Chapters What defines time? The process of the world aging, or is it, perhaps all just an illusion we create in order to measure significant events? So much depends on how we perceive it. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, four weeks a month, and twelve months a year. Basic measurements for those who die within a short period. Though for those who live forever, each second could be an eternity, yet the same amount of time paradoxically could flash in the blink of an eye. Luckily there are few who will live until the end of this measurement known as time, fewer still who remember the start of it. Though not everything is recorded, and time has a way of washing knowledge of even the deadliest secrets away.
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Green, one of the two colors that defines him, his forest, and all that lives. As the sun rose and threw a blinding light into my eyes I could see nothing but that color. A constant reminder of what he was. As he rose from his den, the borough of a large tree deep within his territory, he sighed. It wasn't easy to live life as sole caretaker of an entire forest, Especially by ones own. Mentally he reviewed the going on's through his tree's, the same trees whom gave him life as well as bound him there. The weather was only partly cloudy, something he would need to fix later for the various flowers and trees which dwelled in his forest.
The life of the Caretaker was a lonely one, as he trotted down the same path he always did, giving his body a workout. His body of Redwood seamlessly changing shape as though it was flesh, his cool green eyes simply eyeing the path ahead of him while the vines that made up his hair swayed in the self generated wind. As the Caretaker took the jog throughout his forest his mind wandered, there was so much to do, yet so little that could satisfy. If he had wished, he would simply just have sat down inside of a tree and let his mind do all the work, but it was not something to do. But rather something he lacked the ability to not do. The Caretaker couldn't help but move and do several tasks manually while his connection with the forest did the rest for him.
He needed something to do with his ever expanding time. But there was nothing capable of real sentient speech in these woods that would deign talk to him or an idle joy inside which he could partake. He was the master of the most dangerous and creepy forest of the world after all, The Everfree Forest. So deep was the social stigma of Timber Wolves, Ursa Majors, even the occasional Manticore. That not a lot of ponies dared to venture within a mile deep inside his forest, let alone to the center of it. Lately, though he didn't know how long it had been since he last checked, the city in the far distance had grown a pink bubble around itself. Strange, but then again he wasn't to complain if a nation went a bit cuckoo in the head and decided to cover their city in a magic bubble. It wasn't affecting the forest at all, in fact, the lack of activity from the castle was helping the forest expand a bit by the lack of lumberjacks who were unable to leave to go chop wood from his forest for their industrial needs.
Loneliness, it sure was something he felt even now. When was the last time he had interacted with someone? When was the last time somepony even used his name? What was his name? He sighed, and the forest reflected it, clouds slowly growing more thicker and the trees providing a bit more shade than normal. Maybe another trip to the hut that had been claimed by a zebra mare, not an interaction in mind, but rather to watch her navigate his various dangerous plants and creatures to collect the rewards of helpful herbs that were stocked behind them. It was rather amusing when she stepped into poison joke the first day and had to spend a week to fix the rainbow that had occurred. But no, certain things are best savored rather then indulged. Maybe he would check on her in a year or two, not like time mattered much anyway.
His jog ended in a clearing atop a hill. Despite the trip he showed no signs of exertion, for its caretaker. The birds were still all taking care of their eggs, the small woodland creatures were collecting the food his trees gave them, and the weather had settled for a refreshing drizzle with a small snow filled cloud heading over to the Zebra's house. A gift, of a season that had passed only a short while ago. He set sat down to view the distant city, far out of his forest's reach. There was a reason he had been growing his forest towards it, though that was as far away as his name.
He raised an eyebrow as the distant city's shield broke and large downward flares of green energy began to descend upon the once protected stonework. As he watched, the light show die down he wondered idly what was going on over in the distant city on the mountain side.
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Everything was coming along just perfect, there was no other way to describe this. She who was Queen of the Changelings, Chrysalis. had fooled all but one. As she turned her attention away from the subdued city she smiled to herself. Her drones had captured Twilight and her friends, and even still did the ignorant Alicorn who she had pretended to be was yammering on with how Twilight would save the city. A quiet glee filled her as the doors opened revealing the six bearers of the elements of harmony all captured by the masses of changelings that attended to their attempts to stop invasion. Their leader, a white Alicorn by the name of Celestia who matched herself in size, had been defeated. Luna drugged, and asleep in her quarters, and best of all. The unicorn who had been keeping the shield up, was completely drained and under her control. She smiled to herself though a few words caught her attention, it was from the stallion she had been using as food, Shining armor, "Is... the wedding over?"
She leapt up from the ground and landed in front of the group of colorful ponies, grinning triumphantly at them, "It's all over."
The purple one, Twilight, tried to whisper though it was audible to near everypony in the room, "your spell, perform your spell!"
Chrysalis laughed, a shield spell? Really she mused before speaking, "What good would that do? My changelings already roam free!"
She drew their attention to the window where her army of carefully bred warriors were invading the town. They had waited months for the perfect opportunity to attack and now it was time to replenish the stores they were so desperately needed. Such an invasion was perfect. An entire town would feed their energy beyond anything in comparison, and once Canterlot fell, then it would be the rest of this cursed nation's turn. It was perfect spiral to global domination. Who said a girl can't really get it all, Shining Armor tried to conjure another shield to repel the changelings but it was already far too late, she had drained just about every last drop of energy the stallion could spare. The pitiful dot of energy he conjured was proof of it at least, "My power is useless now... I... don't have the strength to repel them..."
His head lowered in shame and sorrow but he wasn't left to weep alone, Cadence, the pony she had oh so recently put up as idle sentiment, moved to nuzzle the rather unfortunate stallion who had finally broken free of Chrysalis's mind control, "Then my love will give you strength."
Chrysalis chuckled at the words, rolling her eyes, "What a lovely but ridiculous sentiment."
She turned her back to them, looking back out as her drones were about to capture the remaining townsfolk as well as the guards. She had little to fear; princess Luna was drugged for this operation and already her changelings were about to reach the princess of the night's quarters and cocoon her as they had did Celestia, the elements of harmony was out of play as they were stuck in their case. Even if Twilight had reached the chamber successfully the task was a futile one without Celestia to unlock the door with her horn. However, she regretted turning her back as a bright light began to silhouette her shadow to the window in front of her, she barely had time to turn to look upon the two ponies, embraced in a magical flux of energy, before the massive wave of the most ironic type of energy rammed her full in the face. Love.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Her scream resounded throughout the town as it impacted with every single changeling in canterlot. The effect was destructive. Immediately she could feel any of her soldiers who were stuck inside a building perish being crushed into a pancake against a stone wall. In mere moments the force had knocked them miles away and had left no trace of their existence there except for a few flattened shells. She could still see it, and her anger grew, it had been so perfect yet they failed none the less. Now they had a new problem: the rapidly growing forest.
With an urge she and several of her higher ranked officers collected the remains of their energy, as they each formed a magical spearhead in front of them, a blunt trama helmet, usually reserved for self propelled missiles and rapid troop deployment. Now it would serve as a shield.Her entire swarm was scattered, and she dreaded what was about to happen next. Several of her troops had expended a bit too much in their eagerness to capture their long awaited prize, and now, that eagerness would prove their downfall. Now, most of her forces' shields were weaker than standard, and this impact would deal far greater damage than the standard shield could withstand."
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The caretaker looked on with a curious glance as the explosion rocked the city, it was spectacular to say the least, though it seemed to do no damage to anything at all, nor did it look particularly original, considering it was the dome expanding in a rapid size before dispersing again. He rolled his eyes, wondering if someone had been trying to make their mind on whether to keep the dome before he noticed something. Several black and green dots... That were rapidly growing closer. The largest of them heading directly at him... It looked like the backside of a mare, though it was cloaked in a shield of energy, with curious bug like wings... Now it was more easily identifiable though he still had no clue what it was, then he realized the trajectory of the incoming bug-pony.
Magic coated flank met his face as an explosion of green caused a large crater both through him and into the environment. Similarly several other explosions began to rock as though the entire place was under siege, no fires at least but still it took out tree after tree as each of the creatures hit the ground with enough force to kill a Manticore pack. A few cushioned their falls with shields though the vast majority started to become paste as they met hard old wood. He pitied the few that landed in the thorn brambles of the inner parameter of his forest as those unlucky few were caught and shredded as they were rammed into the tight ropes of thorn covered vines. As his body reformed out of a nearby tree, oak this time, winced, several trees had been uprooted, snapped, or otherwise killed from the impacts alone. He gazed down into the crater of the thing that had hit him, and looked over it.
"Just what are you?" he remarked coldly, staring at the twitching thing that had impacted him not a minute before in it's crater left from the force of impact, "Is this a new breed of bug?"
He slid down the deep crater, moving over her for a better look as various creatures of his forest did elsewhere, she was still conscious, albeit bleeding a green liquid from several cracks, cuts, bruises, and injuries no doubt from the impact, his curious expression diving into a confused one as the creature took one pain dazed look at him, his form hidden from her dazed view as he stared down at her, "Help... us..."
The bug like pony seemed to fall into unconsciousness after that. Leaving the caretaker's curiosity renewed, now he knew that it was sentient. Though the thoughts that had been running through his wooden head had simply been, "Finally... something to do."
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The difference between a Captive and a Prisoner?
A captive and a prisoner both refer to the same method of keeping somepony, or thing, against their will. Though the implications however are different as well in these regards. To look at it from a technical standpoint becoming a Prisoner implies the government, or your corporation per say, has an actual jurisdiction over the 'Prisoner' due to something that prisoner has done. It is for the sake of the rules, and very boundaries in which a law abiding government abides. However for being a captive, it lacks most of it. The reasons might not actually deal with the pony themselves but those they know. A captive is taken by their captors without care for the law, police, military jurisdiction, etc.
Instead the 'Captor' of this situation sees something to gain and took the 'Captive' for that very reason. Kidnap a rich pony and you can expect a large ransom for example from his family. Hold a captive's life in your hands and a criminal might escape being brought down by the local guards for a short while. As such the difference between a Captive and prisoner relies upon the alignment of the pony who made you one. As for me? I call those I keep detained, guests.
That is of course, if they can keep their manners.
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If one thing was clear, a majority of these creatures were badly wounded, if not dead from the various impacts that they had experienced. No surprise that the largest of their kin, the same bug-thing that asked for help, was the least injured of it's kin. It took several hours to pry every dead and wounded bug pony from their impact craters and with the limited knowledge on their physiology the best medical treatment that could be applied were sterilized leaf bandages that from some of the larger trees of the forest. For the worst off members of their kin, he sacrificed a medical plant in which he used to treat animals of his forest, on the occasion they got hurt. Even then there wasn't enough to go around, with many dead from the impact alone, and several having died of serious injury before treatment could of been applied. There was only so much that a single forest could do for a small cities worth of injuries. Out of the five hundred that had crashed into the forest, only a fifth of them had the strength to survive with the medicine applied.
The Caretaker had to wonder why and who had caused all of this destruction and loss of life. Judging from the explosion these things had been flung all over the place, and without proper medical care their bodies would likely be found rotting away all over the country. Another thing he had to wonder, was why every single one had holes in their hooves. Though strangely they didn't seem to be injuries, as they weren't bleeding in comparison to the fractures and other injuries inflicted on them.
As the sun set on the horizon the survivors had been finally gathered up in one clearing, with a few orders the wildlife knew to leave these strange creatures alone, and the Golems of the forest had formed a perimeter around them; for both the forest and their own safety. More than once did he take care of something bug like only to find out later that it was parasitic to the wildlife around it. The Caretaker didn't want to see another Termite breakout. That had taken forever to purge from the forest the last time they were introduced. The largest however, was under his personal watch. It, he knew, was able to speak. With a final check on the creature's physical condition, he merged back into one of the larger nearby trees of the forest, I simply watched them, waiting for one of them to wake.
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Pain, it was the feeling that first drew into her mind as she groggily awoke, eyes shifting ever so slightly as her consciousness came back. The pulse of their linked minds showed similar activity, though their pain was much worse off than her own. Shutting the multitude of voices off from her mind she attempted to regain control of her hooves. They were covered in something, but she knew not what it was. Firm pressure grasped over her sore body in a multitude of places, her head ached from the magical effort her past shield had taken.
Her head recalled the reason she had to of used the spell, and as she remembered it, her eyes snapped open, adjusting to the night time as she grimaced. She had failed. It was too much to take in how ridiculous it was, two ponies love for each other had repelled her army of changelings, She stomped a hoof on the ground a little bit too hard in an attempt to roll over onto her less sore side, groaning audibly as she rolled onto her stomach. She would get revenge on those ponies, but first she had to gather the survivors and figure out where she was.
As she started to stand, a low growl stopped her. She looked around, scanning the trees and surrounding environment, but detecting nothing. What was it, some sort of hunter? A predator who was lurking in the bushes? As she drew herself up fully the growl came again, and this time she felt it. It was her stomach, with a sigh of relief and a glare at the offending region that had caused her false alarm she relaxed. Then a voice behind her almost caused the Changeling Queen to leap in surprise, "I wouldn't move too much if I were you."
The Changeling spun around, wincing as her bandaged wounds groaned in muted pain, there was nothing there but more trees, she responded warily, "Who are you?"
There seemed to be a definite pause as the voice considered, "I'm the Caretaker of this forest of course."
This in turn made the Changeling raise an eyebrow as she searched for the source of the voice, "So your a Gardener?"
The Caretaker chuckled before responding, "A gardener implies that the only thing he takes care of is a specific type of plants. There are also animals, weather, excavation, and more to take care of in this forest."
She ignored the explanation on the difference, "And what is this forest's name?"
The voice replied, "I'll tell you if you tell me something in return." the voice replied, not waiting for her to agree before continuing, "Who and what, are you?"
Chrysalis growled, "None of your business."
The voice casually replied, "Then I guess you won't learn your answer then."
It seemed forever before one of them would speak again, and it was the voice, "How about if I promise to show you your fellow survivors of that crash as a bonus?"
That gained her interest drawing the Queen out of her perpetual glare and into a look of brief concern, "You know where they are?" Chrysalis' face regrew it's stern look as she put up a front, "What have you done to them?!" she growled.
"Nothing besides apply bandages to their wounds, as well as much salve as I could spare for the worse off ones. Though a majority of them died on impact with the forest. Perhaps a hundred in all, give or take about ten, survived. Including you."
Chrysalis's was off put by that, looking at herself she could easily spot if not feel what had been squeezing her, had indeed been several large leaves tied to her body with smaller vines. Several larger vines dwelled within easy reach in the trees themselves yet the stranger hadn't tied her up as well? What reason did he have for such an act. begrudgingly she answered, if only to see if his words were true, "My species are called Changelings, I am a larger, rarer breed known as being apart of the Royal Caste of changelings rather than a drone or warrior one. Happy?"
"Very." the voice replied, "And your name?"
Chrysalis didn't hesitate, "Chrysalis."
"A cocoon? How lovely." Chrysalis moved to give an angry retort but was interrupted by the mysterious pony, "Turn around and walk thirty meters for your survivors. As for this forest... You're in the only place in the world believed to be free of 'control' by the nearby natives. Welcome to the Everfree Forest, my little Cocoon. You're in my woods now. Not the ones operated within Equestrian borders or another nation, but the free realm."
just what is peace? Some believe it is a state of wellbeing that is free of violence, stress, war. Others would call it a state of tranquility or wholeness. To be 'at peace with yourself' would be to feel whole, calm, acknowledging of yourself. In politics however it is the absence of war in a nation. In this sense, Equestria has been 'at peace' for a thousand years. No official sources of government having actually attacked them. Yet is it peace when a small forgotten race invades the capital of such a nation?
Some would say it is war. But war is between nations, groups of nation vs. nation. Not an entire race. Thus, while these... Equestrians. Hunt down my guests, would one say, they are still at peace? Is it just pest control? No, this is what the mind would call stress and violence. In which case, there hasn't been peace in over a thousand years within equestrian territories with the predators hunting their prey, the constant change in economical systems. Peace is to be free. Freedom, is the sad equivalent of anarchy to a government system. So to answer the question. Equestria hasn't been at peace since those sisters took the throne.
The world itself however... Hasn't seen peace ever since it was created. Why should they expect it to change now?
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A clearing had been set aside for the changelings, already few of the less injured ones were wandering through the masses applying their meager reserves of magic in order to save their kin. Chrysalis had only taken a mournful downcast look as we passed the rows of those who hadn't made it. The caretaker only watched as she seemed to put up a barrier between herself and the outside world. Mourning those who had died in the crash.
He didn't get it, why should one feel sad about the passing of others? It was common, everyday a predator would hunt down it's prey. Did the family of the prey mourn? No... It puzzled him why, though he knew deep inside the reason. She had cared for her hive. From an ash-wood tree he arose and coughed quietly, trying to draw her attention away from the bodies, "Little Cocoon, I assume you're friends and family are in no fit state for travel."
There was no response from the Changeling queen, minutes passed as she mumbled a jagged reply, "Why would you care?"
The Caretaker chuckled deeply again, "Because Cocoon, we both have something the other wants. You want a sanctuary to recover and rebuild in peace, and I am rather curious to what your people are, as well as needing a way to relieve the boredom of living alone in a forest I have known since it began. The only thing you'd need to do besides that is to follow a few simple rules."
"and what, pray tell, would those be. If , I were to consider the offer?" Chrysalis shot back wearily, while leaning on her less injured right hoof.
The Caretaker smiled behind her, "Glad you asked, rule one: If I give an order, it is to be done. This is for your own sake as well as my forest's. I don't want to tell you, 'Don't go into that cave!' and find out you angered the Ursa major or dragon living in there into a rampage from your trespassing. Got it?"
Chrysalis rolled her eyes, "As long as you don't order us to serve you there won't be a problem. What else?"
The Caretaker droned on, "Should be obvious for rule two: No harming the forest's ecosystem. It's delicate enough keeping everything in check without a balance between predators and prey. Speaking of which what does your species strive on?"
Chrysalis sighed, "We are an omnivorous species though we need... a rarer material... in order to use magic and reproduce."
The Caretaker rolled his eyes, "I'm assuming that this material component in some way is the reason your kind was flung from that city of stone?"
She nodded, confirming his suspicions, "It seems we both have an interest with the same target. What that means however is up to you. Though there is one last rule you must follow in order to live in this forest."
She blew an rogue strand of hair out of her face only for it to fall back where it was, "and that is?" she asked.
"Under no circumstances, whatsoever, are anyone within my forest to use fire ." The Caretaker scowled at the last word.
Chrysalis gave a growl in return, "Kind of need it if we're going to survive the incoming winter season, cook meals, or sterilize bandages."
"No," The Caretaker snapped back, "you won't need a fire. If something needs to be cooked, warmed, or cleaned with heat. I would prefer you to use burnweed instead of making an enemy of my forest."
She balked at the sudden anger, the Caretaker sighed returning to his normal tone, "Everything in this forest despises that...thing. We do not forget those who have burned us, and have no desire to be burned again. I'll provide the needed plant in order to compensate. Though I'll need your help if you decide to stay here long term."
"Why would we do that?" Chrysalis remarked, an eye twitching in presumable disbelief.
As though to a child he explained, "Little Cocoon. There has already been... scouting parties... of armed ponies searching for your survivors. Nothing too deep, those who wander in too far are reminded of the reasons their kind fear my forest. But it is too dangerous for you to leave in the meantime when half of your injured are too weak to even walk."
The caretaker trotted up to her, surprising the Changeling queen with his appearance, holding out a hoof to her, "So is it a deal?"
Chrysalis looked at him, her expression a mixture of emotions ranging from shock, to disbelief again, though what else she would of displayed was hidden behind a serious mask as she considered her options. With a sigh of defeat she bumped her hoof against his, "Since there isn't another choice it seems. Agreed."
The caretaker grinned, the wood around his hoof separating and encasing hers before withdrawing, a wooden band remaining on her hoof, she withdrew her hoof and gave a curious gesture to the bracelet, he explained, "your free to wander among the forest to an extent with that, the creatures of my domain will recognize you as another citizen though I still wouldn't provoke them if I were you."
"so basically I'm under house arrest in your forest, and my kind is basically stuck here as much as Discord is a statue." Chrysalis remarked with a roll of her eyes.
"Who?"
She sighed, "Nothing, he's just an..." she struggled to find the word, settling for an simpler answer, "Rival... in a way."
"Interesting, is he a Changeling like you?"
Chrysalis deadpanned, "If he was one of us, we'd all be made of cheese."
Now it was the Caretakers turn to look confused, "Pardon?"
She rolled her eyes, "He doesn't make any sense in any sense of the word sense. In other words he takes logic and throws it out the door. Literally."
The Caretaker imagined that and let out a chuckle, "I'll take your word for it. Now, lets handle the housing and food issues shall we?"
"Got an idea in mind?" Chrysalis asked curious, no doubt, to the wooden pony before her, "Several. Though like I said, I'll need some help in order to get it started. I need one of your less injured changelings for the food issue. He or she needs to leave the forest and bring me back something."
"What is it?"
"An Apple."
Author's Note
Published before Slyph and Eli could get around to editing it, any changes you'll see in the future to this chapter will be if they or any of you awesome readers want to point them out. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of necessary dialog.
Hope you're having a fine time!
Just what does it mean to own something? Is it a deed or warrant of property? Is it to simply hold it in your possession and not allow others to touch it? Or is it a lie based on long term exploitations of psyche. I believe to own something is to keep it with you forever. Thus where the impossibility begins, from the simple fact that we, however much we desire it, do not last forever. When we pass on do our 'possessions' pass on with us? The answer is no, instead ponies dictate a will, or in absence, the government decides what to do with what used to be your personal items, and passing 'ownership' onto the next individual.
In an object is stolen, is it still yours? Or is it the thief's? Such a relationship is impossible, for to own something, is to make it yours in all ways. This of course affects to myself as well. For if every being is to die, we cannot own something, I cannot own my forest. If I were to pass on, somepony else would eventually take control. Be it the society of ponies who dwell near my edge, or the forest itself claiming the true freedom it so long desired.
The only thing capable of ownership is the thing that has no start and no end. In this case, not even time owns the universe. For time is an illusion of perception. A way to judge when we all return to nothing once again.
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The Caretaker, the Queen, and her most healthy officer, a heavily bruised changeling of moderate stature named 'Hard Head' were gathered together on the outskirt of the makeshift camp. It was the middle of the night and the Caretaker was explaining why he needed the officer, "My own populace may be large, and any of them can run an earth pony to the ground. But even they have limits." when Chrysalis pushed further for the reason he replied calmly, "My wolves of wood, Timberwolves, I believe they are called now a days, have a limit to how far they can wander from the territory of the forest. Each tree has an internal radius of about an average house's distance before the wolves can't progress any further."
Chrysalis noted that, asking further, "What count's as part of the forest?"
"Any tree within reach of another of the forest is converted into an Everfree tree. Once the tree is converted, the effective radius of maintaining that bond is usually double that of the conversion radius, securing a better bond with the forest."
She saw the pause, but then asked, "And the location of the place of which you are going to send my subject?"
The Caretaker replied in turn, "Back in my time it had no name, it was a plains. But long ago a thief came to my forest, seeking out food for her family. I showed her by kindness a rare crop of mine, enough to feed her family, but instead of taking what she had needed, she instead took the entire tree's harvest, taking several other residents who lived here at the time share of it. The lack of even one of my rainbow colored apples caused the species to die out of my reach when the thief escaped my forest's protectors and started her farm." he commented after a moment, "They call it 'Apple Acres' now. and I think it's about time my thief paid a bit of her debt back. I merely want your citizen to fetch a few of the fruits and vegetables they grow for planation back into the forest to feed your race."
There was one flaw, Chrysalis noted, then pointed out, "Wouldn't it take too long to wait for them to grow?"
The Caretaker oddly chuckled, "Leave that bit to me. If there are no other objections, we will be off."
Both Queen and drone nodded, and the Caretaker extended a hoof towards the drone, the drone in turn extending his to touch the wooden pony. Then a tree erupted up and engulfed them both, causing all the present Changelings to gasp.
It sunk into the ground, the long jagged edges of the trunks mouth descending similar to that of a spider in reverse, the ground sinking back into a smooth brown patch of dirt as it buried itself. They could still feel Hard Head's connection to the Hive, but from his view everything was covered in a muted black, only the slight hints of a pair of light green orbs in the same shape as the Caretaker's eyes. After a few moments the connection began to rapidly stretch as they found their hive member speeding along underneath the forest as the strange plant moved him across the lands, faster than any of them had dared to fly, let alone dig through.
Yet Hardhead didn't experience the momentum or change, the inside of the pod seemed near motionless, up until the rough deposit onto the edge of the forest. In which he was spat out by the plant like creature head over heels. He landed in a jumbled mess, the creatures own eyes, rudimentary of that of a moles stared briefly at the creature it had given a ride to before it wrested its way back into the bowels of the earth, leaving not but a small stump behind. A sign of where to head back to when the job was finished.
Hard Head looked around, gauging the rest of his surroundings, noting that he had been deposited within the tree line at the bottom of a hill. The hill which lead to a large sturdy gate which separated the forest from the farming by a wide gravel path that separated the two. Not even weeds grew between the two, a process which another changeling had shared called 'Salting the Earth' far more than evident in the lifeless ground between the two. Another note for the hive.
The Changeling began to sneak up the hill, crouched low to the ground and sneaking up the side of the well worn trail to Apple Acres.
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He wasn't the most talkative of ponies, or the best at mathematics or science, but he wasn't dumb by any means. In quite he was quite smart on the contrary of popular belief, as well as trusting. He put down his younger sisters letter, it was rather surprising that such events had transpired and caused hi sister to end up delayed by the wedding after the so called attack on Canterlot. He knew not what a 'Changeling' and from anypony else he might not believe it, but having the element of Honesty for a sister made him more inclined to believe her over this attack. Though this also meant that He and Granny Smith would have their hooves full until Applejack and Applebloom returned from the delayed wedding.
He sighed inwardly, some fresh air would do wonders to the mind. He quietly unlocked the front door and slipped out, locking the door behind him with the key under the welcome matt. He took a deep breathe of the night air as he took a stroll towards the western edge of the forest. He contemplated how he was going to deal with the first few days. Some buddies of his down by the local watering hole owed him some favors, perhaps they would be willing to help, then he noticed the soft light coming from his barn. Strange, Granny smith was in bed, and the rest of his immediate family was in Canterlot. Thieves?
He frowned, pulling at a piece of wheat and sticking it into his mouth as he approached the barn. The door swung open, the lock having been picked open and he entered. Only be awarded with the sight of a small candle burning by itself on a crate near the seed section. He scanned the room, looking for anything out of place. Only a few barrels which were stacked up high enough to hide somepony. He approached before whipping around the barrels suddenly with surprising vigor to the other side.
Nothing. Nopony was there, he shrugged, perhaps he had simply forgot to lock the door. Though the candle bugged him. He hadn't lit any of those tonight. Most of the work was usually done in the day, he blew it out and left, locking the door behind him. Not noticing the bug-pony who was desperately clutching to a rafter of the ceiling. Who fell to the ground shortly after the big red stallion had left. Way too close. Way, way, way too close.
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Without further interference Hard Head managed to fill a saddles worth of various seeds of vegetables and fruits. Luckily not enough to make a noticeable dent but he also grabbed half a dozen apples from the nearby trees on the way out, adding it next to the strangest seed he had encountered yet, a small rainbow colored seed which was shaped like a Lightning bolt. Even the Hive members who had impersonated farmers drew a blank to it. Never having seen the seed before either.
The way back consisted of sneaking through the western field while picking up half a dozen apples along the way, leaving Hard head with a final excited sprint as he hopped over Apple Acres fence and glided down the hill to the stump that had taken him there. The Caretaker was waiting for him, and without a word they touched hooves again and off they went, the first step to solving a food shortage completed. Now it was the Caretakers turn.
The Difference between Magic and Science?
What is the difference between the precise arts of Magic and Science? The metaphysical and biological progression of energy gathering around a Unicorn's horn in order to change the world around them is classified as a form of magic, yet there is a large amount of science behind how such spells are casted and why it works how it does. Yet curses, another form of magic, is regarded as 'fake' magic considering the lack of spells invented as such that has given them such a superstitious nature. My definition is simpler however.
Magic is the process of being capable of altering the world beyond their bodily limits in strange or fantastic, sometimes even mundane, ways. A Pegasus is capable of manipulating clouds with their hooves for example, when there isn't an earth pony or unicorn alive who can do so without the aid of an enchantment or magical field. Likewise the Earth ponies extreme ways of tending with nature and their increased endurance is unmatched compared to the other two primary pony races. These three show the atypical use of magic from an unexplained source that Unicorns have commonly just called 'magical energy'. Which is a paradox onto itself when considering the science methods of measurement that takes place to judge how much of this relatively unknown power source is used in fueling their spells as well as the limits that they can channel. Science in contrast can be seen as the manipulation of other objects you yourself do not have control over.
You are no more able to control what happens when two chemicals mix besides putting them in the same vial for instance. But you learn more about those chemicals every time you experiment with them. Their changes are recordable and can be traced down to the smallest atom in this respect. But Magic in contrast is unknown, no one knows where it comes from or how it came to be. In my belief, the magic is the unexplained, while science... it is the opposite end of the same tree, where magic is the roots, science is the trunk. Inventions and discoveries however, are the branches and leaves that populate it.
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He smiled quietly under his wooden cheeks, the Changeling hadn't run away or been caught from what he had seen. His eyes glowed more tranquil now that the seeds of food was in his turf. He took the bags almost eagerly, an excitement building in him as he felt the familiar presence of something he had not felt in over sixty years within one of the bags. Not only were there an assortment of fruits and vegetables, but the Changeling had even managed to steal a few of the trees that he had spent his free time working on. The magic trees of his own design, the Zap Apple tree in which he had once been taken from his forest would now thrive again in the depths of the Ever Free forest.
Of course his joy was momentarily killed by Chrysalis, drawing him back to the situation at hoof, "So how are seeds supposed to feed us? It would take an entire season to grow them, time which we don't have."
The Caretaker merely smiled once, a look of sheer pride, though if deserved the Queen didn't know, "Let us head to the clearing and plant these seeds, then you'll know."
The Caretaker lead her to the clearing and he began to empty the bag, with his mouth as they trotted through the center they stopped, "I would recommend moving your people to the edge of the clearing for this." The caretaker forewarned untying the bags that held all of the seeds the changelings had collected. All but One, chrysalis noted, the Zap Apple Seeds were still kept in their bags.
A short while later the clearing was cleared leaving Chrysalis and the Caretaker in the middle of the empty clearing with the small pile of seeds. A small wind picked up, and the cool night air caused the changeling to involuntarily shiver before the wooden pony did something surprising. He kicked the pile.
Seeds scattered in all directions, some picked up by the wind and it changed, he kicked he pile again and again, launching the small things into the air and scattering them across the field. "What was the point of that?" Chrysalis asked, both surprised and angry at the sudden vandalism of the small seeds that were now scattered across the field.
"Prep work." The caretaker responded, "Now comes the fun and exhausting part."
"What do you mea-" Chrysalis began but silenced herself as she saw the Caretakers eyes.
They were glowing a solid bright yellow. Lanterns in comparison as they glowed and the smile turned into a frown of concentration. For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen but then Chrysalis spotted through one of her drones something on the very edge. A seed Sprouting. followed by another, and another. Soon the clearing was full of small plants, the trees growed in what would normally of taken years within minutes and fruits and vegetable plants began to sprout and ripen as the plants grew larger and bigger. The trees, while smaller than a full grown trees seemed to stop, and the Caretakers light faltered for a moment. Everything stopped, several of the smaller plants had blossomed, root plants like carrots and potatoes were already full grown while the shrubs were almost ripe.
It wasn't a complete harvest but it was a lot better than before. Chrysalis disbelief was momentarily replaced by surprise however when their Caretaker faltered, his eyes no longer glowing and collapsing down onto his legs in a sitting position, his head drooping slightly.
"Everything alright?" Chrysalis asked, not out of concern, though. She thought not, only a measure for this creatures power.
"Just... A bit drained..." the caretaker responded taking in a deep breath.
Chrysalis rose an eyebrow, watching the wooden pony before her gather up his concentration and stand again, "What was that anyway?"
"A magician never reveals his secrets," the Caretaker's reply was almost instantaneous, but then he gave a grin, "But I'm not one of those so I guess it couldn't hurt to say that I... Accelerated the growth to take up several months, and in the tree's case, several years, within the span of a few seconds... Understandably that is very taxing..."
"An aging spell?" Chrysalis asked, her eyes widening in shock. Aging spells were unicorn magic that took an extremely large amount of concentration and energy just to transmute one target, let alone hundreds of seeds. Such a feat would be unheard of since Starswirl the bearded.
The Caretaker chuckled at the remark, "No, nothing as extreme as that, just some good old fashion earth magic."
"Strongest earth pony magic we've ever seen." Chrysalis remarked, it was a bit more believable, though she had only heard of and seen earth pony magic working in more passive ways... Nothing this extreme... But when you're a love sucking parasite that strives on stealth and deception, you see a few strange things. Even if it is only second hand from another changeling's memory, "Anything else I should know about you?"
The Caretaker paused, before shrugging and beginning to trot away from her, "Not that I can think of this moment, also, harvest the root plants tonight, bushes tomorrow, and trees the day after then repeat if you'll excuse me, i'll be checking on the rest of the forest."
Chrysalis watched as the wooden pony walked into a tree and vanished, no sign beyond a small colored patch of wood upon the apple tree. She smiled to herself in glee, if one were to imagine a bulb, it would of lit up brighter than celestia's Sun. Oh, my... Such a prospect we have here... A plan was formed. But first thing first, "Subjects... it's time to harvest." she told her awaiting hive members.
Maybe all was not lost or doomed after all. Not only were they fed, and had a place, albeit barren and outdoors, to stay. But now they were sitting on potentially the largest source of power since the Alicorn princesses.
Now only to harness this Caretaker's might to her own ends...
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The Caretaker was amused. The sight of childish disbelief in the tall mare's eyes was a humorous one to say the least. though it did leave him with the largest pain in the metaphorical neck growing all of those plants. Growing plants required as much energy as it would of taken for those plants to grow on their own over the course of time. Sudden growth however in an instant tended to take massive reserves of energy for him to mold, and had reduced the forest by half a days growth in order to expand an entire clearing worth of already made seeds.
Understandably he had tried to make a bypass for that, seeds that would grow on their own once planted during a special time of the year... Why was it special... He shrugged and moved his prized seeds with him to his home. The home of which was the largest tree in the forest, a Tree who's roots stretched far and wide underneath the ground but could never surface. The roots were like a nervous system for the forest, it dictated the flow and control throughout the entire area but never showed up lest they were hurt. If a pony were to dig down deep enough one would find roots miles down where resources and minerals were collected to feed the massive tree that reigned over the Everfree Forest.
His expression softened as he emptied the small bag of Zap Apple seeds that his guests had recovered. Hundreds of years worth of biological and magical experimentation was back in his hooves and now he could progress. Mentally he sorted through the distribution of resources throughout the forest as he began to experiment with his seeds, each one captured in a radiant green light that infused the room in it's glow as each seed was magnified in size and began to float in front of the pony, years seemed to roll off him as he prodded the sides of each seed, abandoning all but one, the rest were impure due to the years of genetic infusing with apple trees. But one at least had managed to remain pure undiluted Zap Apple.
He needed to be closer, he shrank until he was smaller than a breadcrumb and snuck between the cracks of the seed's surface, working his way in until he could progress no further. The glow around the seed became more intense as he abandoned what remained of his body and fused with the seed in order to reach it's core. The chaos of jumbled DNA and enlarged cells that made up the giant seed's entirety. Minutes rolled by into hours as the Caretaker extracted each and every bit of information he could out of the seed and began to change it, The first thing to go was the apple itself, an unnecessary byproduct of magical fluxuation and using an Apple tree as a base for it's ability to spread through other animals.
He wouldn't need to spread this through animals this time, considering the last time the seed did it was all taken from him and the current tree had died shortly after harvest. Tirelessly he worked, a goal in mind, a beautiful perfect plant that would remain standing against any weather, and shock those who had tried to harm it. It would produce seeds once a year in order to spread at his discretion and still be compatible with the rest of the forest.
But it wouldn't just be a normal undecorated tree... It would bloom flowers of the deepest blue, they would glow ever so softly to show their presence as though the night time stars had blanketed the ground as well as the sky. Their fragrance would smell ever so lightly of a cinnamon and candy cane, a favorite of somepony he knew long ago. Who was it that set his heart down and that made him try and grow towards the mountain sided castle from so long ago. He knew not... only a tidbit here and there. A chirp interrupted him, "Ah miss. Summer Song, is it morning already?" The Caretakers voice reverberated throughout the room.
A bluebird had flown in, one of the Caretakers constant companions throughout the years. While not the same bird from so long ago, he knew it was descended from his first friend. He posed a branch out of place in this room just for that bird, who's ancestor had originally perched on it to watch him work. This same branch this younger bird now perched on, chirping away in a garbled sing song voice he knew very well, "Your singing has gotten better I see."
Summer chirped in agreement, drawing a deeper relaxed chuckle out of the Caretaker, "Right, maybe someday i'll meet your teacher, you did say she wanted to be a tree right? Heh... Only if she knew." he chuckled, the sound a mixture between his normal voice and the sound of wood groaning as though a heavy weight was lifted from it, "So what news do you bring here today my little bird?"
A Friend is somepony you are familiar with, physically and mentally. You know them, and they know you.But there are stages to becoming this friend instead of just instantly being there. One must first become an Acquaintance of the pony you are trying to befriend which means getting to know that pony on the surface before gradually working your way into knowing them entirely. There are also noted activities that can promote or ruin friendship as well. But after an unspecified amount of time and shared activities, both parties grow to want to see each other more, and then friends are made. Of course, friendship can go deeper, but eventually that would mean that they ceased being friends and started being something more...
I wonder though, where has this phrase of, "Friendship is Magic" originate from and what does it mean? I mean, I realise it is a catchy song and that the elements involved represent the 'Elements of Harmony' but that's just it. They're the Elements of Harmony, not the 'Elements of Friendship' despite popular belief. This gives good cause to wonder... Just what magic is friendship made out of?
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They were in his forest again, three little fillies. He didn't mind it as long as they didn't harm the trees but occasionally ponies would wander too far into his realm and he would have to scare them back into the right direction. These fillies however seemed prone to ignoring all danger and going the impossible route through his forest on a routine basis. Case in point, he sent a Timberwolf to scare the trio but they had ignored it as a stinky puppet and shattered it to pieces with a scooter. Though their hi jinks were absolutely adorable. He still remembered their attempt at trying to be something called 'Cutie Mark Crusaders Forestry planners.' and tried to press their ways of organization onto the forest critters around the edge.
The result had been a spectacular mess that left one filly tied up in vines, and the other two stuck to each other in tree sap as they had chased a squirrel into a tree and tried to climb it to talk to said squirrel. Only the pegasus had succeeded only later to be tied up in a vine as the squirrel used another one to cross into another tree. They had dubbed it a failure, but for the caretaker it was the best comedy he had seen in years. Now they were trying their luck at butterfly catching but looking in all the wrong places. Momentarily he thought about what season it was, most butterflies would be found in summer, seeing as it was late fall however, meant that the usual flock of insects had already migrated south for the winter in a giant migration.
Mentally he adjusted his forest to allow them to view a variety of beetles instead while he talked with his bird friend and smirked, they were in for a surprise. His bird friend Summer chirped for hours about the various states of the food and weather found in ponyville and the Caretaker suggested to the bird in it's langauge to rebuild it's nest for the winter months. Unlike other birds Summer wasn't migrating so it took some special care, and allowing the bird to stay indoors during the season, to survive. He didn't particularly mind, but those winter months could be harsh on the unprepared. Now that it was well into daylight though, it was time to check on his other guests.
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The sound of wood cracking and bending as the Caretaker formed out of wood was the primary warning Chrysalis had before the newest subject of her desires arrived. She forced her usually annoyed scowl at the distant castle with a less menacing grim line as he trotted up to the Changeling. It was time to start acting on her plans, "Ah, Caretaker, I was just thinking about you. How may I greet you on this chilly day?"
She still found those glowing orbs where his eyes would be unsettling, those glowing yellow orbs were only tinted slightly by green and one eye still partially hidden by one of the vines that made up his mane. The Wooden pony's mouth still didn't move when he spoke. Giving her the impression that he smoke throughout the forest without need of a voice, "Ah, greet me however you wish, for a forest holds no formality that a civilization might need." the old voice chuckled, "As for this chilly day, is it really that cold already?"
She looked at him in mild surprise, "Do you not feel winters grip settling in Caretaker?"
"No more than a rock would feel morning's dew. I may be connected to a forest, but that forest has sunlight and sun and water is all a forest really needs to survive."
"What of the winter months though? Do your leaves not fall and leave you wanting?"
He made a dismissive gesture, "The winter months are for rest, we store our energy ahead of time and when the time comes, our leaves fall off. I often find it funny to follow what a bird told me about, where a bunch of ponies run throughout the edges of both the nearby forest and my own in an attempt to bring the leaves down. It never works, mind you, though not that they know that. I tend to help."
"Wouldn't keeping your leaves be more beneficial though?" Chrysalis knew not a lot about plants, though more than a few of her drones knew a lot about keeping them. She still would of liked the answer if only for future reference for her hive members.
"For certain trees perhaps." The caretaker agreed, "Pine trees don't lose their needles easily, but for leaves? Imagine if your mouth was stuffed with snow. Losing our leaves help us keep energy better within us rather than around out where errant snow could kill it. That is the delicate nature of a tree."
"I see..." Chrysalis filed the information away, she tried pressing a request to the Caretaker, "Though I am rather curious to the wonders of this place. Would you mind showing me?"
She could feel the air around the forest change between a calm natural one into a mild suspicion but it gave way to a curious joyful one, "If you wish I could, though I would have to ask your guards to stay here. some things around my lands are... Delicate, and disturbed easily. I swear no purposeful harm as long as you can listen to my words of warning."
"Deal." Chrysalis agreed, first it was time to gather more information about this creature, then she could formulate a better plan to deal with him. Next to him a pod erupted from the ground, the same kind that had taken her drone not a night before to Apple Acre's. He gestured to it and she trotted inside. Time waits for no mare after all.
The classic definition of a wonder is something that amazes and is looked upon with admiration in awe. But at the same time it is called extraordinarily good or unusual. But where does this apply after all? A celebrity after all could be extremely popular with her fans and be looked upon with admiration and awe at the same time, but does this make her a wonder of the world? I believe it doesn't, she is still just a celebrity. So instead I define a wonder as someplace of great importance. Be it in history, beauty, raw resources, or a combination of the three. Back in the day the biggest wonders were statues built in the honor of another pony. Kings and monarchs who failed to stay alive as time took them and eventually took their statues as well leaving not but giant hooves of stone as time demolished such precious wonders.
It seemed only natural to make my own wonder, the Garden of the Caretaker.
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The Caretaker had three gardens to the side of his grandest of trees, his home of homes. Heart of hearts. The first of which was closest, the place of natural beauty and a collection of sorts to form his largest and most treasured garden. The second Garden was devoted for plants that aided in treating the sick and injured of his forest and to aid in their well becoming, and the third of which was a prison to the opposite of the second and third, plants so dangerous or horrendous that he dare not remove them from their containment in order to preserve the life of his forest.
Out of the three however, only the first had been presentable, as the second was crippled from how much he had used to treat Chrysalis's entire hive and the third was a sanctum potentially lethal to the bug pony. So when they arrived upon the entrance of the first through the use of the same method of transport her drone had been taken to and from the farm with. His hooves were prepared this time to catch the queen of changelings as she was ejected from the stump like creature he had complete control of. While he began to trot through the entrance of overgrown vines however, he noticed that Chrysalis didn't follow. She merely gawked at the giant tree that made up his original self and he fancied the mental image of her jaw hitting the floor.
However she only stated the obvious, "That... Is a very big pine tree." in truth his heart of hearts was a combination of trees, but he doubted she would be interested in cross species genetics enough to explain the entire process, but however he did give her a vocal response, "Thanks, it's me."
Now her jaw actually dropped, though from disbelief or the sheer magnitude of the casual comment he couldn't know, "That tree is you?" He nodded, and she went on,"How in the world did you become a magical tree that size?"
"Endless growth over... I have no idea how long a period of time though. I lost count of the passing moons long long ago." He looked up to the tree tops above, so thick that not even a single ray of golden sun could peer into the dome like expanse of branches and pine needles.
His gaze flickered momentarily to Chrysalis gauging her reaction before he coughed and trotted into his garden. It was alight in massive blue glowing mushrooms, carefully cultivated and treated into various shapes from earth ponies to bunnies, and even one light blue mushroom had taken on the shape of a manticore proudly roaring, enough detail that Chrysalis had thought it actually alive for a second. As the Caretaker trotted down the wide pathway that traversed his garden he made note that Chrysalis stayed close behind, her questioning look eyeing both him, and the tree that composed his being in alternating glances, her gaze only momentarily being distracted by the various forms of art that grew, he could feel a bit of disappointment coming from his plants, especially little Bon Bloom and her sisters, which were nighttime flowers of course who had thrived in the dark dimly lit canopy, giving it's radiant glow ever the more brilliant and delicate for its effort. He reached out a wooden hoof, caressing the flower gently and asked her, "Do you not see the little ones in your flat out gawking? Starring at the stars leaves one blind to the road ahead, as someone I knew once said."
Chrysalis for her credit, only looked mildly surprised, "Just pondering on how you became a tree is all." she gave the rest of the garden a look, a small smile decorating her usually grim face. It was hypnotic, that small fanged smile that, "Lovely garden, not quite my thing, but still lovely none the less."
The Caretaker rose an eyebrow, "What pray tell, is 'your thing'?"
Chrysalis looked slightly downcast, "Don't have one, being a single Queen is hard relentless work, if anything, I hardly have had any free time as of late in trying to find a new food source for our magic. Our... landing was a result of failing that."
The old Caretaker merely frowned, he said nothing, lost in thought. Why had this situation seemed familiar to him? A queen who took her job seriously, but failed at it? He realised something, "Your King didn't help?"
Queen Chrysalis looked down, hiding her eyes, "The late King Monarch was the first to suffer at the lack of it, he was always a fool that way, a kind and generous fool, he fed his subjects his own stores when our drought started, when we could no longer provide in secrecy what we tried to gain in publicity. We do not need a store of love to survive for short periods... But a year of it can kill even the mightiest of us."
It was hard to read the Caretakers emotionless face, but then he turned around and laid a hoof on her shoulder, "I am sorry for your loss. I'm sure that while he is rolling in his grave from your invasion of the mare of fire's home, I am sure he would be happy that you went to such lengths to feed your people."
"Mare of fire?" chrysalis repeated, taken aback.
"The Doom Weaver, Sun Raiser, Moonbane, Take your pick." The caretaker snorted, "The subject is about you, not that... For lack of a better term...Murderer."
"You mean Princess Celestia, raiser of the sun and paragon of good to the ponies, correct?" Chrysalis remarked.
"Is that what shes called now? Seems someone erased history....Again ." The Caretaker faded slowly into the ground, "You're welcome to stay in my garden for as long as you like. When you go, just tap on the stump three times in order to get it's attention. Four will make it mad, and two will just wake it up."
she ignored the statement, "Mind if I send a few drones out of the forest? We need a new supply and if we replace one or two drones with what provides a steady supply..."
The Caretakers monotone had returned, "I care not for what you do as long as the secrets of this forest never falls into the hands of a pony, maybe tomorrow we can discuss each others history over tea. I am rather interested in learning what Equestria has become in my solitude..."
"It's a deal."
He vanished completely, leaving Chrysalis to ponder over these new revelations, mentally she ordered her drones out when a few minutes passed and the monstrous creatures resembling stumps took her best scouts away to the edge of ponyville, she would have one check the library to references of Celestia under these names.The library was a nice place to start, if anywhere was. But first was the main problem. How was she going to kidnap ponies and get them out of town without the newly assigned guards finding out. It wouldn't be too long, if Equestria's streak of magic development was concerned, before they began developing detection spells for her kind. Unless... She had an idea, brilliant none the less. If the Equestrian government was to create a Changeling detection spell... What better place to be than around developing it? Of course she'd make her own adjustments of course. That and she knew just who to replace... One who would be the perfect source of love for her top drone, surrounded by five friends and gave Princess Celestia mail daily. The fact that the bearer of magic also happened to live in the library she needed her drone to visit anyway just sold it.
She was going to kidnap Twilight Sparkle.
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Unaware of Chrysalis's plan and she of him watching her, the Caretaker merely observed the mare's attempt at evil laughing over something she had been thinking about. He smiled, something had certainly brightened her mood, perhaps he would ask about it later... All the free time in the world did allow him some grace. He merely turned back to his pet project, and began alternations once more... Perhaps this year he would finally spread his forest up and confront the Mare of fire...No, Celestia. Herself for the crime in which had earned her the nickname Moonbane.
He worked onwards, disembodied and within the seed once more, smaller than a grain of sand in the enlarged seed's great cracks. Magic welding and changing the seed at it's core. No longer would it be a Zap Apple tree... Instead it would be something... More.
Yes... More was the word. He grinned at it, then frowned, how on Equestria would he get the seeds all the way between that mountain castle and this forest... Then it struck him and his vision shifted to Chrysalis once more. He smiled, it was almost too perfect. Maybe tomorrow was going to be more interesting then he had originally thought. Summer the bird chirped in alarm, She knew what that shade of green glow meant.
"Don't worry Summer, it's only a favor for a favor. Besides, I need to perfect the seed first in any case."
Summer ruffled her feathers unconvinced, drawing another deep chuckle from the Caretaker.
Tea is, at it's basis, leaf juice. Leaves from various plants pulped together and then often cooked into the form of hot drink that one can enjoy for their own pleasure. Tea is however, a drink for when one wants to relax, and has often been used in my time as the primary drink of negotiations and philosophical discussion between the older folks... I put great store on the pure spiritual power of Tea as well. Tea calms the soul, heals the mind, and mellows the body to a more agreeable state. This would of been of a lot of help when a certain Changeling Queen decided to kidnap the most powerful unicorn of this age and bring her to our meeting. Sadly, however, I can't drink. Consume it yes, but when you're an entire forest... you'd need a lot of tea.
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At first he was confused, who was this purple mare that was now bound and gagged inside the changelings sanctuary? The Caretaker didn't know. But one thing he did know, was that Chrysalis was rather interested in the purple mare and that she was taking precautions, applying some sort of green goop around the purple mares horn and legs that was somewhat transparent, where the other ponies she had kidnapped had instead received a full body version of the green goop and were attached to a few of his trees for some reason.
He began to form in the clearing, leaving his pine body at the place he had decided that they would have their conversation. As he formed however the Changeling Queen took notice, "Ah, Caretaker. Would you mind adding a seat for our conversation later? We're going to have another guest, and I wish to save the introductions for then."
The Caretaker merely stared at the purple Unicorn, making note of her cutiemark, the large star surrounded by smaller ones that adorned her flanks, "And who is she to join us?"
"Why, the same pony who indirectly ended up killing a majority of my hive with her uncontrolled outbursts and stubborn interference during my invasion of Canterlot."
That explained her interest in the mare, though she hardly seemed threatening at the present when she was wearing green... for the lack of other words, goop... As well as drooling apparently while knocked out. Also being in her interesting yet undignified sleeping position did little to ascertain that this was a credible threat. However it wouldn't be the first time something seemingly cute and harmless had caused major harm to a creature within this forest.
Damn white hopping floppy eared pest. He could never figure out how such a shy mare stood his tyranny over the other animals within her home.
"There is certainly more than enough tea to add one more." The caretaker replied, calmly pulling another chair out for the newcomer, and allowing chrysalis to bodily set the lavender colored mare into her seat, however, he did make sure a wooden pole was added, similar to that of a foals crib, he thought, so that the unconcious mare wouldn't just slump over and out of her chair after a few seconds.
"Now can this meeting begin? Or do you want to wait until our new guest awakes?" The Caretaker asked, sending a slightly puzzled glance to her, wondering what other topics may take hold besides what he had planned to discuss with little cocoon.
Chrysalis was not one to disappoint, as she herself sat in the chair left to her prisoner, leaving caretaker to take the one to the right, "Lets... What's the first order on our agenda?"
The Caretaker calmly sat down across from her, his eyes gazing deep into Chrysalis's own, as he had a pair of tea cups travel onto the table, carried aloft by a set of branches, "Before we start, I would like to ask a favor of you and your changelings in the future.." he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
She looked puzzled, as if she wasn't expecting that, and in any other circumstances he could see why, after all, the caretaker had taken care of almost everything they needed at a whim, what could the tree spirit need, "A favor?"
"I have a long standing war with the ruler of equestria herself. The Moonslayer, or Celestia as you call her. But my forest has limitations, and as a result I cannot go directly to her."
She deadpanned, "You want us to assassinate Celestia?"
He shook his head, "Nay. What I desire for you is to, when both your people, and my seeds are ready, spread a new species of tree seed around the four corners of equestria, down every major road, into every forest, and through every town and district. Something that I'd estimate would take about six months with twenty of your changelings, and use of the local transportation."
Chrysalis asked, "I do not see why not, though what good would that do? Wouldn't a tree, no matter how new, still be restrained to a slow growth?"
The Caretaker smiled, "Ah, but this is no ordinary seed, should my exeriments bear fruit, it will only take but a spark to send a chain reaction through them all, growing them all full growth within a period of minutes. And my boundaries, expanded beyond your wildest dreams."
"And what will happen then?"
"And then, little cocoon, perhaps, we both shall have our vengeance against the sun raiser, and your problems solved."
Chrysalis considered this, and asked, "What is the catch?"
The Caretaker nodded sagely, "I wish to pick which ones go out on this mission personally."
"Agreed on Two condition."
"Go ahead and ask."
Chrysalis put both her front hooves on the table, "The first is: when you go after Celestia, I demand you bring me and my changelings with you."
The Caretaker nodded, not even needing to pause, it was logical, and he had been half expecting that end result to begin with, "Agreed, and the other?"
"I want to know what the princess of the sun has done to you in order for you to carry a grudge for war against her nation for so long."
This gave him pause, not even as Summer chirped from her nest in a curious manner, it was a question he had not answered to anyone or anything other than his trees. He needed her, though, just as she needed him, and the sound of unease spread throughout his tallest branches, "Fine." He uttered, but a welcomed distraction came from the third member of their tea party. The bound purple unicorn, muttering something about book forts as her consciousness began to return, "But later, as it seems our guest is now awake."
He shut his eyes, but his vision didn't leave as he became immobile, and statuesque, vines falling over his face as he wanted to see this unicorns opinion on Chrysalis from the entire rooms perspective, after all there was only so much one could learn from subjects who adored her, and so much more could be learned by her enemies.
Chrysalis took the sign and rolled her eyes, but she played along with it, no doubt she had also used this trick herself within her own hive mind. But ultimately it was Twilight who initiated the conversation, "Ergh.... where am... I?" She blearily looked up, eyes unfocused and scanning throughout the room.
Before she tried to move her forelimb, and noticed it was bound. Her eyes simutaniously noticed Chrysalis, and focused on her, her struggles going from pitiful to worryingly as she tried to force her limbs free, "Chrysalis!" She shouted.
The difference between Golems and Ents.
The difference between Golems and Ents.
There is a definite difference between the wooden creatures of my realm. Some are golems, others are Ents. While some golems may appear to be an Ent. No Ent is a golem. The key difference lays within the mind and soul of each. The best example being my Timberwolves, they are made of wood yes, but they lack a mind of their own, they are constructs built by me that obey my orders at a lack of regards to their own wants, because they have no wants or needs other than their primary directive, which has always been to protect my forest. An Ent, however, can think for themselves. The creatures who dwell in the ground within the system of roots, and those few ancient towering soldiers, who have waited for so long for their time to arise back up and march forward once more.
So truely the difference between an Ent and a Golem, is that one is sentient, the other is not. Thus one is expendable, and the other... Not.
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"Hello Twilight Sparkle." Chrysalis responded, taking up her royal demeanor, only it was tinged with almost tangible anger, "It is truly a pleasure to see you again."
"Where am I, and why did you take me from my bed you jerk!" Twilight demanded, as if she had any control of the situation, it was a pity to the Caretaker, for he could sense the immense amount of magic that was held within the mare as easily as seeing a rock through water, if that rock was a beacon. But it still didn't match up to his forests ecosystem, nor to the one tree that dwelled in his forests depths that he himself couldn't reach.
"You can hardly not expect to massacre an entire hive of changeling through your involvement at the wedding and not expect some sort of retribution in response, can you?" Without pause the changeling queen added in, "Or did you think every last one of us died when we hit the ground at mach five?"
Her last three words had enough venom in them, that even the caretakers gaze was momentarily narrowed down from the forest to the faces of the two mares, Chrysalis's facade had broke to the fury of a grieving queen, no, a grieving mother, who had their families murderers in their hooves. Twilights face was a look of shock, however, as if the concept of death was an impossibility to her mind, and that limit had just been shattered. "They.... died?"
Chyrsalis snorted, "What did you expect would happen when one is launched past terminal velocity out of control and crashes into the ground?" She continued on, her voice taking on a sickly sweet tone, "What that we would recover with only a few itty bitty boo boos and walk away with a lesson about good beating evil taught? Of course most of us died!"
She raised a hoof, as if to slap Twilight, and the purple mare flinched, for a moment the caretaker was about to intervene, when the changeling queen let out a shuddering sigh of extreme distaste and lowered her hoof. Twilight took this as a chance to speak, "I n-never knew. Celestia said you guys would land safely outside of equestrian borders in the water..."
"The Moonslayer has no concept of mercy for her enemies." The Caretaker interjected.
"Who was that?" Twilight asked, her eyes scanning around the room, bypassing the wooden statue entirely.
"A thousand years of 'peace' and ponies still fall for the most obvious lies from a mare who murdered family, and destroyed nations because they harbored a race different from her precious equines." Continued on the Caretaker, "Did your history forget the extinction of the true elk, the crumbling of the diamond dog democracy, or the decimation of the griffon empire?"
Twilight looked shocked, a tree was talking to her, an actual tree, "I..." she paused, "Don't know what you're talking about for the first two, but are you referring to how Commander Hurricane drove back the invading griffon empires from the newly established Equestria?"
"Drove back?" A deep condescending chuckle came from the tree, one dark enough that even Chrysalis had to resist the urge to cringe, "Invade? How precious, it was not the empire who was invading, rather, if you check their history, Equestria who was invading it." the elder forest guardian sipped his tea, "Their conquered capital is where the Moonslayer now resides, next you'll tell me that she made Aranea vanish from history and the origin of the spirit of chaos and disharmony a mystery."
"Aranea?" Twilight asked, "Isn't she a spider from an old mares tale?
"Tis but names now, the birds tell me all I need to know about your illusionary world of peace and tranquility."
"How do you know this?"
The Caretakers glare shut Twilight up, but he deigned to answer, "Because, as old as I am I was there to witness it before the Moonslayers wrath came to me as well." Unknown to him, the tree was starting to darken, bits of lose wood prying themselves from the wall and forming menacing spikes. But all too soon it vanished, and the caretakers body loosened, "I am done here, Cocoon. Tap the stump like always when you wish to return to your hive. I will come to you when I am ready."
Chrysalis nodded, and waited until the wooden pony was out of sight before commenting, "Quite a piece of woodwork, isn't he?" she all but purred, "to think with the aid of this new ally, I will make your genocide of my hive have an upside."
"What do you plan to do?" Twilight demanded and it was Chrysalis's turn to chuckle.
"All that I can do, dear Twilight. To capture the worlds largest source of love in Equis." She paused, "That is Equestria, if you didn't notice."
"Yeah." Twilight snarled, "Kinda did when you invaded Canterlot.
Chrysalis, unamused, merely ordered one of her guard to re-knockout the lavender unicorn, and commented, "Until our next conversation, goodbye Twilight."
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The Caretaker paced in anger, he had very nearly thrown a tantrum in front of his guests, it wouldn't do. He knew better than to use anger, yet why did the mere presence of the lavender mare infuriate him so. Was it those knowing eyes, or that goddess awful accent? She reminded him of someone from long ago, one who had teased him on countless occasions, but yet he couldn't place a name on that invisible face from memory, he really was slipping away within his forest, but he recalled enough to hate the mare who had put him in this situation, who had decimated his chance for happiness and cursed him as yet another tree in his endless forest. An endless forest that would soon recapture the true nature of the world, as well as claim both justice and vengeance from the mare who had waited so long out of reach from him. All he had to do was run some last tests on his new seeds. Seeds that were built for one purpose.
War.
History. It is a recording of the past usually done so by the victors of the past, those strong individuals who form a nation, and settle disputes through either diplomacy, war, or other form of politics such as peaceful riots or violent. However, one thing remains clear. Victory is ultimately the the truth to how history is written. After all, when was the last time that the loser of a war had his story shared within the winners nation? In Equestria, that had never been the case as far as I know. Any misjustice that Equestria had presented had been moralized or downright excluded from the annals of history. On occasions that ponies have rarely discussed history near my forest or few living spies like my lovely assistant Summer, there had been an enforced an blatantly obvious gap in Equestria's history regarding the events around the 'Nightmare Moon' Celebration, as well as the supposed first defeat of 'Discord' and more so backwards between those two key events and Equestria's founding.
Long story short, never assume that one side tells all when it comes to history. Nations hate an underdog but when it comes to them winning their fight, suddenly they are pushed into a positive light. When a war commences, to moralize the killing of another individual, or often multiple for their soldiers, dehumanizing and racism begins to take the place of mixed understanding and individualism. When a war is won, nations justify their victory over every act that both nations committed. the truth of the matters is rarely if ever revealed in full.
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What did he mean when he mentioned the 'Moonslayer'. Twilight pondered this alongside her chances of escaping her confinements. Clearly he didn't mean so literally, since the moon was in plain sight on the cloudless nights of her stay. So that left figuratively, which the name implied a title, and from how he spoke about this being, a title. In recent memory and long term memory for Twilight, however, only two beings, or well technically one could count to being attached to the moon. Unless you counted the unicorns who moved the sun back before the princesses rule, those two beings were Nightmare Moon, and the current little sister of the princess diarchy, Princess Luna. This bothered Twilight since only two beings had defeated Nightmare moon, and by extension, Luna. The first had been Princess Celestia, who had used the Elements of Harmony to banish her sister to the moon for a thousand years, and the second being Twilight and her friends who had used the same Elements of Harmony to purify the princess and bring her back to her older sister.
But this was all a speculative theory until she could gather some more evidence that related to this subject. However, the implications of the term 'Moonslayer' suggested that if indeed, this moon was Luna, then there was a large misunderstanding going on in this tree-pony. The other subjects like the mention of the fantasy creature in writing known as the 'Elk' he had mentioned was equally puzzling to the scientific mare but she would have to hold it off until either the 'Caretaker' could answer these questions truthfully, or until she could escape and pen a letter about the changelings and the Tree-Pony.
Tree-Pony.
That itself was a mystery to Twilight, the fact that this pony was clearly earth type in nature, would suggest that this shouldn't be possible, unless of course that it could choose its own physical manifestation, in which case it was no longer a tree-pony, but instead the type of creature known as either an Ent in mythology or a Dryad. But neither confirmed how the wooden spirit flitted between each and every tree. As both were limited to one specific tree form of life. The Caretaker made almost casual deviations from this, as later on during the periods she was awake, he had appeared in differing colors, suggesting different wood types.
She stretched her limits again, feeling the pulse and ebb of her own magic under the gooey restraints that had been placed on her horn. Barely a trickle of it remained unleashed, but with that trickle and her own massive stores eventually that would be enough to break her own bonds where the horn came into play. So far in her prison she had naught but a wooden cage and several Changeling drones at any time who would just douse her horn in more of the goo if they saw signs of her attempt to free her magic. Chrysalis was by no means an incompetent leader, but the 'Caretaker' was an unknown factor to Twilight Sparkle. While she was sure that she could lose the changelings within the forest, she had both no idea where she would go, or how much the Caretaker could actually control within the forest.
She did not doubt that this was the Everfree Forest, no other forest in Equestria matched the dark depths and sporadic weather that happened here, and besides the Whitetail Woods, only the Everfree Forest was close to Ponyville. That and on one occasion she saw a Timberwolf, which was native only to the same forest, lurking on the edge of the meadow that the Changelings camped in, as well as something... Bigger...
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The Caretaker was still beating himself up about his almost unleashed temper tantrum on a daily basis. Old angers had reignited, as a gaze far too similar to the Moonslayers pierced him within the lavender mare. The eyes of studied calculation and untold cleverness that would give several a crow a fit of envy. Summer tried to comfort him, making a temporary nest in his vine-mane whenever he reappeared in the various rooms of his being, and would sing him soft songs but the bird couldn't understand. It wasn't the Summer from all those years ago. It was its kin. But not close enough. To this end he punished himself with an increased load of multitasking and micro managing his own forest. The joke-blue-flowers were still growing near the few forest spathes in his realm that were made by ponies to help prevent wider exploration by ponies, and thus wider and more numerous pathes but soon they would have to reseed themselves into the ground and vanish for the incoming winter if they wanted to survive as a species. Which clearly the weed like flower did.
He had been working days on end on the seeds however that were truly important at the moment, days were passing tirelessly but on his waning focus, mistakes were being made that he punished himself further profusely. He reminded himself, it was all for her...
Her... He could remember her breath, cold as a chilly night down his neck. An embrace that would push him slightly forward from behind as deep blue furred legs wrapped around him and pull him into the softest touch he would ever feel. The years before becoming a tree were starting to become vague to the ancient being of wood and magic. But those few things would always remain clear. Her smile, and radiant beauty... The innocent eyes and tender lips...
"You should really stop punishing yourself," her voice would say, as it always did over the years, "There is always tomorrow to work on your projects, what is the rush?"
He would mutter an excuse about time waiting for no pony, and she would laugh, that charming adorable laugh... It could make his heart stop if he still had it to hear it once again.
"Come on..." His name would be uttered, his true name, but he would ignore it, focusing instead on her mane, softer than clouds, and more brilliant than the night that was painted for the evening, "I want your opinion on the new star system I've made, I call it Cap-rio. After your hat."
"A hat system for the hattiest hat to ever hat?"
She giggled, "Might not be a system composed of hats, but its shaped like yours."
His hat, what had his hat been shaped like? It didn't matter to him, the Caretaker was lost in his own memory, his work halting and causing Summer to give a slightly alarmed chirp as her friend stood stock still.
"I miss you... My sweet dear Moon..." his soft voice called, to the mare only he could see.
And the forest grew somber for that evening... as it had often done in the past.
Author's Note
The story intro is a little strange this time, but mainly because of some views I've kept hearing over the years that irritated me beyond belief. The history part at the start is just an observation of what several people have noticed in how history is written. by the winners of a fight. Personally I dislike all wars no matter how justified people make them. With Equestrias ever vague history of the matter that could be cleared up majorly by simply asking the immortals like the Princesses, Discord, Tirek, and et cetera. what happened during this period, it doesn't help their case to keep it obscure. Yeah, I'm looking at you Tia.
Emotion comes from the heart, people say to their sentimental values. But in reality emotion is a chemical reaction located in the brain. Excitement can be directly affected by adrenaline, and using your willpower will cause a reduction in blood-sugar levels and leave you with less ability to concentrate until the body balance is restored afterwards. These are just two examples, of many. The brain often controls the reactions of the body through the subconscious, yet these emotions add a layer of mystery on their own that differ us from basic animals or golems. The mystery deepens even further when you consider the implications of the thought processes a magical being, or plant based being can think or feel. What may be comprehensible as pain to a pony could be completely unidentifiable or even an alien sensation to a plant. This is all rooted in the biological nature of multiple different complex beings. An example of this being in Griffon culture, where some activities that take place behind closed doors may be physically painful and unattractive to a pony, is pleasing, and arousing in the Griffon mentality. Of course, when you start considering mix breeds, like draco-ponies, and pega-iffons. Or even Alicorns, then we have entirely new avenues to explore the social intricacy of the brain.
Chrysalis, of course, says love comes from the heart, yet on demonstration with one of her recent captives that are helping to feed her hive, the magic is drained from the head of the three races, and most pronounced on unicorns, as it is all but siphoned off the tapered point of their horns. This leaves little room to ponder by own beliefs.
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Light comes with the starting of a brand new day. A new day that for once held new possibilities that weren't there before. Once again had the Caretaker been working tirelessly, but now there were bags filled with seeds, at the same rate that would of grown an orchard worth with saplings the caretaker had perfected and changed his seeds for distribution. He had multiple bodies of wood now transporting the precious cargo as well as a bonus plant. A rather temperamental plant at that.
The Caretaker had many plants to take care of in his forest, while all obeyed him, most had minds of their own. The mind of the forest was a slow one to process, as they didn't care much for time, thus making them seem almost inanimate, but it was within these slow minds that great discoveries could be found in knowledge of profound wisdom. Wisdom that the Caretaker himself used to rely on so long ago. This plant wasn't one of the slow ones. Like his tunnelers and himself, they were a fast thinking plant, who lived with the same perceptions of time as a pony. It was also very child like for an Ent.
Are we there yet?
No...
Are we there yet?
No...
Are we there ye-
With mild annoyance The Caretaker replied the same answer yet again, but added in, If you would connect yourself to the rest of the forest, you would see just how far was left to go.
The burly Ent was in the shape of a pony, but several times larger, like himself it was a spirit of the woods, but a much more minor part than the full forest. Wheras The Caretaker maintained the majority of the forest and whose consciousness was contained in the largest tree in its forest, this particular Ent was younger, and carried his tree with him, as a result his form was as if a pony had been mixed with a tortoise as its fruit bearing branches swayed and weaved around the other trees, like a fish among a school. His name? Carl.
Carl grumbled, I don't like cheating like that, it ruins all sense of exploration! Besides the elder trees would just lecture me about wisdom and seeing all that the minds eye has to see and what not.
True but it isn't a matter of exploration or wisdom but knowledge that can also be gained from indulging in the shared senses of the forest.
More grumbling from Carl as he obliged, only to send a mental glare at the nefariously old caretakers chuckle as he learned that he was infact, just about there. As the large ent emerged through the shifting treeline, he grumbled more so to himself than the sudden swarm of curious bug-ponies that he was met with. As he put his bags down on the ground, the Caretaker formed next to him from a separate tree and waved down the biggest bug of the bunch.
"Carl, this is Queen Chrysalis of the changelings. Chrysalis, this is Carl, my younger self."
The queen remarked, "Theres more than one of you?"
Carl Grunted, "Trees are capable of more than just one form of reproduction you know. Asexual reproduction is a very strange art though for most species."
"I was curious at one point." The caretaker admitted, "Carl was the result of my attempts, though we are quite different from the upbringing I'd assume." he looked lost in thought for a second, "What was..." he shook his head, "Anyway, I had Carl here help me bring some bags of seed for the changelings to distribute across the nation with many more bags to come. Carl is also here due to volunteering to aid in keeping your captive, well, captive."
"What makes you think that my changelings need any help in that department?" Chrysalis asked.
The caretaker deadpanned and cast his gaze over to the injured camp, where four changelings were nursing broken noses, another three had bite marks on their horns, and seven were nursing bruised ribs, "Three hours spent breaking her bonds, followed by an hour regenerating her magic supply before attempting a breakout only to be stopped by trying to rescue the other ponies and getting dog piled, even after this point she fought two dozen of your troops and managed to injure most of them before sedation."
Carl commented, "Firey lass, isn't she? Sounds like it'd be a pleasure to watch."
Queen Chrysalis deadpanned, "You were watching, eh?"
The Caretaker snorted, "Don't be offended, I watch everything at the same time in my forest, just my attention tends to focus on one thing or another more, thus my form. "as for these seeds, you'll want to plant one at every mile or so, they're like a few types of fungus and will be spreading their roots far before they actually surface as saplings. But by the time their saplings arise so too will the 'zap' portion of their namesake ancestor."
"Great... We'll send out changelings immediately and that force will soon grow depending on how many seeds you wish to spread around."
"Feel free to heavily seed the area around towns and cities, for these trees aren't just meant for take over but as sustained as well. Of course additional seeds make it easier to grow, but the risk of detection may grow. How long do you think it will take your changelings to seed the nation of Equestria?"
"Lets see, its early fall currently..." Chrysalis mused to herself, "Considering the size.... and the portions south of the Everfree..." she looked back to the two tree-ponies, "You do want the plains seeded, right?"
"It isn't required but it would be appreciated, though don't group them up if you can help it, too much clutter gets in the way of the empire of buffalo."
"Empire of buffalo?" Chrysalis asked, "Uh, they haven't been an empire for near a thousand years..."
"Wait, what?!" The forest shook with the Caretakers surprise.
The difference between Empires and Tribes
What is the difference between an Empire and a Tribe? To begin with the lesser of the two, there is the Tribe, which is a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties. These tribes also have a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader that is often chosen through a display of being the strongest or wisest of the bunch, depending on the traditions in place. These groups typically are small communities that are often on the move and constantly competing to find the best resources available while they travel, often with a close connection between the leader and their subjects as the population is typically small enough that managing relations with each individual is possible.
Meanwhile an Empire is much more larger version of a tribe with much far more options but less sociability. An Empire is an higher organized and unified traditional society consisting of several group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, which is often referred to as an Emperor or Empress. Whereas the leader of a tribe is often referred to as a 'Chieftain'. This unity would often allow an Empire to grow prosperous and even larger as time went on but disallowed the 'Emperor' from communicating with the majority of his subjects directly due to the sheer distance and security concerns involved.
So, imagine my surprise when I learnt that near a thousand years ago, a great calamity originating in the Equestrian kingdom struck out at their leader, Empress Ashen Horn, and destroyed their capital city, in the aftermath. With the later invasion years later by the granddaughter of Commander hurricane, Wind Shear, who broke up the remainder of the once proud empire, and left it a culturally devolved group of primitives, adding its lands to the Equestrian border and granting, and I quote, 'Refugee rights' to these poor folk. The now former Empire consisting of some of the wisest minds of its era, gone. Under the leadership of the Moonslayer.
To say that the forest shook with rage with that discovery was an understatement.
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The Caretaker had stormed off, and the trees looked much more lively than usual. Instead of strangely swaying in an unnatural breeze that was a product of the strange magic that dwelled in the Everfree, it was more like an invisible hurricane was causing several of the trees to shake their branches, some even losing leaves to the over aggressive movements. Before that point, Chrysalis and the Caretaker had spent an hour talking at late over the misfortune that the Buffalo had been put through. To their surprise, the great calamity that had struck the nation was a strange purple semi-sentient goo that had once been referred to as the Smooze. Its terrors had struck after several dozen unicorns had redirected portions of it out of Equestrian borders and into the plains that they called home while they sought to find a more... Suitable solution.
The Caretaker had rushed out after that point Leaving Carl alone with Chrysalis, who merely cackled for reasons he did not yet understand. To him, ponies were weird. Bug ponies even weirder. Leaving the changeling queen to whatever it was she did, Carl instead resumed his watch over his ward, Twilight Sparkle. Preferring to follow the simpler route and leave the forest's caretaker to his devices as was standard to his habits, Carl only cared that the caretaker was moving again with vigor and haste, he hadn't seen the old tree-pony move with such speed since well... ever. But he was just a young sapling of fifty years to know the ins and outs of the forest, but he fancied himself one of the smartest trees around, as odd as that was. Of course anywood would comment that the non-moving trees acted as a collective, which far outstripped his own, he would reply back that the trees barely did any thinking as he did, and that those trees and their 'great intellect' often reacted like a bees nest when things happened to it, and would often go into long winded rants to itself about what was better, rain or sunlight. He gave a mental shudder, reminding himself of the great winding rant that went on for ten years at one point of time on the subject.
Meanwhile he looked to his ward, and frowned in disapproval. Her hornlock was mildly misaligned, do to her tampering with it, so he went over and fixed it much to the purple one's dismay. When he turned around again, he noticed immediately that she tried to tamper with it again, and so without even looking back, reached out with an extension of himself, and grabbed her with a branch off his very tree-like form.
"Woah! Let me go!" The purple one in his charge yelled out, but Carl didn't listen to it. Instead, he took a bit of excess wood from a tree, hard wood, free of bark, but never the less durable for his purposes, and did the one solution to stop her from tampering with the magic-lock. He coated it with wood, mending and shaping it around the pony's head and leaving it locked in place, covering everything but her face and ears.
"Are you done trying to tamper with it now, or should I add more restraints?" Carl asked.
"Why are you doing this!?" The purple one plead, "Don't you know Chrysalis is evil?!"
"I only know what I want to know and from my reckonings, I don' think you know quite what you think I know." Carl said, earning himself a smirk as he saw Twilight get momentarily confused expression as she processed it, and he added in, "What I do know is that your little sunny shine princess ain't quite what you know, and that both sides are in the wrong for one reason or another. That's just war and politics, no high ground in which to root for, ya know?"
"But she mind controlled my brother and kidnapped my soon to be sister in law!" Twilight protested.
"And your little miss sunshine, or 'Moon-Slayer' as my pa likes to call her, did a lot of bad things to get to where she was." Carl replied in turn, was he supposed to be chattin' with his ward? He didn't quite know, but it was a bit more entertaining than talking to them dumb tree collectives about what kind of nutrient intake was best for the season.
"Like what?! Celestia is the kindest pony I know!" Twilight snorted angrily, and Carl supposed if she wasn't wearing a comical remake of the classic safety helmet, she might of looked somewhat threatening, but seeing as she was a magic-less unicorn with shackles and the safety helmet, it was kinda funny to see her indignant.
Carl humored her line of questioning, "Well, Them buffalo be one thing, and another be how the Caretaker be referring to her, 'Moon-slayer'. Seems kinda nonsensical to me, he never did really tell me why... Just that the big pony hidin' inside tha' grand old castle in the mountain was the slayer of the moon's 'Caretaker'."
Carl trailed off in thought, "Hey... if the moon was slayed, why is it in the sky anyway...?" he pondered that for a moment, "Maybe it has another caretaker? Eh... I don't know..."
"Caretakers?" Twilight asked, slightly confused, "What do you mean 'Caretakers'-" She was interrupted as Carl continued.
"Yeah, like my pa takes care of the forest, another took care of the moon, but shes gone now." Carl explained.
"You mean princess Luna then." Twilight had a look of considerable thought, "Wait a second... a thousand years ago Luna turned to Nightmare Moon, and was banished to the moon by Celestia for a thousand years... Is that banishment what this 'caretaker pony fellow meant by 'Moonslayer'?"
What Is a Best Laid Plan?
The best laid plans are contrary to popular belief in that they are simple rather than complex. The problems arrive in a complex plan when something falls out of place; the entire construction it was supposed to lead to tends to fall down after it. For example, if an enemy needs wood to build a siege craft so that they can rain a castle, and decide to raid the enemy wood supply. It would work unless that wood has been well guarded or burnt into cinders in prevention; you aren’t going to be applying a five point siege without the wood. Instead a good plan is simple, can rely on resources you already have, and most of all is flexible to unexpected changes. A good plan can replace the missing wood for those siege engines with your own supply, or have an alternate way through the castles defenses. Where one part fails an alternate part succeeds and forwards the plan onto the next step.
This is a basis of strategy, if an orchard fails to produce enough fruit, do you have a second one that can make up for the loss? My forest often has an influx of animals per year that makes me compensate for the growth with the excess I have already made. Sure some years we have too much to use and some crops go to waste, but that is better than having too few for too many. The resulting chaos is a mess to deal with. However, some things you can’t expect or prepare for. Like an army of Changelings landing in your home.
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Another morning, another day. The caretaker sighed, having worked once more worked throughout the night and onto the next day, his seed had paled from a bright rainbow to a set of different blue lines, the seed having taken a bit more than it could chew from his ministrations. He let it rest, the sheer amount of genetic code that made it what it was needed time to adjust the seed to its new set before he could alter it anymore. With the new day came the deal he had made with the little cocoon. A fact that Summer Song begrudgingly reminded him of, he didn't know why, but Summer seemed to dislike the queen for some reason. Her feathers were particularly ruffled, but she also had her own agenda. The little pony who lived near the edge of his forest had returned from her trip yesterday as well. Meaning that Summer not only knew the story of Canterlot from the little mare, but could relay anything she knew. Which albeit, wasn't much.
Bidding goodbye to Summer he decided to take a new body this time in preparation to have Tea with his guest. What would he use? Oak? Too common… Red wood? No, he had used that yesterday. What about his… No… He couldn't possibly use that trees wood. Not unless it was an emergency… It struck him, Pine. A pine tree would be perfect. And thus his new body for the day was chosen. Now for the other matters... Like what sort of Tea should they have... So many choices, so little time.
In the end he had settled for a quiet blend of Chalice mince, a herb he had made originally for the winter season as a replacement for peppermint. As for the decor, he had dusted up his old living quarters, a place, he remembered, that hadn't been used in ages. The tree like home that he had once lived in, now almost consumed by the massive tree that made up the center of his existence
Clearing away the old and adding new furniture was easy for someone who controlled an entire forest. Growing a table, replacing the dead and rotted flooring, and refurbishing such a small structure was a breeze. However by the time he had finished, it was well into the start of the afternoon.
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A Few Hours Ago...
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Equestrian security couldn't be worse. Why did the elements of harmony live in such an exposed area with not a guard in sight? Chrysalis would of assumed that the police force that guarded their cities and towns would of increased, but they were... for lack of a better term... Lax. After replacing the chief officer of Ponyville with little to no trouble her drone had proceeded to assign the night shift to patrolling in a way that seemed to indicate suspicious behavior towards the white tail woods and gave her drones a fifteen minute gap to the library at the start of one in the morning. It was almost pathetic really, did they expect that they all had died in the launch from Canterlot? Well then again, they almost had.
A time when most ponies would be fast asleep or knocked out. Soon enough, other members of her scouts had set themselves up in wait. One had even dared to go in when the bearer had reopened the library after returning home and had gotten a general layout of the building. Though they were forced to delay the research in favor of books more commonly rented by civilians in ponyville. When night had come, and the library had closed she was ready. Like thieves in the night they sneaked in, carefully moving through the library, three sets of wings humming almost silently as they maintained enough force to allow them to walk up the wooden stairs without causing them to creak. Three of her five drones should be more than enough for a sleeping filly and baby reptile, but just in case, the last drone who would be replacing Twilight was waiting in the main room as well.
They reached the mare as graceful as a drifting feather, and from her drones vision she gazed down upon the sleeping Twilight Cornelia Sparkle. The same pony who had wrecked her intricately carved plan to take over Canterlot. At the same time she would also be it's destruction. She smiled to herself as the sleeping mare snored, the sound almost drowning out the chubby pile of scales that was sleeping in a basket at the foot of her bed. Silence was the key word, and one of the Changelings horns glowed briefly before they lunged.
Twilight awoke bleary, tired, and startled. Her sounds of protest didn't even leave her mouth thanks to the spell of silence her drone had cast before hoof. And unlike before, she wasn't being supported by her friends and she was too groggy to properly use her horn before she was knocked this time into a more certain bout of unconsciousness by the drone gang up. A bed sheet and some Changeling brand green goop later and they had her tied up and disguised as a rolled up rug. the later not only as glue, but a magic absorber around the unicorns horn. In case she woke up and started casting. The three changelings then carried her swiftly down the stairs while the remaining one took her place.
She smiled, her soldiers were still competent, even after their losses. Of course, Twilight wouldn't be alone, after the scouts had delivered her, they would replace three others and bring the security chief in. But with Twilight out of the picture, the other element bearers would be harmless. Their Elements little better than fancy necklaces without the sixth to fill the role of leader.
What would Chrysalis do to her though? For indirectly getting hundreds of her subjects murdered at the hooves of the bride and groom of that awful wedding... An idea hit her, one that would be sheer irony for Twilight. She smiled and ordered a drone to prepare what she had in mind. But for now she needed sleep, there was a lot on her plate for tomorrow, and Twilight wasn't the largest of them.
