The lizard-like Vectin race have conquered Equestria and enslaved the ponies to farm the bio-materials they use. One young mare with a natural talent with plants was forced to leave her family behind to work in a Vectin lab, discovering new ways to improve the growing process of the bio-pod plants. In exchange for better conditions for her family, Botanica lives alone without any pony contact. But one of the guards would rather be a grower himself, and an unusual friendship develops...

A short story I wrote for practice. The goal was to keep under 4000 words. This takes place a few years before the events of Legacy: The New Adventure, and about 50 years after events of the fourth season of MLP:FIM

Artwork by LostInTheTrees