Project Starburst

It had been a couple of hours since Spiral Dream and Golden Luck had entered the forest. At first, Spiral had been in high spirits, sure that they'd quickly find their missing friends and get to the bottom of what was going on here. As time went on, though, with no sign of their friends or the strange vines, she began to wonder if Golden really knew what she was doing. Every so often, they would make another turn, in one direction or the other, and to be honest? Spiral Dream was starting to get a little dizzy.

"Um, Golden Luck?" she finally spoke up after another turn. "Are you sure this plan of yours...whatever it is, is going to work?"

Golden stopped, turning around to face Spiral Dream. "To be perfectly honest, no I am not sure. Maybe not what you wanted to hear" she went on, seeing the look on Spirals face "But it's the truth. Right now, I'm just circling around to try and get behind the vines...they've spread out pretty far."

"I wonder what could be behind it..." Spiral remarked. Golden Luck started, putting a hoof in front of her.

"Wait a second, look." she motioned with her head, to a glade just ahead. At first, it all seemed normal, but after a moment, it was obvious what had caught Golden's attention. The glade was covered in those same vines, even wrapping around the trees and forming a rough canopy. On the forest floor, the vines had sprouted into large, beautiful flowers.

There was a shifting just ahead, and the creeping vines that were carrying the other ponies made their appearance. Each one had several flowers puffing out the clouds that were keeping their captives in slumber. Each one lowered to the ground, still holding it's pony tightly, as if waiting.

What came out of the shadows almost looked like a pony. It had the same shape, but a leafy green pelt, and a pair of horns like branches. Flowers adorned it's...her mane, and her face was furred and cream colored, with green eyes and shining green lips.

"What is that?" Spiral Dream whispered, as Golden maneuvered in for a closer look. Once again, she covered Spirals mouth with a hoof, watching intently.

"Well done, my children." she said sweetly, patting the nearest vine, then turning to smile at the ponies. "And welcome, my soon-to-be-children." She pressed a hoof to the soft ground, several of her own vines seeping into the earth. Around each pony, new vines twisted up slowly to form a flower bud.

"We have to do something..." Spiral gasped softly, shrinking back from the sight. "What do you think, Golden Luck? Golden?" she looked around, confused; Golden Luck wasn't next to her anymore. Had she finally decided that this was too much?

"Hey!"

The strange plant-pony looked up in surprise, along with Spiral Dream, as Golden Luck planted her hooves firmly in the ground before the pods. "What do you think you're doing, kidnapping ponies like that?!"

Stunned, the plant-pony seemed to be unable to respond at first, before a sly smile spread across her features. "Kidnapping? Oh, hardly. Reclamation. Ponies have forgotten to give homage to the land..." she raised a hoof, and four ponies, three Earth Ponies and one Unicorn, came out from the shadows. They all shared several distinct features: vines were wrapped around and growing from their bodies, flowers had sprouted in their manes and tail, and their eyes were all green. "So they will be joined to it..." her gaze shifted slightly to Spiral Dream. "As will the both of you..."

She motioned, and the four ponies advanced on the two, along with several new vines sprouting from the ground. Spiral joined Golden, her horn glowing.

"Now what?" she asked, as they moved back to back to try and keep themselves from being surrounded.

Golden Luck narrowed her eyes, seemingly taking stock of the situation. "If we want to get the others out of there, not winding up in a pod would be a good start..."