The Children of the Earth

Twilight was starting to hyperventilate.

The young alicorn was sitting just outside the heart of the crystal tree, the doors into it just beside her. The crystal filly was currently inside of it, producing a single, constant shriek that made nails on glass seem nice.

Twilight wasn’t hyperventilating for that it had left a trail of destruction through her home, nor for that its sounds were fit to break glass and drive somepony to insanity.

She was hyperventilating for what she had realized during her attempts to catch it and what she could then sense in the room it was within.

The crystal filly had exhibited potent and dangerous magical abilities over time; that it was a flying, very fast, super hard, pointy missile was the least dangerous part of it. Thus far, it had fired off magical bolts of many descriptions, in random number and random directions, output bursts of force that were basically explosions, teleported at random, disintegrated a number of things it went near, and the one time Twilight managed to touch it again, it tried to petrify her via turning her into crystal.

All that wasn’t really why Twilight was hyperventilating.

What really had her panicked was that as she’d chased it, it had absorbed most of its own spells back into itself after cast. That its total magic capacity had visibly increased over time, and left locations it went through lacking all ambient magic altogether. Things it had gone near had been robbed of all magic themselves, and that included Twilight herself.

When it had hit the table of harmony not a minute ago, it stopped there, collapsed atop it. And then it began shining like a tiny pink sun and began truly showing the danger it possessed:

Bursts of magic exploded outwards from it, only to be captured and drawn right back, to be made even bigger before bursting outwards anew. Immaterial and invisible alike, yet, terrifying.

If something encountered sudden and great amounts of ‘free’ mana the surpassed its tolerance, it’d explode. As of right then, Twilight had never sensed so much mana in one place before, and she could but guess that the unique makeup of her home was what was making it not explode as the great pulses slammed into the walls, floor, and ceiling.

But she was starting to feel the stress the bursts output, and not knowing how much it could take was nerve racking as she wondered which next burst would include a massive explosion.

And wondering if even that would bring this to an end, of if the crystal filly would continue this cycle until it sat within a massive crater where Ponyville used to be. Of course, it could always be bigger.

This could be an endless cycle, and she had no idea what to do about it.

That was why Twilight was hyperventilating.

Spike was near her, the drakling very tense and worried himself as Twilight slowly panicked, pink light pulsing beyond the doorway nearby. It was almost as if there was a great heartbeat that he could actually feel, the pink light throbbing with each ‘beat’.

He didn’t know what it was. Twilight’s panic didn’t give him any real clues, beyond that, whatever it was, it was terrible and bad. He fidgeted, unable to figure out what to do, until, suddenly:

“Twilight!”

He looked, hearing Pinkie calling. He glanced at Twilight, and then hurried that way, knowing Twilight was in no condition to hear anything, and then sure that getting help would, well, help.

He swiftly spotted her hurrying towards him, and the two skidded to a stop. But then Bushy darted past him as Spike opened his mouth, making him startle, and Pinkie, seeing Bushie run, chased after her, causing Spike to spin in place before just managing to not fall over.

A very large paw steading the drakling, and he looked up at Kitty, Spike a touch dazed, Kitty worried, sensing the steady beat himself. “Where is Twilight, Spike?” the great winged lion asked him.

“Th, that way.” Spike answered, pointing at the relevant passage before hurrying back himself, Kitty following him.

Twilight, meanwhile, hesitated mid-panic as the plant filly ran past her.

AHHHH!

What, what’s happening, what’s going on!

She watched it skid on the floor a little before hurrying into the room beyond. Twilight blinked as it did so, and Pinkie skidded to a halt next to her, calling, “Twilight!” as she stopped, Twilight looking at her.

“You’re having a dance party?” the pink mare asked, blinking at the pulsing light. “A really bright dance party?”

AHHHH!

No, no, it’s O.K, I’m back, I came back! Please, you’re panicking and I don’t even know what’s going on!

“…Not a dance party.” Pinkie said, reading Twilight’s staring at her, which got the young alicorn to shake her head. “Then, what is it?”

“Y, you shouldn’t be here.” Twilight managed, partially pulling herself together. “It isn’t safe.”

AHHHH!

Y, you’re going to hurt yourself! Please, please, listen to me, stop! Stop whatever you’re doing, it’s not good, please! I can hear you cracking!

“Bushy just ran in there.” Pinkie said, hesitating.

“Bushy?” Twilight asked.

“Filly, covered in leaves and flowers, made of white wood.” Pinkie answered, concerned. “They wanted to meet you and some pink filly, I think,” she added, producing the drawing, “But is she going to be safe in there?”

AHHHH!

I, I, I’m not going to let you get hurt! I, I’m going to help! Hang on!

“I don’t,” Twilight began before a loud bang interrupted her, making her and Pinkie startle. They turned to see the light weakened, wavering.

OW!

N, no!

A faint ‘pah!’ sound came next, the light abruptly vanishing just as Spike and Kitty arrived, the great winged lion only just able to fit in the large hall. Twilight sensed magic flowing outwards, a potent rush, but peaceful all the same; no worse than a strong breeze.

T, tell me that you’re O.K!

…Y, your leg…

My leg can go rot, tell me that you’re alright already!

Twilight got up, and cautiously peeked inside to pause, the others doing the same.

The room inside sparkled brilliantly as pure mana filled it, a faint cloud that slowly diffused into the surroundings. Blue flowers floated amongst it, twirling in an unfelt breeze; sparkling into nothing over time.

The crystal filly was no longer shining, it and the plant filly atop the table. Which had burnt wood and dirt scattered across it, more of the same scattered in the room. The plant filly had no flowers on it, and clearly had its front left leg missing, the location clearly harmed, and was collapsed atop the crystal filly, a firm shift dispelling Pinkie’s worst concern.

…I, I’m alright, but your leg…

Don’t care! Thank the earth that you’re alright! I thought you were going to explode or something!

But… y, you exploded.

I can grow it back.

Y, you’re not supposed to get hurt.

I can grow it back, don’t worry! What’s important it that you’re alright. Safe, solid, and uncracked, like you’re supposed to be!

“...Is it different when Bushy’s leg is gone than if somepony else’s leg is gone?” Pinkie quietly asked, concerned, but noting that Bushy was gently rustling again, and knowing that she wasn’t a ‘normal’ filly by any stretch of the imagination.

“…Yes.” Twilight quietly answered, tentatively entering the room, Pinkie following her, Spike and Kitty in their turn. “…Like Applejack described, the plant filly instantly pacifies the crystal one, but how did it stop that cycle?” she asked herself, wondering. “…The flowers, maybe?” she asked, glancing as the last of them sparkled away.

…I, I can’t do this anymore.

Good; whatever you were doing wasn’t good at,

I mean being here.

H, huh?

The plant filly shifted back as if to see the crystal one better, Twilight idly noting that white wood was acting to seal the ‘wound’, light amounts of dirt falling as small branches shifted to close the hole there.

Pinkie meanwhile, then secure in knowing Bushy was alright, had a small smile on her face, and after a moment, quietly told Twilight, “Bushy found their friend again.”

“…That is my working theory.” Twilight told her. “That the pair are friends.”

“But what are they?” Kitty asked.

“Formal names aside, I’ve been thinking of them as a plant pony and a crystal pony.” Twilight answered. “And before anypony asks, no, I don’t know much about either of them, and they’re here because I was trying to find out more about them.”

I’m going to go back.

W, what are you saying!

It’s all… It’s all too much! It’s too much and too fast and I… I’m too slow. I can’t keep up with it. Just like how I can’t keep up with you. I’m going to go back.

“I know a bit about Bushy!” Pinkie volunteered. As Twilight looked at her, she listed, “Bushy loves to drink juice, she can make herself have a sort of mane and tail, she loves color, she can draw really good, she can make sound and loves to listen to songs, she doesn’t know how to dance but she wants to, and she tries, but she can’t eat anything.”

“…Not what I was trying to learn, but that’s interesting.” Twilight said, Pinkie smiling more at that as Twilight looked back at the pair, noting they’d separated; the lack of leg clearly troubled the plant filly, its stance a touch wobbly, the crystal filly sitting up.

But… but…

You don’t have to come back with me.

But… Y, you can’t go!

I know the way back; I can go.

N, no, you, you can’t!

The plant filly hugged the crystal one again, Twilight noting that it did so differently than before; more clinging than just holding.

I know how to get back from here, really. I’ll just go and wait around the entrance for you to show up and you can tell me all about it then.

N, no!

It’ll almost be the same.

It won’t! It won’t!

The entire group hesitated as the plant filly stomped a hind leg.

I won’t slow you down anymore, and you can be free to run around and see stuff and go places and not worry about me anymore.

No, no, no, no, no, no!

Another stomp.

…I, I can’t stay anymore. I can’t take it anymore. I… I can’t stay. I have to go.

…Then, then I’m going back too!

Huh?

If, if you can’t be here, then, then neither can I! If, if you want to go back, then I want to go back too!

The two separated again, and stared at one another.

B, but you wanted to see all of,

W, who cares if there’s whole new ponies here, who cares if they’re weird and strange and colorful! Who cares if they have stuff nopony else does, who cares if they have color you can hold! B, because I don’t!

B, but you,

In fact I, I hate it! I hate all of it! I, I want nothing more than, than to go back home where it’s safe and, and normal, and, just, just forget all about this place!

…

…We’ve been gone long enough already. Come on; the sooner we get back home the better.

The plant filly turned away, hobbling. It took a hop away, seeming to not care about anypony or anything nearby, the crystal one sitting, watching it still.

The hole with the white rocks goes all the way through them.

The plant filly stopped, tried to turn, fell over, and struggled back up to again face the crystal filly.

W, what?

The white rocks grow out of a different kind of rock; a kind of rock that’s all throughout them. It’s tough and hard but somehow giving and semi-hollow too; they need it to be able to stand and move, rock surrounded by whatever it is they’re made of.

…

There are big hollows inside of them, and they all connect to one another somehow, as if they got their own cavern systems inside of them; except they’re good things, things they need, instead of bad things. One near the head isn’t completely hollow, and is filled completely with something like tiny berries. They absorb air a little like you do into there, except backwards; they absorb what you produce, and they produce what you absorb.

R, really?

Another hollow is filled with strong acid that breaks down things they put into themselves. That gets absorbed too, and that stuff, along with the air that gets absorbed from the first hollow, is taken by a special liquid that flows all throughout them in special little tunnels; some as big as a flower stem, but most are smaller than your smallest root. That stuff carries everything they need to be alive; the same stuff they get by tossing things into their acid and absorbing parts of air.

That, that’s why they put stuff into that hole then!

The not-vine stuff on them is actually the same stuff that covers them; it just grows way longer on their heads and that tiny limb just over the ends that’s there for some reason. Their hooves are actually made of the same stuff too.

Just, what! How!

Their hoovers are just much, much thicker and denser, but it’s the same stuff that makes up the not-vines and stuff covering them. All of it isn’t alive at all, but it grows naturally from them.

How did you figure any of that out! Just, how!

There’s even more than that that I don’t understand even a little bit; it’s way more than everything I just told you.

But, but how! I have to know!

The purple one used magic on me that let me learn about it, and everything around me suddenly. And I understood almost none of it.

That, that’s fine! You found out way more than I did!

“What did you discover, Twilight?” Kitty asked after a few moments of stillness from the pair.

“Well… the plant filly is almost certainly not what we’re seeing.” Twilight said. “The leaves and wood aren’t really it; there’s something buried in the internal dirt that I’m fairly sure is the real ‘pony’.”

“That would explain how Bushy grew so big so fast.” Pinkie said, which had Twilight hesitate.

“Grew so big so fast?” Twilight asked, and Pinkie nodded.

“You see, I hugged her, and I think I messed up, because she bit me.” Pinkie explained, shifting to let Twilight see the bloody dots on her coat still. “And she started getting bigger and bigger and bigger until she was huge! And then Kitty got her and smashed her to bits, but Bushy came back just fine afterwards, little as ever!”

“W, wait, bit you?” Twilight asked, shaking her head. “But it doesn’t have a mouth.”

“No, with her hoof.” Pinkie said as if that was normal. “Like how she drinks; she’s got these little roots she lets dangle down from her hoof to drink and grab stuff with. She stabs cupcakes with them!”

“And you too.” Twilight noted with a note of mild concern.

“Well, yeah, I guess.” Pinkie said, shrugging.

“Pinkie, how fast does Bushy ‘drink’?” Twilight asked, a terrible idea entering her head.

“If you count just splashing her, super-fast!” Pinkie supplied.

“When it’s using a hoof.”

“Still super-fast.” Pinkie told her. “Full cup down, hoof goes over, hoof goes down, and ‘slurp’, all gone!”, Pinkie miming the action.

Twilight shuddered a little; the estimation wasn’t much, but that rate of ‘drinking’ had rather horrifying implications if Bushy could pierce into ponies. “Do you know much it can drink?” she asked, hoping the answer would make her worry go away.

“Well, Bushy drank three cups of water and five of juice with her hoof.” Pinkie answered. “If I count the stuff she got splashed with, it’s more like twenty cups of water and maybe ten juices.”

“And did Bushy drip, or seem over wet at any time?” Twilight asked, hoping.

“Not even a little!” Pinkie chirped, completely ignorant of how horrifying that statement was for Twilight. “So, what’d you learn about Crystal?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight took a moment to make a mental note to never touch Bushy, and took a breath. “The crystal filly is… frankly, horrifying.” She said. As the others hesitated, she explained, “At first it reflects magic, but it eventually absorbs it instead; that starts its cycle.”

“Cycle?” Kitty asked, and Twilight nodded, sighing.

“It approximately doubles any magic it absorbs before outputting it; and then absorbing its own output. This eventually leads to it casting spells seemingly at random and growing only somewhat less than exponentially more dangerous because spells that can escape its absorption radius do not resupply their mana.” Twilight told them. “It’s absorption of magic applies to ponies in its radius, locations it is within, and magical objects it gets near while the cycle is active.”

“This continues until it ceases to move and starts pulsing, like it had been.” Twilight sighed. “I don’t know how the plant filly managed to stop it, but it only lost its flowers and one leg when by all rights it should have completely exploded and done nothing.”

“And now you tell me that the plant filly can ‘drink’ somepony dry without even noticing.” She finished, unhappy.

“What does that mean?” Pinkie asked.

“…How long did it ‘bite’ you, Pinkie?”

“…Half a second?” Pinkie guessed, unsure.

“…If it ‘bit’ for two or three, it might be able to ‘drink’ all of your blood.”

“…And that’s bad.”

“And that’s very bad!” Twilight yelled. “Did it even have trouble piercing you, or could it jump on somepony and kill them near instantly!”

“Bushy wouldn’t do that!” Pinkie objected. “She was in a huge crowd of ponies for almost an hour and she didn’t hurt anypony at all!”

“Except you!”

“Well, I scared her!”

“And that makes it alright?” Twilight asked, and Pinkie hesitated, before she nodded, firm.

“Bushy can’t talk, and she can’t make expressions either. She can just rustle and move.” Pinkie said. “And click and rub her wood together; she sounds pretty good!”

Do you still hate all of it?

Huh?

Do you still hate all of it? Their color and weirdness and everything else?

…Wait. You… don’t you?

…I… I know. Have you ever heard about ‘speaking from your core’? I think your kind call it ‘popping’.

Popping? What do you mean?

Well… Give me a moment, and I’ll explain.

A snapping sound reattracted attention, and they looked, to see the crystal filly turn to face one side towards the plant filly.

W, what are you doing?

Wait.

You’re hurting yourse,

Wait.

…

The group watched as the crystal filly shifted, tiny pink shards breaking off its torso. After a moment, and more snapping, a dark pink orb became visible, its edge breaking free of the brighter crystal. It gleamed, the faintest traces of greenish lines visible on it, slowly fading in and out of view.

…I was told that speaking from the core is something that can only be done in the most special of times. I was told to never do so, because my core is delicate and it could be hurt really easily, even by myself if I’m not careful. But it’s really important I do this, because to speak from your core is to speak as your true self. And I… You see…

…My gem was placed next to your sprout, and we’ve been together ever since. I, pure crystal, and you, pure wood, two halves of perfection, brought together to represent the union of our kinds. And one day, we’ll unite to make whole what was once long broken, and become the salvation of all the earth. We’ve been taught that ever since we knew how to listen, always taught that we had to be as one as we could be. But…

I never really cared for any of that.

Because I care about you.

…This place scares me. That hot light on the blue above frightens me, just how huge this place is upsets me. It seems the whole of the outside is covered in soft dirt and filled with life and there is nothing I really know, nothing I can brace myself against to stand steady. And these new ponies… they terrify me. Soft and warm, yet strong and fast; I fear what they might be able to do, I can’t trust their silence. If I was alone, I’d… I’d run and cry. But I’m not alone.

You’re with me.

Just seeing your leaves makes it not so frightening. Seeing your joy at all you see here makes scary things not so scary. Knowing that you are with me, hearing your rustling nearby, I can stand strong, I can hold firm. And…

And if you ever feared, I would come to stand in front of you, and I would stand, unbreaking, unmoving, and allow not a single leaf to come to harm. Even if a dragon would come roaring towards us, I would endure its flames and its great claws, unbreaking, unmoving.

And if you wanted to see its home, I would defeat it just to let you do so.

Because you are important to me.

Because, even now, before our destiny…

I am for you.

A moment passed, and then Bushy shuffled, turning obliquely itself with a small hop. It rustled, and the wood on its back parted.

And then, without much warning, what appeared to be a large bulb popped free of the soil; a greenish yellow color with the faintest hints of brown, smooth and showing no sign of dirt despite the mild burst of the same when it emerged. It was covered in tiny roots that, as it popped out, thrust out stiff, before going limp.

…Pop.

…Heh.

Haha!

Haha!

The roots wiggled in the air as Bushy rustled, and the curious orb seemed to glitter. The group stared, and after a moment, Spike asked, “Is that what you meant when you said the plant filly wasn't what we saw?”

“…Probably.” Twilight said, still staring.

“And Crystal’s thing?” Pinkie asked.

“…I don’t know!” Twilight said, shaking her head. “There was something in the crystal filly, and that might be it, but who knows! At least Bushy’s something alive!”

My turn! Nothing’s special without you! I could learn everything and none of it would matter if I couldn’t learn it with you! You, you’re…!

You’re everything for me!

I’d never have left the soil if I hadn’t seen you moving! My wood would be little if you hadn’t made me jealous by how strong you are! I’d never have understood anything if you hadn’t been there to show me how to take things slowly! I’d never known what a glitter was if not for you, I’d never have learned to love light if you didn’t sparkle like you do!

All my bravery comes from you! I’d never run anywhere, never walk up to new things, never explore, if you weren’t there with me! But because you are, because you’re with me, I can dare everything, and find everything, and learn everything without fear!

And you might fight a dragon for me, but I’d give all my life to mend your cracks! I’d heave you up high so you could know what it’s like to jump! All my flowers are for you, all my berries are for you, all my everything is for you!

Because you are the rock my roots hold! You are my anchor, you are my strength! You’re what lets me grow so fast, you’re why I can reach so far!

And… and… and you were right, earlier.

I am afraid of our destiny. I’ve spent so long making my wood as hard as I can, but I’m still nowhere near as hard as you. Try as I might, much as you let me, I cannot invade you even a tiny bit. I don’t know how we’re meant to come together more than we already are and…

And I want to see so much more than I have. I want to know what it’s like to fully grow, what it’s like to bear my own berries, what it’s like to master the life around me, what it’s like to make my own woodcraft. And I want to see you grow too; I want to see how big you get, how hard, how strong. The magic stuff you said your kind get, I want to see you get it, I want to see all you can do. But…

…I don’t know what’ll happen when it happens; but I’m afraid it’ll mean I won’t get to see any of what I want to. That’s why I learned how to put my kind to sleep, and why I attacked our watcher so we could leave; leave to here, where no one would ever think to come search for us. Because I was trying to… to…

…

I don’t know what our destiny means for us. But… Even if all my fears are right, and none of what I want comes to be, and this little escape is just for a little time…

I could think of no better soil to plant myself in than you… and no better a one to give all of myself to.

“…Magic?” Pinkie suggested.

“Reflecting or absorptive.” Twilight sighed. “I don’t see how it could also have internal magic.” Seeing Pinkie’s mild confusion, she attempted to clarify, “It’s like expecting water to flow through a plank. It can’t.”

“What are the pair doing, though?” Kitty asked.

“Who knows!” Twilight said, worn. “Bushy doesn’t speak at all and the crystal one is impossible to study via magic and is completely impossible no matter what way you look at it.”

“Wait.” Pinkie said, hesitating. “Bushy doesn’t speak.” She said, the group eyeing her, Pinkie thoughtful. Then, slowly, Pinkie said, “Bushy makes sounds. Animals make sounds. Animals don’t speak. Fluttershy can talk to animals.”

Then, leaping, she exclaimed, “Fluttershy can talk to Bushy!”

“…Could she?” Kitty asked, doubtful as he eyes the plant filly.

“…It might not be a bad idea.” Twilight said, thoughtful. “Fluttershy can communicate with animals; except Bushy isn’t an animal.”

“She moves and makes sound!” Pinkie said.

“But she’s no plant either; at least not a true one.” Twilight said. “…Zecora might know something more about Bushy at least, and we can get Fluttershy to at least try.”

But I want to know, did you hurt yourself getting that to show?

…I have to break myself at least a little to show my core. All my kind does.

Oh, you, you!

You lost a leg helping me and all of your flowers are gone. I’m no more hurt than you are.

…Put yourself back and lie down.

Bushy’s movement had the group look, to see the bulb gone, and the dark pink thing retracting. The crystal filly laid down, and rolled onto its side, broken one up, and they watched as a branch detached from the plant filly to nick itself on the crystal shards.

Ow.

You don’t have to,

I do too. Shush.

And then it began picking up discarded crystal shards, tiny roots grabbing them, touching the harmed portion, and placing them back.

“…What’s it doing?” Spike asked.

“…I think Crystal hurt herself and Bushy’s helping her get back together.” Pinkie said.

“And that could even work?” Twilight asked before pausing, the group then noticing a faintly golden glow where Bushy was working.

…Warm.

I got better, right? I practiced!

It feels like it. Alright, enough. I can get the rest.

Bushy stopped, and the crystal filly lightly shone. It was hard to see due to the semi-translucent nature of the crystal making it up, but the ‘wound’ visibly regrew until it gleamed, perfect again.

The crystal filly slowly got back up as the group watched, before Twilight shook her head and sighed, a little unhappy. That sight alone defeated her understanding of the crystal filly completely, and implied there was a lot more to the plant filly than she ever might have imagined.

“…So, now what?” Spike asked, wondering.

“Bring Bushy and Crystal to Fluttershy, right?” Pinkie suggested, looking to Twilight.

“Don’t touch either.” Twilight said, firm. “Go and bring Fluttershy here while I and Kitty keep an eye on the pair, and I’ll write a quick letter to Celestia about this.”

So, now what?

Well… More exploring? See the giant thing over there; I think its these ponies kind of woodcraft! Maybe we can find out where they built it?

…Maybe. We need to get your leg back before anything else first.

Need to plant myself for that. I can hop!

“Got it!” Pinkie chirped, saluting before rushing off as Bushy hopped around the table.

“I’ll grab some paper.” Spike said, hurrying off himself.

Kitty eyed the hopping Bushy, and remarked, “It’s strange, isn’t it?”

“They’re both complete and total enigmas.” Twilight sighed.

“I mean in what they appear to be.” Kitty tried to clarify. As Twilight looked up to eye him, he continued, “Both resemble children, do they not? And just in sight alone, one could not guess as to how dangerous either could be.”

“Both are incredibly dangerous.” Twilight responded, spotting the plant filly looking down off the table, the crystal filly coming up behind it slowly. After a moment, Bushy hopped down, landing surprisingly well. “Don’t let the plant one near you.”

“For fear it will drain my blood?” Kitty asked, and Twilight nodded, keeping an eye on it as it looked up as the crystal filly looked down from atop the table.

I can catch you! Just fall!

…Ready?

Ready!

Kitty watched as the crystal filly slowly began to slip off the table, as if afraid of the short drop. “…Pinkie said that she ‘scared’ Bushy.” He murmured. “Which led to her being ‘bitten’, and Bushy growing much larger. I wonder… Twilight?” he asked as the crystal filly dropped onto the plant one, which collapsed under it.

Got you!

T, thanks.

“Perhaps you ‘scared’ the crystal one somehow?” Kitty asked.

Twilight paused at that. After a moment, she shook her head, and said, “I don’t think so.” as Spike came back, which had the drakling pause.

“Don’t think what?” he asked as he resumed walking over as the pair got up.

“Kitty thinks I might have scared the crystal one somehow.” Twilight told him, looking up at Kitty, who was watching the pair, but a glance towards Twilight suggested he was pondering the idea.

“…Maybe you did.” Spike remarked.

“What?”

“You examined it, like, six times in a row.” Spike told her. “With bigger and bigger spells too; from experience, its not very fun having those done to you.”

Twilight paused then, thinking, and recalling.

The crystal filly had reflected spells at first; breaking spell forms apart on its outer layer. The stronger ones had managed to penetrate, but the first few had garnered no reaction from the filly, save for it eventually starting to absorb magic and producing pure mana, which it didn’t reabsorb.

It wasn’t until the last time it had reacted.

By recasting her manifold examination spell dozens of times.

Which, Twilight suddenly realized, would have completely overwhelmed it from the sheer bulk of information as dozens and dozens of spells would tell it about everything they happened to hit, all at basically the same time.

That would obviously lead to panic as it failed to comprehend what had just happened. And her attempts to catch it afterwards might have only furthered the same sense of panic and fear:

It would undoubtably know that she had used the spell which had overwhelmed it so; leading to it fearing her, and her attempts to chase after it only ensured it feared her all the more.

Which meant…

Which meant that every dangerous thing it had done had been done in panic and fear and maybe even desperation.

“…Twilight?” Kitty asked, Twilight staring at nothing in particular.

“…M, maybe I did scare it.” Twilight murmured, a touch stunned. She shook herself, and spotted the two heading out of the room together; the slow movement of the crystal one calming her otherwise worried reaction. “Alright, follow them, let them approach you, and just, keep an eye open, just in case.” She said, following. “Ready for that letter, Spike?”

“Ready.” the drakling acknowledged as he followed her.

“The sooner we know more, the better.” Twilight sighed, and she began dictating a letter for Princess Celestia, telling her all she knew about the pair as the trio followed the pair.