Hyrulequestria

Ch.72

“You don’t want me in that.” I insisted, staying out of contact with the offered planter pot. “I’ll grow big, and fast. Too fast for this place. What would your resident tree think if I just took over? Besides, I can’t be a ship core. I have too much to do as it is.”

“I don’t like this.” Farore huffed. “It screams of trying to shoehorn you into a position where they can use you and entrap you.”

“Very well venerable Navi-no-ki.” Bowed the woman who had tried to offer me a ‘comfortable’ place to root into while in transit. “We’re not used to Royal Trees that are as mobile and independent as you.”

“Eh, not your fault,” I said with a smile. It was so weird, being surrounded by human-looking aliens, a few having pointy elf ears, but they were clearly a minority. I was put in a room right next to the ‘core’ of the ship. It was rather utilitarian, but it had enough comforts to tell me someone was meant to stay here, likely this woman who had shown up with this planter pot.

“I thank you for your understanding Navi-no-ki.” She bowed again and I felt distinctly uncomfortable. I don’t get this much overt respect even from my fairy subjects, and it was starting to make me uneasy.

“Please, just call me Navi.” I gave a bit of a slow spin as I floated in the air. “Hey, is there anything Juraians do for fun? I don’t see any books or other things to entertain oneself in here.”

“Ah, apologies. Most Trees of your current size are still seedlings at best and aren’t fully cognizant. The furnishings are meant for tenders, like myself, to be comfortable as we keep an eye on you and ensure you remain healthy.” The green-haired woman informed me, and I frowned.

“Well, I’m not about to keel over anytime soon. Or ever if the multiverse has its naughty way with me...is there anything we can do to pass the time?” I doubt that Juraians, even with their extremely disturbing acceptance of inbreeding, find casual sex to be an acceptable means of passing the time.

“I can radio the quartermaster to bring some puzzle games, but I’m not allowed to do frivolous things on duty.” The uniformed woman insisted as she put the planter pot down in the corner away from other furniture.

“Ugh. Fine. I guess I can just grill you for info on Juraian culture and stuff as I fiddle with whatever toys you have.” I wish I could bring out my books. I don’t want to alert these people that I can just pull things out of my cleavage...that they can’t see right now, because light-form. The more I can keep hidden, the better. I may have manifested on Washu’s station, but I reverted to my light-form before boarding, citing it was more energy-intensive to remain fully manifested.

“That is alright, what do you wish to know?” She asked as she moved to sit in a chair, while I hovered over the bed.

“First, what is your name? If I’m stuck with you for the journey there, I don’t want to be calling you ‘hey you’ or whatever.” I lazily twirled in the air, my invisible arms behind my head.

“I’m Hitomi Natsuki. I’m a petty officer aboard the J.S Abaxial, a light cruiser in direct service to the Jurai Royal Navy.” Hitomi told me dutifully, and I had to snort at the plant-based name for the ship.

“Nice to meet you.” I smiled as I flew around her head. “I’m Navi. I was originally just a powerful spirit of my native world. Then Washu sorta abducted me, asked me to grow her an arboretum so her space station could have natural oxygen. Then one of those pesky adorable cabbits brought Yoshino’s seed to me and...well. I guess I was adopted by Tsunami for being Yoshino’s surrogate.”

“Truly? That is incredible. What is your world like?” Hitomi asked in clear fascination, and I almost blurted out more when Farore took control, my light turning green.

“Ahem? I thought we were originally going to be discussing Jurai?” Farore pointedly led, making me feel thankful at her catching my mistakes. I was almost caught up in the conversation and spilled more than I’d originally planned.

“Oh. Sorry. Well, Jurai is the capital planet of the Jurai Empire, obviously. Unlike the Galactic Republic which has ruined several of their planets with excessive industrialization, Jurai makes a point of keeping nature as the priority, but not at the expense of comfort and sustainability.” Hitomi informed me with pride while my body shifted to blue as Farore returned control.

“Oh, what exactly do your people do for fun?” I queried, and Hitomi pursed her lips.

“Well...we garden a lot. We also play ball and disk games. We enjoy puzzle games a lot. But that’s from my own preferences. I hear a lot of Juraians like to play card games, even if they take trees to make.” Hitomi’s annoyance at such a simple thing made me giggle.

“Better than us. We either fight or have sex whenever we’re not getting drunk or doing leisure things like swimming or so many other things. We even still have paper-based books.” The last bit seemed to shock Hitomi. “Don’t worry, I’m a special case. Besides me, there’s only three other sentient trees on my world, and that’s just because-sorry, I got carried away.” Farore took control again, and Hitomi’s orange eyes seemed to sharpen.

“You’re not Navi-no-ki. I thought it strange that she turned green and her very presence changed. Who are you?” Hitomi demanded, her tone and demeanor changing drastically. I almost couldn’t believe this strong and kinda scary woman was the friendly and approachable one I’d been chatting with.

“The question is, who are you? You’re not some minor petty officer. You’re too sly and intelligent for that. You’ve effectively given Navi nothing of substance while managing to steer her towards topics you want to hear from her.”

“Whoever you are, you’re right. I’m Captain Hitomi Natsuki of the J.S Abaxial. When the councilor said he had a Royal Tree to escort home, I was rather suspicious when originally the raid on the space station was to retrieve a high-priority space pirate since the GP were refusing to act in what they say is Intergalactic Space. But that doesn’t matter. I’ve heard enough. You’re not a threat to my ship. I’ll send a guard to keep you company, but he’ll be under strict orders not to speak freely.” Hitomi stood and walked to the door briskly.

“I notice you didn’t ask me for my name again.” Farore warily said, causing the woman to pause at the door and look back.

“What point is there in asking the name of someone who isn’t here?” Hitomi coldly replied and then left, the door shutting, and this time a reinforced bulkhead door slammed shut over it.

---]===>

It was a long few days. I’m gonna swing through Sam’s place on the way home at this rate. I don’t want my free time with my family to be taken away by a bunch of disconnected bureaucrats who don’t give two shits about me.

“Bored~!” I groaned in anguish, the stone-faced guard staring straight into the center of the room from the corner, where he could see everything without moving, not making any indication that he heard me. As usual. “I can’t believe this. I’m stuck in a room with a space-Japanese rendition of the Buckingham Palace Guards for three days, and nobody talks to me or anything.”

“Don’t worry Navi. If it comes down to it, you do have Sam’s Token to escape with.” Farore consoled, and then I had a bit of a brain tingle.

“Wait. If you’re bound to the Sacred Realm of our world. How are you even-.” Farore clicked my jaw shut as my light turned green, the soldier only now shifting his eyes to look directly at me.

“Loose lips sink ships! Or blow them up!” Farore hissed in frustration, releasing her hold on my body, returning me to blue, and the soldier went back to his middle-distance stare.

“Can’t we summon Sam?” I groaned in my head. “She’d scare the crap out of them right?”

“And possibly get a lot of good people killed. No. If it comes down to it, call Sam through the Token, and ask her to summon you instead. From what I felt while you were in Sam’s world, you’re rooted to our universe and will return whenever banished from another one.” Farore informed me as the soldier suddenly moved for the door.

“Follow. We’ve arrived.” The no-nonsense soldier-man said as he opened the bulkhead and then the normal door, waiting for me to obey.

“Fine.” I groaned as I flew up off of the bed and followed him through the ship, half tempted to puke fairy dust on him. Or just shoot it. It’s much less potent than, but still. I hovered behind him, not trying to go off on my own, which would go so well. Soon enough, we were in an elevator which went down quickly, opening into a hangar bay full of small starfighters, cargo, and other things that space-navy ships have in their holds. “Okay soldier-boy, point me in the right direction and I’m gone.”

“No need to be hostile Navi-no-ki. I understand the Captain has treated you with a fair amount of suspicion and doubt, but have patience with those not aware of the power and majesty of a Royal Tree.” The stern councilor from before said as he approached with a small retinue of attendants all busily buzzing around him and exchanging info with each other.

“Hmph!” I huffed as I floated towards him only a little less agitated. “That’s underplaying the fact that I was held prisoner for this trip. Let’s get this over with, I have a family to get home to.”

“Indeed.” The councilor said as he stroked his long and orderly silver goatee, the only thing about him that seemed in any way old. “The Royal Family are all home today too, aside from the Emperor and one of his wives, I’ve been left to wonder which one, as usual. They like to keep us guessing.”

I slightly fangirled in my head, happy I didn’t have a visible physical body at the moment as I positively squirmed at the prospect of hopefully meeting Sasami as a baby. “That’s nice to hear,” I commented as we left the relative darkness of the hangar, at least compared to the bright sunlight outside. I winced and blinked to adjust, gasping in awe at how the trees here, they were even grander than the ones in the Cervine Forest.

It was like that place, but infinitely more advanced. Flying cars, pedestrians, hoverbikes, you name it. But unlike there, so polluted you could barely even see let alone breathe, this place had pure, clean air. However, while there were buildings and homes inside the trees, there were grand traditional Japanese-style buildings everywhere too.

It was like a paradise, somehow having achieved balance between cold and hard technology and the strength and purity of nature.

It felt right.

“Are you coming Navi-no-ki?” The counselor asked me with a knowing gleam to his eyes, and I quickly flew after him. I think I know what I want to endeavor to do for our world.

---]===>

It was a long way away from the naval spaceport to the Jurai Royal Palace. The trip was thankfully short due to the councilor, not shying away from futuristic transport, the small almost silent shuttle bringing us several miles from the spaceport to the palace landing pads in just a few short minutes. Knowing that the Palace was literally a 5000-meter tall tree and seeing it were two entirely different experiences. Hell, I thought the Tenju was actually a damn tree-covered mountain until we got closer!

I was expecting to be briefed on the royal family before we went in, but instead, the councilor simply nodded in dismissal and walked off, leaving me to awkwardly float in the impossibly grand entrance hall, gawking at how it was so elegantly carved and grown to look like something so alien, yet distinctly feudal-era Japanese in design.

“Navi-no-ki I assume?” I turned to face a beautiful woman in a traditional yukata, but I didn’t recognize her, so she wasn’t a member of the royal family, at least I assume. “I will guide you to the throne room.” She bowed low, and I again felt uncomfortable.

“Um, thank you.” I managed to say before she led me with an even paced gait towards the massive wooden double-doors at the end of the entrance hall. “So, um. Before I go in, is there anything I need to know?”

“Not really. Emperor Jurai is a kind man. So long as you do not threaten him or his people, you should be fine.” The woman assured me as she continued down the intimidatingly enormous palace halls.

“Alright.” I nervously replied while I slowlyfollowed her about the palace. It wasn’t long though before we reached the massive red doors, which she knelt at. I was confused for a moment, before the doors opened towards us, just missing her, and a resplendent throne room was revealed, with a purple-haired and stern-looking man on the larger throne at the top of the staircase, and a beautiful cyan-haired woman seated in the smaller throne next to him.

“My Emperor, Azusa Masaki Jurai, and my Empress, Misaki Masaki Jurai. I bring before you the Rogue Tree Navi-no-ki’s Projection.” W-what?! They know I’m a projection?! Then why all the security before?!

“Clearly the Captain didn’t fully understand all the nuances of what you are.” Farore commented with amusement.

“Thank you. Guest Navi-no-ki, please come forward.” Azusa, the most powerful man in at least half the galaxy of this universe requested in that not actually a request way that, with his rich voice, had me tingling and obeying without much hesitance, flying straight for him and floating before him and Misaki, instead of down on the landing halfway up the stairs. “Hm. A willful one. I like that.”

“Th-thanks! I’m not exactly sure what you need to see me about though.” I nervously fidgeted invisibly to their eyes. Hopefully.

“When a Second-Generation Tree’s Seed is stolen, or any Royal Tree’s Seed is stolen, we take immediate action. The fact it took this long to find Yoshino-no-ki is a blemish on my navy’s performance.” Azusa declared as his strong brown eyes seemed to look into my soul. “Imagine our surprise to hear that, not only did she take root without our guidance, but she was born as a surrogate child of another form of Tree we have never encountered before.”

“I’m not exactly common where I’m from either to be fair.” I sheepishly replied, then sighed. “Look. I get the feeling you’re not one to beat around the bush, so let’s cut to the chase. What is going to happen to me?”

“Nothing at all.” Stated Azusa’s wife. Misaki looked at me kindly and I felt warm in that aw she cares way you feel when your mother is looking at you with love. “Knowing Yoshino-no-ki has grown and is not in the hands of violent people is enough for us. Especially since Yoshino-no-ki has vocally expressed distress over your well-being and refused to be visited by a Juraian citizen to see if she’ll bond with any of them when we took you away. Hopefully, she’ll change her mind later with us treating you with the proper respect.”

“That may be dear, but we still need to address the fact that Navi-no-ki is clearly powerful. Please Navi-no-ki. Would you consider joining Jurai? I can understand if you cannot, but with the dwindling power of Tsunami-no-ki’s gift, a resurgence of potential that you represent would help us greatly against the growing threat of the Federation.” Azusa requested, and this time it was a request.

“I’m sorry. I can’t. At least, not permanently. I wouldn’t mind...um...a-a-acting as a surrogate again for other trees. But I have to return home eventually. We’re undergoing our own crisis, even if it is only on a global scale. We’re not exactly space-faring after all.” My words made Azusa smile knowingly and longingly.

“Yes. You have someone you love with all your heart. Don’t you?” Azusa’s eyes simmered with pain for a brief moment, and I remained silent. Not wanting to blurt out I know why. Yosho had left at least some time recently if Sasami is still a baby and Ayeka hasn’t left yet. He’s likely still suffering the pain of having to essentially lose his son.

“Many in fact,” I said with a small smile, even if they couldn’t see it. “You have two wives? I’m part of two harems! Both full of insatiable people that I can barely keep up with.” My words made the two galactic leaders flush and look distinctly uncomfortable. “Sorry. I forget my world is rather open when it comes to sex and that not everywhere is the same.”

“That is quite alright. Just refrain from speaking of such things around the children.” Misaki insisted, then flushed brighter. “I also remember the images taken of Yoshino-no-ki. Will all of your...offspring, be so complex?”

“I expect so. I’m that complex back home.” More complex actually. Yoshino has grown more into her own since I last saw her, but she’s still firm as wood and not soft to the touch yet.

“Then we’ll have to arrange for your Seeding in a more private setting than the more public areas of the Royal Arboretum. There is nothing wrong with appreciating feminine and maternal beauty, but it is inappropriate for a place many children frequent.” Azusa declared and then he and his wife stood. “That is enough talk of business. Would you care to join us for dinner? That is if you can eat like a person of flesh rather than wood.”

“I can.” I chuckled. “Hey Farore, can I manifest?”

“Since it seems the Emperor and Empress are upstanding and Kind individuals, I don’t see why not. You’ll have to in order to be available for surrogacy anyway.” Farore giggled and I silently cheered.

While behind the two royals, I manifested, surged to my usual size, and then went the extra mile, growing a plant-based green yukata over me for modesty. “I hope this is suitable?”

“Hm?” Azusa looked behind him, and about stumbled onto his hands and knees, Misaki spinning around defensively, looking about to strike, but then blinked and smiled kindly.

“You look wonderful. It isn’t straining on you I hope?” Misaki asked as she approached, looking at my inhuman face closely, and then looking at my plunging cleavage, which I had attempted to properly cover, but unless I shrink them down, I’m not gonna manage that with a yukata. “You’re rather odd. Most species we’ve encountered in the galaxy are at least carbon-based.”

“I’m a fairy, um, an entity of pure magic as simple as I can say without getting my mouth shut.” I sheepishly informed them. “That said, my physical body is still carbon-based. I’m a flippin’ tree after all.” Trees are literally nature’s carbon stockpile. The fact people don’t know that as common knowledge back in John’s world is depressing.

“Captain Hitomi mentioned that. Mind explaining now that you know you’re not a prisoner?” Azusa asked casually, not even looking below my eyes despite the heaving eye-candy I was presenting. Wow. Man has a spine of steel, and likely a rod of one for his wives.

“Perhaps I would be better equipped at that.” Farore took over, her bust surging forth, straining my freshly-grown yukata, and causing Misaki to gawk while Azusa merely raised an eyebrow as my now green and extra-hyper body was now in a nearly inadequate yukata that Farore grew further to contain her greater mass. “I am Farore, the Goddess of Courage and Life on my world. My good Emperor, we have so much information to exchange.”