The Children of the Earth

Hey. You awake?

Now I am. What is it?

I made our watcher fall asleep.

You what?

And now we can get out!

We can what?

We can go!

But, but go where?

Outside.

Outsi!

Shh! Quiet!

Wh, what are you thinking! We can’t go there!

This is our only chance though! Everypony’s asleep after the celebration, and I got our watcher to go to sleep too! Nopony’s there to stop us!

But,

Please! Just once, I want to see what’s out there! I want to see what’s above you when there’s nothing there, I want to know what grows outside! I want to see a world I’ve never seen before, and I want you to come with me!

…W, why is this so important to you?

…This is our last chance to. You know that.

But, but what if something happens to us?

What with my ingenuity and your strength, there’s nothing that can threaten us! But just imagine for a moment: we’ll be the first ever to see what’s out there! We might even make a discovery that’ll shake the whole of the earth! And this… this is our only chance to do something like this. If we don’t go now, then we’re never going to go anywhere.

…But we shouldn’t.

We’ve been told that our entire lives! I’m so sick of it! We’re not allowed to do anything! But now, we can finally grasp a little bit of freedom for ourselves! We might even take a brave step forward for our kind!

…You’re afraid, aren’t you?

…

…I’m a little afraid too.

…I, I can’t go without…

…Well? Are we going or not?

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

You’re making me wet!

Sorry. Let’s go!

I hope you know where you’re going.

I do! Follow me! To adventure!

“…Bored.”

“We’re all bored.”

Applebloom sighed, the cmc flopped in their treehouse. Despite a bright start when they first met, they had since failed to have a productive meeting. It happened, sometimes, when none of them really had any ideas or anything to do, really. Lying around in the clubhouse was better than nothing, but not always, and then, all three of the fillies yearned for something more.

I, I, I found something! It’s, it’s a structure!

What?

Somepony’s out here! There’s a building around that tree! Look, look!

…But who’d, w, wait!

Hello! Anypony there!

The trio started at the sound of a hoof landing on the ramp up. As one they looked at the door, and then each other, before they got up and went to go see.

“Who’s there?” Applebloom called as she got out, before she, and the other two, paused, looking down. Down the ramp was something none of them knew.

It had a body made up of pristine white wood, dark green leaves and little white flowers partially obscuring the wood. Two glowing green spots peeked out from underneath both foliage and wood, the whole thing having a very similar shape to that of a pony, about the same size as the fillies themselves were.

…W, what are you?

“…W, what is it?” Sweetie asked, confused as the trio stared at it, the thing perfectly still.

“…I don’t know.” Applebloom said, the three watching it uncertainly. “It sorta looks like a pony, though.”

…You look a little like ponies… Why aren’t you saying anything, though?

Scootaloo approached, Applebloom following her, Sweetie hesitating as the braver pair moved closer. The thing didn’t move at all as they neared, before it suddenly rustled, and took a step closer itself, all three fillies startling.

Say something? Anything? You are ponies, right?

“…It, it almost looks like a topiary.” Sweetie remarked.

W, what was that thing? The thing on your face; its red inside there, and white too?

“A wha?”

There! I saw it again!

“A topiary; a bush shaped to look like something.”

“Except this one moves.” Scootaloo said, eyeing it.

All, all three of you have those things! What are those?

The trio startled as it moved closer again, leaning towards them. They watched it with wide eyes as it once again stilled.

…Wow, I love your eyes! They’re so pretty! Like a stone’s eyes, but like, better! Those lines on your muzzles; they’re cracks, right? They open up and have red and white in them, right? What’s up with those little holes though?

“Does it understand us?” Scootaloo asked.

…Are, are those little white stones in there? But what’s all the red? Those moving things up top, what are those? Why’s part of you a different color than the rest? I don’t recognize those kinds of vines…

“…Do ya understand us?” Applebloom asked it, speaking louder, and it backed up a little.

Wow, loud! What was that? I saw your cracks moving when you made those sounds; is that how you did that? Is, is that a kind of music? I can play too! Listen!

The thing rustled, and after a moment, the trio hesitated, hearing a kind of drawn-out squeak come from it. A moment after, others followed, and made a strange sort of melody.

“It makes music?” Scootaloo asked.

“That’s nothing like anything I’ve heard before.” Sweetie said. “But maybe it’s trying?”

Hm. Why won’t you talk to me yet? Just more sounds. If you’re making music, then it can’t be that you won’t talk to me; and there’s nopony that can’t talk, so there has to be something I’m missing here… I know! What if I try to make the same sounds you guys are!

The sound stopped again, and the trio watched, uncertain. “I don’t,” Applebloom began, before a sharper squeak interrupted her. The fillies then stared as the thing made several like squeaks, before shifting around, the exact tone shifting as it did so.

Wow, it’s way harder than I thought to sound like that. I don’t think I even can; I bet its those little white stones in your cracks that let you make sounds like that! Oh, wait! Writing! I can write for them!

The thing stopped suddenly, and as the trio watched, slowly moved its hoof along the wood of the ramp. After a moment, Applebloom yelled, “Ah!” as she and the others noticed it leaving scores in the wood. “What are ya doin!”

Loud!

The thing backed down a step as Applebloom moved forwards to stare at the marks. They were deep in the wood, but not just random damage, as she first thought it to be. Instead, they made curious designs.

She kept starting at them, and the other two noticed the strange thing reach to her mane. “Applebloom, careful!” Scootaloo yelped. "It's moving again!"

Huh. These aren’t vines.

“H, hey!” Applebloom said, then noticing her hair being held. She pulled back, only to find her mane firmly caught and yelped, “Ow!” as it pulled on it, drawing her closer.

What is this stuff? It’s definitely stuck to you… And that doesn’t look like any flower I know.

“L, let me go!” Applebloom yelled, struggling, the other two worried as she moved closer to the thing as the thing’s hoof moved higher up Applebloom’s mane.

“I got you!” Scootaloo yelled, moving to help, Applebloom putting a hoof against the thing to help push back, the other trying to get its hoof out of her hair. With Scootaloo’s help, she pulled free, and moved back up, at first relived before she noticed that it had her bow.

…This isn’t a flower at all. What is it?

“Give that back!” she yelled, snatching it back from it.

Loud! Hey, is this stuff not vines too? O, oooh! Its lots and lots of things!

Applebloom startled as her tail got pulled taught, and looked back, mad, to hesitate; it looked like her tail was being absorbed by the thing, red hair tangling amongst leaves.

“Applebloom!” Scootaloo yelped, seeing the same, and rushing to grab onto her.

No, not vines, but there's tons of it and it's super thin. Feels nice to have it like this, is it nice to have on you? Does this stuff have roots, or did you graft it on? Because It’s really stuck on you. Oh, I see where it comes from! What’s that little nub you got there?

“H, help!” Applebloom yelled, Scootaloo struggling to pull back as the thing had most of her tail in it, the filly held in the air between the two.

You know what you need? Real flowers in this! I can help with that! Just a little gift from me for you!

Sweetie hurried to help in turn, and Applebloom began to slowly pull away. After a few moments, she popped free, and the three hurried back up the ramp away, before looking back, all three panting.

“It, it was,"

“Putting flowers in your tail.” Sweetie interrupted, blinking.

“It, it, what?” Applebloom asked, looking to find her tail twined with little white flowers; the same the thing had on it. A glance to the thing noted that there were clearly fewer flowers on it than there had been before.

Isn’t that nice? Way better than that silly fake flower thing you got on your head.

“…I, I think it didn’t like your bow, and thought flowers would look better.” Sweetie said, thinking. “…I don’t think it’s something bad.” She added, looking at it, and not startling too bad as she found it closer.

I’m sorry, I don’t have flowers for you too. Besides, you’re already white! What are you made of though? Let me see close?

The trio hesitated as it got closer, and oddly, Sweetie held her ground as the other two backed away. They blinked, noticing, and Sweetie tensed, but held still as it leaned close to her.

…Y, your eyes reflect me! Just wow, WOW! You look really rough though. But you can’t be made of stone... are you?

Sweetie flinched at the light touch of wood, but held still, and watched it touch her for a few moments before it looked at the clubhouse.

You’re not only not rough, you’re really soft! And warm. Like, super different than stone or wood! For that matter, how old are you? You’re big as me, and ponies get bigger. Did you make this place? Let me see inside!

The trio watched as it moved past, and entered the clubhouse. They looked at each other, and followed it, finding it standing in the middle, looking around.

What, what, what are all those colors! The, the things, the stuff! I, I’ve never seen anything like this stuff!

They watched it move around, and all three hesitated as it stopped at several points in turn; taking particular interest in their map.

“…It’s curious?” Scootaloo asked, unsure.

“…Do ya like th map?” Applebloom asked, heading closer to it.

Oh! Did you make this? What’s it supposed to be? It doesn’t look like anything; and what under the earth is it made of! This, this white stuff! It’s really light, and super thin, but it doesn’t break and bends real weird… This, this can’t be made of rock, can it?

“I think they do.” Sweetie remarked as it lightly touched it.

“They?”

“Well… they look like a pony, right?” Sweetie asked. “I think they’re a pony; but I can’t tell if they’re a filly or a colt…”

Love the woodwork. Drawers? Drawers that slide out like they weigh nothing!?

Applebloom blinked, watching it repeatedly open and shut a drawer on the desk; the odd action second to her noticing tiny white tendrils being used to grip the handle.

This, this is just crazy! How, how did you make this stuff! I have to know! Please, please, tell me!

Applebloom blinked as it started at her; something about it suggested eagerness to her, but its still nature and odd eye made it impossible to really tell. After a moment, it visibly appeared disappointed for a brief moment, before that was gone, making Applebloom unsure if she even saw it.

Right. It’s not that you won’t tell me, it’s something else. Writing didn’t work before either… oh! I know! They draw, so I can too! Just need some color…

The plant pony began moving around, and after a moment, Scootaloo figured out it seemed to be looking for something. A moment passed, and then she hit on an idea, and yelled, “Applebloom, get the crayons!”

“Huh? Why?”

“Maybe it can write something for us!”

Applebloom hesitated, before nodding, and getting a piece of paper and the crayons out. She left them out, and called, “Over here!”, to no seeming effect. A few moments later though, and the plant pony spotted them, and stopped.

W, what are those? The colorful things there. What are they? Is that white thing the same as the huge one, with the colors on it?

“…Ya kin use em if ya want to.” Applebloom told it, and it approached the crayons, before touching one, and flinching back.

Weird! Oh, that feels weird…

Sweetie headed over, and looked at it, before taking a crayon and coloring a corner of the paper. “See?” she said, dropping it and waiting.

…Now I can’t say anything! Color you can touch! If you can, I can! First, blue!

The plant pony grabbed a crayon again, and the trio watched with curiosity as it began to draw.

Red! Hm. Color doesn’t work like I thought it would… eh, it works enough. Green. And… there! Now they’ll know I’m trying to say hi!

The plant pony leaned back, and the trio looked at what it had drawn; a rough sketch of a blue flower, rough hints of purple in the petals, and a little stem.

“…Poison joke?” Applebloom identified, confused. “It drew a poison joke?”

“…W, wait, I get it now!” Sweetie yelled, the other two coming to the same conclusion at the same time:

“They’ve been joked!” the three crowed, the plant pony startling and looking between the three in turn.

L, loud! W, why are you showing me your white stones like that?

“Don’t worry, we can fix this!” Applebloom happily told it. “I even know th recipe, an we got th stuff here at the house! Let’s go!”

W, where are you all going? What’s going on, I don’t understand! W, wait for… oh. You are. Well, lead the way!

The plant pony galloped after them, the trio waiting for it to follow, a brief moment of concern that it wouldn’t before it did so. As they left, something else finally made it to the clubhouse.

O, O.K. This is the place we saw. But they’re not here. Here’s their steps, and there’s something with her. Several somethings with hooves. Not bigger than my own. O.K… they found somepony and ran off with them. Hopefully not the other way around. I should maybe hurry. If they're in trouble...

Hang on. I’m coming.

W, wow that is a gigantic structure!

I’ll get th stuff, you girls go and get th tub ready.”

“Got it!”

What’s it like insi… hm?

“No, no that way.” Scootaloo said, getting in the way and pointing elsewhere.

“Follow me!” Sweetie added, gesturing for it to follow, both fillies doing their best to make it understand what they wanted.

Uh… you’re pointing at that one, and it's… why do you keep glancing at me? The thing on the end of you keeps twitching too. Do you… you want me to follow that one now. Got it. What else do you want to show me?

Applejack startled a little as Applebloom burst into the house, and ran towards the pantries before leaping atop the counter and opening the special herbs one.

“Applebloom, I told ya not to stand on th counters like that!” she yelled, hurrying over with a disapproving frown, but her mild anger hesitated, seeing the flowers in Applebloom’s tail.

“Sorry Applejack, but I gotta get this stuff quick!”

“…Thought ya hated havin thins in yer tail.” Applejack remarked, grabbing Applebloom and pulling her back down.

“I do, but,”

“Then why’s there flowers there now?”

“Because they got put there, I need the,”

“Applebloom.” Applejack interrupted, eyeing her. “What’s goin on?”

Applebloom stared at her a few moments before she sighed. “Me n the others met a joked pony jus now, and we’re tryin ta make em better.”

“A joked pony? In th orchard?” Applejack asked, and Applebloom nodded. “…Tain’t possible. Poison joke don’t grow anywhere near us. Sides that, who’d wind up wanderin right near th clubhouse after bein joked? Who is this pony?”

“I don’t know.” Before Applejack could frown more, Applebloom swiftly added, “They can’t talk and they look… really strange right now.” A moment passed, Applejack eyeing the filly, and Applebloom asked, “Can you just please get me the joke cure? Sweetie and Scootaloo are tryin to get a tub ready for em, an they might need some help.”

“An why would they?”

“Cause whoever this is, they’re actin a mite strange too.”

“…Alright. But I’m seein this pony too; no secrets here.”

“That’s fine.” Applebloom told her, mollifying Applejack’s mostly unformed concerns as she got the old joke cure. She shook her head when Applebloom reached for it, making the filly sigh, but she headed away without a word, Applejack following after her.

…That’s a lot of water. Your water vine thing seems endless; doesn’t it ever stop?

“Alright, it’s full. Now, we need to get it in.” Scootaloo said.

“Them, not it.” Sweetie corrected her. “But how?”

“…They either get in themselves or we pick them up, I guess.”

“…It’s just some water.” Sweetie encouraged, trying a bright smile. “You’ll be better in no time!”

White stones again. And you’re hitting the sides of the weird short bucket. I really wish you guys spoke; I don’t get this whole ‘moving around while making sound’ thing you do. But everypony has something particular about them, right?

“…Maybe if we show them?” Scootaloo suggested, looking at Sweetie.

“Might as well try.” She sighed. She put a hoof in the water before she flinched back with a squeal.

Loud!

“C, cold!”

“How’s that supposed to help!” Scootaloo yelled, frowning at her. “They need to get in!”

Something wrong with that water? Why’d you jump back like that? Oh, is it really hot or something? Shouldn't there be steam if it was hot though…? Let me feel.

Both fillies paused as the plant pony came forwards, and lifted a hoof to dip in itself.

“They’re doing it!” Sweetie cheered.

“…Is the water level going down?” Scootaloo asked, eyeing the plant pony before noticing the slow drain, the strange pony putting its other hoof up and into the water as well, leaning on the side.

Oh, that’s nice… I love cold water. It’s so hard to get cold water too, you guys are super lucky to have a cold water vine…

Both fillies yelped as the plant pony pulled the bucket over, splashing water everywhere. As they recovered, Scootaloo glared at them, while Sweetie seemed only confused.

“Oh, come on! That took ages to fill!” Scootaloo complained.

“W, why’d they do that?” Sweetie asked, before hesitating.

“Get the hose again.” Scootaloo sighed.

“…L, look at their hooves.” Sweetie said.

“What about their…”

Both filles stared as the wood making up the pony’s hoof uncurled, and dug into the wet soil.

Oh, yeah! This is great soil! This is the best, cold water, good soil… I needed a good planting anyway. I got way too worked up with the blue ceiling and the huge bright light before. And speaking of…

The plant pony shifted its head directly upwards, before it focused on the sun. the two watched it, before they looked at each other, both ponies at a loss.

Oh, yeah, this feels good. Huge bright light, warm air, good soil, cold water… I might even take my time here; just give me time to really soak all this in…

“What’s goin on?”

The pair looked as Applebloom hurried over, Applejack behind her, bafflement written on her face as she saw the plant pony.

“They tipped the bucket over for some reason.” Scootaloo supplied.

“Can you two get it filled agin?”

The pair nodded and began doing so as Applebloom refocused on Applejack, who was staring at the strange sight. The glowing green that had appeared on its ‘face’ before was there no longer.

“This is them.” Applebloom told her.

“…Poison joke kin do this?” Applejack asked, baffled.

“Well, what else could have happened?” Applebloom asked. “Look at them.”

“…Welp, let’s get em fixed up at least.” Applejack sighed. “That way they kin answer some questions.”

A short while later had the tub again filled, and then filled with the joke cure, turning the water a faint turquoise.

“Alright, in.” Applejack said.

“They can’t understand.” Applebloom told her.

“Just pick them up and put them in.” Scootaloo added.

Applejack hesitated before shrugging and moving to do so. The trio then stared as Applejack huffed, and pulled the plant pony up; visibly uprooting them at the same time, to the trio’s surprise, muddy wood and roots dangling downwards from each hoof.

H, huh?

“Uh,” Applebloom began, before Applejack dropped them into the bucket.

Ack!

For a moment, she was satisfied, before she noticed the water turning dark. A moment after, and Applejack’s eyes grew as the wood making it up started to scatter. In mere moments, it was as if she’d thrown nothing more than a number of white wood branches and a bunch of soil into the bucket.

Sweetie screamed at the sight, and Scootaloo rammed into the bucket; an instant later, and Applebloom bucked it the rest of the way over, spilling its contents.

A wash of water scattered white wood, and after a moment, they all stared at what appeared left of the odd pony. None of them caught the brief sight of something swiftly wiggling into the wet soil.

“…That weren’t no pony.” Applejack finally said after a time, shaking her head. The fillies looked to her, in varied states of shock and horror, and she added, “There ain’t nopony that falls apart in water. But I know what does do that.”

“…W, what does that?” Applebloom asked.

“Timberwolves.” Applejack told them. “An that was jus like if one o them fell into water too deep fer em; they fall apart, jus like that.”

“But, but that wasn't a timberwolf.” Scootaloo noted.

“…Can’t say I really know what it was.” Applejack sighed. “Timberpony, maybe? Either way, might be a good thin that it’s gone now. Who knows what it’d done.”

The fillies looked at each other, Applejack satisfied, but a strong doubt lingered in all three; whatever it might have been, it had seemed peaceful, kind, and curious to them. None of them had felt it dangerous at all.

“Might want ta talk ta twilight bout this stuff.” Applejack added, grabbing a large branch. “She jus might know somethin.” She finished, turning to leave before hesitating; something was shining back the way they’d come from.

The fillies nodded, moving to follow her before they noticed the same. A glinting flash that suggested not only motion, but something more than a simple bright reflection.

Applejack, frowning, went that way to find out, and the fillies followed her. It wasn't long before they saw it, hesitating as they did so. Another strange pony was there, but as unlike the plant one as they had been to it.

It was made up of a pinkish crystal, very lightly translucent. It seemed carved to appear as a pony, but only partially so, its torso left rough as compared to its legs and head. A patch of crystals grew on the back of its head and on its back, and its body tapered to a little nub instead of a tail. Its legs moved at a slow walk, functionally invisible breaks allowing their motion, but each movement a little stiff and slow. Tiny blue lights were inside its carved eyes, and the sunlight reflecting off it shone many colors, spreading random rainbows around it.

It paused as soon as they did, those strange lights flicking about in its eyes before it focused on the wood Applejack held.

That, that’s… n, no. No, no, NO!

A sharp, piercing, keening sound came forth from the thing, the fillies yelling and covering their ears as Applejack flinched. From a slow walk to a stiffer but swifter march, it advanced on Applejack, moving about as quick as a normal walking pace, jerking as it moved.

I’m, I’m going to break you, like you did to, to, ah ahhh!

Applejack flinched at the next shriek, and yelled, “Stay behind me!”, taking a firm stance; though lacking clear indications, the sounds and motion suggested the crystal filly was aggressive, and she wouldn’t take any chances with it. Behind her, the fillies grouped close to one another, worried.

“I’m givin ya one warnin!” she yelled at it. “Keep comin an yaou’ll regret it!” The crystal pony made no change in its movement, and Applejack huffed. “Alright, ya’ll asked fer this!” she said, turning and aiming as it came near, its slow speed leaving her almost calm as she readied a buck.

When it got close enough, she bucked it, hitting it on its shoulders; a buck strong enough to knock all the apple out of a tree or throw a haybale near a hundred feet in the air.

The fillies started at the sharp crack sound, and then more as Applejack’s eyes shot open in clear pain. Behind her, apparently not even affected, the crystal filly grabbed a rear hoof in her momentary paralysis. Applejack pulled away to no avail, before yelling as it swung her to its side as if she weighed nothing, before screaming as it flung her skywards as an orange blur, her voice swiftly fading.

The fillies looked up, gaping in shock and horror as Applejack faded to an orange dot high above. Scootaloo blinked, before automatically catching the branch she’d dropped. Another shriek had them look, and all three startled, seeing the thing heading to them.

G, give me that back! It, it’s not yours!

As Scootaloo backed away from it, Applejack found herself amongst clouds before she started dropping; only just able to realize that before Rainbow grabbed onto her.

“What the hay is going on!” Rainbow demanded, looking down at the glittering thing far below, and the tiny forms of the fillies.

“I, I don’t rightly know!” Applejack responded, before grabbing tight as Rainbow shot down, realizing that, whatever it was, it was advancing on Scootaloo.

Scootaloo was about ready to run when she saw Rainbow, swopping to deposited Applejack nearby, and she brightened. “Rainbow, help!” she yelled, using the branch to point at the crystal filly heading towards her, the other two watching, paralyzed after seeing what had happened to Applejack.

“Don’t worry, I’m here!” Rainbow yelled, rushing it.

“Careful, it’s harder n an anvil!” Applejack yelled in warning, wincing as she stood up, her back hooves still somewhat pained.

“I got it!” Rainbow yelled, getting near it. “This’ll be easy!”

Stay away from me!

Rainbow flew over it, and then grabbed it, intending to just pick it up and have it helpless that way. But though it felt like it was working for a brief moment, it suddenly felt impossibly heavy, surprising Rainbow.

You’re not going to stop me! That part isn’t yours! Let me go! Let me go, let me go!

Rainbow tried again, heaving, the filly no longer moving. Scootaloo brightened a moment before she, and everypony save Rainbow, saw a shine start to swiftly grow in the filly.

I said LET ME GO!

“Rainbow!” Scootaloo yelped in warning as that shine swiftly obscured the filly, making it difficult to keep looking at. Rainbow, however, heaving hard to pick it up, didn’t notice; not until it suddenly grew hot, making her yelp and let go.

A moment after, and that brilliant shine seemed to leave the filly in a long line, which then burned the earth black in a long line that passed by Scootaloo by inches.

The filly yelped and leaned away, badly startled and staring at the blackened earth next to her, and the rest gaped. Rainbow stared a moment, and then glared at the filly, scowling.

“Rainbow, get the girls out o here!” Applejack yelled, getting in front of it again; not noticing that it was heading directly towards the white branch, lying forgotten near Scootaloo, instead of the filly herself. “Go n get Twilight!”

“And leave you with it?” Rainbow asked, unwilling.

“Now Rainbow! Get th girls safe n come back with somepony that might know what ta do! I kin handle this walkin statue! Now go!”

I’m going to crush you into dust for what you’ve done! Let’s see how you like it when I tear YOU apart!

Rainbow hesitated a moment, before shotting to grab the fillies, and rushing off, leaving Applejack facing the advancing filly alone, the farm mare determined, but worried:

How was she supposed to fight something super hard, super strong, and super heavy? Ideas came and went, and Applejack kept glaring at the advancing crystal filly, standing her ground as it stiffly marched towards her.