“Other Worlds?” All the ponies exclaimed. “What the hay do you mean!”

“I suppose that this might be too much to truly take but you need to explain what is going on in more detail. We are just...This is too damn much don’t you understand! Moments ago we were just about to enjoy our day with our friends and this load of horseapples happens!” Twilight was beyond livid. “Everything is more messed up and we still don’t know why this all happened and why those spheres made Spike and Discord their targets.

“That’s right. Heck we all bigger threats than Spike at least. It should have been one of us instead.” Rainbow Dash got right in the sphere’s ‘face’. To the untrained eye it looked like she was trying to put down Spike. Twilight saw something much different. ‘It should have been me’ was reflected in her powerful gaze.

“That’s enough Dash. Calm down and git down from there.” Applejack pulled her away from sphere giving it back its breathing room. Fluttershy instantly hugged her but the stern gaze Dash held wouldn’t give way.

“Would you please explain to us about some things before we go looking at those mirrors.” Twilight bristled when she looked at them. The mirrors were similar to the ones that let to Canterlot High but their frames were too different shining with a different light than the others, “I itemized the list so that it would be easy for you to answer us. First, what exactly are you three spheres? Secondly, why were Spike and Discord chosen as targets? Third, why is that tree different than the Tree of Harmony?”

The sphere looked at Twilight and its eye seemed to transform into a rotating ring. It seemed to be processing the questions. Since it had talked to Applejack to prove its truthful nature Twilight wasn’t worried about what it would say. What really worried her was the fact that the sphere was thinking about what to say. Thinking before answering usually meant half-truths and deflections. It reopened it’s eye and looked back towards Twilight.

“But he only held it for a few minutes then he handed it over to another!” Rarity was the one who cried out as Twilight was reeling from the information trying her best to work all the details out and keep the guilt of knowing that their presence with Spike had… tainted him(?). She was unsure now what was happening and the answers just confused her even more because of how straightforward the information was coming out.

QUANTITY OF TIME IS IRRELEVANT. WHAT MATTERS IS THAT IT HAPPENED. FINALLY TWILIGHT THE TREE BEHIND ME IS MY TREE. THE TREE OF BALANCE. IT HOLDS THE ESSENCE OF HARMONY AND CHAOS AND IS THE BASIS FOR THE OTHER TWO TREES.

“Other two trees? You mean there is a Tree of Chaos as well!?” Celestia managed to squeak out flabbergasted and slightly mortified that there was something similar to power Discord. It was far beyond her comprehension that something else was out there.

Both Twilight and Starlight sheepishly looked towards their hooves trying their best to hide their shame from messing with the time stream so many times. Cadance looked confused at first shaking her head she realized what the sphere meant when she looked at the two.

“Do you have a name?” Pinkie chimed in finally managing to get back her poofy mane when the news that Spike and Discord were actually ok.

“Oh oh oh~ Can I! Can I! Oh that would be so fantabulously super duperly terrific to name a new friend. Let me see. Hm… well you are all grey and worry about balance but you’re not afraid to fight. You look like a Rao or a Ma’at but you don’t seem to be male or female. Hm… how about Anubis. You do seem guard like since you tried to stop those other spheres as well so it fits so well.” Pinkie managed to bounce around into impossible directions as she thought at over one hundred miles an hour looking for the best name for her new friend. She was thankful that she had looked over the script again since the author was kind of making this world a bit too heavy for her to really have fun in it.

Anubis’s eye roamed and stared at each of the mares present. Starlight seemed to be the most eager to say something but held back looking at the others. She seemed to be waiting for the others to ask first so as not to be rude. Rainbow Dash kept her gaze down unwilling to speak after her outburst most likely to not show any more uncool emotions or so he surmised. Fluttershy instantly hid behind Dash unwilling to meet his eye. Applejack was staring intently slowly easing up when the information came out and was truthful though her eyes seemed to be searching for the entire story which was still hidden.

‘He’s not telling the whole story. There is more but he hasn’t lied about anything up to this point. Dang nabit this shouldn’t be so hard to get a read on some dang sphere that came outta the ground. We need ta ask the right questions otherwise this varmint will not open his gullet and tell us the whole story. I sure as sugar don’t know what we need to ask to get that story.’ Applejack stared down Anubis and only relented when he stared at another.

His eye roamed to Rarity who somehow managed to get a large couch into the room and fainted on it. It was strange to say the least but not as odd as when Pinkie managed to pull a large cannon out of her mane firing it over his head releasing a sign above that read ‘Nice to meet you Anubis’. The three princesses seemed to be chatting amongst themselves when Luna noticed the eye looming on her and urged her sister and niece to pay attention to the situation. Celestia spoke up first before Starlight could.

“You say this tree is like the Tree of Harmony so that would mean it holds its own elements as well right? Would we be able to use those elements to take down the other two and hopefully save Spike and Discord from their clutches?”

“That’s why you need us to go into the mirrors then. Those spheres were so rude to you. I can’t believe that they would do something so monstrous. Shouldn’t Harmony be doing good? This is so confusing…” Fluttershy spoke up leaving a few proud smiles that she could voice up something important. They had used harmony styled magic against Nightmare Moon, Discord when he was evil, and Tirek at the height of his power. It made no sense to any of them.

That statement made the mares do a double-take. Harmony wasn’t good? That seemed impossible to all of them though no one spoke up.

What the hay does he mean?

H-harmony isn’t good?

But we party to harmony all the time praising it as the flagship to friendship. ECHO echo...wow my mind is so cool and free. Whee!
Finally this palooka is telling the whole story. Knew that he was hiding something from the rest of us. Now we’ll get to the bottom of the applebucking barrel.

This wasn’t in any of my lecture books. Harmony was always good and was how Luna was returned to us. What does he mean that harmony isn’t good? Oh I wish I studied some more before today on the semantics of magic and its interpretations. Wait. maybe that’s what he meant. Magic has to be channeled and used so its based on the context that the user is using it for. Maybe that’s the big reveal.

I hope Princess Twilight isn’t breaking a gasket after hearing this. I wish Spike was here he would know how to calm her down a lot better than I could.

Did I do wrong with using the elements on Luna then? Was there another way and I was too blind to see the real solution?

Hopefully sister doesn’t think something is wrong. Her guilt is far too obvious and the moon was the only option at the time. Hopefully she doesn’t binge through cake once again that would throw the nation’s budget into question.

I hope Flurry Heart will be ok. This sounds very dangerous and probably would cost us a lot if the situation grows out of hoof. Though it is Tuesday so I guess I should have seen it coming since something always happens on Tuesday. Wonder what spells we will need to learn for this endeavor since it seems the three of us are not element bearers. An element of chaos sounds ominous but I suppose that balance of the world requires something for the scales to work right.

“Are you saying that our thoughts decided to influence the elements of harmony when we used them?” Luna shouted out keeping the Royal Canterlot Tone out of her voice in case it did something horrible to the cave they were in. She had looked up and noticed the jagged stalactites above their heads.

Luna turned away keeping the small blush on her muzzle from being seen. Anubis didn’t seem to care about the emotional scene and looked back to Twilight. Steam seemed to pour from her ears as she tried to make sense of all this.

‘Does he mean that because there were six vessels to help the magic of friendship focus itself into something we thought would help? So when Celestia used it it went wild and did whatever the magic thought was best… just like the best option for discord was a stone prison…? But when the six of us were together we turned him to stone… unless we thought stone was the best option after he discorded us turning us to our opposites. Also what are these Elements of Chaos? I thought there were only Elements of Harmony but now there are more and not even the princesses know anything about them. Then Spike was taken...HE WAS TAKEN! Those evil little spheres are so going to be bucked for taking him away from me… from all of us. They won’t know what hit them just need to calm down before I go on a warpath. Rather not turn everyone back into plants… again.’ Twilight took a deep breath desperately hoping she could keep her mane from becoming more frazzled than it had been. When she looked around she noticed concerned looks at facing her. A nervous chuckle managed to escape but words didn’t follow.

“I suppose we should rest… but what about Spike? Discord? Will they even be ok captured with those two wackjobs? They could be cold, or hungry, or mistreated. They could even be mistreated with cold food leaving them more hungry.” Twilight hyperventilated before falling unconscious from the lack of oxygen. Starlight picked her up in her magic and was ushered along with the other girls to head back up the hole with Luna. While they didn’t want to leave Twilight needed sometime to get her head back on from these turn of events. As soon as Luna had left them back above ground she teleported back to her fellow princesses ready to figure out just what needed to be done.

____________________________________________________________________

“What do we need to learn before they are sent into their respective worlds? If we only have until tomorrow then I think we should get started right away.” Celestia stepped forward just as Luna left. Cadance stepped to her side ready to learn whatever they needed to do.
Anubis remained quiet his eye took on the same rotating ring that he had when Twilight asked him those questions. Luna teleported in just as the ring finished remaining quiet as she did. Neither of the princesses flinched from the sudden appearance awaiting instruction from Anubis.

“This is good. I was worried that they would be all alone in their own world. At least this way they won’t be alone.” Luna chimed in only receiving a blank stare from Celestia. She knew that look. “Sorry I’ll chime in when he is finished.”

Anubis, for his part, didn’t seemed offended at the interruption. He almost seemed amused by the sight before him. Something which Cadance picked up on but kept silent about.

That got Celestia’s attention. These spells would normally be outside her purview. Only Starswirl had managed to learn a dimensional transmission spell. That spell had to be anchored to a book which was with her estranged pupil. Now Anubis was giving them access to something far beyond the abilities of an alicorn.

“Will Twilight and her friends be ok? Also how dangerous are these worlds anyways?” Cadance was reeling from the revelation of these spells and turned back to the main issue they had been avoiding. Emotions had been high and even Celestia and Luna had been distracted by the event.

“What do you mean Anubis? Are you saying that they will all bear marks of chaos?” Celestia flared slightly. She was annoyed which shouldn’t be happening. She had been through much worse yet this little thought wormed its way into her heart and left her uncertain of what this could possibly mean.

“It does make sense that not all of them would be Harmony bearers. I’m guessing that you hold different values as harmonic and others as chaotic. These are your musings on what is this and what is that then?” Luna raised her hoof and lightly smacked Celestia’s flank to calm her down. While she hated that method Celestia did calm down turning a displeased smile at Luna.

“This seems a bit complicated doesn’t it? I mean if not all of them are Harmony bearers does that mean there are more beings needed to join with the other elements?” Cadance stared directly at Anubis. He had been frank and revealed things that scholars would fight for years to come to research over just how much this would change the very fabric of the Equestrian way of life.

“We’re sorry for not returning them… “ Two downtrodden mares stood by unable to look Anubis in the eye. Cadence managed to calm them down with a brush of her wing tips.

“We didn’t know about this. If we did we wouldn’t have kept them away from the tree for all this time.” Celestia shakily smiled at him with the same warm smile she gave Luna when she returned from the moon.

Anubis slowly floated off his pedestal and charged up energy within himself. With a flash of magic a soft beam of light hit the forehead of all three Alicorn Princesses showing them the inner intricacies of the spell and how they worked. He floated back down to the pedestal embedding his body in the stone.

“What are we supposed to do while you maintain the doorways? Will those creatures come back at all? When will you be ready?” Luna muttered out annoyed at the circumstances and wishing for an easier way through these trying times.

Anubis remained silent as his eye closed and small pulses of magic undulated throughout the spherical body. Cadance watched the pulses grow larger and larger mesmerized by the energy being released just by this tiny sphere. Celestia and Luna kept to themselves though discussing and planning what to do when they were woken from their revelry by the shimmering light bursting from the mirrors. Without missing a beat the three flew back up to the main room and completed their assigned tasks while Cadance went to check on the others.

_____________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile…

“What do you think is going to happen now?” Starlight was the first to speak up as the girls stayed in Twilight’s bedroom.

It had been hard. The girls had barely been given time to cope with the turn of events and the deluge of information was turning their brains to mush. The horror of what those spheres did to them was sickening. They even went and taunted the girls by chewing. Mortifying was only one word to describe how that show of force went. The arrival of a third one left nothing but despair until it too was cast aside in another show of bravado. The reveal that their friends were alive banished the despair but the way to get things back to normal was something worse.

“Well sugarcube I don’t right know. It looks like we’re gonna have to bite the horseshoe and take the buffalo by the horns on this. Ah’m gonna need to get somepony to help out Big Mac while I handle this situation.” Applejack, ever the honest mare, showed a bit of worry through her eyes. This was much worse than the other problems they had handled. There was always a bit more warning whenever map problems came to the forefront.

“I-i-i don’t know about that AJ. We need a better plan than that. It sounds like we’re gonna have to be -(gulp)- alone on this. Couldn’t we stick together during our trips through other worlds?” Fluttershy, ever the voice of reason, brought out the point that was on everypony’s mind. Anubis, unfortunately, sounded dire on his warnings of the other two spheres.

“You heard that guy Flutters. We have to do this fast. Real fast since those things want their bodies. Do you really want them to be puppets for those monsters? I sure you don’t but this is something we gotta do. I’ll sonic rainboom through my mirror world and help you out if I can though. No worries I won’t leave ya hangin.” Rainbow pounded her chest in solidarity for her devotion to her friends. Fluttershy squeaked when the mention of puppets was brought up muttering about how they would be cute puppets probably then apologizing about it. Still she smiled when Rainbow mentioned going through her part fast to help her out.

“Darling I doubt that we could go that fast, No offense Fluttershy but it seems like something much worse is going to happen. We have to be brave for them. They shouldn’t have been taken.” Rarity ran her hoof across Spike’s basket. It was unsettling to her what she saw and it wouldn’t go away from her sight. No tears left her eyes only a harsh unladylike glare stayed in place. They had taken her Spikey-Wikey and she was unhappy about this.

“This was going to be a great party girls but then those meanies decided to crash the party. Who does that? I mean we did that during Rarity’s garden party, the Grand Galloping Gala, and that one time when I wasn’t invited to a party. I mean we had very good reasons and we didn’t cause widespread destruction at least two out of three times. Still this is too much they didn’t even taste the cupcakes I made for us all,” -She pulled out a tin of cupcakes from the drawer near Twilight’s bed.- ,“Then they did that cringe inducing sight and it was too much even for my mind. I would never eat somepony’s cupcake in front of them like a smug meanie pants.” Pinkie had stopped bouncing. Her mane slightly deflated as she spoke but didn’t revert back to the straight laced style Maud usually wore.

“We should try to get Twilight back up. I think she has been thinking too much about this. I don’t see what we can do though. These mirrors are like the one Twilight used and she said that when she walked through she lost her horn and gained hands a little like Spike has. Would we even be able to survive through there? I mean I have barely been getting better about doing things without my magic and this seems so much… bigger than anything I’ve been through. Not as big a you guys have been through that’s for sure.” Starlight wrung her hooves together trying her best to calm down. Time Travel was at least through a magic spell but this would take them to alternate dimension and worlds. Twilight still wasn’t awake either and that left her thinking her student viewpoint wasn’t as important.

“SPIKE!” Twilight shot straight up looking wildly around as all the girls cringed at the sudden loud noise. She looked around noticing an empty basket, saddened eyes, quiet halls. He wasn’t here. It did happen. “Girls,” -She coughed.- ,”We need to figure out what we are going to do. From what I can tell we have to do this if we want to save them. I think it is more than worth it. A worthy cause right? Whatever spells that the princesses learn will probably be good enough to keep us safe in the other worlds we’ll be in. I’m not sure we’ll be safe but it would be worth it to get Spike and Discord back. Right Fluttershy?” Her mane was still frazzled but her eyes were clearly shining with the same confidence she had when she confronted Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile and nod.

Affirmed in their course they took some pillows and blankets from the closet and with a little finesse from Pinkie make a slumber party to keep the sadness at bay. The undercurrent of the day’s events were always slipping back in but the feeling in their hearts lightened as they did. Confidence soon took hold getting even Fluttershy to cry out a meager ‘Yay!’ though in her usual tone. When the moon rose into the sky they all knew that some preparations were in order.

Applejack quickly made her way back to Sweet Apple Acres and told Granny Smith the news. She was understanding enough and said that Big Mac had already gotten help before hoof.

Rainbow Dash sped off towards Cloudchaser and Flitter’s home, luckily, they had stayed in that night and she had agreed to take her shifts for the week after hearing about what had happened in the castle. Flitter seemed to be crying but Dash didn’t pry about it. She would get the info once she made sure that Spike was safe and sound.

Fluttershy had flown off to Zecora’s without the trepidation she usually had for the Everfree forest. Discord and Spike were in trouble and not even the forest would stop her. With a light knock on the hut door she found Zecora back from one of her herbal ventures, a large pack on her back. While she was busy she agreed to help out with the animals in Fluttershy’s home.

Rarity had gone back home and quickly put a closed sign on her shop and took Sweetie Belle over to Sweet Apple Acres. She didn’t explain what had happened to her but Sweetie didn’t complain when she looked into Rarity’s eyes. They were full of a passion she hadn’t seen before and it had felt like asking would set her off on a dramatic tirade. Besides with Applebloom and Scootaloo in tow they could go crusading out to find out what was wrong later.

Pinkie had a few more problems on hand seeing as there was no one who could cover her shift. When she told the story of what had happened to Spike to the Cakes they instantly sent her back to the castle after a tight group hug. Even they knew the dangers of a sad Pinkie Pie.

With all the work out of the way the seven girls made their way back to the castle the regret far behind them and locked away so they could focus on the new problems that laid ahead. They each took a spot in Twilight’s room noticing that her eyes had gotten a bit puffy. Starlight also had red eyes as well. Yet even with that they both were genuinely smiling at the girls. Each took their place in the room and settled into an uneasy sleep when Cadance found them.

“Sleep well girls. We’ll hold down the fort for now. Also Twilight just in case you get antsy Celestia says you need to rest for what is coming tomorrow. So sleep for now. We’re gonna get Spike and Discord back before you know it.” Cadance bowed slightly before shutting the door behind her. She walked back to the kitchen where she found Luna making coffee for Celestia.

“I haven’t been awake like this in such a long time. This is killing me slightly inside. Do you truly think that the sphere is trustworthy?” Celestia took a long drink ignoring the scalding liquid that washed against her tongue. Bitter but tasty she trudged along noticing that Cadance had finally joined them.

“I would think so sister. Why art thou so untrusting of this creature. He has gone so far as to give us his name and shown nothing but good intentions. His manners are lacking with the bluntness of his words but that is to be expected with how idealistic Equestria is. We have always fought the darkness with the magic of friendship. Harmony was born from the bonds we share with all our subjects. I know this turns everything on its head but we must accept it for now. Perhaps there is more than we can see at this moment and we should do well to remember that.” Luna admonished Celestia from her own mug while setting the third in front of Cadance.

“Now Auntie Luna, Auntie Celestia does have a point. Lest we forget what we saw at first. That sight of them being torn limb from limb. I thought hydra feedings were the only horrifying thing to see. That was borderline sadistic what those two spheres did. They even made sure to pick out the two closest and shove their triumphant smirk in their faces. Twilight is what worries me so though. While she was quiet I heard what she had muttered. She said she would make them pay. I have a bad feeling that tonight will be their worst night yet.” Cadance merely stared at the mug unsure whether she needed the jolt of caffeine. Adrenaline and fear had been enough of a motivator for her to keep awake even through the night.

“I will be checking on their dreams shortly niece. I would like to ask you two to join me this time. I will need all the help I can get tonight. If those things are powerful enough to affect Discord then they might be able to do more than we saw. Unlike most of the foes we have seen these ones shall not tarry and wait for us to make the first strike. If you were a monster where would you strike first?” Luna finished her cup and poured another. The caffeine helped when dealing with lucid dreamers as the jolt would let her keep up with the constant control they exerted over their dreams.

“I placed a shield around their room already and I think that they have been waiting to strike when it is more convenient to their plans. With Anubis charging up they’ll probably try to strike him down after the girls head to the other world.” Cadance gingerly sipped at her mug. Celestia was on her third cup. She remained in a contemplative slump.

“Before we go through with this I’ll need to send a letter to Blueblood to hold down the fort. It seems like two of us will have to stay with Anubis at all times if those monsters decide to attack. I’ll send a letter to Shining Armor as well for you dear niece. His shield spell is still one of the strongest around and with you two together I doubt that that shield you created during your wedding would be overpowered.” She finished half her mug this time and set it aside, “We’ll need to work on finding these other bearers while they are in this other world. Perhaps their cutie marks will appear on the mirrors when he activates them?”

“Perhaps sister. For now we should head into the dream realm and keep our subjects safe tonight.” Luna began to glow in a bright white light which enveloped both Celestia and Cadance. Tonight was only the first step to saving their friends and there was only so much they could truly do.