We continued to watch Twilight with her bright eyes still in white. She showed emotions of shock, sadness and was talking to herself very quietly, whatever flashback she was witnessing, it certainly was taking it's toll.

When the brightness in her eyes went, she looked at us in confusion.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" she asked.

"It's just...you were mumblin' to yourself..." Applejack answered.

"Ooh! And don't forget the uncontrollable sobbing!" Pinkie added.

"We were really worried about you." Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, your emotions turning into something quick and fierce at times." I pointed out.

"I for one found it delightful." Discord intervened, "Sort of a one-pony theatre piece, if you will. You should really consider taking it on the road."

Yep...definitely a lot to learn.

"Did you find out whose rump we need to kick and where we can find them?" Dash asked.

"I saw something from a long time ago. But it didn't explain what's happening now." Twilight replied.

"Perhaps farther back still are the answers you seek. Another sip of the potion will give you a peek." Zecora said.

"You sure about this?" Spike asked.

Twilight began to drink a bit more of the potion as we saw her eyes go to bright white again.

"Oh, I do hope she breaks into a song this time!" Discord exclaimed.

"If that happens, I'm shaving my mane and becoming a priest." I muttered.

After another flashback which didn't break into song, thank Celestia, Twilight's eyes were normal again.

"So what did you find out?" I asked.

"I still don't know what's happened to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, but I think I know why the Everfree Forest is acting this way. Something's happened to the Tree of Harmony." Twilight explained.

"The tree of what now?" Dash asked who was slightly confused.

"It's where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna found the Elements. I think it's in danger."

"Well, all right then! Let's go save a... tree. Uh... where is it exactly?" Applejack asked.

"I think it's in... there."

She pointed to the Everfree Forest.

"Ooh-hoo! I'm going to need more popcorn!" Discord said as he watched us all go into the forest.

There was a bit of silence as we walked through forest on the night side of the sky.

"Seems like only yesterday we were heading into these woods to find the Elements of Harmony." Rarity said.

"Seems like only yesterday I was foolish enough to think I should go after them on my own." Twilight added.

"Well, I don't know what we're going to face in there. But whatever it is, I know we need to face it together." I highlighted.

All the others agreed as we walked onwards through the forest, we came across a pond where my instincts and magic began to kick in.

"We can use those to cross." Twilight said.

"No wait!" I said with a slightly stern voice. "I sense something very bad about those stones."

We then noticed the stones were moving around a lot before they rose up to reveal a pond creature.

"A cragadile!" Rarity gasped, "Run for your lives!"

"Quick, this way!" I yelled as we galloped through the tight branches and made it onto a clear path where the vines began to close up the spaces, blocking the "cragadile" as Rarity called it from reaching us.

"That was close." Twilight commented.

"A little too close, if you ask me. You sure you're all right?" Applejack asked.

"I'm fine. I just can't seem to get these new wings to do what I want them to do when I want them to do it."

"Aw, you'll figure it out eventually." Dash assured.

"'Eventually' isn't soon enough."

"You have been having an awful lot of trouble with those things. And, well, who knows what else is gonna to come after us? You know, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea for Twilight to go back to Ponyville and let us look for the Tree of Harmony without her." Applejack suggested.

"No AJ, we are all part of the seven elements and we stick it out together through thick and thin." I stated, "We've made several mistakes before and we're not going to make another one."

The others held thier heads down, reminding them of all the mistakes they had made among us before and whilst they were overwhelming obstacles at times, we never once gave up in the face of those odds and we've always pulled through together. They knew what I was talking about and we walked towards each other closer.

"You're right Bond...we have a special connection and no source of evil is gonna take that away." Twilight agreed.

We then shared a group hug before we carried on walking further into the forest, much closer together this time.

"Are we there yet?" Spike asked.

"I don't know where we are. We're lost." Twilight replied.

"Maybe not..." I intervened, pointing to a huge cave entrance.

We walked inside and then came across a a huge tree that was made out of crystal with several vines covering most of it.

"That must be the Tree of Harmony." Rarity commented.

"I think it's dying!" Fluttershy gasped.

"So let's save it already!" Applejack declared as she tried to lasso the vines away from the tree but didn't work.

Dash then attempted to move the vines but she had no luck either.

"Valiant efforts on both your parts, but the tree remains in jeopardy." Rarity said.

"Maybe I could try and do something about it." I said as I flew up towards the tree and tried to use my slash magic to cut away the vines. "Ugh...it's working but they seem to be growing too fast for me to finish the job."

I then flew back down by the group at a loss.

"I know how we can save the tree. We have to give it the Elements of Harmony." Twilight said as she looked at the tree.

"Wait what...even mine despite the fact that only the sisters knew about it?" I asked.

"Yes...even yours."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, heh. How are we supposed to protect Equestria?" Dash asked.

"How are we meant to rein Discord in if we can't use the Elements to turn him back to stone? Rarity added.

"Twilight...The Elements of Harmony. They're what keep us connected no matter what." Applejack said as she had her hoof on her element necklace.

"You're right about one thing, Applejack. The Elements of Harmony did bring us together. But it isn't the Elements that will keep us connected. It's our friendship." Twilight assured, "And it's more important and more powerful than any magic. My new role in Equestria may mean I have to take on new responsibilities, and our friendships may be tested, but it will never, ever be broken. There's no time to lose. Everypony ready?"

We all nodded in agreement as we got into position. Twilight flew up and used her magic to take the small shaped gems in our necklaces away from us and guided them to the tree, one by one they all went into thier small slots on the tree before Twilight's own went into the centre. They were then locked in and the tree began to glow in total brightness.

We closed our eyes and noticing the vines evaporating all around us, we then saw two piles of vines by the tree which disappeared, revealing Celestia and Luna, that would explain how they were captured, but I didn't think they would be caught off guard easily. Twilight galloped over and hugged both the princesses.

"We know how difficult it must have been for you to give up the Elements. It took great courage to relinquish them." Celestia said before a crystal made box appeared in front of us.

"What's inside it? How am I supposed to open it?" Twilight asked.

"Seven locks, seven keys." Luna pointed as we looked at the keyholes.

"I do not know where they are. But I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone."

Celestia and Luna then disappeared as they retreated ot the castle whilst the rest of us all left the forest with the box to find Discord waiting for us.

"Bravo, ladies, bravo!" he exclaimed, "How ever did you save the day this time? Blast the beastie with your magic necklaces, I presume? Where are those little trinkets of yours? You know, the ones you use to send me back to my extremely uncomfortable stone prison?"

"Gone." Applejack sighed.

"Gone? Gone?"

"But our friendship remains." Fluttershy told him, "And if you want to remain friends, you'll stop thinking whatever it is you're thinking and help us clean up."

He then appeared away from us with a maids outfit and a brush.

"Fine. But I don't do windows."

"One thing I don't get. Why did all this happen now?" I asked.

"I have no idea. Those seeds I planted should have sprouted up ages ago."

"What did you say?!" Twilight asked raising her voice.

"Oh, why should I try to explain it when you can see for yourself?"

Discord then brought in the last amount of the potion Twilight had taken earlier, she drank the rest of it as Discord commented on the flashback she was having.

"Well, obviously things didn't go according to my original plan. My plunderseeds should have stolen the magic from the Tree of Harmony and captured Princess Celestia and Princess Luna thousands of moons ago. Alas, it seems the tree had enough magic to keep the seeds from growing up big and strong. Until now, that is."

Twilight then shook her head as she looked at Discord, feeling displeased.

"You realize this is information we could have used hours ago?!

"And rob you of a valuable lesson about being princess? What kind of friend do you think I am?"

There was no way around it...he did have a point.

When we got back, Discord began to clean up the whole town as punishment and we deemed it to be quite fitting for him. It was then the day of the Summer Sun Celebration which took place by the Canterlot Castle. We were all in attendance among the crowd as we watched Celestia, Luna and Twilight standing in a line.

"Citizens of Equestria, it is no longer with a heavy heart but with great joy that I raise the summer sun." Celestia announced, "For this celebration now represents not the defeat of Nightmare Moon, but the return of my sister, Princess Luna."

All of us cheered as we saw Luna fly up and lowering the moon whilst Celestia followed suit by beginning to raise the sun. As the sun and the moon were at equal level, Twilight flew up fast and created a huge aura shape of her cutiemark and all of us stood there and admiring what we just saw. I knew Twilight could pull it off in the end thanks to further training with her wings and I am so glad that it's not me up there.

When the event was over, I was with the others when I saw Twilight coming towards us.

"You guys go on ahead, me and Spike will be back at my home in Ponyville later." she said with a big smile.

We all then shared a group once more, thinking how happy we were to be seeing her where she should be again, with us. We agreed to leave Canterlot and go on home. When we arrived back in Ponyville, we said our farewells but not before I heard Applejack and Dash saying something about a beehive challenge at the apple farm later today, but I must've been hearing things.

Fluttershy flew off to her cottage as well as check up on Discord who was asked to go back to Canterlot after he had cleaned up Ponyville and Pinkie bounced to her home as happy as can be. Rarity and I were the two left once more, but we didn't care, we loved being together.

"Say Rarity, for allowing to me to sleep with you in your bed, how about I return you a favor by offering you to sleep with me in my home sometime." I offered.

"Oooh darling, that would be quite fabulous and romantic if we could do that sometime." Rarity replied.

We held hooves as we walked to my house, as soon as we got in, I used my magic to tidy up the place a little.

"Well just as preview, here we are. It may not be as stylish or classy, but it's what I call home." I said as I wrapped my hooves around her waist making the two of us stand on our backlegs.

"You don't have to downplay your home's appearances dear, I love you for who you are and what you show as genuine." she assured as she wrapped her hooves around my neck.

"That is why I love you too..." I paused myself as I kissed her a few times. "...but there's one thing we've forgotten for a while."

"Oh...what is it?"

"How long do you think we can keep this up away from Spike, he's the only one among us all that doesn't know."

"I don't know darling and quite frankly, I'm a little worried about his feelings. If he finds out the wrong way, it could devastate him and his heart. Our only hope would be to leave it up to fate and let it decide the answer for us."

"Wow Rarity...that's quite deep of you to say that. I guess Twilight's knowledge has rubbed off on you."

"Maybe, but let's not go into that state of worry now. Spike is with Twilight for now and I want us to have a moment of love between us once again."

"Okay my love, you got me."

We then walked over to my bedroom and before I knew it she planted a kiss on my lips, causing me fall slowly backwards onto my huge bed. What followed was another scene of passionate kisses and soon we forgot all about our worries, there was nothing else we could think of except the power of love between us.

But whilst we were kissing, I did mange to recap about the recent events. It seems that Twilight now knows how to fly, so maybe someday she'll be as good as Rainbow Dash or even me...nah! I still have the most durable wingpower as well as the most amazing magic, even though Twilight has learnt more through it than I have.

But I did wonder one thing...we don't the elements with us anymore, but Twilight is right. What about the crystal box that appeared and does it contain something incredibly powerful? I guess time and fate will tell for now... Next Chapter: Castle Mane-ia Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 14 Minutes