Living in Equestria

As Mason lay listening to Ashley snoring on the train, moving along through the darkness of the barren landscape between Appleloosa and the southern edge of the Everfree forest, Apple Bloom was having a mental breakdown. Ol' Grandad, the Equ of Apple Trees, had opened her eyes to a world she never knew existed and now she couldn't unhear the trees as she walked in wide eyed wonder to the barn.

At first, the voices were muted and could be barely heard. She stopped several times on the walk back to listen closely but couldn't make out what she was hearing until she pressed her ear to the trunk of a nearby tree, feeling a little foolish. When the rustling voice greeted her... she stepped back, amazed.

"No way..." Apple Bloom had said aloud. "Tha... tha trees kin talk!"

The voices grew quieter and harder to make out the further down the orchard rows as she went. The trees were younger here and she somehow knew that this was the reason why. Part of Apple Bloom's mind knew she should be freaked out hearing them talk like this but for some reason, it just felt right... like a forgotten memory of a comfortable skill that had recently had surfaced.

Applejack... she had to tell Applejack! That was the only thing she could thing of as she began to gallop back towards barn. It was the middle of the night, and Luna knows how cranky her big sister could be when she was woken up like this but still... this was major! The old tree had told Apple Bloom she was a life giver and she just had to know what that means, especially if it meant saving the old tree from dying!

She entered the barn at a trot, not caring if her hooves clopped loudly on the floor and when she reached the top of the stairs, she flung open the door to her sister's room.

"Applejack! Applejack! Wake up! I gotta tell ya somethin'" she cried out.

Applejack, who was deeply asleep and laying spread eagle on her back in her cozy bed, jerked awake with a start. "Huh! Wuzzat! Who dun took all tha puddin'?" her eyes whirled around sleepily.

"Tha tree! Tha tree! It kin talk!" Apple Bloom hopped up on her sister's bed, straddling her body with a wide and excited face as she looked down on her sister's puffy, sleep filled eyes.

"What in tarnation are you on about, Apple Bloom?!" Applejack's angry voice was stronger now. She grabbed the clock and squinted at it in the semi darkness of her bedroom, "Why... it's not even close ta Luna's settin spell and yer in here yellin' like it's lunchtime. Now explain yerself!"

"Ol' Grandad! He talked ta me! I'm a life giver an I kin talk ta trees!" Apple Bloom was practically babbling now with excitement.

Applejack's face went flat. The pure, unfiltered look of being unamused at her little sisters game... whatever it is... played out with perfect clarity. "Apple Bloom... if I find out you been in my cider this evenin' I'm gonna tan yer flank somethin' fierce."

"No! I'm serious, sis! Ya gotta listen ta me!"

"No you listen ta me, Apple Bloom! Now you git back inta bed this instant and put this silly dream behind ya cause that's all this is! Trees don't talk and if there's anypony in all of Equestria that should know that for a fact, that's me!"

"If it was a dream, then where did this come from!"

She held her hoof up to Applejack's squinting face. The rich earth packed into her hoof was unmistakable as the kind that was only present around the base of the ancient tree.

"Apple Bloom!" she cried, "Get yer dirty hooves off my bed, what's gotten into you?!"

"That's what I'm tryin' ta tell you Applejack! Ol' Grandad is in trouble and he needs mah help!"

Applejack, who had been getting ready to launch her little sister off the bed and into the hallway, finally woke up enough to sense a desperate urgency in the younger pony's voice. "A- Apple Bloom?" her voice came soft and concerned, "You're serious, ain't ya?"

"The tree called me a.. a life giver, Applejack. What's that mean? It said I had ta help it otherwise all tha trees 'round here would die!"

Applejack rubbed her neck sleepily. "I... I have no idea, sugarcube." she shrugged, resigning herself to the situation momentarily. "Maybe it's best we ask Twilight tomorra when she gets back?"

"But... but..." Apple Bloom's face fell. "I hear trees talkin now... the sound of tha leaves rustlin' ain't just leaves rustlin'. There's words in there too... an I kin hear em when I pay attention real close!"

This was too much for Applejack to believe however. "Apple Bloom... yer mah sister and I love ya more than anythin' in Equestria, but you can't expect me ta believe that, now! I mean, come on!"

"But it's true!" Apple Bloom protested, tears of frustration welling in her eyes, "They really can!"

"E-nough! Now go ta bed and we'll talk about this in the morning!" Applejack snarled and pulled her blanket up over her mussed, blond mane.

Apple Bloom's whole body sagged miserably. "But..."

"Ta bed!" came Applejack's muffled reply.

Apple Bloom hopped down from the bed and slowly shuffled her disappointed way out of her sister's room, her tail sagging between her legs. She knew she'd never get to sleep, she was just to excited about what had just happened. She stood in the hallway for a moment, head low, the giant bow in her mane wrinkled and half untied, trying to make up her mind if she should crawl in bed next to the snoring Scootaloo, or go back outside and discover more about the trees. Indecision wracked her mind and she sat down to think.

Then she then lay on her belly, folding her forelegs one on top of the other to think harder. Her head slowly drifted down onto her legs as she contemplated getting up and going outside.

And that was just how Applejack found her the next morning, fast asleep.

There was no way to convince Apple Bloom she should wait until Twilight showed up later that afternoon before running off to Zecora's. The red head was firmly convinced the Zebra would know what to do after a more rested Applejack and Granny Smith both offered no insight into what a life giver was supposed to do. After all, the far traveled immigrant had a greater understanding of plants and trees than anypony else. She even tried to get Scootaloo to come along, but the small pegasus declined.

"Mason's coming back! I wanna go to the train station and meet him! Don't you wanna see him again?" she'd said.

"Well... yeah, but..." Apple Bloom tried to argue but it was no use. She was getting frustrated that nopony was taking her seriously and stormed out of the barn in a huff.

In the daylight, nothing had changed. The trees whispered a faint hello to her pleasantly as she walked by, never saying much more than that. The tone she got from them was a happy one, as if they were content to just be heard and continue growing just as they always did.

She'd tried to listen to the trees around the path in the Everfree forest as she ventured deeper into the gloom but found there were no voices there. The smells and sounds of the forest brought back memories of when she was chased in here by Whipwind, but for some reason she felt no fear now. She felt empowered and safe walking along the wide, clean path towards the zebra's hut and arrived safely, knocking on the dark wooden door with hard hoof end.

"Zecora! Zecora!" she called out. "It's me! Apple Bloom!"

A tense moment passed in where the birds in the dark, moss covered trees nearby argued vehemently with each other about how exactly they felt about the sharp rapping noise that had disturbed them.

The sound of Zecora's voice came drifting through the door, humming an exotic, nameless tune before the it opened, revealing her smiling, stripped face.

"Well if it isn't you! An unexpected visit I get from a bloom!"

"Zecora! I kin talk to trees! Ol' Grandad said I was a life giver!" she blurted out.

The effect of these words on Zecora finally validated Apple Bloom's feelings. The Zebra's face looked like it had been slapped.

"Malakalam Heborum! Where do you hear this from?!" her wide eyes searching Apple Bloom's face, waving her inside quickly and shutting the door behind them.

"Tha tree! Tha big old one on our farm talked ta me, Zecora! It told me I was the only one who could help it... it's dying!"

Zecora's eyes narrowed, "Tell me that truth... is this tree an Equ?"

"Yes!" Apple Bloom cried with a happy smile, knowing that Zecora understood her completely.

"To tell you straight and bold and true, the world around is fill with Equ. One for all the types of life, that live in the ground and drink sunlight. An apple tree you say is he? Then an apple life giver... you must be." Zecora smiled at Apple Bloom proudly.

"But what does that mean?" she asked.

"A greater power you have in you, to heal and grow the trees to bloom. I think I know the way to teach, for a life giver's potions are the best for a tree."

"Potions?"

"Yes. I would risk a bit or three that you will understand them quickly... follow me." Zecora turned and brought Apple Bloom to her work table.

The zebra's cauldron was already hot, a water base bubbled away, making the space humid and steamy. From the ceiling hung long stringers of plants and leaves, each one painstakingly gathered from the forest or purchased by long trade routes with their origins in far away lands. The exotic fragrance of their blossoms scented the air that clung to the walls with a permanent incense, reminding the young farm pony of the caravans that traveled through Ponyville every few years.

"Now you say the tree is dying, yes? Tell me life giver... what was it's distress?" the zebra said when they both stood behind the cluttered table filled with vials and jars.

"I- I dunno. But there was this funny black stuff on tha branches... it was movin' and kinda looked like it was alive!"

"Hmm... a most peculiar thing you describe. A potion to cure the disease is prescribed. But I do not know the correct one to make, but I bet you do... if you stop and think." Zecora's smile was loaded with promise and certainty.

"M- ME?" Apple Bloom took a step away from the table, "Zecora... I don't know anythin' about makin potions!"

"Calm your mind and place your faith, in that voice to point you straight. Use your ears that you have found, to listen and learn the right compound..." Zecora stepped back from Apple Bloom, giving her a gentle push to the table as she did.

The rough scraping sound of her hooves against the dirt spoke of her reluctance and for a moment, she stood confused and afraid of what she was being asked to do.

"Z-zecora I-"

"Shhh!" the zebra bought a hoof to her muzzle, a wise smile playing across her lips, "You cannot hear the voice if you speak. It will whisper to you the answers you seek."

Apple Bloom's ears fell against her head, her eyes filled with doubt as she looked over the daunting array of mystical vials, baubles and jars filled with both dry and liquid components. Her head came up to survey the mass of strange flowers and leaves that hung above her, most of them she had never seen before. She was overwhelmed.

Calm you mind and place your faith, in that voice to point you straight. Apple Bloom thought of Zecora's words. But she didn't know how that would help her at all. The tree was way back at the farm and how could she hear it way over here?

She decided to at least give it a try. The young mare closed her eyes and tried to clear her scattered and wild thoughts, pushing away intrusions of her sister's disapproval, Scootaloo... even Mason. It took a while, but eventually she calmed down and her mind became still. When she opened her eyes again, she randomly put her hoof out to touch the cork stopper on a tall thin jar that held a blue powdery substance. But something didn't feel right about it. Something felt just a little bit off about the color of the stuff inside... like it should be more green.

Her hoof came back and her eyes cast about, landing on a similar one near the back of the table with a greenish gray powder. "Yeah..." she breathed quietly. "That one looks better...."

Zecora said nothing as she watched the young mare work with a satisfied smile, not even to suggest how much she should add to the small water base that was simmering in the cauldron. Apple Bloom shook a small amount into the vat... paused, then shook a little more before corking the vessel again, causing a sharp, acrid aroma to arise with the steam.

The Life Giver of Apple Trees had come.

___________________________________________________

"It's brown..." Ashley flatly said as we stepped off the platform and onto the busy dirt path that lead away from the train station. Ponyville's buildings were clustered nearby, and she was right. They were brown and plain compared to the colorful red brick buildings of Dodge City.

"It's a small town, Ashley." Twilight said, "The building here are more simple, thats all!" a bright smile lit up Twilight's purple face.

"It looks boooo-ring." the red dragoness pouted and stumped a rock with her foot, sending it down the path with a dusty skip in the late afternoon sunlight.

I was about to scold her for being so negative when a familiar voice called my name. A voice that made my heart about explode with a sudden happiness.

"Mason!" Scootaloo cried, her Mark V kicking up a rooster tail of dust behind her as she flew towards us. I barely had enough time to get ready before she jumped from the scooter and into my arms, knocking me backwards with her momentum and landing in a heap on the path with a wriggling orange pegasus in my arms.

"Puffball!" I said, wrapping my arms around her and feeling her own hooves clasp me tightly in return. Scootaloo's soft, warm tongue ran up the side of my face several times before she managed to get her lips on mine in a hard, deep kiss.

"Ewww.. Seriously?" I heard Ashley's disgusted voice from nearby. Scootaloo broke off our kiss and looked around.

"Who's that?" she asked me, looking at the small dragon who still making an exaggerated gagging face.

"This is-" Twilight began but was cut off by a loud greeting coming from several voices.

The four of us turned to see Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash making their way towards us. Sweetie Belle was in the lead in a dead run and landed in the pile of Scootaloo and I with a squeal. We nuzzled briefly and I give her a kiss as well before she climbed out of the furpile. The others greeted us while I climbed back to my feet, Fluttershy suddenly boiling over with an excitement that I'd never seen from her before.

"Ooooh my goodness!" she cried out with glee, "Aren't you the most cutest, most adorable thing ever! Not only are you a tiny dragon but you're a red tiny dragon! Oh and look at your precious spines..." Fluttershy cooed at Ashley, reaching a hoof out to touch the large white spine on top of her head.

Ashley cringed away, sliding behind Twilight's flank with a horrified look on her face. "W-what is it and how do you make it stop?" she whined.

"Ashley, this is Fluttershy." Twilight said patiently, pointing to the still cooing, yellow pegasus, "And that's Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Sweetie Belle. These are some of our friends Ashley. Guys... This is Ashley, a dragoness who came back to stay with us."

"So... you're the one who's gonna straighten out ol' Spike, eh?" Rainbow Dash gave her an appraising look, "I thought Twilight would bring back somepony a bit older but hey, whatever works." she shrugged.

"What is it with you ponies and wanting an older dragon?" Ashley asked, clearly irritated, "Just cause you're too lame to do it yourselves..."

"Hey!" Dash bristled and swooped close to her snout, "I think Spike is cool and all, but I ain't about to stick my hooves in that mess!"

"Rainbow Dash, please!" Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder, moving her away from the unflinching reptilian girl, "L-lets just be thankful that Ashley is willing to help us, OK?"

"Well I for one think it's great... if maybe a little bit uncomfortable." Fluttershy's cheeks burned red, "Poor Spike is very bad off today, I'm afraid. I stopped by to check in on him this morning and he looks terrible!"

"A-Are you sure, dear?" Rarity asked, her face a mask of concern, "I.. I only saw him the night before last! He... he seemed fine to me!"

"Oh my yes, he was awful. Applejack refused to let me see him at first! She was worried his... condition was too shocking and wouldn't lift the blanket on his cage." the yellow pegasus stared at the ground, almost mumbling the last bit of her sentence.

Ashley's face dripped with disbelief. "Y- you keep him in a cage!" she blurted. "What kind of monsters are you!"

"We had to!" Twilight defended, "If you'd seen what he did to that poor chicken...." her face shrank inward at the memory.

The little dragon's face contorted in disgust. "Chicken? What the...? You know what! I ain't sayin' another word to you crazy ponies 'till you take me to him. I'll let another dragon tell me if you're all as crazy as I think you are!" she crossed her stubby red arms defiantly.

Scootaloo looked up at me and whispered sarcastically, "She seems nice..."

"Well, I guess we should introduce you two as soon as possible for his sake anyways..." Twilight thought aloud, "Let's go everypony!"

________________________________________________

Whipwind's limp form lay on the dirty cell floor of the dungeon beneath Canterlot Castle. Blood, urine, feces... they'd all mixed together to form a cake layer of filth that he'd been laying in for the last few days. Celestia had left him in the flesh for a reason, and his current condition was it.

A pony frozen in the alabaster casing of the royal imprisonment spell does not feel pain or the disgrace of living in their own filth. They only feel the endless passage of time with nothing but their thoughts and muffled sounds of their surroundings for company, their eyes left to scan the same unbroken view. But left in flesh and blood, Whipwind would suffer the feeling of his body healing from the wounds and be forced to smell the foul stench of his own body. Sober, awake... and aware. At least for now.

Celestia did her best not to enjoy extracting the information from the arrogant pegasus, but it was hard. She knew full well not only the misery he'd put his daughter Scootaloo through, but also his wife Nightleaf. She'd long known about his connections with The Flock but had been unable to corner him without raising suspicions.

There were few threats to the peace and harmony of Equestria, the occasional villain popped up but most had been dealt with by The Elements of Harmony without too much wide spread danger. But The Flock was a different type of threat. This was an ideology... not a villain with a face and simple lackeys. Despite centuries of attempts to wipe them out, they thrived and multiplied, waxing and waning like the tide on the great sea.

She learned what she needed from Whipwind, his testicles were his weak spot... the same with any stallion. She could have just went there and gotten it over with quickly but... she chose to forget about that long enough to exact her own need for justice. Celestia loved Scootaloo dearly and it had been very hard for her to know what was happening while lacking the evidence to do anything about it. Over the last few days, she had used spells she hadn't called on for ages on him... and it had felt good.

Especially when she now had to honor his last request and ask Scootaloo and Nightleaf to be at the sentencing to hear his address. Celestia left the dark, forgotten tombs beneath her castle and summoned her guard, making arrangements to head to Ponyville. Twilight would need to be told as well. After all, she was an alicorn princess now and part of that title meant being a part of the royal proceedings.