Evergreen touched down in the small clearing and fluttered her wings before folding them smartly against her side. “We'll have to walk from here.”
“We can’t fly there?” asked Lunar Glint, landing beside her, though slightly less gracefully.
“Where we’re going has a thick canopy, and it’d tear our wings off if we tried to land there,” she replied, gesturing upwards.
Glint nodded, peering around at the forest. This forest was nowhere near as deadly as the infamous Everfree, but he still suppressed a shudder. He readjusted the scarf around his neck and laid it flat; even though it was officially spring, the evenings still weren’t warm enough to go without one.
She glanced up at the disappearing sun for a moment before looking down at compass she procured from a pocked. “It’s this way,” she said, stepping forward.
“Right behind you,” said Glint, jogging until he was next to her. He matched her pace. “I really do appreciate this, you know.”
She smiled out of the corner of her mouth. “Just doing my job.”
“Just doing your job? Do you know how many favors I called in to even find a pony who might have possibly seen a Duskvine, remembered where it was, and bothered to take me there?”
She chuckled. “It’s nothing. I’ll take any excuse to be outdoors.”
“Really?” Glint picked up his forehoof and frowned at the offending mud that was already caking his hooves.
“It grows on you. We should keep moving if we want to be there by nightfall, though.” She nodded her head to the side and totted between a pair of thick trees.
He sighed and continued after her, once again jogging to catch up.
“So what is it that you do, exactly, that makes you want to see a Duskvine?” asked Evergreen, ducking under seemingly nothing. A second later, Glint ran face-first through a spiderweb.
“I’m a scientist,” he said, violently spitting out parts of the web. “I usually look at the night sky and observe plenty of spectacular phenomenon in the depths of space, but I figured it would be an interesting change of pace to see the effects that the heavens have right here in Equestria.” He wiped his face with his wing, finally clearing the web. “After a colleague of mine showed me the recent discovery of Duskvines, I decided to, ah, I suppose you know the rest.”
“Having fun?” she chuckled.
“Sure.” Glint flapped his wing, unsuccessfully attempting to remove the web, then folded it back against his side. “Though, to be honest, I’m not sure I see the appeal yet. How did you get hooked?”
“Eh—” she shrugged “—just liked it, I suppose.”
Glint nodded, letting the silence grow. He followed her for about half an hour, noting how quickly the forest darkened. The little amount of fauna he saw earlier was disappearing quickly, and he could hear the insects of the night singing to each other.
She stopped in a small clearing with a single rock and looked around. A tiny hole in the canopy showed a deep-blue sky.
“We aren’t lost, are we?”
She shook her head, the shadow under the brim of her hat casting her in almost complete darkness. “We’re here. We actually made better time than I thought.”
“Should I take that as a compliment?” he asked.
Her teeth flashed once in the gloom. “Yes.”
“If we are waiting, mind if I sit?” Glint asked, pointing to the rock.
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
He sat on the conveniently sized rock and sighed happily; his sigh turned into a frown when he saw that Evergreen was still standing. “Do you want to join me?” he asked, sliding over.
“I’m okay, but thanks.” She leaned up against a tree.
“There’s plenty of room, you know.”
“Well . . .”
“You’ve probably already been on your hooves for hours today.” Glint patted the rock. “I insist.”
She rolled her eyes. “Easy there, I’m coming.” Evergreen trotted up next to him and eyed the rock for a second then turned and sat down slowly. He gave her as much room as possible, but they still ended up uncomfortably close, pressed wing to wing. She raised her eyebrow. “Plenty of room?”
“. . . Sufficient room?” He scratched his head when she raised her eyebrow higher. “Hmm, you’re right. I doubt Princess Celestia would even be able to fit one cheek.”
She let out a short bark of laughter. “Lunar—”
“Glint, please. I never did like the way Lunar rolls off the tongue.”
“Glint,” she said, shaking her head, “that was wrong.”
He grinned. “Maybe a little. You laughed, though.”
She smirked. “I wouldn't say that.”
“I won't tell if you don't,” he said.
“Tell about what?” she asked, winking. “I didn’t hear anything.”
Glint chuckled. “Me neither.” He glanced around. “It’s getting pretty dark out. Are you sure this is where you saw it?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she hummed. “I only caught a glimpse from a distance, but I know it was right here. After what you’ve told me, it makes sense that I haven’t seen it since then. After the first night, I always came during the day or really late.” She shivered, unconsciously sliding closer, as an unexpected gust of cool wind blew through the clearing. “I’m looking forward to seeing it up close.”
“Me too. I hope that—”
“Shh,” Evergreen said, pointing to the base of the tree in front of them. A matte black tip poked out of the soil. The stem waited, testing the air, before more of the vine slid out. It curved upward, slowly circling the base of the tree, as it sprouted small silver leaves every few inches. The tip bloomed, revealing a dainty iridescent flower.
Higher and higher it went, wrapping itself tightly around the tree, until the flower breached the forest canopy and left their sight. The pair held their breath as light flowed down the plant, illuminating each of the leaves in turn. The plant glimmered in the black, seeming to coat the tree in stars.
Glint gave a low whistle.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” whispered Evergreen.
“Astonishing,” he said. His notebook lay forgotten in his saddlebag.
They sat, side by side, until moments later when the leaves went out, one by one, plunging the forest into complete darkness. As quickly as it came, it left, retreating down the tree and into the soil once more, but neither Glint nor Evergreen moved, content. Eventually, they stirred, the cool wind reaching a temperature that caused them to shiver simultaneously.
He stood up, saying, “We should probably go now.” She nodded and joined him. “I can hardly see my hoof in front of my face, though.”
She slid a long, thin rod out of a pocket and tapped it off the ground. After a few seconds, it glowed with a warm light, illuminating her face. “Follow me.” She tucked the light into the brim of her hat and set off the way the came, Glint in tow.
The cold black forest did nothing to ease Glint, and he found himself inching closer and closer to Evergreen and her light. Nonetheless, each time he broke a twig underhoof, his breath caught, and he looked around, wishing that he was with a larger group, but the feeling quickly subsided when he saw Evergreen’s head constantly scanning the forest.
Far, far too long later, they reached the area where they had landed, and Glint sighed in relief. “I want to thank you once again for taking me out here tonight, Evergreen.”
Evergreen nodded, smiling. “My pleasure, Glint.”
“Do, uh, you think we could do this again sometime? I never did take any notes.” He grinned sheepishly.
“. . . How about tomorrow?” she asked. “I don’t have anything else going on.”
“That . . . sounds great.” He smiled.
He held his hoof low, offering his hoof to shake, but she raised hers high, offering a hoof bump. They quickly switched, each trying to mirror the other, but in doing so, failing miserably. Mentally shrugging, they reached forward, meeting at an awkward hoofshake that ended with a limp bump.
She chuckled as he facehoof. “Until tomorrow,” he said.
She nodded and waved as he jumped into the air and flew out of the forest. As he soared above the sea of green on his way back to his house, he couldn’t help but remember the pleasant feeling of her wing against his as they talked.