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It was an average day in the small town of Ponyville, at least it was as average as it could be. Everyone was feeling oddly after yesterday when the sky exploded with rainbows. It only lasted a moment and it was incredibly exciting when it happened. However, ever since, ponies were feeling tingly, restless, and some were downright agitated. No pony was able to explain the phenomenon, not even their mysterious and wise Kimono, who lived outside of town. Everyone agreed it had something to do with the rainbows but the event had not repeated itself, nor did any pony know what caused it. So instead, life moved on as normally as possible. Some ponies were talking about having a rainbow themed parade in honor of the spectacular spectacle. While others felt like it was a tone-deaf idea considering the misery it seemed to have brought forth onto others, but without proof of correlation, the party planning was full-steam ahead.
The purple earth-pony, Wysteria, didn't have an opinion one way or the other regarding the rainbow celebration. She was just thankful for the distraction because she was not exempt from the odd mood-swings. Last night she couldn't sleep and instead worked tirelessly on renovating a pathway in her garden by lantern light. However, now in the heat of the day, she felt grumpy and sluggish, her light curly mane was a complete mess. She didn't feel tired like she expected to, but the tingling in her hooves and the unrelenting feeling she needed to do something was becoming overwhelming. She was in the process of over-pruning another poor plant victim when her friends Pinkie Pie and Minty popped by her nursery. "Oh hello, Pinkie, Minty," she greeted them respectfully. Pinkie spoke first, "Hi Wysteria! We were stopping by to pick out some flowers for the Rainbow Blast Bash!" Pinkie Pie was a master party-planner, so of course she was the one spear-heading most of the hype regarding the "bash." Wysteria was a quieter pony and was fine just being a helper, not the leader. She and her plant nursery were always busy when a party was in the works. Picking the perfect arrangements and helping to set them up was her favorite thing to do, and it made her heart soar when she saw how happy the flowers made other ponies. "Of course. Let me guess, you'd like flowers for all the colors of the rainbow?" Wysteria asked. "How'd you know?" Pinkie giggled with Minty joining in. The, usually, easy task was more difficult than anticipated. Although Wysteria had flowers of every color, Pinkie and Minty couldn't seem to decide amongst each other which were the best to choose. "Oh, these yellow hibiscus flowers are perfect for the yellow float!" Minty exclaimed excitedly. "No, no, no, we have to pick the sunflower to be on the yellow float! It's iconic!" Pinkie retorted. They argued a little while longer before turning to Wysteria to make a vote. "U-um, well, the way you described to float, it already sounds like there is a lot going on," she tried to think of a solution that would bring harmony to the discourse, "may I suggest the simple daisy. They are also an iconic yellow flower, but not so large that it will overwhelm the float." After a brief pause with Wysteria awkwardly posing with a daisy pot in her hooves, the two finally reached an agreement.
As the day rolled on, she got many other visitors with similar requests. She did her best getting ponies to select a wide array of different flowers so no one would get upset about getting the same types. She closed shop early, feeling exhausted by all the social interaction. She moved from her front-yard nursery to her back-yard garden and turned on the string lights that hung from above. Nothing helped to recharge her batteries more than spending some quiet time amongst her flowers. The dimming sky created a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere which she took a moment to just stand and appreciate. After taking a deep breath that was full of the scent of flowers, she slowly begun to make her way to her shed of supplies. However, she stopped short of opening the door. Placing her hoof back on the ground, she stood in a puzzled silence. "What is this feeling?" Something was wrong, she could feel it in the earth around her. It was a sensation she'd never felt before and the fact she didn't know what was wrong worried her. She shuffled back to the garden, looking around and under every bush in a vain attempt to figure out what was going on. As she walked deeper into her large acer yard, her hooves began to hum. At least that's how she would describe it. She wondered to the farthest corner of her property and there she found an ugly looking weed at the base of her picket fence. The dirt around it was disturbed as if it grew suddenly, and despite the shadow cast on it from the setting sun, it glowed purple from it's sickly looking veins.
"This thing can't be good," Wysteria mumbled to herself as she begun to scrape the dirt with her hooves. After a bit of digging, she took the weed into her mouth and pulled. Unfortunately, it didn't budge. She dug a little further and pulled a little harder but with still no luck. She wiped some sweat from her forehead, getting dirt in her main. Although the sun had officially set by now, Wysteria didn't want to leave this odd plant alone for the night. Releasing a long sigh, she decided to try one more time before heading back to the shed for some tools. Her hooves scraped at the earth as soil turned to stone. Wysteria thought this was odd, since she built her home close to the forest for it's rich planting soil. Curiosity got the better of her as she continued to dig longer than intended. Soon her hair became matted with sweat and her lilac fur turned a stained brown. Wysteria didn't notice either of these things being far too preoccupied by figuring out was was below this plant. There was something underneath, she could feel it. It was close, calling out to her, driving her hooves to dig, dig, dig until the ground gave way under her hooves. Wysteria let out a brief scream as she tumbled down into the darkness below.
Her head pounded as she came-to and was surprised she had passed out to begin with. Placing a hoof to her head revealed blood and when she looked back up from where she came, she realized she would not be able to return. The stars were high in the sky above the rock fall she had created. The cliff was too sheer to climb and Wysteria feared no one would notice her missing for quite some time. Considering her shyness and ability to socially isolate at times. If she was not seen the following day, everyone would most likely give her space until they grew worried. Because her home sat on the edge of town, there was no point in calling for help, although that didn't stop Wysteria from attempting it a few times. With no response, she knew she had to find another way out, or at least figure out what to do until help arrived. She glanced around with blurry eyes, rubbing away more blood that threatened to make her version worse. Her eyes settled on the vine which trailed deep down an ominous looking tunnel behind her. "How long has this been growing here?" she thought absent mindlessly. She wasn't aware of any known tunnels around Ponyville. However, with the dangers just outside their newfound homeland, many didn't venture out further than needed. Most ponies already worried about her living so close to what many dubbed the "Everfree." Wysteria was quite turned around after her fall, but if she had to guess, this tunnel seemed to lead deeper toward the mysterious forest. She took a few shaky breaths, hyping herself up for whatever journey she was about to embark on. Slowly but surely, she approached the root and begin to follow it deeper into the caverns. The purple glow she thought sickly before was now her only guiding light.
She walked for an undetermined amount of time in content silence. Wysteria wasn't sure if she was in shock or if she was genuinely relaxed about the situation. The cave system was massive and like nothing she had ever seen before. Her eyes had fully adjusted to the glow from the roots and the light only continued to grow brighter as the plant grew thicker and more roots branch off down other caverns. Although there were other paths to take, Wysteria remained close to the largest of the roots. It acted as a trail back home if need-be and she oddly felt safe by it. The pulsating ebb and flow from it's veins was hypnotizing. "Like a heartbeat," she mused. Wysteria knew that plants were living things but something about this one seemed different. She could feel it in the hum of her hooves and in the buzz of the air. This plant was alive and it was leading her somewhere. As she grew tired, the hum she felt in her hooves shifted to a hum she heard in her ears. It sounded like a voice but this somehow didn't alarm her. The sound was soothing and sweet and oddly familiar. Her eyes drifted shut but her hooves kept walking and she continued to follow the sound and pulse of the root.
The sound grew louder as if it was now a chorus of voices. She felt eyes on her and the presence of other ponies. Hooves trotted all around her, some even shouldering past her, whispering things she could not understand. She wanted to open her eyes and see who was around her, but her eyes and mouth remained shut. Wysteria was one of the few ponies in town who believed in magic. A long forgotten rumor passed down from mother to filly. Wysteria felt like she witnessed magic everyday in her garden when she felt in harmony with the earth. Whatever was happening right now was possibly not real. She was probably hallucinating due to the concussion she received earlier. However, she didn't, wouldn't risk it. Something in her gut told her the spell would be broken if she opened her eyes or dared make a peep. As she followed the sounds around her the whispers grew louder and clearer. "She's here," "our princess," "heal the tree." These muttered voices all begun to blur together and Wysteria's heart started to pound. This was becoming overwhelming. She felt like she couldn't breath. There were too many ponies around her, crowding her, taking her oxygen. Unable to bear it any longer, Wysteria opened her eyes wide as she gasped for a breath. The voices stopped immediately and she found herself alone in the cavern. She was sweating porously and her knees wobbled as she took a moment just to breath.
Once her head cleared and her legs stabilized, she glanced around the area she was led to and gasped upon seeing the remains of what appeared to be an old castle. Most of it was toppled over and covered in a purple stone- like substance she had never seen before. However, she could still see remnants of pink brinks and blue turrets. Wysteria approached the ruined archway apprehensively for fear it may collapse on top of her. The roots were incredibly think inside the castle, making it difficult to find her hoofing. However, it also cast a brilliant light on the enclosed walls, completely illuminating the space. Admittedly, there wasn't much to look at because most things were incased in the purple sediment. What was visible were some old banners and murals that appeared to be hoof made. Wysteria was drawn to the one on the farthest wall. It was the largest of the murals and centered with the castle remains. She assumed it had to have been important and was thankful it was no covered in the hardened mock. The artwork depicted a pony with pink fur and blue hair and a rainbow swirling around her. There were other ponies too, and two creatures Wysteria didn't recognize. The most striking thing about the pink pony was the fact she had wings like a bird and a single large horn on her head. Wysteria didn't know what to make of it. She had been told fairytales of pegasi but had never seen one in person. The horn was especially interesting, because she knew a pony with a horn. It was another pony who lived mainly by herself on the outskirts of town, Kimono. She did not have exposed hooves like Wysteria and the other earth-ponies, but more importantly, she had a large horn that protruded from her forehead. Most ponies tried not to point it out much, assuming it a birth defect, but now Wysteria was questioning that line of thinking. Being reminded of her friends snapped her back to the reality she was currently in, which was being stuck in a mysterious cave system with no one coming to save her. She took a seat on a root next to the painting, realizing how tired she was. Her head spun with more questions then she feared would ever be answered... "what is this place? How long has it been here?" she thought quietly, absent mindlessly moving around some roots to her side. Her eyes were threating to close again after such an eventful evening but they flew wide open as she realized some of the roots crawling up the wall were covering half the mural. Using the last of her strength, she heaved aside as many of the roots as possible. Luckily, the light from the veins made it easy for her to see what was behind them. What she saw was a painting of a human girl holding a red heart. Well, she assumed it was a human girl. Like the pegasi, she had never seen one before but had heard stories past down through the generations. A rainbow protruded from the heart and swirled around the pink pony. To the girl's side, there was a creature Wysteria did recognize and was taught to fear, a dragon. Seeing the depiction made Wysteria feel uneasy. Ponies and dragons had been enemies for as long as she was aware. Dragons attempted to eat ponies and, of course, ponies had been fleeing them for that same reason. The new land they had found and built Ponyville on was far away from dragon territory. Her hooves were shaking and she wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion or anxiety that caused it. She slowly lowered the roots back onto the wall and was mentally preparing herself to leave when she heard a loud thud. She couldn't help but let out a yelp due to the sudden break in silence. She glanced around furiously, trying to see what made the noise. Time seemed to stretch on for ages as she heard nothing but the pounding of her heart. Soon her muscles begun to relax and she took a shaky breath, attempting to calm herself. Before she was able to blame her imagination, a new and much more terrifying noise came from a room to her left. It sounded like something very large slowly dragging itself over the cave floor to her location. Wysteria didn't waste any time running out of the castle ruins and hid behind a large purple rock. She laid there, hooves covering her eyes, unsure what to do. Her body trembled and she felt hot tears on her face. The hulking footsteps grew louder as she guessed the creature had exited the castle as well. "Please don't come over here, please don't come over here," she prayed as the creature did the exact opposite.
"It's been a long time since I've seen a pony," a dry and booming voice came from above her. Looking up she was horrified to see it was as she feared, a dragon. She let out a scream and scrambled away from the giant head looming over her. It wasn't long before her back was up against a wall and she had no where to go. "P-please don't eat me," was all she could choke out. Wysteria couldn't say she knew how to read the face of a dragon, but the smug look on his face appeared to be amused. "Now why would I do that?" was his simple response. After taking several calming breaths, Wysteria finally responded, "Because dragon's eat ponies... right?" He let out a low chuckle, "Maybe some, but not I. I haven't been so close to a pony in quite some time." Wysteria whipped the tears from her face, "R-really?" He nodded, "Yes, although I have not met very many other dragons, so I cannot speak of their behavior." Wysteria slowly peeled herself off the wall, coming to a normal sitting position, "Why are you down here?" He let out a long and sad sigh as he turned around, heading back into the ruins. Wysteria wasn't sure if she was meant to follow or not, but that's what she did. As she entered the castle she saw the dragon had stopped in front of the mural she had just been looking at. As she tentatively approached, she quietly asked, "who were they?" He took a moment to answer, "I didn't know this one personally," he pointed to the pink pony, "but most were friends. Once upon a time." He then turned to go deeper into the castle, the direction he had originally come from which she had not explored yet. She followed him in silence through a few corridors before they reached their destination a few rooms down. In the middle of this room lay the source of the glowing roots. It was a beautiful shimmering flower, glowing more brightly then the roots that fed it. "It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life," she whispered more to herself than to the dragon. He responded anyway, "Indeed. It has been weak for quite some time but it recently sprouted back to full life a few days ago." Wysteria walked closer to the flower, her hooves tingled more then ever, "I wonder if it has anything to do with the rainbow explosion recently." These words felt far away, speaking because prompted, but not really focusing on her words. "The what?" the dragon asked but she did not hear. It looked like a mix between a lily and a gardenia and glowed a bright blue and purple. Despite the eye strain, Wysteria peered down into the flower and saw that it sparkled like a gemstone. At it's center, she could make out other colors such as red, blue, and green. All colors of the rainbow. She took a delicate sniff of the flower, only to gently sneeze due to the sparkles that rose up and into her nose. The smell was difficult to place, it was of birthday cake, rainclouds, perfume, and books. Reminiscent of the nursey rhyme, "sugar, spice, and everything nice."
Being mesmerized by the flower, Wysteria didn't notice the dragon's approach until his large head was right next to her, "what rainbow?" Wysteria nearly jumped out of her skin having been returned to reality so suddenly. Finally dragging her gaze away from the flower, she turned to the dragon, "A few days ago, the sky exploded with rainbows. No one knows what caused it, but we have all felt odd since." The dragon pondered this before speaking, "no one knows the cause?" She shook her head in response. He grumbled and begun to slink away back into the shadows. "Wait!" Wysteria called out, "What is this place? Why are you down here? What is this flower? I have so many questions!" He stopped and sighed, "Pony, this castle is older than you could ever imagine, and I am almost as old" He motioned for her to follow him out of the room and he led her into another. This one did not feel like it was part of the castle. The area was carved out of stone and a large nest of blankets took up most of the space. Gems of all kinds littered the space, the purple glow danced off them, creating a kaleidoscope effect. He laid down in the cozy heap and she joined him, bunching up some of the blankets in her hooves to form a pillow for her weary head. Here, the dragon continued, "I've had many names, Kenbroath, Kilspotten, Heathspike... but you may simply call me Spike." With the adrenaline dying down, Wysteria finally got a good look at Spike. He had purple scales that shimmered gold when the light hit them just right. His eyes were a bright teal and the hair that ran along his back and swooped over his scalp was magenta. The hair flowed down his tail that ended in a pair of yellow spikes. He was almost as large as her living room but he was not as big as she initially felt he was. "It's nice to meet you, my name is Wysteria," she smiled genuinely. "Wysteria... I'll remember that," he smiled back. He cleared his throat and continued his tale, "I was there, when the ponies begun to stray away from magic. The world changed quickly from the one I once knew." "Magic?" Wysteria interrupted. She had always believed but never felt like she would get true confirmation. "Yes, magic. Blessed to the ponies from the Rainbow of Light. At least, that is how I understand it." Wysteria listened intently, but the dancing soft lights was beginning to put her to sleep. "I was tasked to protect what magic was left, stored within that flower in the room over," he gestured with his head, "But, as time went on, I lost hope in magic ever truly returning. Ponies grew scared of dragons and I decided to shut myself in. I haven't left these caves in centuries." Wysteria was shocked by this revelation, "Centuries? What have you been doing all this time?" He chuckled, "sleeping mostly. A dragon can sleep for a very long time." At the mention of sleep, Wysteria couldn't help but yawn. Spike moved slightly to the side, making more room in the nest. "Come, sleep. When you are rested, I will assist you in returning to the world above." She stumbled further in the sea of cushions before settling in a place that was made warm with Spike's body just moments ago. "Thank you. I apologize for my behavior when we first met." He wrapped his tail around her resting body, "it's alright... it's good to have a friend again." It didn't take long for sleep to overtake her.
Wysteria had no way of knowing whether it was day or night when she awoke alone in the nest. It didn't take her long to find Spike gazing motionless at the flower in the other room. After helping to break his trance, he fulfilled his promise to lead her back to the hole in her garden. Wysteria was relieved to see the sun shining from above. She hadn't noticed how much she'd missed it until now. Working together, Wysteria carefully wrapped her hooves around Spike's head as he stood on his hind legs to reach the surface world. It felt so nice to feel the grass under her hooves again and to see her garden still alive and well. She expected Spike to follow her but when she turned to check, he was lowering himself back into the darkness. "Wait, you're not coming with me?" She called out to him. He looked up to face her with a puzzled yet sorrowful look on his face, "You belong up there. My place is down here. I would bring nothing but panic to your village." Wysteria wanted to argue but feared he may be right. After a moment pondering she decided she wouldn't give up completely, "I'll talk to the other ponies. Tell them of my adventure and what I found. They would love to meet you once I-" "No!" he roared, "magic in the wrong hands can be dangerous. I don't need every pony trampling around down here!" Wysteria faltered, "but I thought you wanted magic to return to the land..." He sighed, "I did, once. I've observed you all for some time. I don't think you're ready." With that, he turned and disappeared down the tunnel. "W-wait! When will we be ready?!" but her cries went unanswered. She let out a defeated huffed, "I'm not giving up," she mumbled and made a dash for town.
Judging by the position of the sun, Wysteria guessed she could find Kimono at her favorite yoga spot. Kimono was the pony everyone went to for advice on complicated matters. She also happened to be one of Wysteria's best friends. A few ponies tried to greet her during her gallop through town but she only graced them with a simple, "hello," before dashing past. Many of them were putting up decorations for the Rainbow Blast Bash and luckily too busy to stop her. Rounding a corner caused her to almost crash into Rainbow Dash, who was exiting a clothing store. "Oh my goodness darling! What is the rush?" Rainbow gave her a once over, "and what on earth happened to you? You look dreadful!" Wysteria glanced down at her muddied appearance. She didn't stop to think that her hooves were still covered in dirt and her fur matted with sweat. "Oh, um... gardening! I got in some morning gardening and it was tough work," she hated to lie to her friend, but she wanted to get her mind sorted before delving into the that can of worms. Luckily, Rainbow Dash seemed to think this was a reasonable excuse, "You poor thing. Try not to work so hard, darling. Let's head to the spa and get you tidied up, hm?" She begun to usher her in that direction but Wysteria had to decline, "Sorry Rainbow, I need to talk to Kimono about something. It's kind of important. Rain-check?" Rainbow Dash looked disappointed, although Wysteria wasn't sure if it was because she wouldn't spend time with her or because she'd still be running around looking like a disaster. Either way, they said their goodbyes and Wysteria continued her way to Serene Gardens. It was a lovely community garden that was quiet and ponies visited to unwind. It was tucked away on the side of the river's canal, down some steps. Sure enough, when Wysteria arrived, she saw Kimono there doing her routine yoga practice. The all-wise Kimono seemed to sense her presence, for she turned to greet her right away. "Hello Wysteria, working hard I see," it was hard to tell if Kimono was joking because she always spoke with sincerity. "I'm sorry to bother you while you're doing yoga, Kimono, but I have a question..." Wysteria felt awkward all of a sudden. Kimono was always kind but she worried she would hurt her friend's feelings if she asked about her horn. Swallowing her nerves, she took the plunge, "If this answer is too sensitive, you don't have to answer, but... where did you get your horn?" Kimono didn't seem mad by the question, just shocked. Wysteria's heart was put at ease when Kimono laughed, "I'm sorry Wysteria, but even I do not know the answer to that question. I was simply born this way." Kimono was found as a young filly many years ago, wandering the Everfree alone. When the ponies of Ponyville first took her in, they theorized that the mysterious forest had cursed her in some way. However, they welcomed her nevertheless, and Ponyville was thankful for the wise and mature pony she grew up to become. However, after seeing the mural on the old castle wall, Wysertia knew there had to be more to Kimono's horn then just a random mutation or curse. "Kimono, I found something... evidence of other ponies like you-" she struggled to find the words, "I need your help to figure out what it all means." Kimono took a minute to digest her words before answering slowly, "I must admit, digging into my past is not something I am always comfortable doing... but I will help you in any way I can."
Wysteria was preparing herself to go over her long and crazy story as they sat down on a nearby bench, but before she was able to open her mouth, a commotion could be heard from above the canal. Wysteria's heart caught in her throat, "Did Spike decide to visit PonyVille? I haven't had a chance to speak to anyone about him!" Both her and Kimono rushed up the stairs, that lead out of the garden, to see what was going on. They were met with dark purple roots sprouting from every nook and cranny they could push themselves out of. They were growing at a rapid pace, tearing down decorations, uplifting pathways, and even damaging some walls. Obviously, everyone was in a panic about this and ponies were running in all directions. "Does this have anything to do with what you were about to tell me?" Kimono asked. She appeared calm and collected but the slight pitch in her voice betrayed her. "Yes, but now I don't have the time to explain," Wysteria looked out at the sea of roots, rainbow decor, and ponies. She knew she had to do something to grab everyone's attention but what? Before she had a chance to act, she the voice of her sister, "Don't worry everyone! I got just the thing!" Turning to find out what the "thing" was, Wysteria was horrified to see Daisyjoe with a barrel of of something labeled "experimental weedkiller. Her darling sister was also in the plant business, but she was a breeder of flowers and a scientist at heart. Wysteria flung herself into the fray, galloping to get to Daisyjoe, "No! Wait! Don't-" By the time Daisyjoe registered her voice, it was already too late. The barrel had been tipped over and the liquid spilled out and over a large cluster of the roots, which immediately begun to turn brown and wither. "No, no, nonononono," Wysteria picked up the closest vine and held it close, hoping it would somehow magically be alright. Daisyjoe rushed to her side, "I-I'm so sorry, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to test my new super killer..." She cringed as her words trailed off. Wysteria watched as the killer spread through the system and killed the other roots around them. She shakingly got to her hooves and saw that she now had everyone's attention drawn to her. Their faces were full of confusion and worry. If she was going to say something, it had to be now, "I don't know if you all will believe me or not, but these roots are part of a very special and magical plant." She was surprised how calm and confidant she sounded, considering how quiet she usually was. "I found something... underground in the Everfree," the mention of Everfree briefly caused an outburst of chatter. She waited for everyone to calm down before she continued, "We have all been disconnected from our history for so long. This flower, that rainbow explosion, and the ruins I found could possibly help us reconnect to our roots and the magic we used to have." There was a long silence and Wysteria tried to expel the doubt that crept into her mind. That was until she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder, turning, she saw Kimono was there, "I believe you."
The simple words of affirmation filled her with hope again, "I'm not sure what I can do but it will be my best." Her hooves tingled, but this time, in a way that felt good and exhilarating. She begun to make her way through the crowd, unphased by what other's may think of her in this moment. Her trot became a gallop as she raced home. She didn't know what it would mean if the flower died and she didn't want to find out. Her heart ached not from running but from worry as she made it to her front gate. Her short-lived energy was suddenly gone as she begun to feel weak and nauseous. Her gut told her it was because the flower was also sick and she could feel it's pain as if it were her own. Her head pounded and she felt as if she may vomit. She steadied herself on her fence as she prepared herself for the long trek through the cave. She took a step forward but fumbled immediately, luckily, hooves were there to catch her. Surprised, she looked up at her rescuers. It was Kimono and Daisyjoe and they both looked incredibility worried. "Are you okay? You look so pale," came Kimono's soft voice. "I'm so sorry, I feel like this is all my fault," Daisyjoe interjected. Wysteria was touched that her friends followed her out to her home. As they lifted her to her hooves she noticed that everyone was there. "W-what are you all doing here?" she wondered aloud. Pinkie Pie stepped forward, "Wysteria we're here to help! Although we may not understand what's going on, you're always there for us. You're the harmony in our messy lives and now we need to bring harmony to yours." There were murmurs of agreement amongst the crowd as she finished her speech. Wysteria felt she may cry from the love radiating from her friends. Or prehaps she needed to cry because a dull pain was spreading through her body. Either way, the moment was interrupted as a shadow cast over them. She heard several gasps and screams before Kimono pushed her to the ground behind a bush. Fresh heat filled the air as fire created a divide amongst the crowd. "It's a dragon!" she heard someone scream. "Here, defend yourself with this," she heard another yell. Wysteria struggled under Kimono, "Please you have to let me up." Kimono lifted her weight slightly, "Wysteria, I don't think you saw- a dragon has appeared!" Despite Kimono's worry, she didn't put up a fight as Wysteria pulled herself to her hooves. "I know," she responded calmly, "he's my friend." She walked out from their hiding place with as much dignity as possible. Ponies were running in every direction with some fetching water while others looked for ways to defend themselves. The group she turned her focus to were holding make-shift weapons compiled of her garden supplies. There she saw Spike, his stature more menacing than she remembered. Her front yard fence was crushed under his claws and his nostrils glowed with threats of more fire. "I knew you ponies couldn't be trusted," he bellowed, "You take any piece of magic there is and twist it or destroy it!" Wysteria wasn't sure what he was referencing, but she could hear the crack in his voice and see the tears in his eyes. The armed ponies around him did not seem to notice this, "G-go back to where you came from, dragon! We finally made a home here! We don't want to run anymore!" Pinkie Pie bravely faced down the beast, although her legs trembled. "Stop!" Wysteria finally mustered the strength to yell. She hobbled her way in-between Spike and the crowd. She spoke to the ponies first, "Stand down, please! Spike is a friend!" They confusingly lowered their weapons but did not drop them. Spike shifted behind her, "I am not a friend of yours! It cannot be coincidence that you visited the flower and now it is dead!" There eyes met, although his were much higher than hers, "It's not dead! I can feel it but we don't have much time!" He faltered slightly, "what do you mean?" The other ponies had finally laid down their weapons and cautiously approached to stand by Wysteria. Pinkie whispered in her ear, "how can you be sure?" Wysteria struggled to find the words to explain the sensation she felt. However, nothing good came to mind, "You're going to have to trust me." She turned back to Spike, who had grown uncomfortably still, "Please take me to the flower," she pleaded.
There was a long pause as she waited in baited breath for his response. Fire crackled and and water splashed around them but she never turned her gaze from him. She knew only Spike would be able to rush her to the flower in time, but if he didn't trust her and the other ponies, he may refuse. Daisyjoe suddenly appeared and placed herself between Wysteria and Spike. She swallowed hard as she gathered her courage, "My name is Daisyjoe... I'm the one who killed the flower, not Wysteria. I am so sorry! I didn't know it's significance! If you're going to eat anyone, it should be me!" Her brave statement shocked Wysreria, "Sister, no. That is not necessary. We need to aim for harmony and peace! Not more destruction!" Spike interrupted the sisters, "I will take you to the flower." Both ponies looked to him in shock as he continued, "Wysteria, there is something special about you. It reminds me of ponies I used to know. Maybe there is hope for harmony to return once again to the land, uniting all pony kind." Although Wysteria was confused by the phrase "pony kind," she shook those thoughts and questions from her mind because she knew that time was of the essence. Spike lowered his neck and laid his head in front of Wysteria and gestured for her to climb onto his back. She attempted to oblige but she felt too weak to fully pull herself on top of him. Daisyjoe fought against her fears and approached Spike to help hoist Wysteria the rest of the way. Spike slowly rose to his full height before taking off toward the cave entrance. She did her best to hang on to his hair as he picked up speed but the world was growing blurry and her head spun. The voices she heard when she first entered the cave returned but they sounded faint and muffled. Before she was able to get Spike's attention, she lost consciousness.
The sound of a heartbeat pulsed in her ear. It was faint and irregular. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with the soft glow of the flower. It did not glow as brightly as before. It's stems where dark and the flower itself sagged sadly. She lifted her head and saw the only other person with her was Spike. Although she could have sworn she heard the voices of other ponies before she fully awoke. Spike's body was pressed against hers in a comforting manner, but his face was blank as he stared at the flower. She slowly got to her hooves, startling Spike in the process, "I apologize, I wasn't aware you were awake." A silence fell over them as neither seemed to know what to say. Spike decided to break the quiet first, "Do you truly believe harmony can return to the valley?" He sounded doubtful. Wysteria replied, "I am unsure what the world you grew up in was like but I believe so, yes." She stepped closer to the flower and held one of it's delicate petals in her hoof, "We have been on the run for so long. Although we have finally found a place to call home, I can tell something is missing. We don't know who we are or where we come from." She turned back to Spike, who appeared close to tears, which caught Wysteria off guard. "You've been alone for so long, unable to trust anyone," she leaned forward and rested her forehead to the end of his nose, "but I trust you. Together we can help bring harmony back to our species and bridge the gap between past and present." After a moment of hesitation, Spike reciprocated the gesture and leaned into her head-nudge. She felt strength returning to her body as her heart swelled with hope and love. At first she thought the vibration in her hooves was the same she'd been feeling all day, but she soon realized it was coming from the roots beneath them. They both seemed to come to this conclusion at the same time as they both whipped around to look at the flower. The flower was pulsing with magic as it quickly perked back to life. Wysteria couldn't help but approach it and place her face amongst the petals to feel the magic emanating from them. The happy moment was disrupted when the ground begun to shake. The roots glowed brightly and begun to grow and move rapidly. Startled, Wysteria reached out for Spike but saw the roots were pushing them apart. The cave walls around them rumbled and begun to collapse. Meanwhile, the ground under them swelled, raising them toward the ceiling. Wysteria gasped and shut her eyes tight and braced for impact. Instead, she felt soft petals enveloping her as the flower swallowed her up. She heard the loud crashing of rocks as she assumed they broke the surface of ground above. She was surprised to feel no pain as the petals protected her. As the flower continued to reach skyward, she begun to feel oddly once again. It wasn't the tingle of hooves of weakness in her body. It was the feeling of genuine magic, seeping into her very being and taking over her body.
The light from the flower soon faded and was replaced with the night sky. At least, that's what she thought it was at first. However, after taking in her surroundings, she realized it wasn't the sky she was familiar with, nor what she stood on was the ground. It appeared as if she was suspended in air and standing on pure stardust. It would have been the most magical place she'd ever seen in her life but she was worried by the fact she didn't know where she was. "Am I dead?" she couldn't help but wonder aloud. "No. The opposite actually," a voice came from behind her. She spun around and was shocked to see the pink pony from the mural. "You're her!" Wysteria exclaimed. The pony chuckled, "Now, now, I'm not that special." Her nonchalant attitude put Wysteria at ease. Although she still had questions, "Who are you? And what is this place?" The pony bowed her horned-head and extended her wings, "My name is Firefly and you are in a place very few ponies get to visit." Firefly walked down the starry path and Wysteria followed along-side. As the walked, Firefly continued speaking, "it's hard to explain what this place is but that hardly matters." She gave Wysteria a knowing look, "what matters is that you are here! And it has been a very long time since there has been someone new." Before Wysteria had a chance to respond, the empty sky slowly morphed and sectioned off into memories of Wysteria's life. This grand display of magic mystified Wysteria for she was able to see herself through the eyes of others. Wysteria stopped and stood in awe but Firefly brought her attention back to her, "you have always felt the pulse of the earth. You find beauty in all things and love everyone for who they are. Yet you are always seeking to better yourself and seek understanding where others do not look. You know wisdom must accomplish all its works with harmony. These qualities are why you have been chosen." Wysteria was floored by Firefly's sincere compliments. She felt seen, loved, and grateful yet also unworthy of everything that was said. Firefly gently placed her wing under Wysteria's chin and tilted it upward. "You are all these things and more, Wysteria. Magic has been reborn into the world and so you have been reborn too. Go now, and bring the harmony from your soul into a world that needs it now more than ever." Firefly removed her wing and stepped back. A small rainbow emerged from Wysteria's heart and swirled around her. It grew larger and faster as it spun, lifting Wysteria into the air. She strangely was not afraid because whatever was happening felt right. As if her life was always leading up to this point. The glow of the rainbow grew brighter until she was blinded by it's light. All at once it imploded in on her and then exploded outward. It lit up the whole sky in a brilliant display of sparkles. Wysteria was back in the real world and Firefly was gone. She was carried slowly downward by the rainbow until her hooves met the ground.
However, it wasn't ground at all. Instead it was the bark of a mighty tree. The "night" sky of the other world was replaced by the afternoon sun of her world. The tree she stood on had bark of blue and flowers of pink wisteria instead of leaves. She had never seen a tree like it before. Looking down, she was relieved to see Spike was there, clawing his way out of some tangled purple roots. "Spike! I'm up here!" she called to him. When he looked up, his face was also one of relief. Once untangled, he climbed his way up the tree to the plateau where Wysteria stood. However, Wysteria hardly noticed, for she became distracted by the pulse of the tree. It was the same as the flower's pulse. Suddenly, it clicked in her mind that this tree was the flower. She turned her attention back to her dragon friend, "Spike, this tree, it's the flower! The magic returned to it and it grew and changed into this tree! Look how magnificent it is!" she stroked a branch with her hoof as she felt an odd sense of pride. It stood taller than the other trees in the Everfree and she could even see Ponyville from where she stood. "The flower isn't the only thing that's changed," Spike said. "What do you mean?" Wysteria asked as she turned back to face him. Spike used the scales of his forearm against the shiny, diamond-like bark of the tree until it shown clear as a mirror. He gestured for her to look inside it and she obliged. She gasped as her reflection shown a pony that looked just like her but with a horn and pair of wings. She slowly lifted her hoof to her forehead and felt that the horn was indeed real. It was different from Kimono's horn for it spiraled around itself like that of a tangled branch. She then looked to her sides and saw her new wings. She was unsure how she didn't notice them before, because they now felt heavy and she became unbalanced. "I'm... what am I?" she whispered. "You are an alicorn, Wysteria. Something I haven't seen in over a century," Spike responded calmy, a smile on his face. Wysteria looked to him for answers, "but what does that mean?" Spike shrugged slightly, "I don't know much about the process, but I know it means the rainbow has chosen you to protect pony kind." Wysteria looked back at her reflection in the mirror, "A protector? Chosen? Me?" As she starred into the mirror, the tree hummed under her hooves. She took a deep breath and let the tree speak to her. After a moment of recollection, she knew what she had to do. She was thankful that her friends Spike and the Harmony Tree would be there for her. Filled with determination and gratitude, she said, "Let's head back to Ponyville, Spike. We have a Rainbow Blast Bash to repair and then a rainbow to find!"