Evergreen Heart

Chapter 10
Prison of glass.

I must have been unconscious for quite some time. I’m not entirely sure what happened, my memory of events leading up to this moment is extremely vague. But the next time I woke up I felt weightless. When my vision came back to me it was slightly distorted, because I was floating inside a slightly pinkish fluid of some kind inside a thick glass tube. I had no body, my core was open and exposed and I felt naked and vulnerable. I guess this is how a goldfish in a bowl feels. I tried to regrow a body but my magic would not respond. Imagine if your arms and legs were being pinned down by something big and heavy with just enough leeway to wiggle your fingers and toes. Thats pretty much how I felt at the moment. I was still too tired to put any real effort into it and so I floated in silence for some time before I suddenly heard voices.

I was surprised I could hear anything at all because I certainly couldn't see much at first. It felt as if someone had put blinds over my eyes and I was struggling to lift them. It took an incredible amount of effort to force my magical vision to cooperate with me, but finally I was able to see a little of my surroundings. I noticed I was inside some sort of alchemist's laboratory. There were books, of course, strange devices that blinked and beeped and spat a continuous stream of paper. One even had a Jacob's ladder mounted on top. The constantly rising arc of electricity was almost hypnotic to watch. Countless beakers and test tubes filled with colorful liquids adorned a set of tables on the far side of the room. Unknown and equally brightly colored solutions were bubbling over several Bunsen burners.

One side of the room housed a blackboard with some mathematical equation that went way over my head. Math was never my strong suit. My teachers had tried everything they could think of to explain it to me but they might as well have been speaking Japanese. I've always been more interested in biology and such. And no I'm not talking about the sexy kind. Get your mind out the gutter.

The voices came closer. I was somewhat surprised I could hear them clearly despite the fluid surrounding me. Anyone who has ever gone swimming knows how weird sounds are while you’re underwater, then again I don't exactly have ears anymore. I heard a door open and saw several ponies descend a flight of stairs, then it dawned on me where exactly I was at the moment. This must be Twilight's basement. Wait is it safe to leave those Bunsen burners running? I mean we are under a tree for Pete's sake. My train of thoughts was thoroughly derailed at what was said next.

“Why don't you just destroy it and be done with it Twi. If that thing is really at the heart of what happened then it's way too dangerous to keep around.” Said Rainbow Dash as they arrived in the lab.

All of the mane six were present. I noticed Twilight was sporting a bandage around her head and several plasters along her barrel. I mentally flinched. If this was the beasts doing I can't imagine they liked me very much right now. They don't know what happened so they must think I'm responsible. I guess in a way, I am. After all I was the one who set the beast free, intentional or not.

“It's perfectly safe for now Dash. The princess sent me the fluid it's floating in directly from the arch magos labs in Canterlot. It's what's known as a 'Null Solution', it's designed to safely contain dangerous magical artifacts. It renders the magic of whatever is stored inside it completely or close to inert.”

“So in simple words it shuts it off so long as it's inside there.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “That's what I said.”

So that's why I was feeling so sluggish. This liquid was keeping my magic from functioning properly. No wonder I had trouble seeing the far side of the room clearly. All of my senses operate through magic. Without it I may as well be a blind deaf quadriplegic.

“Well I agree with Dash,“ Applejack said, “It might be safer to just be rid of the thing. Keepin' it around is askin' fer trouble.”

“Well the decision is not up to me, princess Celestia wants to see it for herself, but right now she is occupied organizing the relief force to help with the damages and the injured. Ponyville General can't handle it on their own. We have over three dozen wounded, ranging from lacerations to acid burns and whatever the hell those spore clouds did. Poor Lyra is still in critical condition.”

I mentally blanched at that revelation. I desperately wanted to make it right or at least apologize to them, but I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. I could barely feel my magic at all. And there was no sunlight here to revitalize me. Already I could feel myself slipping back to sleep. If only I could explain what happened.

“So how long 'til the princess gets here to deal with... that.” Applejack said whilst pointing a hoof at me.

“A few days at most I think.” Twilight answered. “I will be running some preliminary tests on it in the meantime. How are the repair efforts faring?”

“Well we stopped the fire before it could spread to far, but a lot of buildings are a complete write-off. Them vines demolished seven homes and two small businesses more thoroughly than an angry buffalo stampede. At least five more lost their roof to the fires. The roofs will be a cinch to fix, but rebuilding them other buildings will take a few weeks at least.”

At this point I noticed Fluttershy glaring at me. The look in her eyes was something I never expected from the gentle yellow Pegasus. She was staring at me with a mixture of unadulterated hatred and disgust. I couldn't take it. To receive that sort of look from her of all ponies. I felt an empty ache deep in my core, like someone jabbing a proverbial knife into your heart.

The rest of the conversation was lost on me as I slowly sank back into unconsciousness, not wanting to see those hard cyan eyes silently judging me any longer.

I awoke with a jolt, feeling suddenly revitalized. Mentally shaking away the last cobwebs of sleep I noticed twilight was alone. She was maintaining some sort of spell. A tiny globe of light hovering over my prison, at least that's how the tube I was in felt to me.

“Subject seems to respond well to photonic particles and ultraviolet wavelengths. After mild exposure to my ‘natural light’ spell the luminescent pulses exhibited by the subject have become more frequent.” Twilight dictated while taking notes.

She was going over several textbooks, scribbling something onto a notepad before she picked up a roll of parchment and began to write, dictating as she did so.

“Preliminary report continuation, subject evil seed.”

Evilseed? Really! I felt an overwhelming urge to facepalm. Seriously I'm nothing like that guy. Of course that's not what she meant, but it was the first thing to pop into my head, so to speak.

“In its base form the subject seems to resemble little more than a seed, its appearance closely matching that of Aesculus hippocastanum commonly known as the Horse Chestnut or Conker Tree. The subject however has above average size and mass compared to normal chestnut burs, weighing in at double its size and weight. Furthermore subject seems to emit constant low level pulses of magic. Standard Thaumatological testing has classed its base type as feral magic. Unlike the magic practiced by Unicorn Magi and Zebra Shaman, feral magic does not require the user to craft a spell matrix to shape the raw magical energy into a desired ability or effect. It works more by tapping directly into either the user's imagination or their base instinct in order to shape the spell. This sometimes leads to unexpected and dangerous effects and should only be attempted by highly trained spell casters under supervision in case of magical backlash. This form of magic is most commonly observed among non sapient and highly magical monsters and creatures. For additional information on feral magic see Clover the Clever's A study of Magics from Equestria and beyond, Volume Two.”

I only understood about half of that explanation, all it told me was that my magic was potentially very dangerous. Yeah, like I hadn't realized that already. At this point she ran out of ink and had to pause her scribbling to levitate a fresh inkwell onto her desk. More books levitated over and she quickly leafed through several of them before resuming her dictation work.

“The subject has so far displayed the following magical abilities. First and foremost the subject has displayed extremely high level Florakinesis, alternately known as Chlorokinesis or plant manipulation in layponies terms. The subject was able to manipulate and create specialized attack organisms, generate improved abilities of existing flora as well as creating completely new ones seemingly from scratch. The amount of magic required for this and on such a large scale is staggering.”

I'll admit it was sort of relaxing and informative to watch her work. Though so far I hadn't learned anything I didn't already know. The hours ticked by slowly while I watched Twilight search through books, write her report and give the occasional glance in my direction. At one point she even performed some kind of magical test on me. I don't know what spell she cast but I felt a strange tingling sensation go through me. I'm surprised the null solution didn't block the spell. Then again maybe it only worked to keep things in and not out? Whatever the spell told her she must have disapproved of its findings because she scowled at me before going back to her writing. If only I could communicate with her.

I tried once again to summon my magic in order to grow a single vine to lift me out of this tube. I strained and strained and my core grew a single blade of grass that promptly wilted as the null fluid cut off the magic sustaining it. I just didn’t have the juice to keep it up and overpower the effect of the potion. I was well and truly trapped and at the mercy of my captors. Who likely didn't even realize there was a sentient sapient being in here.

The effort to grow that blade of grass must have sapped what little power Twilight's light spell gave me because I lost consciousness again shortly after.

I next awoke to excruciating pain. How to describe it? Have you ever gone to a dentist and had a cavity drilled without any kind of anesthetic? Now imagine that pain shooting through your entire being. It was blinding, as in I literally couldn't see because the pain kept me from focusing my magic enough to grant me vision. Finally the pain dulled to a throbbing ache and I could focus enough to see. The source of the pain became clear soon enough. Twilight had taken some kind of device that looked vaguely like an apple corer and long tweezers and cut into me to extract a sample. She was currently taking it over to an old fashioned microscope where she spent the next half hour peering through its lenses. Occasionally looking up to write more notes. She was interrupted in her work when there came a knock on the basement door.

“Hey Twi,” Applejack said as she stuck her head inside, “we need some help. Somepony got attacked by a Manticore in the Whitetail woods, apparently them critters that got run out of the Everfree have made it their new home.”

Sunlight, precious sunlight! It was leaking in through the open basement door, just close enough for me to pick up some juice.

“I'll be right there AJ.” Twilight replied as she put the sample she took from me in a test tube. She then vanished up the stairs and the door slammed shut, cutting off the sunlight.

Once again I was alone in the dimly lit basement with not but my thoughts. What little of the sunlight I had absorbed wouldn't last long so I set to work undoing the damage inflicted upon my core. It took everything I had left in me to summon enough power to seal the hole, but I managed it, leaving me once again feeling drained. I mentally sighed. Once again I had no choice but to float here and wait.

Twilight did not return that day, in fact it was several days before she showed up again, and she wasn't alone this time. I had spent most of the time alone in a near sleep state. Never completely out but never really awake either. Partially from lack of magical reserves, partially from boredom. It gets incredibly lonely and boring when you are stuck in a glass jar with only your own guilty thoughts and worries to keep you company.

In any case I was jolted back into full wakefulness when I heard Twilight's voice coming down the steps.

“It's down here princess.”

When I laid eyes on Celestia for the first time all that went through my mind was how much power she possessed. It wasn't as overwhelming as the magic coming off the tree of harmony. However, where the tree of harmony had been like a bright and steady light, warm as the sun but steady as a modern light-bulb, Celestia's magical aura was more akin to watching a solar storm through a special filter. Like a roiling sea of fire and light, with flares shooting off to lick at their surroundings. It's raging appearance seemed completely at odds with her calm and gentle personality. I could feel the energy radiating off of her even through the null fluid. Her very presence was revitalizing me more than the sun ever could, to the point where I could feel my core brimming with stored power. Yet the null fluid kept it all locked inside with nowhere to go. I was afraid I would simply burst at some point, but that fortunately never happened.

“Incredible how something so small and harmless looking could be such a threat to my little ponies.” said Celestia as she studied me with a critical eye.

“I will take it back to Canterlot for a more in depth study at the arch magos laboratory.”

“I would like to be there princess.” Twilight said. “I would like the opportunity to study it further.”

Celestia smiled at her.

“I thought you might. And your assistance would be most helpful. I will go ahead and take it to Canterlot. I will see you when you've wrapped things up here my faithful student.”

And that's how I found myself secured in a crate and on a Pegasus drawn chariot speeding off to Canterlot.