Passing the torch of an uprooted legacy
To Sandbar, and his friends, it had only been two days since King Sombra had made his attack on both Ponyville and Canterlot - following his destruction of The Tree of Harmony, and seeming murder of the Bahamut, Laurana. Those who had been enslaved by his will had long been tended to, and were all escorted home. The Student Six, however, having practically run away from home had only their headstallion's castle to call back to for residence. Sandbar could have gone back home, since he lives locally, but he wanted to be near his friends until they could be sent home. He at least wanted to be there for each of them when they got the heat for up, and leaving their homes without a word. Hopefully, a matter which could be resolved easier tomorrow, once they all had their rest.
But rest would come as easily as any of them would expect. It wasn't simply that any of them couldn't sleep: it was what awaited them in their dreams that would bring another great change to their lives. When Sandbar had gone to sleep, his eyes opened to reveal ponyville. At first, he noticed nothing off about his home town. Everything seemed normal, and so he thought that nothing was wrong. But then he began noticing oddities here, and there. For him, it was a massive bakery stand with dozens of pastry treats behind a glass wall. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the sight, before he suddenly blinked and shook his head in realization. "Wait a sec! This is one of my oldest dreams! The dream where I went into a bakery, but couldn't figure out which treat to pick because I thought they all looked so good." He chuckled. "They still look good, even in a dream." He then titled an ear in curiosity. "But.....why am I having this dream? I grew out of it when I turned eleven. Could something be-?" Before he could finish his sentence, a shadow passed over him. To his surprise, it was Silverstream performing aerial maneuvers with Professor Rainbow Dash in wonderbolts uniform - full uniform. As he ran over to her, he heard the pegasus congratulate her on her performance, for which the hippogriff was excited.
Then excitement turned to confusion when he heard Dash say they were kicking off a wonderbolts performance right this second, with Silverstream at the front. This left both teenagers confused, and the unready hippogriff shouting after the cyan pegasus who immediately took off without any other warning. Before he could go over to her, and ask what was happening, things only got weirder when Ocellus appeared in graduation, freaking out about somehow missing a class the whole semester with today being the finals, worried she'd fail if she didn't pass the final. Her ranting was cut off by the screaming of Yona, who was falling out of the air right next to the pastry stand. Sandbar gasped in horror, "Oh, no! Yona!" He ran to where she was about to fall, willing to catch her if it meant keeping her from meeting an untimely end. Luckily, to his immense relief, his flying friends caught her right on time, and began reassuring her. Taking a breath and sigh of relief, he finally trotted up to the group, who were surprised to see him. "Friend Sandbar here too?" Yona asked, having quickly gotten over her recent incident. "What you doing in Yona's dream? In fact, what other friends all doing in Yona's dream?"
"Hold on: this is YOUR dream?" Silverstream questioned curiously. "I thought this was my dream."
"Well, it can't be all of our dreams." Ocellus said. "That would be impossible, wouldn't it?"
"I don't think so, Ocellus." Sandbar said. "Not after what happened with Princess Luna, and that nightmare thing a year ago. Let's just find Gallus and Smolder first, then figure the rest after."
"Hey.....isn't that her over there?" Silverstream asked, pointing over to the edge of a cliff, where they saw a series of tea-cups the size of large ponds pouring into each other. When they got closer, all of them saw Smolder having herself a nice, hot cup while dressed up in a frilly princess dress, with matching tiara and make-up to go with it. She stammered in embarrassment when she finally noticed them, saying "This isn't mine!", and instantly stripped out of the dress to assume her regular appearance. She giggled afterwards, with a faint blush on her cheeks. But then the screaming cries of Gallus arose in the air, and drew the five friends to a large, closing door. Inside Gallus lay on a winding stair, frantically begging someone to 'make it stop'. His panting, and sweating growing heavier by the moment. His eyes shut tightly as the door got ready to close on him. But he never heard the familiar clicking of a door-shutting. And instead, he was met with the welcome, and familiar face of his friends, with Sandbar giving him a hoof out of the odd room, and with the company. The pony blushed slightly when the griffon gave him a hug in thanks. It was brief, and gave the griffon long enough to notice. "What's wrong with your face, Sandbar?"
"N-nothing!" He stammered. "Just thought of something, that's all." He shook his head, took a breath, and let his blush go away, before saying, "Let's just focus on why we're all having the same dream."
"More like a nightmare." Gallus shook fearfully, before Sandbar put on a comforting hoof to his shoulder.
"Relax, man." He smiled. "We're here for you now, so don't worry."
A few moments after Gallus returned the smile, a bright flash of silver light appeared, and drew the Young Six towards it. Once they were close enough, the light began dimming down to reveal a figure inside. When it faded completely, te six of them were quite shocked when they saw it was a familiar figure they had believed to no longer exist.
"Laurana?!" Ocellus exclaimed. "Is that really you?!"
"I am........and yet I am not." The ethereal form of the winged Elder God in pony-esque form, whose form shimmered with light. But on further inspection, they noticed how her form seemed to fizzle, and blimp. Like a holographic image experiencing static. "I am the residual essence, held and safely contained within your crystal elements, until now."
"So..........you're NOT actually, Laurana, then?" Silverstream asked.
"You heard what she said, Silver." Smolder interjected. "I guess that means she's all that's left of OUR Laurana - which I guess also explains how we're all in the same dream." She then gave the glitchy figure a questioning look. "So why HAVE we all been brought here, if you don't mind me asking?"
"There is not time to explain." Laurana's projection said in an almost desperate tone. "Know now that the true Laurana, and The Tree of Harmony are in need of your aid. Go to the cavern beneath the Everfree Castle. The fate of The Balance rests upon all of you!" She then stomped her hoof on the ground, and sent six streams of color to the Student Six. The next thing they knew, they were jolting awake in their beds as though being pulled out of a dream. But in their hearts, they knew that it wasn't a dream. They needed to solve this growing mystery, and help Laurana and the tree, if they can.
And since it was early in the morning, they knew it was the right time to ask the only pony they knew who could help them.
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Dusk Shine came down to the kitchen to the sound of breakfast being made. As normal, he had seen it was Spike who was readying breakfast. The sound of sizzling eggs, and the smell of bacon, and sausage could be picked up among the others. Eight plates set up on the large dining room table, for the two and their guests. It was still odd for Dusk to see his younger dragon brother bigger than him again after that one incident a few years ago. But knowing that this wasn't part of a greed-based transformation gave him a little comfort. Either way, it was somewhat difficult to think that the dragon he had been raising all their lives was growing up so fast. Surreal, one might even say. While he was lost in his thoughts, however, Spike heard the sound of Dusk's hoofsteps coming into the kitchen. "Morning, Bro." Spike greeted with a smile.
"Good morning, Spike." Dusk greeted back with his own smile. "I'm honestly surprised you're up this early. You'd usually still be asleep by now."
"Yeah." Spike admitted. "But consider the company we're holding, I figured it'd be nice if the students woke up to a nice, welcoming, and appetizing breakfast. And we both know that i'm the cook, between the both of us." Dusk chuckled at the statement. "Can't argue with that: especially when you keep being able to cook up whatever somecreature needs. Is that why I smell bacon, AND sausage, aside from eggs?"
"Well, considering two out of six of our friends are half bird of prey, I figured they needed some meat to satisfy them." Spike said, before flipping said foods over. "The rest are easy since only one besides me eats gemstones. And thankfully, we have a surplus."
"That's good." Dusk said, before asking, "And.......are you sure you don't need any help with cooking?"
"Who me? Nah. One good thing about my new size: I don't have to waste time on using ladders, or wasting energy flying to where I need to go for supplies." He looked back once again. "Though if you want, you can get the students up so that they can come down, soon............though breakfast won't be ready for a while, so you can wait a bit before then."
"PRINCE DUSK!" came a collective shout that startled both Dusk, and Spike, who almost launched his spatula into the air before he clumsily caught it. When he turned around, he saw their guests panting lightly, having rushed on over to their location with great haste. Spike, of course, had a perplexed look before he shrugged, saying, "Or they could just wake up on their own, and come down, themselves. Either works for me." And he went back to work on their meal, leaving Dusk to talk with his students. "Today's a day for early risers, apparently." He joked. "Now why are YOU six up this early? It's not like you have school to go to, and breakfast isn't ready yet. Any particular reason I should know about?"
"Well......there is, but you probably won't believe it." Ocellus said nervously, making Dusk tilt his head in confusion. "And why won't I believe the reason?"
"Because it was the Tree of Harmony - or rather, Laurana, the tree's spirit - that woke us up." Sandbar said, watching the shocked expression on his headstallion's face, and hearing the clattering of cooking utensils as Spike dropped his utensils out of sheer shock, before turned off the stove, and faced them with an expression to match his brothers. "I know it sounds impossible," Sandbar said uneasily, "but she spoke to us in our dreams, before waking us all up."
"Sandbar, that CAN'T be possible!" Dusk exclaimed. "Laurana's gone, and the Tree of Harmony was destroyed by King Sombra. I saw her disappear with my own eyes." He gave each of them sympathetic expressions. "I'm sorry, but I just can't think of how what you told me is possible. Are you sure you weren't just dreaming it?"
"Friends were dreaming." Yona admitted. "But friends know tree spirit real because we all see her in same dream! She tell all of us Tree of Harmony, and what she call "The Balance" on our shoulders! Please, headstallion Dusk, must believe us!"
"She's telling the truth!" Silverstream said. "The Laurana in our dreams said that our Neo-Elements held a portion of her essence, and allowed a projection of her to appear! It could be a sign that the Tree of Harmony, and Laurana, are alive, but need our help to survive!" She then gave a pleading expression. "Compared to alot of other things that happen in Equestria, is this really that unbelievable? And are you really willing to risk losing Equestria's only defense against whatever bad things are out there that only it can fend off?" Dusk lowered his head, now taking his students words into consideration. It did seem hard to believe......but maybe it was because the shock of seeing, and feeling the Tree of Harmonies death hit him hard. And thus, this revelation left him confused, and uncertain. "I'm really not sure what to think, kids. I'm sorry to say that, it's just........alot to take in after-"
"Dusk." Spike said in a comforting, and reassuring voice as he put a hand to the alicorn's shoulder. "It's alright. We all know what you, and the others had to go through. But......maybe they're right, and this could be our chance to save the Tree of Harmony." He then shuddered a bit. "I definitely don't want anything worse than that storm to come after us."
"Um........Headstallion Dusk?" Ocellus asked. "Can we at least see the tree?"
Surprised by the simplicity of such a question, Dusk took a moment to recollect himself, and agreed. "Okay.....but only after breakfast. And i'm coming with you." Spike waved a paw in the air. "So am I."
The students all nodded in agreement, grateful for the chance.
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Once they were all done, they all made their way down to the canyon of the Everfree Castle. Everyone except Dusk, Gallus and Sandbar were growing nervous at the sight of the old cave widened in such a chaotic fashion. And when they entered the mouth of the cave, the four who had not seen five who had NOT seen the state of the Tree of Harmony gasped in horror. "H-how could this happen?!" Spike exclaimed as they all approached.
"I know it's........it's a hard sight to look at, knowing how close the six of you became with the Tree." Dusk said somberly. "You probably felt it when the connection we ALL share broke, and we all lost a fragment of our essence: the piece that connected us to the Tree....and Laurana herself."
"I wish I could just say no with my usual sarcasm," Gallus said, sounding dejected as he held a piece of broken crystal. "But......I don't feel like it, because you're right. It felt like someone cut off one of my wings with a blunt carving knife. It was horrible."
"That's putting it mildly." Smolder said, sounding sad and upset at the same time. "I wish that Sombra was still around - just so we could have a second chance to teach him a lesson!"
"That not bring back the tree, or Laurana." Yona said somberly, bringing down the mood for everyone.
"But there's gotta be something we can do!" Sandbar said, putting a hoof on the shattered trunk of the tree. "Laurana wouldn't have sent us that message if she didn't think we could help, somehow. I just can't stand around like this after being asked to help the thing that helped strengthen our friendship in the school year, and helped us save equestria!"
"Oh! I know!" Silverstream exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe if we all hold hands - and hooves - and wish really, hard, we can bring the tree back. The group, including Dusk, and Spike, looked to each other in curious thought. Ocellus ended up being the one who spoke up first, breaking the silence that had followed Silverstream's idea description. "I guess it's worth a shot." She admitted with a hint of sheepishness in her voice. "After all, if we can't do it, then there's no reason Laurana would ask us to help. Count me in!" She excleimed, taking Silverstream's paw in her hoof, while offering it to Smolder.
"Okay, i guess." She sighed. "Still not used to the whole touchything, but it's for Laurana, so.........pass it on." She said, to Yona, who held her paw in her hoof. She then offered her own hoof to Sandbar, who then took Gallus paw, who then held Silverstream's hand. Dusk and Spike watched as the sic friends then closed all of their eyes, and began doing as the hippogriff suggested: hoping, wishing, and praying for the Tree of Harmony to be healed by the power of their friendship. The two actually hoped it might work, and waited with somewhat baited breaths. And they waited. And hey waited. And they waited. A full minute had passed, and nothing had happened. Smolder finally got tired of having her eyes closed, and whispered, is it worked?" to Ocellus. The changedling herself peaked an eye in order to see if her friends idea might have worked. But when she saw it hadn't worked, she took a depressing sigh, and said, "No. You guys can open your eyes, now. It didn't work." The others did as she asked, and were just as dejected as their headstallion and brother that it hadn't worked. Silverstream more than all the rest, because it had been HER idea. As her head sank lower to the floor, Gallus put a paw to her shoulder, and gave her a smile of reassurance. "It's okay, Silver. It was a good idea, it just.........doesn't work that literally, I guess."
"Believe me, if things were more literal regarding magic-related business, it'd make our jobs alot easier." Spike interjected.
"Well, since that idea flopped, what do we do now?" Smolder asked.
"Friends not think.........tree really gone, do you?" Yona asked worriedly.
"I don't want to believe that." Sandbar said, with determination in his eyes. "But if we can't just will the Tree back to life...then the least we can do is honor its memory, and what it means to all of us. And to Equestria."
"But how are we going to do that?" Ocellus asked.
"OCELLUS!!!" came the angry shout of the one person Ocellus hoped not to encounter like this: King Pharynx. She was so surprised to hear him so angry that she changed into a rock with her own eyes on it. And sure as a bee loves honey, in flew Thorax with a less than pleased look on his face. "There you are! The hive has been worried sick!" His expression then softened to one of concern. "Why did you just take off without telling anyone? The last time you, and your friends did this, it almost started a war!" Feeling shame in her heart, Ocellus changed back into her real form, and said, "S-sorry, Thorax! Something serious happened, and my friends needed me! I had to come!"
Thorax sighed, and said, "Well, you should have told someone. You have no idea how frantic your parents are right now, Ocellus. Now come on, before we make them more worried than they already are." The young changedling lowered her head in shame, and said "Sorry" to her friends as she followed her king out of the cave. But her friends weren't about to just leave it at that. They all needed to be together to fulfill whatever task Laurana had set out for them. Thus, Gallus and Smolder flew in front of Thorax, blocking his path, with the latter saying, "Hang on a minute! You can't take her away! She's-.....uh.......she's... helping us......wiiith......."
"A dragon quest!" Smolder quickly exclaimed.
Thorax raised an eyebrow as he said, "But...she's not a dragon." He quickly noticed the blue flash behind him, and turned to see Ocellus in her dragon disguise with a nervous smile. "You know what I mean," he said with an unamused tone. Ocellus sighed as she changed back. It seems there was nothing for it, and she would be going home first. But Dusk Shine was not so quick to give up, and came up with an idea. "Wait, Thorax. I know this is abrupt, and her parent's are probably worried sick: but more than ever, she's needed here, with her friends. Isn't there some way you can convince her folks to let her stay in Ponyville for the rest of the summer break? Kind of like aaaaa study extension?"
"Yeah!" Spike exclaimed, shocking Thorax when he saw how big Spike was. They were almost the same size, and it felt so weird. Spike realized this, and slightly blushed. "Sorry, buddy. I'll explain my sudden growthspert later." He then cleared his throat, and said, "But Dusk has a point. Besides......" He then took on a serious tone. "i have a feeling you, and your hive experienced that nightmare storm that almost tore the land apart. Am I right?" Thorax remembered exactly what Spike was talking about, and with a nervous gulp, nodded. "Well, let's just say that without Ocellus' help, something else might happen. Something much worse than what we experienced because of losing the Tree of Harmony."
"I don't know." Thorax said with uncertainty.
"Then how about this? I'll write Ocellus, and her friends a series of permission slips explaining the details." Dusk explained, while also directing his attention to the students. "If you can get either your parents, guardians, leaders, or both to read and sign them, then you and your friends can stay in Ponyville for the break - with visitation rights permissible." He turned back to the Changedling King. "Does that sound fair, Thorax?"
The jade shape-shifter took a few moments to consider before finally coming to his decision. "Well.......since you and Spike make it sound so important, I guess there's no choice. I'll talk to Ocellus' parents with her, and sign the slip with her." A light gasp, and a grateful hug to his foreleg told Thorax that Ocellus was grateful, which made him smile happily. Spike shared the smile as he half-hugged his friend. "Thanks, Thorax. I knew we could count on you."
"Hey, that's what friends are for, aren't they?" Thorax quipped.
The others, however, were not as enthusiastic about the idea, and some were a bit more worried than others. "That means, i'll have to face my parents, Terramar, AND Auntie Novo." Silverstream gulped. "After Aunt Novo grounded my cousin Skystar, I really don't wanna get on her bad side. Aunt Novo's scary when she's angry."
"I hate admitting it, but Silverstream's right." Gallus said. "I don't know if Grandpa Gruff even cares enough to go along with it, but how can we convince our folks to let us stay because of the ghost of the Tree of Harmony told us to? There's no way they'll buy into it!" A moment later, and he let out a frustrated growl. "And why does all this have to involve us? Why couldn't Laurana go to you, and your friends?" He questioned Dusk Shine. "YOU'RE the big heroes of Equestria, not us!"
Dusk could see the frustration, and confusion in the young griffon's eyes. But he offered a comforting smile, and said, "Don't sell yourselves so short, you were chosen by the very guiding force of harmony itself and you were chosen for a reason. What do you think those gems are for?" he asked, pointing to the Neo Elements, to which the Young Six looked. "Those are the symbols that you will soon have what it takes to be the next 'big heroes of equestria', as you so eloquently called me and my friends. You just need to have faith in yourselves."
"Headstallion Dusk Shine's right, guys." Sandbar said, looking to his Neo Element. "And i'm not saying this because i'm supposed to represent 'faith', like Laurana said: I truly believe we can pull this off. If she called on us to help her somehow - like help her spirit cross over, or honor her memory, and the memory of the Elements of Harmony - then it's because she had faith in us! We can't let it go to waste, and let her death be in vain!" He then held his hoof out in the middle for a stack-shake. "So what do you say? You guys with me?" The group looked to each other, sharing glances, yet keeping their thoughts to themselves. It was unclear as to what they all were thinking. At least it was at first. A minute later, Yona placed her hoof on top of Sandbars, which made him smile, and infected her with one of her own. Seeing the young yak do this, the others began following suit. First Silverstream, then Ocellus, then Smolder, and then Gallus. They knew they were in this together, and they had already come this far. What would be the point in backing down now?
"Together." They all said in unison, sealing the deal as they broke off their hand stack.
"Then I guess it's settled." Dusk said. "I'll send some explanatory letters to your leaders so they'll know what's going on. At least if it comes from me first, it'll make the process easier."
"Well..........let's do it, then." Gallus said.
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And so, each of the young six, barring Sandbar, who already lived in Ponyville, returned home to get their permission slips filled out. Thankfully, when their parents had indeed come to face them about disappearing so abruptly, the leaders of each clan was there to ease their fury, and worry. Or, most of them did, anyway.
When Gallus arrived in Griffonstone to convince Gruff to sign, the old buzzard was more than willing to sign the paper, and shove it back in his beak, with the old buzzard slamming the door on him only a moment later. For the most part it didn't take a whole lot of convincing for them to get their leaders to say yes. Thorax, Ember, and Prince Rutherford all understood and were in good standings with Equestria, with the first having been already informed of the plan. Yona, and Smolder, however, decided to spend a little more time at home, with the former helping her tired mother around the house, and the latter simply asserting her dragon strength among her clan. And after a lot of up and down pleading, Novo agreed to let her niece go back to Equestria for however long she desired (though this time she would be going without Terramar, Ocean Flow and Sky Beak were insistent that at least one child stay and share what they had learned).
Sandbar was waiting for all of his friends at the same train station where he had seen them off almost a week earlier. It was amazing how quickly things had changed.
Not long after meeting up again, the group of six traveled through the Everfree Forest (still kept in check by the pillars) until at last they came upon the shattered and fragmented crystal ruins of the Tree of Harmony. To see what remained of the once proud and mighty tree was still heartbreaking to all, especially to Sandbar, and Gallus who had seen the tree shortly after its destruction. "Sombra was really thorough with it, wasn't he?" Smolder commented in a low tone. "Now I wish we hadn't all gone back home, we could've stopped him and the tree would still be here!"
"Well it's not like it matters, we can't turn back time to see what would've happened," Ocellus unhappily sighed. "I just wish there was something we could do now. It really doesn't deserve to just sit here in shambles, to be lost and forgotten to time."
"But we have no idea WHAT to do, yet." Gallus said. "I mean, we already tried wishing the tree back. If that didn't work, I highly doubt we can just put it back together again like a crystal puzzle, and hope that helps. We still can't fully control these things," he pointed to his Neo Element, "Since they only really work when we're in trouble. So I highly doubt we can use them, either."
"Guys, come on, there's no need to be all glum about it," Sandbar protested. "There's gotta be something we can do to at least honor the tree's memory. We're probably the only other ones besides the prince who know it wasn't just a tree, it was a living creature with a mind of its own." Gallus then added a laugh of light amusement. "And apparently, housed the spirit of an Elder God, or rather a Dragon God that history all but forgot about, in the process: and it took Cozy Glow's tricks to help us meet her." He then put a hand to his face, and shook his head. "I still can't believe we actually let her get to us like that, and that we even listened to her in the first place!" He then smiled. "Then again, if we hadn't, we'd have never been tested by the Tree of Harmony. Which, now that I think about it it may have been doing that to prepare us as the next wielders of those... things." He looked down at his chest again. "Now i'm starting to think these might be the equivalent of training wheels for when we WOULD use the real thing."
Ocellus fondly remarked with a smile. "We sure do have a lot of memories of the tree. We kind of owe our friendship to it."
Smolder gestured a claw to her forehead. "But how we do go about moving those memories from here," She promptly pointed down to the ground. "To here? To a place where everyone will know about them?"
Suddenly, Silverstream let out a gasp! "You guys, I just had the most brilliant idea ever! We should open up our own museum right here, and dedicate it to the memory of the Tree of Harmony! We can fill up entire exhibits with our own experiences, like how I learned to overcome my fear of the Storm King!"
"But where we set up museum? And where we get materials to build it?" Yona questioned.
"Who says we have to build it from scratch?" Gallus suggested as he gestured a claw upward. "There's a perfectly good castle that's been sitting there, abandoned for who knows how long? What was it called again, Ocellus?" Ocellus replied in a factual tone of voice. "The Castle of the Two Sisters. It used to be where Celestia and Luna lived, before Luna became Nightmare Moon, went crazy, and got banished to the moon for a thousand years."
Sandbar felt a bright smile form on his head! "Gallus, you're a genius! The Castle of the Two Sisters is the perfect place to open a museum based on our experiences with the Tree of Harmony! And i'll bet if we add something extra that tells everyone about Laurana, and how she contributed to the existence of the Tree of Harmony, it might be exactly what her actual spirit needs to finally be free of whatever limbo Sombra has her trapped in!"
"I hope there's room for my watercolor paintings," Silverstream said. "I've got so many memories I want to paint about it and frame so that all creatures can remember them."
Gallus chimed in. "Don't forget that we're gonna have to charge for admission. That's what all museums do, isn't it?"
"As long as we don't defile the castle's structure I don't think we'll have to worry about that sort of thing," Ocellus commented. "Though we should set up a meditation and reflection room so everyone has time to think about what they've seen. That's the only way to make sure they understand why the tree was so important."
"Sounds like a plan, then!" Sandbar chirped! "You guys go ahead and get whatever supplies you need to set up your own exhibits. I'm gonna see if I can't find a way to put the remains of the Tree of Harmony to good use. They're certainly not doing anyone any good just sitting around here."
"What about you, Yona?" Smolder commented. "I know I'm gonna set up statues and maybe a fountain, but you haven't said a word about the museum since we proposed it. What are you gonna contribute?" Yona nervously shook her head. "Yona not want to contribute separately, Yona like all her friends ideas and want to see them all in museum."
"And they will be, we'll just have to figure out what should go where," Sandbar reassured her. "Maybe you can help us with that. But for now, why don't you go help the others get whatever they need?" Yona put a hoof to her chin. "Maybe Yona go see Professor Rarity. Maybe she have ideas on what Yona can do."
And with that, the six friends set off to fulfill their roles, and complete the shared task of great importance.
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The six friends were apart for maybe ten minutes at most, but when they all met up again they were in for quite a shock! Sandbar could hardly believe the massive payloads his friends had brought with them, entire wagons worth of a mishmash of different objects. It was anyone's guess where they would go and why. Sandbar in turn shocked his friends by revealing that he had somehow managed to place all the crystal shards of the Tree of Harmony into a wagon. Now there was nothing where the once proud tree had stood, or so it seemed.
It turned out that Sandbar had already planted a small tree in the soil not far from where the original had been. "Figured something should take the place of the old tree. What better replacement for a tree than a tree?" He suggested with a sheepish smile. However, there was something he wanted to point out. "Though, the weird thing is.......I thought I saw pieces of crystal in the ground glowing..........purple. But then it disappeared, so I ignored it and went back to planting our new tree. So what do you guys think?"
"Really? Just a plain old tree?" Smolder snorted. "I was expecting you to use those shards to build a clubhouse or something."
"Hm, a clubhouse doesn't sound like a bad idea. I think the Cutie Mark Crusaders have one, might have to ask them how they built theirs," Sandbar commented and shrugged his hooves. "Oh well, I guess that can be added to the list of things to put in our new museum. What do you think we should call it, anyway? Calling it the Museum of Harmony just sounds really dumb and generic." But Ocellus spoke up. "Uh, shouldn't we focus on the tree first? Like the fact that perhaps it should have something to make it stand out?"
"How would we make tree stand out?" Yona asked?
The changeling answered by buzzing her wings. "Well I just sort of figured: The original Tree of Harmony was grown by the pillars to protect the realm in their absence. And when they did they each infused a crystal seed with their magic, which allowed the tree to take on their virtues and become the Elements of Harmony. Which were then destroyed alongside the tree."
"So we should do the same?" Silverstream pondered. "It better not involve getting rid of my pearl of transformation! Auntie Novo would throw a fit if I lost it!"
"No, no, nothing like that!" Ocellus raised her hooves defensively. "I was thinking...maybe we can do something similar to what the Pillars did." When everyone remained quiet, Ocellus explained. "I went to pay a visit to Zecora, since she seems adept at nature magic, and asked her about it. And while she didn't have any crystal seeds that we could use, she did have some magical seeds she had no further use for, and said we could use them ourselves. The idea would be to take those seeds, and any luck, the magic in our Neo Elements will pass into the seeds, and mystically fertilize them. After that, they can one day grow together with Sandbar's tree to form a new Tree of Harmony. And that way, in however long it takes, we would have made new Elements of Harmony..........I think."
Gallus shrugged his claws. "You're the pony expert, Sandbar. Does that work?"
The young earth pony answered in uncertainty. "I don't really know. I never thought of creating new Elements of Harmony. I was just gonna have the new tree take up the space left by the Tree of Harmony. I thought about making it a memorial sight for Laurana, but I don't think that's what she would want."
"Yona want to try it!" Yona declared as she stomped a hoof down again. "Yona want new tree to be special, like old tree. Yaks understand that nothing last forever, yaks smash and yaks rebuild. But yaks remember to honor old while building new. So since old tree get smashed, old tree be honored while new tree 'rebuild' in place of old tree."
"I always did want to try planting!" Silverstream excitedly declared! "This is shaping up to be the best summer vacation ever!"
So excited at the prospect of what they were about to do, the Student Six began to sing about their feelings of change, loss, and remembrance as they made plans to continue an all but forgotten legacy.
🎵We celebrate our friendship,
We celebrate the tree,
The memories inside us,
We’ll build for all to see.
The tree brought us together, (brought us together)
And even though it’s gone, (even though it’s gone)
Our monument of friendship, (of friendship)
Can make the gift live on.
A piece from me,
A piece from you,
We’ll use we’ll use the tree and we’ll make due,
If things don’t fit,
Then we'll make due,
Friends don’t quit in the end and together we’ll see this through.
It’s hard to say farewell,
To something you hold dear,
But goodby isn’t forever,
As long as we are here.
The tree is in our memory, (ah ah ah)
It’s roots have grown deep in our hearts, (deep in our hearts, deep in our hearts)
It’s branches raise our spirits together we’re all bound,
Forever,
it stands,
Lost but now it’s found.
So lift a beam,
And build it strong.
Work as a team,
It won’t take long.
Hey silverstream,
I think that’s wrong.
We’ll live the dream and sing our song.
And make the tree something all can see,
In a place where we belong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so the six decided to try Ocellus' suggestion. Each took a magic seed from a sack that housed said seeds, and each followed Sandbar's instructions as they carefully planted the seeds into the same soil as the replacement tree. Then they all stepped back a bit. Nothing happened at first. But as the six turned around and prepared to get to work on their museum plans, the ground started to shake as a powerful wind with an inexplicable magical feel to it swept over them!
Before their very eyes the tree began to grow, and grow, and grow! Soon it was as tall and strong as the Tree of Harmony had been before its untimely demise. And it only continued to grow at a frightening pace, until at last it was taller than even the Castle of the Two Sisters that it now stood beside!
Speaking of said castle, the wind swept up all the different supplies and materials from the six wagons as if it had a mind all its own! In the blink of an eye the castle was restored and transformed! From the remains of the old castle, combined with the newly grown tree, something entirely new had been created. A fusion of multiple elements to create a grand, and beautiful whole. The tree planted by the creatures dividing and branching out to become the foundation of this new domain. A realm of Harmony, and Life, itself.
The creatures could hardly believe their eyes, especially when they noticed that the new tree was now several trees, and were now connected to the restored castle, which looked like a museum crossed with a forest-themed castle-city! They rushed to the scene at once, where they were surprised to be greeted by the glowing form of Laurana herself, standing at the opening of the palace they had somehow created. Only now, she appeared in a form other than an equine, or what they thought was a hybrid of an alicorn and a dragon.
Now, she was appearing before them as she truly was: The Bahamut of Harmony, Creation, and Light.
"Whoa!" Smolder exclaimed loudly, before a child-like smile appeared on her face. "Laurana? Is that really you?! Holy smokes, you were a dragon all this time! How awesome is that?!"
Laurana simply smiled as she gazed down upon the young six, before speaking, "The term you seek is Bahamut, which means Elder God, as i'm sure some of you know." Gallus did a double take as he said, "Wait a second! So this is what an Elder God is? But then, why did you like an alicorn hybrid? Did it have to do with how much power you had on your own?"
"Very astute, young Gallus." Laurana smiled. "As I told you all when first we met: As other ponies, and creatures grow and adapt, I also learn as I grow. Eons ago, in the beginning of the Fourth Age of Equus, I sacrificed my physical body in order to fertilize the crystal seed which would one day give birth to the Tree of Harmony. It was no lie when I told you all that I am the Tree, and the Tree is me. Were are one. But my consciousness - my very sense of self - remained inactive until The Pillars of Equestria gave a fragment of their own essence, which held the virtues of Harmony itself, to the seed. In that moment, I was truly given new life. Though my body was given to the Tree, my essence remained. Sadly, I was not yet strong enough to manifest in physical form.......and though I do not blame them, Celestia and Luna only delayed my development when they took the Elements of Harmony from my branches." Sadbar, and the others visibly winced when they considered that idea, but the Bahamut continued. "Yet magic remained enough in me to protect The Balance: negating the living, wild nature of Everfree, and holding the Spirit of Chaos' plunderseeds at bay until the day finally came when my strength depleted. I was held at the mercy of those wicked vines, helpless to stop them as they throttled me, and drained my essence."
"That sounds painful." Ocellus said, lowering her head sadly as she thought of how similar it sounded to Changelings of old when they drained love out of their victims, which were memories she'd just as soon rather forget.
Sensing the young changedling's distress, Laurana continued. "It was. But then came the day Price Dusk Shine, and his friends finally learned of my existence, and realized what needed to be done. For the Elements of Harmony are extensions of my own being. They are my own life in jeweled forms. And without them, I would have inevitably perished. Dusk, however, realized the need to return the Elements. And when he, and the others did, it reignited the spark of light in me once again, and my power was restored - but now, it had grown thanks to the newfound connection the Six ponies had formed with their elements. My spiritual strength had increased, and my awareness of the world allowed me to share a special, and powerful gift with the protectors of this world."
"Oh, you mean the mystery chest, and the Friendship Castle!" Sandbar exlaimed in understanding.
"And the map held within." She nodded. "Which allowed the six to spread the magic of harmony, and friendship to those in need. With each success, my strength grew. And despite the wizard, Starswirl's unneeded gamble based on his previously bigoted mindset, the fall of The Pony of Shadows only strengthened the Light of this world. Though it appeared as though all was well, I sensed.......a vergence in The Source. One which has said not to have been seen in many an age."
"Wait." Silverstream said while trying not to sound rude. "I've heard that term used before, but I have no idea what it means. Can you explain what "The Source" is?" When the others nodded in agreement, Laurana lightly chuckled as she explained. "The Source is what makes all of life in existence a reality. It is a Divine, Cosmic force that is joined to, and found in all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the universe together. It is from the Source that the elements of Light and Darkness, and also Harmony and Anarchy come into being. Two opposing forces that coincides to bring balance to all of creation. Both sides vying for dominance in a constant struggle for supremacy. And something your world has seen countless times before." Her expression then turned somber. "Which is why, when my consciousness had long returned, and I continued observing the ponies facing one danger after another, it made me fear for their future, and the future of this world."
"But why dragon god afraid?" Yona asked innocently. "Teachers fight bad things good, and keep us all safe."
"That may be, Yona. But remember your own words: nothing lasts forever. In time, Dusk Shine, and his friends will face a threat even they cannot overcome, and they meet an untimely end. What would happen to the world then? The sisters of Sun and Moon lost their connection to me when they were forced to clash over a thousand years ago. The Pillars, though merely displaced from their time, may not have the strength to overcome the dangers The Element Bearers failed to vanquish. If they also fall, who would truly be left to defend Equestria, as I am bound to my physical anchor to the mortal realm that is also my body. You see my new form, but as I am I cannot leave these sacred grounds...and away from the source of my life. Thus it became all too clear that to see Equestria safely defended, it requires an heir to the Legacy of Harmony." Her smile returned, even brighter than before. "Then who should arrive but the six of you younglings." The others grew silent as their shock bega taking hold. "Since the day you arrived in Equestria, I sensed a great destiny surrounding you. You six were the Vergence I sensed. Despite your differences, and opposing personalities, and views, the six of you became friends. Just as Dusk Shine had made friends of five strangers when they found common ground with one another, during their bid to defend Equestria, you six looked past your differences, and found common ground with one another to the point none of you were willing to part with the other. Since that day, I have been observing, and watching you all."
"Up until you gave us that crazy test!" Gallus exclaimed, as he realized where this was leading up to. "I still can't believe we went through all that!"
"And I apologize for the cryptic ways I conducted the test. But be assured none of you were in true danger: it was only a means to ensure you all would do everything in your power to overcome the obstacles put in your way, and prove the strength of your friendship." She kneeled down to draw a little closer to the student six. "And all of you made me proud. Prouder than I could ever imagine possible, but I had faith in you all, so it should not be surprising. But I knew you all had further to go to strengthen your friendship, and the light you all hold inside of you. And that day came when you risked your lives to save your world from catastrophe. Your willingness to defend your home - and each other - proved your worthiness as protectors, and champions of Harmony: and gave me the strength to adapt my spiritual form into a semblance of my former self, and aid you in your hour of need."
"The school!" Ocellus exclaimed happily. "You saved us from getting sucked into that portal Cozy GLow said would banish us to the Aether! I remember that!"
"I think we all do, 'cellus." Smolder said, before pointing down to her Neo Element. "Which is also when we got these babies. Which also finally leads to an important question: what are these things really? They worked like the Elements of Harmony when we defeated Tirek, and they helped us hold down Spike when he became King Sombra's demon pet, but......that's about it. Are these some new elements of harmony you didn't mention or what?" It was here that Laurana's light demeanor dimmed, as she seemed visibly shaken about something. Which the teens caught onto quickly. "Uh...L-laurana? You okay?"
"Forgive me, Smolder." She said with her voice lowered. "But........the reason behind my actions of bestowing the Elemental Krystals unto you was multifold."
"As in, you had more than one reason for doing it." Gallus said, earning glances from his friends. "Seriously, guys," he sighed, "you know i'm a closet bookworm, so this shouldn't surprise you at this point."
"And he is correct in his guess, young ones." Laurana explained. "For but a few days after my test, I sensed a great disturbance in the Source. And in the astral realm of the Tree where I reside, I saw visions of terrible nature." She looked into the sky as she spoke in a tone of foreboding nature. "Darkness is returning to our universe. The Darkness which threatened to consume all of creation, and brought forth the Twilight of the Elder Gods."
"Ragnarok." Silverstream said with a small hint of dread, and answered the questioning glances of her friends. "It's an ancient myth that many nations share with Mount Aeris before we took to the seas. According to the myth, the Elder Gods fought a war so immense, and destructive that it actually destroyed the universe that came before, but gave way to OUR universe. After that, no Elder God, or the Demons they warred against had been seen again since."
"Makes me wonder if all of our nations have a similar myth like that." Gallus inquired aloud.
"Probably. But we should ask our teachers when we see them again." Sandbar said, before silently bidding Laurana to continue.
"I am afraid it goes far deeper than that." Laurana said. "I believe that the evil who spurred the war of Ragnarok somehow survived, and has begun to stir from its oblivion. I also believe......this evil is responsible for recent events which have occurred. Now that I am no longer connected to the crystal roots that spread across the land, the vile venom which had weakened me now courses throughout Equestria. Hidden from all but those who know where to find them." This bit of news confused the teens somewhat. "Hold on: are you saying that King Sombra poisoned you, somehow, when he destroyed you? Because Headstallion Dusk never mentioned-"
"It was NOT the Umbrum, King Sombra, young Sandbar." Laurana abruptly corrected the stallion. "This was the work of someone I could sense, but could not see, who used a cold iron arrow laced with essence of Darkness, among other poisons, to weaken me. And because it struck so quickly, I had no time to defend myself from the surprise attack. Thus, when the Shadow fiend struck, I could do nothing but accept my fate." She sighed. "And that is how my second death in this world came to be." The other looked to each other somberly at the thought, before Laurana spoke again, "But as I told you all, I had a multifold reason for granting you Elemental Krystals: not only to prepare you for the day when you would inherit their true power, but also to hide my own essence inside each of you. My soul remained scattered, divided, and without substance save for the message I gave to you all."
"And that's why you sent us all here: to find a way to bring you back, but better than ever!" Sandbar exclaimed, finally understanding. "So does this mean..........?"
"Yes, Sandbar." Laurana finally smiled once again. "Thanks, once again to the friendship all of you have, and the bonds of harmony you wield, you have not only made me whole again: but you have also awakened the true power of the Tree of Harmony. In doing so, I have evolved beyond my original form, with my spirit's full strength returned. Now, the Balance has been restored, and the calamity that may have once again befallen you as it did when the Umbrum destroyed me has been averted. The Pillars will be free to lay down their vigil as the Everfree Forest returns to complacency. Light has regained the strength to face the coming Darkness - and now, at last, my young friends: the time has come for you to embrace your destiny."
Now, the group was filled with confusion, as Ocellus asked, "What do you mean?" She then put a hoof to her chin. "And why do I NOW feel like we've gone through this before?"
"I believe you know what I mean. We have been building up to it all this time, and I told you the reasons you wield those Krystals. Now, it is time for you to inherit their true power, and assume the mantle of your predecessors to defend against the coming Darkness. And there are six others who wish to see this momentous occasion occur." She then turned to one of the opening doorways on the left of the castle. "You may come out now, friends - it is finally time."
And who should come trotting out but Dusk Shine and his friends? The very poniess who had once wielded the Elements of Harmony and had bested countless foes. Before anyone could say a word, Laurana teleported them all away to a hidden treehouse of crystal, which would serve as the Student Six's sanctuary, along with the castle itself.
They all reappeared inside of the tree, standing in the middle of an almost perfect replica of the throne room from Dusk's castle in Ponyville. But the map looked much bigger and the room seemed much grander, with six glowing roots of crystal stretching all the way up to the ceiling! The seats even had images of their heads on top of each seat to show who sits where! And in the middle, where the new version of the map stood, Laurana appeared in her ethereal glory, as she beckoned the Mane Six, and Spike, to step forth. "This is a momentous day for all gathered here." She said proudly. "For upon this day, another step to great change has arrived. The day where the old guard, who have fought valiantly to defend their home from the forces of evil, must now pass on their legacy to a new generation. Here, in this seat of harmony and light, they shall pass on the torch of an uprooted legacy as they take the next step in their own lives. And though they will still be protectors of this world, no longer shall they do it alone. For on this day, we gather together to welcome six new spirits who embody a new generation of friendship. Today they rise to become the new Elements of Harmony!" As the gems in their chest began to glow, so too did an aura of white light surround the mane six. Dusk was the first to step forward as he looked to the only pony in the group.
"Sandbar: of all your friends, you showed the willingness to befriend others who were not of your own race. Creatures who some of which had less than stellar reputations." He smiled. "But you didn't care about any of that. You saw each of your friends for who they were, and stood by them no matter what. Even looking out for them each and every time there was trouble, and ultimately leading them against nefarious forces after working so hard to free them. You never gave up on them, and always had faith in them. Friendship, and even Magic itself, is centered around having faith in one's self, and in others. Which is why I couldn't be more proud of you: as both a student, and a friend. Whether you see yourself as a leader, or not, I know you will keep the bonds of your friendship as strong as mithril itself. I am happy, more than anything, to pass on the Element of Magic, and let it transcend into what you now represent: The Element of Faith." The white light passed on from Dusk Shine, to Sandbar, and mixed with his own aura to make his gem disappear in light. When it passed, there, in a golden chest plate adorned with six emerald jewels, was a Jade Gem resting on his chest.
The next to speak was Applejack, who had her own speech for the young griffon of the team. "Gallus: ah think out of all yer friends, you've changed the most. When you first came to our school, y'all hid behind a wall of cynicism, and insecurity. Or rather, ya pretty much acted like any average griffon, though not to the same extent." Now she was the next to smile. "But as time moved on, you began to realize how great it was to have friends. Friends who you can count on, and who depend on you. Both of us were almost the same when it came to our friends, and when it came to learning to let them in without bein' afraid. You were determined to stick up for them, and keep them from forgetting what it means to be friends. And y'all never gave up in the face of certain trouble. You've really come a long way since ya first started, Gallus, where you even allowed honesty to come when it was needed. And ah don't think Honesty goes better with anythin' other than your element of harmony: Determination." Gallus also smiled proudly as he received the same passing of light, that produced a yellow gem held in a necklace of gold, like what the mane six used to wear.
The next up was Rarity. "Ocellus, darling, it truly is amazing how quickly you've also changed. You used to be such a shy, and nervous thing when you first came. No doubt you feared others would hate, and fear you because of your past as a changeling. But as your friendship with the others grew, so too did your confidence in yourself. And when you did, you demonstrated how willing you were to share your skills, and abilities when needed. You knew how to be generous with your incredible intelligence. You have a great understanding of things that make you an asset to your friends, and always feel no shame in sharing how you feel with others. And you never let others judge you in any way because you know how wrong it is. One as open as you is more than worthy to adapt Generosity and make it into the beauty of your element: Knowledge." As the transfer of power came, and went, Ocellus couldn't help but smile at how much the blue gem she wore around her neck reminded her of the blue crystals King Thorax had on his neck, whom she also loved as a father.
Pinkie Pie hopped on up next, giggling excitedly. "Geez louis, do I have a hard time thinking of where to begin. But one thing's for sure, Silverstream: as some griff whose interaction with the surface world was limited, your bubbly personality, and how everything made you feel happy, and amazed only helped to spread laughter to others. Whether you meant it, or not, you always work to bring a smile to your friends faces. You always look on the bright side because you see the world in ways noone really appreciates. That's why I know you'll take Laughter to a whole new level as you keep on sharing your element with everyone to keep their spirits high, and their hopes alive: Wonder!" The hippogriff giggled with glee at the sight of the purple gem she now bore.
Fluttershy came forward next. "Oh, Yona, i'm so happy for you. As a Yak, you are proud, and strong, yet time and again you demonstrate your ability to be a symbol of integrity, who holds no fear of sharing her love, and care to those around her. You speak what you feel in order to help keep your friends together, and try to stand tall in the face of danger. Always have you shown how kind you can be when you don't let fear and doubt hold you back. So I am more than happy to see how Kindness helps to strengthen the Element you wield: Integrity." Yona found herself happy hearing the timid pegasus speak so highly of her - even moreso when an orange gem appeared around her neck.
Finally, it was Rainbow Dash's turn to make her speech, and conclude this ceremony. "Smolder, i'm gonna admit right now: when I encountered dragons for the first time that weren't Spike, iiiiit wasn't exactly the best first impression." She then gave a proud smirk as she said, "But then, thanks to Spike, my opinion definitely changed a little bit. But then you showed up, and my view completely changed. Sure, you started off like any other dragon," she shrugged, "But then, you got close to your friends, and began to mellow down to a less........uncool level of dragonness. You showed many times how you would always help out your friends-" "Including me!" Spike interrupted briefly, making Rainbow huff a little before she continued "-whenever they needed help. And Laurana told us how you not only did something you don't like to do out in the open so that you could find your friends in the school caves, but then helped Ocellus overcome her test by being open about yourself. And when that jerk, Sludge, showed up, you stood by Spike through the whole thing, and helped expose that ugly, fat slob for the fraud he was. I see some of me in you, kid, which makes you 20% cooler times eight! That's why I know you're gonna take Loyalty by the ear, and whip it into the awesomeness of your own Element of Harmony: Reliability!" And indeed, Smolder felt a great deal of pride swell in her as she now felt she had earned her element, as the light passed from Rainbow to her, and produced her Red Gem to all.
Laurana's arms stretched outward as she roared into the air with a call that was serene, and heavenly. "And so, the torch of Harmony has been passed! And now, it is time for the new generation to step up and play its part to guide Equestria in the time ahead. Though the forces of darkness may have risen and struck again, they shall not triumph so long as you six take to heart all that you have learned since coming together!"
"Thank you." Sandbar said sincerely, almost feeling overwhelmed with emotion with all that's happened. "You can count on us to keep the peace. We won't let you down!"
"Come on, now, guys." Dusk said with slight humor. "You never have before, and no way could you do it now. We already know you'll all be excellent, because you've proven you already are excellent. But in case you are, you needn't worry: you won't have to do it alone. Just because you'll be playing a bigger role in Equestria's future doesn't mean the old guard is going to be stepping down completely."
"That's right!" Rainbow exclaimed, puffing out her chest in pride. "If you guys are ever in a jam, you can count on us to help get you out of it! But remember: future guardians or not, you're still kids. So don't get any ideas about intentionally thrusting yourselves into harm for the sake of it. We don't go looking for trouble, and neither should you."
Gallus just chuckled. "It'd be pretty hard for us to do that anyway. After what happened last time, and just this week, it's a miracle our leaders and guardians even let us come back here now."
"Just be sure you don't take your new responsibilities lightly, Darlings." Rarity cautioned to them all. "You're young yet, true. But there is still much you will have to learn for yourselves. The new and the old shall work together, because the peace and stability of not just Equestria: but all lands across the known world concerns each and every one of us."
Laurana then concluded. "I look around this room, knowing that old and new alike shall ensure the safety of the light and harmony of this realm for generations to come. May the forces of evil and darkness be on their guard. The torch has been passed, harmony has changed! And with the change comes a new generation of heroes!" She then waved her hand around the room. "And it is here where you may find sanctuary, and respite. Should any here need solace in times of dire need, you may come at any time. For under the light of harmony that now shines within this castle, there comes peace, and hope. And know that I shall also be with you to face the coming Darkness that lies ahead. A guide to lead you down the righteous path as you become The Light of Harmony's Hope. May your Light strengthen you spirits, and guide your hearts to Harmony, and Hope!" She departed not long afterward, her body fading completely into sparkles until there was nothing left. At least now, all who gathered knew she was not gone. And they could call on her wisdom, and guidance should any ever need it.
Either way, it was just like the princesses had said: the Balance of harmony was changing. And while none knew just what lie ahead, all gathered at the new clubhouse were confident and determined that they would meet whatever challenges they might be confronted with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, in the well of Shades, a certain centaur had been observing everything which had happened through his crystal. This was an unexpected turn of events, but not one that would deter him in the slightest. His venom still courses through the land, with Laurana unable to purge it out of her old roots herself. In time, it would lead to his ambitions escalation, and his glorious rise to power. But for now, there was work to be done. Drawing out a whip made of Darkness, he roared into the air, and called out, "DISMAY! COME FORTH, I SAY!" and lashed at the stone ground. "COME, RETURN TO YOUR MASTER, SO THAT WE MAY MAKE THE PONIES RUE THE DAY!"
After giving another powerful lash, a great, horrible hiss rose from one of the tunnels in the underground lair. A torrent of fire followed soon after, just as Sombra was making his way over to Tirek. Out of the tunnel emerged a horrible, massive Wyvern, red in color, crowned in a pair of curled horns, and chest glowing brightly with fiery light. It soon came before the Centaur, and its glowing, slitted eyes matched his own as it growled in predatory snarls. Tirek met the dragon's gaze with his own, which held a great deal of malice on its own. There was no fear to be found, save for what he inflicted upon others. Seeing this, the wyvern did something truly unexpected: it began laughing in a distorted voice. Once it finished, it finally spoke. "It's good to finally see you return, master! You've been gone for so long, I actually feared the worst! Like thinking i'd never see you again!"
"You should know better than to doubt me, my faithful pet." TIrek cooed as he stroked the side of the wyvern's maw. "Now, return to your true form. Show me the face of my greatest servant, and most worthy asset." Again, the wyvern known as 'Dismay' laughed with excitement as red lightning began coursing over its body. To the amazement of the unicorn, who watched in silence, the dragon's body shrank down to his size, before taking on a bat-winged form, which still slightly resembled the wyvern from before. Now a half-dragon half-pony beast, Dismay revealed their true form for their master to see.
"As you wish, master." Dismay said, in a voice that seemed gender ambiguous. "Maybe i'll go with a younger, cuter model this time."
"Nevermind." Tirek said. "Have you done as commanded?"
Dismay smirked, "Indeed, master: centuries of searching, and i've pinpointed the exact location the Seven sleep. All we need to do now is use the right amount of dark power to raise the first. He'll lead us right to the others in no time." Tirek chuckled with wicked glee. "Indeed." He then noticed Sombra standing next to them a few feet away, with a less than happy expression on his face. "Ah, yes, I almost forgot: Dismay, allow me to introduce you to King Sombra, my ally in the ways of Darkness."
"Charmed." Dismay said almost dismissively, which only further got on Sombra's nerves. He already was angry after watching what those stupid kids had done to ruin his malicious work. Now he was grumpy as heck, but snapped out of it when he heard Tirek speak again. "And this is my close companion, Dismay. My 'soulmate', if you will, given I created them. They are my eyes, and ears in the outside world, even while I was imprisoned in Tartarus. Now, they will be aiding us in our cause. Now, Sombra, did you have something to report?"
"Yes, actually." Sombra said, keeping his anger in check, clearing his throat. "I came to inform you that the experiment is over." This actually made him smile, if only a little. "And the conversion was a success. Our subject has adapted to the bonding process even better than hoped."
Tirek eyed the Umbrum in curiosity. "Is that right? Then show him to me." Upon being told this, Sombra's horn ignited, and opened a Corridor of Darkness in the shadows of the chamber. The night time made things hard to see after the massive hole had been fixed to avoid detection limited all light through the literal well hiding this domain. Only dimly lit torches of light shined in this den, yet not enough to reveal the full figure of the pony that stepped out of the portal, with Erebus appearing behind him shortly after the portal closed. While the Shadow Ponies white eyes acted as nightmarish beacons in the dark, it was the eyes of the new figure that was of intrigue.: A pair of cerulean eyes, slitted like a dragons, whose dim light revealed a single horn above his head, even as the sparkles of a flowing mane flashed armor of the same color, with the brief flapping of wings being heard.
Tirek was now grinning with satisfaction as he said, "Excellent! Now, we have a full house of dark masters gathered together! Now all will know to fear our power.........and to fear your power as they did in your past life: Nocturnus, The Night Terror."
"As you wish, my lord." The alicorn in the shadows said, bowing his head as he spoke in a low voice.
The time drew nearer by the day. With Dismay and Nocturnus, all of Tirek's ambitions could proceed. He only required a few elements, and then all would be in place. Both he..........and his other, would be ready to make their war.
The Last War to cover the world in Eternal Darkness once more.
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Just wondering, are we allowed to say Nocuturnus' true identity here or later on?
10073030
Only if you censor it like me, because I don't want folks knowing Nocturnus is Flash Sentry, made into The Nightmare's new host just yet unless they want to.
I was actually wondering about that. How do you censor words on this site? I haven't been able to find out on the internet.
10073273
Click on the three bars on the far right: there's an option that says 'spoiler', and allows you to actually sensor what you want to keep hidden, unless people don't care about spoilers. Because when you clock on the black bar, it shows what you've censored to whoever clicked it. It looks like this 'Sp'.