped like my cutie mark..

Didn't see that coming

[Captain Rackham]

“Just an itch,” I said. “Nothing serious.”

Just drink some red bull Sunny....