The Bureau of Harmony

by TheSmilingCow

Chapter 2: Elementals of Harmony

Most of those who knew her would not be surprised that Twilight Sparkle measured her life in relation to her friends. Oh she ignored none of her past. Even her years of isolation and study in Canterlot she viewed as worthwhile. But in terms of defining moments that shaped her and reminded her of who she wished to be, that was all centered around her friends.

Spike was first, of course. A constant and beloved prologue of things to come. Then she moved to Ponyville and everything kicked into high gear.

Twilight still remembered the strange mix of relief and trepidation that her first encounter with real friendship engendered.
Relief that she finally knew how wonderful it could be, but fear that it would suddenly vanish. After all, how much more cruel would her lot be if she experienced friendship only to have it snatched away.

Goodness sakes, was she awkward back then. Completely out of her depth and flying by the seat of her pants. Yet she wouldn't change a minute of it.

When Twilight ascended to alicorn status, she knew things would change. She knew people would treat her differently. She knew it would bring greater expectations and responsibilities. And she knew that she was now immortal.

She knew that academically, anyway. At the time they were all so young that she didn't give it much thought. There would be time for that later. And, naturally, it wasn't something she wanted to think much about anyway.

As time went on though, it became something she thought about with increasing frequency. The memories of her friends became so much more dear to her. Twilight remembered the first time they'd seen her "Princess" form. An alicorn's appearance could be affected by their magical aura. Her's eventually grew powerful enough as well and Celestia had taught her how to channel it into her physical form.

"It's not necessary," the solar monarch had explained. "But it can be useful. Luna and I first used it as a way of inspiring hope among the citizens during trying times. Eventually it just felt more natural than our original state."

Twilight wasn't sure she'd ever get to that point. It wasn't as strange now as it was initially, but it still felt slightly... off. Letting her magic dissipate and returning to her original form felt like slipping on an old, comfortable pair of shoes.

Her lessons with Celestia had made her comfortable with the process, but the reaction of others was still an issue. So she turned to her friends, as she often did. Twilight knew that they would be accepting and try to calm her fears.

Honestly though, she was still terrified. Her greatest worry wasn't what they'd say. It was that she'd catch a certain look in their eyes.

Fear.

Fear of her.

Twilight would rather her friends reject her than have them be afraid of her. Of course, deep down she knew this was highly unlikely. The other elements were perfectly comfortable around Celestia and Luna. There was no reason they would be any less comfortable with her.

But the mind doesn't always operate on logic. So Twilight chewed nervously on her bottom lip as her friends gathered in her private quarters.

"Sweet!" Rainbow Dash had exclaimed after Twilight had explained the situation. "C'mon then Egghead, let's see it."

Taking some comfort from Rainbow's familiar jibes, Twilight took a deep breath. Setting her glasses aside (she didn't need them in her other form) she let her magic wash through her. The familiar feeling of power flooded her senses as her hair became ethereal and her horn grew longer and sharper.

Twilight opened her eyes. She had to shift her line of sight a bit since she was at least a foot taller in this form. Unfortunately, the looks on her friends' faces sent her brain into a panic.

Later on, Twilight would chastise herself. Of course they would have looked shocked. It was only natural. At the time, however, it seemed to confirm her worst fears. She was sure that their friendship was ruined. They were afraid. They were uncomfortable. They'd treat her differently. Keep her at arm's length. Constantly walking on eggshells in her presence.

"Twilight."

Pinkie's voice brought Twilight's focus back to the room. The pink mare had come forward to stand right in front of her. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her hands covered her mouth.

This was even worse. Pinkie was the one Twilight would have been sure would treat her the same. But even she was struck speechless. Would she even invite Twilight to her parties anymore? Surely not. No parties, no sleepovers, no lazy afternoons doing silly little nonsense games that would...

"Snrk!"

Twilight's internal breakdown was brought to a screeching halt by Pinkie's sudden snort. Another followed almost immediately after and it took Twilight a second to realize that Pinkie was trying not to giggle.

"What..."

It was the only word Twilight could get out. She was at a loss for words. This was probably the last reaction that she would have imagined.

"Twilight," Pinkie repeated, lowering her hands to reveal the ear to ear grin on her face. "Your clothes are too small."

Pinkie finally lost control and broke into a fit of loud belly laughs. Twilight's mouth opened and closed a couple times like a fish gasping for air as she looked down at herself. All her transformations up till now had been in training with Celestia. And since training was a formal affair, Twilight had insisted on wearing her Bureau uniform. The uniform was spacious and designed to allow full range of movement while still looking professional.

The casual clothes she was wearing now, were not. The loose t-shirt was straining it's seams at her shoulders and only barely covered her bellybutton. The comfortable flannel pants now exposed her entire ankles which were in turn covered in a pair of Daring-Do socks. Quite simply, Twilight looked ridiculous.

And she couldn't have been happier. Breaking into her own fit of laughter, she swept Pinkie up in a hug. The two spun about in the middle of the room , ethereal hair and pink curls flying. The tension now thoroughly broken, the rest soon joined in. They spent the rest of the day in Twilight's room, talking and laughing until evening came.

====================================

Twilight's first brush with the mortality of her friends came much sooner than expected. It all started about six years into the Bureau's operation. Tirek had made a return, attempting to absorb the magic of the planet itself rather than simply take it from the ponies.

The Bureau's response wasn't as smooth as Twilight would have hoped. They were taken by surprise when areas around Equestria began to wither. A mad scramble of research and study revealed these areas to be natural gathering points for magical energy. A bit like the Everfree, but less chaotic. It was at these magical nodes that Tirek was attempting to drain power from the very world.

Once they'd discovered the significance of the areas Tirek was assaulting, the Bureau redeemed itself with a swift and effective response. They'd predicted Tirek's next target and set a trap for the villain. Twilight had led the strike team consisting of her friends and ten of the Bureau's top field agents.

One of the first inventions that came out of the Research Wing was the Hostile Energy Protection suit. A lightly armored outfit that could provide a defense against some magical attacks. While not as effective as a force field against direct attack spells, they excelled at negating debilitating spells or cursed areas. Most importantly in this case, they protected the wearer from Tirek's magic absorbing abilities.

Lured in by Twilight's group, it was finally Tirek's turn to be taken by surprise. First by his inability to drain the attacking ponies' magic and second by the nullifiers that the Bureau team had set up earlier. What little energy the centaur had managed to absorb was soon spent in the battle. His plans foiled, Tirek had used his remaining power to escape.

"We've got the equipment packed up and ready for transport, your Majesty," one of the agents informed Twilight in the aftermath.

"Thank you, Cloud Whisper," she answered. "Please send a message back to HQ. I want the locations of all these nodes recorded and an immediate search started for others."

"Yes ma'am," the agent said, heading off to fulfill the orders.

"A new project for you, Twilight?" Rarity asked as she approached her friend.

Twilight nodded.

"These nodes connect directly to the primal forces of our planet. We've got to know more about them."

At the time, she thought that was the end of it. Tirek was defeated, the nodes would be studied, and their findings would be recorded. But she was wrong. So very wrong.

=====================================

The first clue that something was amiss came less than a year later. The Bureau had discovered five new nodes (nine in all) and set up monitoring equipment on all of them. The four nodes that had been assaulted by Tirek showed signs of damage. A sickly appearance to the surrounding area and erratic fluctuations in magical energy. Twilight had hoped that this was temporary, but as time went on there seemed to be no improvement.

It was around two years after Tirek's plan was foiled that things finally came to a head. Concluding that the magical energies of the planet had been knocked out of balance, Twilight and two of her top scientists were discussing ways of restoring it. The Tree of Harmony and the Elements seemed the best bet, but the 'how' was still an issue.

"Princess Twilight!"

The purple alicorn turned at the worried shout. Solar Whistle, a unicorn in the monitoring station, came dashing into Twilight's office.

"What's the matter, Solar?" Twilight asked, concerned.

"It's the nodes, your highness," the unicorn replied, breathless in her panic. "Their magical auras are spiking. We thought it was an equipment malfunction, but it wasn't. And by the time we'd checked, their frequency had doubled."

"Is it just the damaged nodes?" Twilight asked, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach.

"At the moment, yes," Solar answered. "But... there's evidence it might be spreading."

Twilight hadn't wasted time with any further questions. The three of them dashed toward the monitoring station. As they rounded a corner near the main entrance, they almost ran into Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy coming the other way.

"Twilight!" Rainbow exclaimed, partly in shock at the near collision and partly in worried panic. "Cloudsdale is putting out alerts everywhere. The weather's going nuts outside!"

"Come on!" Twilight didn't bother stopping, grabbing Rainbow Dash's wrist and dragging her along. "I think I know what it is."

When they got to the monitoring station, even more panic greeted them. The ponies stationed there were frantically taking notes and radioing in information as the instruments worked at a fever pitch. The readings from the damaged nodes were utter chaos and the remaining ones were beginning to show signs of fluctuation.

"These nodes are gathering points for the planet's magical energy," Twilight said, as much to herself as to the others. "Fluctuations this violent must be causing reactions in the surrounding area."

"That one there," Fluttershy's voice, usually so quiet, rose above the din. "Near the northern border of the Everfree. A flock of birds came from that direction. They were terrified. They said all the animals were running."

"It's one of the epicenters of the storms, too," Rainbow added. "Cloudsdale marked four main origin points for all this."

"Four points. Four nodes." Twilight could see exactly what was happening. "Contact Canterlot, the Griffon Kingdom, the changelings, anyone whose anywhere near one of the nodes. Tell them to evacuate the area immediately and to take shelter."

The ponies at the communication hubs sprang to work immediately.

"How do we stop this, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stepped up beside her friend. Twilight could only stare at the monitors.

"I'm not sure."

For one dreadful moment, none of them said a word. And then Solar Whistle spoke up again.

"Princess," she called. Her voice was tinged with confusion as she listened to something in her headphones. "There's... there's something else."

Twilight walked over to her quickly. Solar unplugged the headphones and turned up the volume on the monitor she sat at.

"I thought it was just background noise at first, but it keeps repeating itself. Like some kind of distress signal."

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy listened intently to the sound. It was almost like speech, but also like singing. There were also parts that sounded like animals. Yet nothing was recognizable to her.

"It sounds..." Fluttershy spoke up hesitantly. "It sounds almost like how the animals talk."

"Can you understand any of it?" Rainbow asked.

"Not words," the yellow pegasus answered, her brow creased in concentration. "More like feelings. It's..... inviting us. Inviting, urgent.... danger. I think it's asking for help."

"It's not much, but it's the best we have," Twilight said with determination. "Solar, is this coming from a specific node?"

"No, your highness," the unicorn replied. "It's coming from all of them."

"Good. Then we can go to one of the calmer ones, right?" Rainbow Dash piped up.

"Not on foot," Twilight said. "The nearest undamaged node is on the border of griffon territory. Even flying it would take over an hour. And with the way these storms are expanding, I don't think we'd be in time."

"Could you teleport some of us?" Fluttershy asked.

"Out of the question," Solar answered immediately. "The storms are as much magical as they are physical. Trying to teleport a group such a distance could be disastrous."

"We'll have to head for the nearest one," Twilight said, turning to a map display of the surrounding area. "The one Fluttershy mentioned, on the border of the Everfree. I'll send word to the others to meet us there. And to Celestia. If we fail, maybe she could get to another node herself."

"I just hope we can get through that storm," Rainbow shook her head. "It's crazy enough around here. I can't imagine what the epicenter will be like."

Twilight would have preferred picking up some equipment from the supply room. She would have rather waited for the rest of her friends and set off together. She certainly would have liked to talk to Celestia and get her advice on the situation. Unfortunately, none of that was possible. If they wanted to stop this before Ponyville (and who knew where else) was swallowed up by the storm, they had to act now.

The three of them rushed outside and took off toward the node. Flying was quicker, but they had to stay low to avoid being tossed about by the high winds. Twilight could see the looming black clouds on the horizon creeping steadily closer. With a silent prayer that her friends would be quick, she flew toward the storm's center.

The node was located inside an underground cavern that could be accessed from a nearby cave. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were forced to land and continue on foot once the wind became too much. Lightening flashed in the clouds above as they trudged toward the cave. The wind whipped around them so violently that they had to shield their eyes and focus almost solely on walking. Just so their legs weren't swept out from under them.

"The cave should be just ahead," Twilight shouted over the wind.

Rainbow Dash, who was slightly ahead of the other two, suddenly stopped walking. Taking Twilight by the arm, she pointed toward where they were heading.

"If that's it over there, we've got another problem," she said, leaning towards Twilight to be heard.

Twilight looked to where Rainbow was pointing. She could barely make out the cavern entrance, but it was in the middle of a massive column of swirling wind. It was like a large, stationary tornado and it was completely cutting them off.

Fluttershy got the other two's attention and pointed towards a nearby rock formation that jutted out of the ground. The three friends hurried over, taking shelter from the wind.

"Now what?" Rainbow Dash asked, frustration evident in her voice.

"I don't know," Twilight admitted. "Getting through that thing isn't going to be easy. The wind and debris is bad enough, but the energy swirling around inside takes it to a whole other level."

"You said teleporting is out," Fluttershy said. "Would a force field work?"

"In theory," Twilight answered. "But the energy is still the problem. That's not just some offensive spell; that's the primal force of the planet in there. If my force field gave out while we were inside, we wouldn't last a second."

"It might be half magic, but it's still a storm," Rainbow Dash said. "What about a counter force? The Weather Team's used it a couple times to break up tornadoes. If I could dive in from above the cloud layer, I could come in with enough momentum to set off a rainboom in the opposite direction to the rotation."

"It would dispel the storm, but the release of energy..." Twilight shook her head. "Rainbow, you'd be vaporized as soon as the cyclone broke."

Rainbow Dash fell silent. Twilight continued muttering to herself, going over alternate ideas and possibilities. For a few moments Rainbow's gaze drifted from her two friends to the storm and back again.

"Twilight," the pegasus said hesitantly. "I'm going to circle back. See if the others are almost here."

"Huh?" Twilight glanced up. "Oh, right. Good idea."

She immediately lapsed back into deep thought as Rainbow Dash ran back the way they'd come. She continued to run until she was clear of the worst ring of storm clouds. Then, taking a few deep breaths, she launched herself into the air.

The wind whipped at her wings, growing more violent the higher she got. Flying toward the storm had been impossible, but by angling slightly away from the epicenter, she could actually use the air currents to help her spiral upward.

Going through the cloud layer was nothing short of terrifying. Icy rain stung at her face and lightening flashed in the nearby darkness. Gritting her teeth, Rainbow Dash pushed her ascent ever higher. At last she broke through the clouds, taking a moment to catch her breath. Even up here, she could clearly see where the main cyclone was. She'd dive in at a steep angle to build her momentum and then level out to...

"Rainbow!"

Startled, the pegasus glanced back just in time to see Fluttershy break free of the clouds. Her ascent hadn't been as well executed as Rainbow's, but she managed to struggle through.

"Flutters?" Rainbow Dash said, torn between anger that Fluttershy had followed her and pride that her timid friend had actually succeeded. "What are you doing here?"

"You're going to try and dispel the storm, aren't you?"

Rainbow Dash looked away.

"Aren't you , Rainbow?" Fluttershy flew up next to her fellow pegasus.

"You heard Twilight," Rainbow replied. "If we try to get through the cyclone and something goes wrong, we'll all die. If I do it this way, it WILL work."

"And only you'll die?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow nodded.

"If it means my friends'll be safe, then I..."

She trailed off.

Rainbow Dash couldn't put it into words. She was never good with words. But she knew Fluttershy would understand. Fluttershy always understood her.

"Alright, Rainbow," the other pegasus said, taking her friend's hand. "And I'll help you. It'll be easier with two flyers anyway."

"No," Rainbow almost choked. "Fluttershy, no! I don't want you to..."

She was suddenly silenced by Fluttershy pulling her into a kiss.

For a brief moment the sounds of the storm died away and all Rainbow Dash could focus on was the feeling of the other pegasus pressed up against her. When Fluttershy eventually pulled away, Rainbow could only stare back at her as the pink haired girl cupped Rainbow's face in her hands.

"I understand, Rainbow," Fluttershy said to her, quietly. "Do you?"

Rainbow Dash stared into those soft, kind eyes. They'd known each other for so long. Successes, failures, parties, dangers, hope's, dreams , and nightmares. They'd shared them all and always came out stronger than before. Closer than before.

Fluttershy had always pushed herself when it came to her athletic friend. She'd come to Rainbow's competitions even though she hated crowds. She'd cheered for her even though she hated drawing attention to herself. She made sure to stay knowledgeable on flight technique even though she hated heights. The blue pegasus had never dared consider what that might mean, always afraid it wouldn't be what she thought. Now though, looking into those eyes, she finally had her answer.

Rainbow Dash smiled, taking Fluttershy's hands in hers.

"I understand."

Rainbow pulled her friend in for one more short kiss before steeling her nerve.

"Ready?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Build up as much speed as you can on the descent," Rainbow instructed her. "Follow me closely. You can use my slipstream to keep up with me. You remember how to do that?"

Again, Fluttershy nodded.

"Okay." Rainbow took one more deep breath. "Let's go."

They flew upward a short distance before circling around and plunging back down into the clouds.

====================================

Twilight was on her fifth plan when she heard someone shouting her name over the storm. Looking up toward the noise, she saw Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack hurrying toward her small bit of shelter.

"Twilight," Applejack exclaimed, crouching behind the rocks next to her friend. "What the hey is goin' on?"

"The planet's magical energy is out of balance," Twilight answered. "There may be a way to stop it inside the cave, but we can't get past the cyclone."

She paused as she looked over the others. A realization finally forced it's way through her furious thought processes.

"Where's Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?"

"Weren't they with you?" Rarity asked

"They were," Twilight nodded. "Rainbow said she was going back to meet you. I assumed Fluttershy went with her."

"We didn't see them on the way here," Pinkie said with a shrug.

"Maybe we better go back and search. If something happened we may not..."

"Twilight!"

Applejack's shout cut her off. Looking to where the farmer was pointing, Twilight saw two small figures diving out of the clouds towards the cyclone.

====================================

Fluttershy never had any real affection towards flying. She was scared of heights and fast speeds, she didn't work for the Weather Team, and she had no desire to visit any pegasus city like Cloudsdale. And yet, she probably knew more about flight technique than most other pegasi.

This was, of course, because of Rainbow Dash. Her friend spent most of her time talking about flying and Fluttershy had heard most of it at least twice. She even helped Rainbow practice whenever the blue daredevil needed another pegasus to try out a new routine or trick.

So it wasn't the first time they'd done the slipstream technique. It really wasn't difficult; the only thing that had held her back before had been the speed. But now there was no holding back. Following Rainbow's slipstream was nearly as easy as following the current of a river. Her friend's speed cut through the winds like a knife, with Fluttershy trailing in her wake. The yellow pegasus clamped down on the terrified tremor in her gut and pushed for all the speed she could.

As they neared the midpoint of the cyclone, Rainbow Dash leveled off. She kept herself as straight as possible to reduce wind resistance and maintain their momentum. Already she could feel that tingling in her wings. The familiar feeling that told her she was close to breaking the sound barrier and triggering the rainbow hued explosion she was known for.

The two of them were circling the cyclone so fast, that Rainbow Dash caught up to her own multi-colored flight trail. A little ways behind, Fluttershy could feel the air shift. The cyclone's rotation began to fall apart as flashes of light lit up the inside. She knew this was it. With a strength she never would have believed she possessed, Fluttershy pushed herself forward the few feet that separated her and Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash glanced back when she felt a hand grab hers. The feeling of pride and relief she felt when she realized that Fluttershy had actually managed to catch up to her was overwhelming. With a strong pull, Rainbow pulled her timid friend up beside her. Hand in hand, the two friends finally reached the breaking point. The sonic rainboom exploded around the cyclone a split second before searing white light erupted from inside the pillar of deadly winds. The small group on the ground was thrown off their feet and only avoided injury thanks to a quick forcefield from Twilight. In Ponyville, the shockwave shattered nearly every window in town.

The explosion lasted for just a few seconds before the light faded and all was still.

====================================

Twilight felt like she should have reacted more when she realized what was going on. Like maybe she should have jumped up and rushed forward in a vain attempt to stop her two friends. Perhaps being held back by Applejack or Rarity.

But that wasn't how Twilight's brain worked. Even in a state of panic, it would never let her behave in such an illogical manner. There was no way to stop Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Even if she could have gotten close enough, trying to grab them with magic at that speed would have been nearly impossible. And even if she managed it, all it would likely accomplish would be to throw the two off and send them plowing into the ground or hurtling into the cyclone.

So Twilight could do nothing but sit and watch in silent horror at what she knew was coming.

When she felt the shockwave hit, Twilight immediately threw up a barrier around them that kept any injuries to superficial bruises. The giant cyclone was gone, leaving a clear path to the cave entrance.

"We... we should search the area first," Rarity choked out. "Maybe we could find them. Maybe they..."

"Rarity," Twilight interrupted softly, laying a hand on the unicorn's shoulder. "They were at the heart of that explosion. There... won't be anything to find."

Rarity stumbled back as tears ran down her face. Applejack caught her from behind, pulling the smaller pony against her sturdy frame. It was only then that Rarity broke down into sobs of despair.

Pinkie didn't make a sound, though her face was just as wet with tears as Rarity's. Walking up beside Twilight, the pink party planner simply gave her a small, supportive hug around her middle. Twilight brought one arm around Pinkie's back and leaned her head into her friend's curls. The familiar smell of baked goods and frosting helping to ease her aching heart.

"We've got to keep going," she said after a moment. Giving Pinkie one last squeeze, she stood up straight. "The magical energy is already starting to build again. Rainbow and Fluttershy gave us our chance. Let's use it."

The others nodded, pulling themselves together before following Twilight into the cave entrance.

=====================================

The caverns that held the node extended deep underground. It took the small group nearly twenty minutes to work their way down to the bottom level. Twilight could feel the echoes of magic from outside and was certain that a new cyclone was already forming. But what intrigued her more was what she felt from inside.

She'd sensed it almost as soon as they'd entered and it only grew stronger as they descended. A massive magical presence from deep in the caverns. Bigger than anything she'd ever sensed before.

"Do you hear that?" Pinkie asked, pausing as they reached the bottom level.

And they did hear it. That same singing almost-voice Twilight had heard back at the Bureau. It had been faint and tinny sounding over the speakers. Now it echoed off the cavern walls. Twilight was more certain than ever that whatever was down here held the answers to stopping all this. Urging the others forward, she led the way through the last stretch before entering the chamber that housed the node.

Twilight had seen most of the nodes they'd discovered. This one she'd seen multiple times, given it's close proximity to Ponyville. They were all impressive in their own rights, the energy from the nodes affecting the surrounding flora and fauna. Plants around the nodes were bigger, thicker, and more colorful than usual. Animals that lived or nested nearby appeared to be healthier and even showed signs of slightly increased cognitive functions.

Twilight had always been impressed by the nodes, but when she entered the chamber this time, she was quite literally awestruck.

The plants practically glowed with energy while a large group of animals huddled together on the floor. Prey and predator alike, presumably having taken shelter from the storm outside.

But it was what they were huddled around that really took Twilight's breath away. It stood in the middle of the chamber, it's features obscured by the bright light that it produced. It had a vague, bipedal shape that was around nine feet tall. Twilight got the impression of long hair and robes. (Maybe robes? Maybe leaves or fur?)

Two blue orbs glowed where the eyes would be, watching them enter. They all had the impression that this thing had been waiting for them. And indeed, it almost immediately held a long arm out in their direction.

"Child..."

The voice seemed to come from everywhere. It was the first time it had spoken an actual word. The entity actually seemed to be having trouble speaking. Words would fade in and out of song and animal noises.

"Alicorn........ can not.... language....."

The creature had singled Twilight out and the purple alicorn was quick to step forward.

"Please," Twilight pleaded. "Can you help us fix the nodes? Can we stop the destruction?"

"Stop...," the thing seemed to nod. "Magic..... no... balance. I..... no... balance."

"What can I do?" Twilight asked desperately.

"Child..... lend... your balance."

The glowing entity held out both hands toward Twilight. The alicorn still was unsure about what was going on, but it was clear what this creature was asking.

"Careful, Twilight," Pinkie called as Twilight stepped forward. Her voice shook slightly in fear for her friend. Twilight gave her a reassuring smile before turning back. She stepped carefully around the huddled animals until she was standing before the entity. Reaching out, Twilight took the offered hands.

To the other three ponies, Twilight suddenly went rigid as her eyes turned into pools of bright light. To Twilight, it was as if the whole world came alive. She could feel the roots of trees above them moving through the earth. She could feel the animals laying on the ground as if it were her own skin. She could practically see the LIFE that her friends seemed to be surrounded by.

"Thank you, child. I have slept for so long and the Magic was so broken, I could not form the correct sounds."

Twilight could feel the presence that spoke to her within her mind. While she sensed no malice, it was still slightly alarming. Her own thoughts and feelings were so interwoven with the entity that it was difficult to determine where it ended and she began.

"Be calm, Twilight," it said to her, soothing thoughts flooding her mind. "I only want to help. The imbalance must be corrected and together we can correct it."

But who or what was this creature, Twilight wondered.

"I am you," the presence answered. "I am them." Twilight saw images of the animals and plants in the cave. "I am the ground on which you walk and the air that you breathe."

Memories of old folktales and superstitions ran through Twilight's mind. An earth spirit. A personification of the planet. The Buffalo tribes told stories of Athabaskan, the goddess of nature. Ancient griffon ruins held references to Terra, the spirit of the earth. The yaks had festivals that originated as ceremonies to Jörð. Even Equestria's own history had the similar legend of Gaea.

"I have been called all these and more," the entity said with what felt like a smile. "Any of them will do."

Twilight figured their own legend was appropriate enough, but what she really wanted to know was how to stop the storms.

"The Magic's balance must be restored," Gaea answered. "You and your friends have been touched by Harmony. With your help, I can repair the damage."

Harmony. Twilight knew she must mean the Tree and the elements. But the elements weren't all here. Rainbow and Fluttershy had....

Twilight's thoughts suddenly dipped back into despair when she was reminded of the fate of her two friends. The presence that shared her mind wrapped around her like a warm embrace.

"I am so sorry, Twilight," Gaea said softly. "I could feel them when they challenged the epicenter. They were so brave."

The purple alicorn could feel tears running down her face as memories of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy played through her mind. Gaea's presence stayed wrapped snugly around her, experiencing the memories with her.

"This shouldn't have happened," Gaea whispered, sounding heartbroken yet determined. "So many hurt. Some dead. I never should have allowed myself to diminish."

Yes, it had said it had been sleeping. But Twilight couldn't help but wonder why.

"You had all grown so much. Become so clever," Gaea replied as images of the different civilizations of Equestria played out before Twilight. "I thought you would be better off on your own. I was afraid my influence might hold you back."

The griffons expanded their territory and turned toward diplomacy. The ponies united the clans and built wondrous cities. Time and progress marched by before Twilight's inner eye.

"But I was wrong. I could have been silent, but present. I could have given you space without leaving you defenseless."

Twilight felt Gaea's feelings of determination come to a peak.

"Twilight, there is a balance to nature that must be maintained. I cannot simply ignore that balance. But.... I can bend the rules sometimes."

The purple alicorn felt her body turn to her friends, but when she opened her mouth, it was Gaea who spoke.

"My dear children," the nature spirit said, addressing the other ponies. "What has happened today should never have been allowed. I feel responsible for the pain you've had to endure getting here, but I must ask for your help."

Twilight was aware of her body stepping forward and reaching its hands out toward her friends. They understandably looked nervous, but Twilight knew they were feeling the same things she was. It was a natural feeling of trust toward the strange entity. Like an old friend or trusted elder.

Pinkie was the first to take a tentative step forward.

"Twilight? Can you... still hear me?"

Twilight felt Gaea's presence shift aside, as though making room for her.

"I can hear you, Pinkie." Her eyes were still glowing white, but it was her voice. "Don't be afraid. I think we can really fix all this."

Hearing her friend's voice seemed to give Pinkie new resolve.

"If you say it's okay, Twilight, then that's good enough for me."

She bravely walked forward and took one of Twilight's outstretched hands.

"Aw shoot," Applejack said, standing to her full height. "Not like we got a whole lotta other options."

A few long strides brought her across the room where she took Twilight's other hand.

"Coming, sugarcube?"

The farmer turned back, holding her free hand out to Rarity. Pinkie copied her, giving the unicorn a reassuring smile.

"Well," Rarity answered, clearly trying to regain her composure. "How could I resist such an... interesting proposal."

She walked a little slower than the other two, but gripped AJ and Pinkie's hands without hesitation. Gaea moved back into the forefront of their shared consciousness, smiling at the other ponies.

"Thank you, children," it said, squeezing the others' hands gratefully. "Now, please brace yourselves. This is going to be... a lot."

The four friends only had a split second to wonder what that meant before something like an electric pulse ran through the ring of their conjoined hands. The other three ponies went rigid as their eyes burst into light, just as Twilight's had.

The four of them were suddenly bombarded by sights, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings.... everything. A planet's worth of information pounded against their brains like a hail storm. Only the protective aura of Gaea kept them from simply collapsing from overload.

"Stay strong, my children," it encouraged them. "The Magic of the world has changed form. The damage done to the sacred groves has twisted it into knots. I am not familiar enough with this new Magic to undo the knots, but you are. You are part of the Magic. Through you I can understand it's form and release the knots."

The mental storm continued to push down on them as Gaea reached out into it. The entity could feel the Harmony within the four children and it latched on. The Harmony was old magic, older than almost anything else. It suffused every cell of the four ponies. Through it, Gaea could See them. And through them, Gaea could See the Magic.

"Yes," it's voice had a breathless joy to it. "I understand it now. Hold on, children. We are almost there."

Twilight and the others felt Gaea reach out across the planet. The waves of energy flowed around the entity's presence, reacting to it's movements. Slowly the pounding lessened. It was still overwhelming, but less chaotic. No longer an icy hurricane; now more of a steady summer downpour.

The earth spirit continued manipulating the planet's energies until it was satisfied. It's presence decreased, focusing back down to the group of four friends. But it did not yet release them.

"The balance is restored," Gaea said, sounding relieved. "But the damage remains. I cannot fix it all, but I can try and make sure it never happens again."

The circle of ponies felt the presence wrap around them warmly.

"I cannot rule you. I WILL not. But I must be present. To advise, to warn, and even to retaliate, if necessary."

"So what will you do?" Twilight managed to ask. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Even the relatively short time they'd spent connected to the planet's essence felt like she'd been stomped on by an ursa major.

"I will make advocates," Gaea answered, sending waves of soothing energy to help revitalize the four friends. "Those who will speak for me and for you. I will create a bridge between the planet and it's children."

Gaea turned to each of them in sympathy.

"And, perhaps, ease your own pain at the same time. Please lend me your help one more time."

Once again, the small group felt energy flow through their linked hands. This time however, it focused inward. It settled in their chests and flared brightly. Suddenly, wispy strands of light flickered into view before their eyes. They waved about gently, like luminescent spiderwebs blowing in the wind. The brightest ones seemed to run between the four of them while other strands faded off into the distance. They each had a good number connected to them, though Pinkie was practically cocooned by the things.

What really caught their attention though was the two glowing things in the center of their circle. They had no definite form, appearing like small balls of glowing mist, each connected to the brightest strands from each of the ponies.

"Love forms connections," Gaea said, it's form leaning over the small group to gently grasp the tiny, glowing clouds. "These connections can transcend time, space, and even death."

Twilight's breath hitched at that last word. She stared up at the strange manifestations now held in the earth spirit's hands. Gaea began to pulse with light and energy, the clumps of mist reacting and growing brighter in turn. The four ponies were suddenly released from their connection. Their eyes returned to normal and all but Applejack stumbled and had to stop themselves from falling over. Once they'd steadied themselves though, their attention immediately turned back to Gaea.

Twilight shielded her eyes as the light from the two shapes increased. And they were taking on actual shapes now. At first it just seemed to be tiny spheres within the mist. But as they grew, more details began to show. Creases, bumps, and curves emerged as the light continued to grow. Just before it got too bright to look at, Twilight suddenly recognized the shapes. It was two figures, curled up in the fetal position as they grew. Finally it was too much and the four friends had to turn away to keep from being blinded.

The room was engulfed in white light and an explosion of energy washed over them. Twilight and Applejack managed to keep on their feet. Pinkie was knocked to her knees and Rarity would have followed her if AJ hadn't managed to catch her by the arm. The rising energy had reached it's crescendo and in the next instant it was gone. The cavern was suddenly silent and dark except for Gaea's soft glow.

It was by that glow that Twilight saw them. Two forms slowly pulling themselves up from the cavern floor, as if rising from a long rest. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Twilight's heart skipped a beat. She could see wings, a hint of blue, long hair that fell in a familiar way....

Unable to take the suspense any longer, the alicorn cast her own illumination spell, bathing the area in light. And indeed, there before her, naked but alive, were Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

The two of them looked disoriented as they got to their feet, Rainbow instinctually reaching over to steady her fellow pegasus. They both knew that their friends were behind them and they ached to turn and run over to the group. But they couldn't manage to turn away from the glowing figure before them. Gaea held their full attention.

"Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy." The earth spirit addressed them kindly, but firmly. The importance of it's words clear to all. "By your selfless act, you allowed your friends to reach me and prevent the mass destruction that threatened our world."

Gaea laid a hand on each of their heads.

"You have spent your lives showing loyalty and kindness. I can think of noone more worthy to act as my avatars. Will you accept this responsibility? Will you act as the bridge between the planet and it's children? Will you defend the balance of nature and punish those who would break it?"

The hands left their heads and were held out before them, waiting for their acceptance. Neither of them hesitated in taking the offered hand.

"We will," Rainbow agreed while Fluttershy gave a confirming nod and smile.

"Then let it be so," Gaea said. "From this day forth, you are my right and left hands. Your word is mine. You carry my authority and my power."

With those words, Gaea's energy swelled again. The other four ponies saw Rainbow and Fluttershy start to glow from within. It got bright enough that Twilight could see the silhouettes of the bones within the skin. Suddenly the smell of ozone permeated the cavern while a static charge crackled through the air. Rainbow stumbled back as arcs of electricity burst from her form. She seemed overwhelmed for a moment before finding her footing and straightening up.

Fluttershy wasn't quite as dramatic, but was no less spectacular. Twilight hadn't noticed at first, but the shy pegasus' usually pale pink hair was slightly green when she reappeared. It was also less like strands of hair and more like wispy, thin vines. Now those vines burst into color as tiny pink flowers blossomed along their lengths. Patches of green moss sprang up along her shoulders and trailed down the center of her back. Small roots framed her face, disappearing into her hairline before re-emerging as antler-like twigs that swept back from the top of her head.

"Rainbow Dash. You are the sky. The healing of the rains, the swiftness of the winds, and the fury of the storm."

Gaea addressed the first transformed pegasus before turning to the other.

"Fluttershy. You are the land. The lush plants of the forest, the harsh sands of the deserts, and every animal that crawls, walks, or flies upon it."

The earth spirit then turned it's attention back to the four friends still standing in shock a few feet away.

"I thank you once more, children," Gaea said, a note of finality in it's voice. "For helping to save our world and giving me this chance to make up for my mistakes. The future of this world is yours, but I will be here to help protect that future. I cannot wait to see what you will accomplish."

So saying, the glowing form of Gaea faded away. For a few moments, none of the group spoke. As if afraid to break some spell that lay over the cavern. Then a sudden, piercing squeal made them all jump in surprise. The exclamation came from Pinkie (of course) who launched herself across the chamber at the nearest one of her resurrected friends.

Rainbow Dash saw the pink missile heading straight for her. Electricity still crackled across the blue pegasus' skin.

"Pinkie, wait!"

The warning was in vain. The hyperactive baker collided with Rainbow and sent the two falling to the ground. The sudden impact caused the lingering charge to build, flair, and discharge right into....

*POOF*

Pinkie's mass of pink curls were instantly zapped into a fuzzy pink afro that looked for all the world like it was trying to absorb the party-planner's head. Rainbow and Pinkie looked at each other for a beat before simultaneously bursting into gales of laughter.

The rest of the group quickly joined them. Laughing, crying, and oh so relieved that everything had worked out.

Twilight didn't say as much as the others. There would be time for words later. Heck, she was already planning a series of tests to determine the exact nature of her two friends' transformations. But for now, she simply hugged the two of them and held on as tight as she could.

They'd come so close to losing them. So unbelievably close. It was no less than a miracle that they hadn't. And Twilight couldn't help but wonder who the next one would be. And what she would do if they weren't so lucky then.

=================================

Excerpt from Bureau of Harmony file #48: Elementals

Elementals can come in different varieties. A natural elemental is usually an animated entity composed of one or more of said elements. A created elemental generally has a golem base form and is infused with elemental magic.

Addendum: Another type of elemental is a being directly empowered by the planet's own magic. Only two such examples have ever been recorded. [See file #327]

Excerpt from Bureau of Harmony file #327: Study of Elemental Transformations

Subjects Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy appear to have no negative affects from their supposed deaths. Brain scans and psychological exams show no major variations in their mental state, apart from an actual increase in cognitive functions.

Their physical bodies are generally the same, but with some modifications.

Rainbow Dash was discovered to have traces of silver laced through her tissue and bones. This is presumably to aid in the conduction of the lightening she generates. This appears to be her main method of offense, though she also possesses the ability to manipulate weather patterns as well.

Fluttershy's body is a truly amazing amalgamation of flora and fauna. The plant-like growths are more than just decoration. They are actually connected to her cardiovascular system and aid in bodily functions. Musculature and skeletal system are partly composed of tightly packed plant fibers. Her previous talent to communicate with animals remains, but seems stronger than ever, now effecting plant life. Experiments have even shown her able to influence Timber Wolves.

Both subjects have confirmed that they also have alternative options for sustenance as well. Rainbow Dash can absorb electricity and even seems to be able to convert wind resistance into energy. Fluttershy can sustain herself with photosynthesis, the same as a plant would.

There is also the extrasensory perception that allows the two subjects to communicate with Gaea [see file #325] and predict and pinpoint natural disasters or areas in need of restoration.

While Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy still show just as much attachment to their friends as ever, they also display an equal loyalty to their new roles as caretakers to nature. While this shouldn't be a problem, the potential for conflict from differing priorities should be noted.

Author's Note:

Hey all! Sorry, no pictures this time. The three I made for this chapter are drawn, but not colored. I'm too impatient to wait and finish them before putting up this chapter, so I'll just lump them in with the next one.

Cheers!

Comments

[Jest]

10324718
... In a good way? :P

[TheSmilingCow]

10382528
😳

[xxxxnoahboyxxxx]

Amazing story so far, can't wait for next chapter.

[TheSmilingCow]

10388115
Aw, thanks. 😊

Hopefully you won't have long to wait.