The Children of the Earth

by Amaranthine Thought

Rating: everyone
Tags: Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 21319

An ancient prophesy has finally come to pass, and celebration rings out, a new age nigh; but the keys to that new age have other plans, and in their disobedience, an even older grudge may finally be ended.

On Equestria, there is no place quite so unknown as deep under the earth. It is known that caverns go down. And down, and down, and down, breaking even the hardiest of explorer's will to keep descending. Nopony truly knows where those caverns go, what's inside of them, of really, why they're even there at all. they just know their old, and they're right:

Those holes are old as the dawn itself. And they're not empty. Far, far down under the earth, something's down there. Many something's; ancient somethings. Once, in a long forgotten age, they hadn't always been down there.

And now something's come up. And a wish to take a life into one's own hooves will upset actually everything. Everything. This normally innocent act might even bring a cataclysm unthought of to Equestria, in fact.

But it just might cause an ancient grudge to come to an end, break a prophecy, and reunite that which has for so long sat asunder than neither part recalls being of the same whole.

Published 2022-02-01 04:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-07-08 21:38:52 UTC

Chapter 2

There’s my missing part!

The crystal filly stopped, suddenly, Applejack hesitating, frowning more at it; feeling it was up to something, and worried it was going to start glowing again like it had before. It took a few moments for her to note that the lights in its carved eyes weren’t ‘looking’ at her anymore; a second after, and it began moving again, but not quite directly at her like before.

Applejack hesitated at that, and moved out of its way as it neared her, feeling it wasn’t focused on her anymore for some reason. She watched it head past, confirming her suspicion, before she startled, spotting the plant filly again.

Blinking in surprise, she saw the plant filly pick up the fallen branch, and bring it close to itself. The wood wiggled, the rest making up the filly doing the same, and Applejack felt fairly uncomfortable, watching it all shifting so as to reintroduce the branch to the whole.

That’s better!

The plant filly looked at the crystal one heading towards it, standing still.

Hey, you caught up! There’s so much I have to tell you! I saw so many things I don’t have words for and that’s just counting the things these ponies, oof!

The crystal filly rammed into the plant one, pushing it back somewhat, before it stopped, the plant filly shifting only enough to stand steady and look at the crystal one before the pair went still.

Y, you, you dummy! I, I thought you were dead!

I’m fine! Got all my bits and nothing’s missing or broken or anything! And everything’s been great!

…W, why did that one have one of your branches!

Applejack, watching, saw the crystal filly vaguely gestures a hoof at her before it went still again. She cocked her head, confused, failing to understand just what was going on.

I guess it picked it up after I fell apart.

H, huh?

It picked me up when I was all relaxed and rooted and dropped me right into a huge bucket of water! Totally came apart.

…B, but why would it,

I think they were doing me a favor. The soil here is just great; way better than what I’d had before! I got to pull myself back together with it and it’s just, wow! I bet I’m going to blossom super good after this!

…And, and it walked off with one of your branches?

Well, my branch got here somehow, right? Weird of them, huh?

If, if it got away with,

But they didn’t, did they? You stopped them, didn’t you?

…Y, yeah.

Just like how I knew you would! I wasn’t worried at all when I noticed my branch was missing, because I knew you had it well in hoof! And you did, just like how I knew you would!

H, how could you have known that I’d,

Because I trust you.

An odd snap had Applejack startle, and crackling sounds came soon after; quiet pops and snaps. Uncertain, she crept closer, listening, and wondering if those odd sounds were the crystal filly breaking up or something, before stopping as the plant filly hugged the crystal one, the crackling fading.

It’s fine, it’s fine… I have all my bits, I’m not hurt, I wasn't in any trouble or danger or anything. You don’t have to cry.

…J, just promise me that you won’t run off like that again.

I promise. No more getting over-excited and rushing off! We’ll see everything together, from now on!

The plant filly stopped hugging the crystal one, and looked at Applejack, who hesitate das it did so, and tensed as it approached her, the crystal one slowly moving to turn in place to look that way itself.

Now that that’s done, who is this? What’s that you got on your head, and why does your flank have that extra color on it?

W, wait, that one’s dangerous! D, don’t get close!

Dangerous? Don’t be silly! They’re ponies, just super different than you or me! They look like rough stone, but they’re actually pretty soft; it couldn’t hurt me if it tried to!

…

Hm. The brown thing on the head is really weird, but the color on their flank is a picture! It’s a tree, with red blobs on the green. Hey, the trees nearby; they got a kind of reddish thing up in them! Do you think the picture is of them?

Applejack watched the filly stop near her, looking up at her. Then look at her flank, before shifting to look behind it to the crystal filly, which stood still a short distance away, the blue light in its eyes shifting between it and Applejack.

You know, there was a youngling from before that had a red thing on its head. Do you think the brown thing is the same as that?

I, I don’t know.

…What happened to the soil over here?

The plant filly moved away, stopping near the burned line of earth. It put a hoof on it, and then went still again.

I don’t remember this being here before…It’s super dry, and kind of hot too?

I, I don’t know how that happened.

Huh?

I just got really mad and there was this really bright light and it just sort of happened.

You did this?

…I think so?

Do it again!

H, huh?

Do it again! I want to see it! Please?

The crystal filly moved near the plant one, and stopped there. A moment after, it then oriented itself towards the burned line of earth.

I, I’ll try to. I think I remember how it happened…

Applejack startled a little as the crystal filly began to shine again, and backed away as that shine grew to a blinding glare once more. Just like before, that blinding shine left it, and drew another burned line into the earth.

After a moment, the plant filly jumped, just once.

WOW!

T, that… really heats me up.

Oh, bad thing?

…I don’t think so?

Then let me tell you that that was the most special, great, beautiful, wow, and all other goods words thing that I EVER SAW.

…R, really?

Really! That was even better than the light on the blue ceiling! I loved it! Come here, you!

W, wait, I’m very,

Ow, ow, ow.

The plant filly hugged the crystal one again, but recoiled near instantly that time, Applejack noting lightly toasted portions of wood as it firmly shook itself, producing a rustling sound.

Hot right now. Are you O.K?

Ow, y, yeah, just, just a little bark burn. You did get hot!

“Applejack!”

Applejack looked before flinching as Rainbow arrived in a quick rush, buffeting her with a strong gust as the pegasus stopped next to her, looking at the two odd fillies nearby for a moment before looking at Applejack, confused. “I saw it flash again, but what’s going on now? Why’s there a bush filly there?”

“Don’t specially know.” Applejack answered, noting a distant purple form coming closer. “Speakin short, th plant one was first. An don’t do anythin!” she snapped as Rainbow startled, the plant filly hurrying to her. “Pretty sure it jus wants ta stare at ya real quick, an th crystal one stopped attackin after it came back.”

Rainbow glanced at her, uncomfortable as she looked at the plant filly in front of her, worriedly staring at the green glow that at least seemed to be its eyes. She lightly flapped, ready to leap back and away at the slightest hint of danger, but, as Applejack said, the filly just stared at her, glancing at her flank before resuming staring at her.

That is the best group of whatever it is you guys got on you; just why is it so colorful! I love it! Got a touch of it on your flank too, right under that white patch; you’re so lucky, being that colorful! But what are those things on your back? And did I just see you drop off the blue ceiling up there? You’re the same blue, so, maybe?

Remember those other things we saw? The ones that made lots of sound up in the trees?

…Oh! Yeah! The things on this pony are a little like those other things, aren’t they?

Except this one wasn’t leaping, or dropping either; it was moving through the air.

…Really?

Yeah. Really fast too.

You call me really fast.

You’re as fast as a stone compared to that one.

…That’s fast. Oh, look, another one! They are moving through the air!

Twilight landed nearby, getting as far as, “Apple,” before the plant filly rushed to her, making her stop and stare at it.

“That one’s safe. I think.” Applejack told her as Twilight looked at the crystal filly, stepping a little closer before stopping a short distance away.

“W, what’s going on?” Twilight asked, noting the two burned line on the ground before focusing on Applejack, glancing at the crystal filly again. “Rainbow told me you were being attacked by a crystal filly?”

Why do you have that stalagmite on your head? You got the extra things o your back too! But what’s the picture on your flank supposed to be? Or is it just colors, like the big picture I saw back in the tree-structure? And oh, hey, look at their faces! They all got these cracks, and they open up and they’re red inside with these little white stones!

I see that.

“It was, afore th plant one came back.” Applejack told her, glancing at the crystal filly, her gaze drawn by the motion in its eyes; they flicked around, and odd as they were, seemed to mark where it was focusing, the lights seeming to be switching between the three ponies. “Seems it calmed it down er somethin; don’t rightly know how, but it did.”

See those long, colorful things on their heads and ends? Those aren’t vines at all! But they’re really stuck to them, and they’re super thin! There has to be, like, thousands of them to make up those masses!

Really?

I didn’t count or anything, but look at them! Thick as I am, but you can pick just one out and it’s as tiny as my littlest roots!

“Came back?” Twilight asked, confused.

“Right. Let’s me start where I did.” Applejack said, thinking. “I was sittin down relaxin after gettin th noonday work done when Applebloom comes burstin inta th house. Hardly turned ta ask her what she was doin, cause she n th girls went to th clubhouse not an hour ago, when she leapt atop th counter. Got her down, noticed th other girls weren’t with her, and I got her to tell me that they met some weird pony that she said had been joked ta not talk, and that she wanted ta cure em. So I got th cure we have on hoof, an followed her ta where Sweetie n Scoots were getting a bucket an this pony ready.”

That’s a lot of sounds from you. Are you singing or something?

You think it’s singing?

Well… if they are, they sound pretty bad. But the others made a lot of sounds too, just like this. It’s really weird that none of them has said anything yet though; they have to be really good at focusing to not let us overhear them this close. But I don’t think that they don’t want to talk to us; they just won’t for some reason I haven’t figured out just yet.

“Got there ta find th plant one, standin in a big wet patch next ta an overturned tub with Sweetie n Scoots nearby. Applebloom n th girls set th tub up agin while I stared at the plant one. Didn’t have those green lights on it when I saw it then, an I was unsure it even was a pony, but it weren’t movin so I figured ta jus go through with th idea n see what happened. Once th bath was ready, th girls told me it didn’t speak an ta jus pick it up n get it in, so I did. An it fell apart, jus like how a timberwolf woulda.”

…A cracked core can make somepony not be able to talk.

What?

It doesn’t happen to your kind, but it can to mine. I heard that making sound can make up for that, but you have to learn how to make the right ones and how to understand it too.

That, that’s terrible! You don’t think they all got hurt sometime before, do you? But wait… I talk to them a lot and they don’t respond at all. It still doesn’t make sense!

“Girls got a bit upset over it, cause they thought it were a pony, but I told em it weren’t, an it ain’t.” Applejack continued. “Grabbed a branch thinkin I could get it ta you n maybe you’d know more when I saw somethin shinin back by th farmhouse. Found th crystal one there, walkin real slow till it noticed me n th girls, n then made a sound like draggin a nail down a window, n it sped up.”

“I told th girls ta stay back, got ready ta buck it, jus in case it was worse n it is, bucked it, an it felt like I’d tried ta buck an anvil. Barely had time ta react afore it grabbed me, swung me around like I weighed nothin afore throwin me up inta th clouds! Thank Celestia Rainbow was there, and she got me back down safe, where it was going fer Scoots.”

Well… they can make these really loud sounds. They really surprised me a couple of times!

I can be really loud.

A totally different kind of loud; you have to hear it to know though. Maybe they’ll be loud so you can?

“One of the burns over there happened after I grabbed it.” Rainbow said, gesturing at the blackened earth. “I figured I could just pick it up, but it’s super heavy, and I couldn’t. I kept trying and then it got hot and really bright and then it did whatever it did to do that, and nearly hit Scootaloo.”

“So I told Rainbow ta grab th girls n go n get you.” Applejack said as Rainbow frowned at the crystal filly, recalling. “Since I figured you’d be th pony ta be able ta do somethin. Pretty sure I coulda kept it busy till ya got here, but moments after Rainbow left, it stopped. Then it hurried past me to th plant filly, back from fallin apart, picking up th branch I’d taken afore, an it put it back.”

“Put it back?” Twilight asked.

“I never saw wood wiggle n I never want ta agin neither.” Applejack half-answered, frowning.

So many sounds… The others didn’t make half this many sounds, and you’re still going. Don’t you ever get tired?

How it making all that anyway?

I think its their cracks. Every time it opens or moves, more sound. I haven’t gotten a good look inside one of them yet, but there’s more moving things inside it too. Oh, wait! You want to see their eyes!

Huh? I want to see their eyes?

Yeah! Come closer, and if they look at you again, look right at their eyes!

…Why?

And spoil a surprise? You’re going to love it, I promise!

“…So, when did it make that other flash I saw coming back?” Rainbow asked, wondering.

“Fer some reason, it up n did it agin.” Applejack told her, shrugging. “And afore I’m done, ya’ll should know that it pushed inta th plant one, th plant one hugged it, n it made these weird snappin sounds a little bit; sort of like peanuts when they’re being broke, cept not really. Plant filly also jumped after it did that thing agin, n it ain’t done anything bad since th plant one came back, cept burnin more ground. That’s all; think ya kin figure somethin out, Twi?”

“I’d think so.” Twilight said, eyeing the pair, both of whom stood near her, next to each other, looking up at her.

See it, see it?

…That, that… But, but it’s not crystal or water! H, how is it reflecting us!

I have no idea, but it’s just great, isn’t it? They got color in them too!

Y, yeah... I see that.

A moment passed, Twilight thoughtful, before her horn lit as she readied to examine the pair. The plant filly suddenly rustled as her magic moved over it, but to Twilight’s surprise, the same spell was reflected off the crystal filly; the same surprise ending the spell early, Twilight stunned by what she’d sensed.

Weird! What was that!

M, m, magic? It can use magic?

Magic? What’s that?

Something only my kind are supposed to have! But that stone on its head isn’t a crystal! How is it using that dull thing to use magic!

“Somethin th matter, Twi?” Applejack asked, noting Twilight’s surprise.

“…The crystal one reflected my spell.” Twilight told them. “Except, not really…”

“…Could you explain for those that haven’t spent their whole life learning magic?” Rainbow asked.

“Well… spell reflection for crystals is fairly uncommon, usually happening when a crystal has a large, smooth, flat surface.” Twilight told them. “In any case, the spell is normally perfectly reflected; think of it like a hoofball thrown against a wall; it bounces back.” As the pair nodded, Twilight continued, “That also happened here, except half the hoofball went into the wall while the other half exploded.”

“That don’t make any sense.” Applejack remarked, frowning as she and Rainbow imagined the idea.

“Well, maybe it’s more like the second half broke into many pieces and went everywhere instead.” Twilight sighed. “Magic doesn’t work well in a physical metaphor; short version is that my spell didn’t work at all on the crystal filly.”

“…An th plant one?

“Oh, right. Give me a second.”

Oh, weird, weird, weird!

What do you think you’re doing to my friend!

W, wait, wait, wait! Let, let th, them do, do it!

W, what?

I, I want to know more! And, and this doesn’t hu, hurt, it’s just, just oh, weird!

Applejack and Rainbow both stared as the plant filly rustled as Twilight focused on it. The whole thing visibly shivered, but so too did the tips of the wood making it up; most easily seen at its hooves, where they seemed to ‘splay out’, wiggling wood patting at the earth and acting almost like a worm.

After a moment, Applejack shuddered, looking away, disquieted, but Rainbow leaned closer, curious, but cautious. She lightly touched at its hoof, and swiftly yanked back as the wiggling wood there instantly reacted and moved towards her.

Then Twilight nodded, and the filly ceased rustling. It drooped a moment before firmly shaking itself, wood returning to its original, tightly bound positions, and looked up at Twilight again.

Wow that felt really weird. Like I was being poked everywhere, but not really.

You O.K?

Yep! It wasn’t bad at all! And I want to know more about this one! Let’s follow it!

…What if it goes into the air though?

…Hope they don’t.

“Alright.” Twilight said. “The plant filly is mostly comprised of wood and soil, with the wood forming a kind of shell for the earthen interior; which bears a striking resemblance to the soil here I should note.” She added, glancing at it before looking back to the other two. “Which seems to imply it… grew here, maybe?” she suggested, thoughtful. “Perhaps starting out as a small bush?”

“I’d think I’da noticed.” Applejack said. “It’s summer, but it ain’t like th orchard needs tendin anyway, n how’d anypony miss a bush wit white wood, or one that kin move?”

“Just an idea. Otherwise, there’s an underlying magic that helps to keep the soil comprising it all together; so it doesn’t crumble or fall out when its moving I think. The same is likely used to manipulate the wood on it.”

“…Mostly wood and soil, you said.” Rainbow remarked. “What else is in it?”

“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, its organic, moving, and stuffed with that same magic I mentioned earlier.” Twilight told her. “In fact, I’d bet that whatever it is, it’s the real ‘being’ of the plant filly.”

“What?” Applejack asked, confused.

“…It’s likely, maybe very likely, that something is ‘planted’ in the soil which is then supported by the wood, that is, in fact, the actual pony, while what we’re seeing is only the shape it decided to take. Since you said it ‘fell apart’ in water before coming back and taking back its missing branch, this is extremely likely. It’s really too bad you didn’t see it first starting to reform itself; that might have given us a real clue about its real nature.”

“…We could do it again, maybe?” Rainbow suggested.

“…That might be a bad idea.” Twilight said, glancing at the crystal filly. “At least until we get to know more about the pair, the crystal filly could turn aggressive again if we do anything that could be taken as bad to its friend.”

“What friend?” Applejack asked.

“The plant filly.” Twilight told her. As the confusion didn’t abate, she continued, “You said the crystal filly made a horrible sound once you first got close to it; it might have gotten mad because it saw you holding a branch, thought you’d hurt its friend, and attacked purely because of that. Once the plant filly came back, it realized it was wrong and wasn’t mad at you anymore.”

“…Suppose.” Applejack sighed, thinking. “But what are they exactly? Sides wood n dirt n crystal I mean. Figured that one could be a timberpony, but I ain’t never heard o a crystal pony.”

…It’s not doing anything but moving its head and making sound.

Oh, come on! Be interesting!

“…Canterlot archives might be the best place to learn something about this pair.” Twilight said, thinking before looking at the two. “Just off the top of my head, this particular pair is impossibly rare, but maybe something like them has at least been seen before, and hopefully studied. If I could get them into a lab, I could learn a lot more about them myself.”

“Well, they don’t speak n apparently don’t understand neither.” Applejack told her.

“And the crystal one’s super heavy.” Rainbow supplied. “Unless magic can pick it up despite that?”

“Heavy is heavy, magic or hoof.” Twilight told her, watching the pair. A part of her suggested the pair had been focused on her for a while now; after a moment, she tested, and stepped away.

And the two stepped closer, to her pleasant surprise. A few tentative checks assured her they appeared to be following her.

Finally, something else!

Why’s it keep looking back at us?

Maybe they want to keep us close too? Like they’re constantly checking to see if we’re still here!

Why would it?

…Because they want to know about us as much as we do about them?

As much as you do, maybe. I don’t like it.

“Alright, they’re following!” Twilight chirped as she moved, watching the plant filly easily follow her, and the crystal one slowly walk after it, Twilight herself keeping slow to better match the crystal filly. “With any luck, they’ll walk with me all the way back to my lab!”

“…At the speed of a snail.” Rainbow remarked, eyeing the pace the group was going at.

“It’s fine.” Twilight said, waving her off. “I have the time!”

“Think ya need help?” Applejack asked.

“No, I’m good! I’ll get back to you if I figure anything out! You should maybe go and tell the girls that everything’s alright now, though; don’t want them to worry.”

“Rainbow,”

“On it!” the pegasus assured, rushing off.

“…Welp, I got some chores ta do. Might come by later ta see how yer doin; what’s th chance I’m gonna find ya somewhere outside o Ponyville by th time I come lookin?”

“I’m not moving that slow, Applejack!” Twilight laughed, waving as she went. “I’ll be studying these two long before the sun goes down!”

…This is taking forever.

I’m sorry.

Wait, no, no, I’m not blaming you! It’s just that, wherever they’re going, it’s really far. If we were home, we would have gotten from the steamy stones all the way to the washing pools! Just how big is outside?

Twilight was starting to wear down, the young alicorn dropping as she slowly trudged along the path to Ponyville. It had never felt so long before.

The two strange fillies still followed her, and gave no indication they were about to stop. But in order to ensure they kept following her, she had to move at the same pace as the crystal filly, to ensure she didn’t leave it behind. She’d thought it would be alright before, but just as she’d started having doubts that it actually would, the filly had slowed down, adopting a pace that reminded Twilight of turtles. Old turtles.

Which had her taking one, slow, deliberate step at a time down the long, featureless path back to Ponyville. At that pace, the fields actually seemed endless, otherwise short distance appearing to stretch out, the hot sun above beating down like a curse despite the otherwise moderate heat of that particular day.

Ooh, what’s that!

The plant filly rushed a bit ahead to stare at a butterfly as it flew, Twilight sighing to herself as she saw it. Then she stopped, unwilling to keep going, and turned to look back at the crystal filly behind her. Then she paused, noticing something:

Rainbow had said the crystal filly had been incredibly heavy, but there were no hoofprints behind it; which there should be, even in dry earth, if Rainbow hadn’t been able to lift it.

What did you… it’s looking at me!

It’s fine!

It’s reaching for me!

Whatever they’re doing, let them! I wonder what they’re up to…?

Twilight reached for it, and gently tapped it; producing a surprisingly pleasant note from the crystal filly. She blinked, wondering, and tapped a few more times, each tap producing a very similar note, varying on how hard she hit and where she did so.

It’s touching me!

I heard! I bet they’re curious!

But, but,

Don’t worry. I’m right here with you; and they don’t want to hurt you. Just relax, and let’s see what they’re up to!

…

The filly didn’t move during the touches, though Twilight noted the lights in its carved eyes shifting; moving almost like pupils might in a real eye, Twilight noted. The plant filly came to stand nearby, and testing, Twilight lightly pushed against the crystal filly.

And completely unlike how Rainbow described, found it surprisingly light, even her gentle push enough to shift it.

It, it just bullied me!

Did you see how their leg moved? It’s like a mix between mine and yours!

D, don’t you care that it just pushed me!

I don’t think they mean it like you would. I mean, they’ve been super strange so far, and it’d be really weird if they suddenly wanted to bully you. They have to be curious: after all, they’re making you make sound, and they make lots of sound. And with the huge light up there, you’re glittering a whole lot! Oh, they’re doing something!

Taking a slight chance, Twilight sat down, and carefully readied to try picking it up, first touching and waiting for any rection. Other than the lights moving, there was nothing, so, carefully, she picked it up, stopping once it was reared up.

The motion had been surprisingly difficult to do, despite the light weight, and Twilight has stopped lifting due to concern directly caused by that odd difficulty moving. Wondering and curious, she leaned close, noting near invisible joints that allowed its motion, albeit very restricted and oddly slow motion; it was as if it didn’t want to move, and if she hadn’t seen it walking before, would have suspected that. But she knew that it suffered the same difficulty she was feeling.

I, I, I really don’t like this!

You’re fine, you’re fine! They’re just looking real closely, and they’re being nice and gentle too! Hey, while you’re up there, try and get a better look at that rock on their head; its right near you.

…It, it’s smooth and ha, has a, ah, ahh!

Twilight flinched at the sudden keening sound as she lifted more, the hind hooves leaving the ground for a brief moment before she put it back down quickly, checking for any hint of accidental damage.

Not good, not good!

Don’t panic, don’t panic! Did they hurt you?

…N, n, no, b, but,

Just relax. They don’t mean any harm. And you don’t understand right now, but they want to help you.

H, huh?

Just like the one that uprooted me and dropped me into the bucket! I didn’t get it at all until I realized how good the soil there was! I got to pull myself back together not just with great soil, but recently wet soil too! I never felt anything better! And this one is trying to be helpful too, I’m sure!

…B, but what if,

It’s going to be alright. Besides, its not like this one is stronger than you! They don’t have any hard points except maybe that rock on its head, and you’re way harder than some pointy rock! Just relax, and let it happen!

…Its not doing it again, though.

There didn’t appear to be anything wrong, Twilight noted; nothing she could see anyway. She got back to her hooves with a tiny relief that it was alright and a stronger sense of depression.

Do what they did before; maybe you scared them a little.

…Al, alright…

A moment after Twilight sighed again, beset by a very mild despair, thinking herself doomed to very slowly walk back to Ponyville, the crystal filly produced a harmonic sound, surprising her. She blinked, and watched as it made several more, beautiful, clear notes, before, to her greater surprise, it very slowly reared up before stopping, perfectly still if not for the lights in its eyes.

She stared a moment before she smiled at it; it’s meaning was clear then, and that it was behaving so indicated, if nothing else, that it did have like behaviors to normal ponies.

They’re showing you their white stones! I think it, it’s working, it’s working! Just relax, relax!

O, ooh…

Twilight carefully picked it up, treating it with extreme care that time; she heard a few quiet keening sounds, but they stopped once she got it onto her back. The filly was hard, but lighter than a filly its own size, and after a moment, gently held on to her, Twilight taking it as confirmation she’d understood it.

It’s carrying you! See, see, I was right, wasn’t I? It did want to help you!

H, how does this help me…?

You can just relax while it does the walking for you! Better, you can examine it closely! See if you can figure out what the not vines on its head are, why it looks rough but isn’t, and what those strange parts are one its back! Ooh, you’re so lucky!

A few testing motions told her the crystal filly wouldn’t slip off, and that it would grip harder if it might be about to. Once sure of that, Twilight gave a sigh of relief and brightened considerably, setting off at a normal pace, only hesitating long enough to ensure the plant filly was keeping with her, which it was.

Well? Anything?

…It, it’s really soft. And warm; why’s it warm?

I don’t know. I could maybe find out, but invading somepony else is really rude you know. I need permission to do that. How about the not-vines?

I, I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this.

The things on their back?

…They’re a part of it. They’re tougher than the rest of it; tough as wood, maybe, but they’re not wood. I think I feel something with my hind hoof; do you see any better?

You’re moving the stuff covering it. If you don’t feel it, then all that has to be like, super light! Anything else?

N, no. Sorry.

It’s fine! I didn’t figure anything out either! Why don’t you take a quick nap while you can?

I, I don’t think I can.

Sure you can! Just look at you, all laid out up there, and you even said they were warm, and you like warm. Isn’t it, like, super relaxing?

N, not really…

Well… Just enjoy the trip then. Fastest you’ve ever been, right?

Haha.

Haha!

Chapter 4

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.

Chapter 1

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.

Chapter 3

Now at a normal pace, Twilight finally reached Ponyville once again, the young alicorn growing a little excited, now that her home was in sight and soon enough, she’d figure out the odd pair with her.

As she got into town, the curious pair attracted attention from those nearby; ponies surprised to see Twilight bearing a strange crystal, and more, to see the leafy, woody filly that walked near her, looking all around itself.

There’s so many of them here… and it’s so colorful…

…Yeah.

The plant filly slowed down, Twilight not noticing, too preoccupied with her thoughts and otherwise ignoring the stares of ponies nearby; she was fairly used to that by then. In moments, she’d left it behind, the plant filly still, looking around itself.

Why is everything colorful? Why is that sound everywhere? What are you all doing? Where are you all going, why are you all moving so much? Why are you all different colors, why do some of you have the extra parts on your back, or the stone on your heads? It’s all so mysterious! But better than that, it’s… it’s beautiful!

You’re all as colorful as the flowers, each with your own special picture! Your homes are just as colorful! I love those things on your back! I love the stalagmite thing on your head! I love how your eyes let me see you, seeing me! All your sounds and all your motion and all your things, it’s all BEAUTIFUL!

Ponies hesitated as they heard rustling, and once they saw the plant filly, its leaves rustling on their own as it moved into the marketplace, followed by a curious group, they stared, the filly moving chaotically through the area.

What is all this! What are you carrying! What is that thing! What kind of structure is that! Why did you put a bunch of plants atop a wooden thing like that! What is that thing on your face, covering your eyes! You’re covered in cracks, your not-vines go up instead of down, you got flowers in them!

Everything’s so colorful! Everything! Why are you all so colorful, why are the structures so colorful? Where did you find the color you can touch that you colored everything with! I want to, wha, what is that! Look at that! It sparkles, it shines, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before! Is, is that where the color comes from! Let me see too! I want color too!

Pinkie noticed the curious commotion outside Sugarcube Corner, and instantly perked up because of it. Wanting to know, she headed outside, eager to discover what had everypony interested.

Like everypony else, she stared as she too saw the plant filly, that was then rustling as if it was constantly being shaken, looking around itself as if everything needed to be seen, right then, and generally heading her way, weaving past stunned ponies.

Pinkie stared a second before she beamed, dismissing any confusion she did feel about it. It looked like a pony, it was new, and that’s all she truly cared about, then and there deciding to treat it like she would anypony else. She bounded to it, and it stopped, looking at her.

“Hi there!” she greeted, lightly hopping in eagerness. “You’re new!”

Your sounds are different! And you move so much! Everything, up and down and up and down! You came from the color place, can I go in! I want to go in, I want to color too, I want to become colorful too! Please, please, please!

Pinkie beamed more as the filly hopped in place, the bright mare giving a happy squeal, seeing her action mimicked; that always meant times ahead were going to be extra fun. “Get ready!” she told it, grabbing on. “Bet your buds I knock those leaves off you and give you a welcome party like you’ve never seen before!”

This place… It, it reminds me of the temple…

“Spike!” Twilight called as she finally got back to her home, entering into the grand entry hall. “Spike, library, magical study and practice room!” she called, knowing he’d hear her and be waiting, heading there herself.

Wh, whoa… Y, you are loud… like nothing I heard before…

Spike, in the library himself, startled a little at her return, and hurried out of his hiding hole to one of the rooms adjoining the library, the magical study and practice room. He opened the door and waited, wondering what Twilight was up to; the cmc had told him about the events at the farm, and Rainbow had later told them and him it was all fine now.

What, what is all this…?

As she came, he asked, “What happened?”

“In a moment Spike.” Twilight told him, too eager to begin her study right then, Spike hesitating as he saw crystal on her back; though it looked rather strange to be crystal to him. He followed her inside and shut the door, and turned to find Twilight gently trying to get the crystal filly off of her.

As it did so, Spike paused, seeing it for what it was then. “…Is that the ‘crystal filly’ the girls told me about? The one that attacked Applejack?”

There, there’s so much magic here, but, but stone shouldn’t… May, maybe it’s those crystals on that table? I, I don’t understand…

“Yes.” Twilight answered, getting on her own hooves and turning to see it. A brief lived thought wondered where the plant one was before she decided it was nearby; she was too eager to finally get insight into the crystal filly to be too concerned about the other. “Get the notes, we’re going to be learning!” she told him, focusing.

Recalling her last attempt, Twilight first tested it by repeating the same. Getting the same results as Spike got a notepad and pen, she then readied a stronger spell, and used that.

W, whoa!

The spell partially reflected, as before, but it gave Twilight a better insight into the exact mechanism. “General examination doesn’t seem to work.” She said, Spike jotting down as she spoke, Twilight then suspecting that the filly simply had many reflective surfaces on it; unusual perhaps, but considering the filly itself, nothing shocking. “It’ll likely work better if I focus it into a point; let’s see.”

Oh, oh! Wha, what is this!

Twilight nodded as her modified spell penetrated, noting that even the pointed spell struggled to get through. “High spell reflectivity.” She noted, before startling as she sensed something, blinking at the crystal filly. Wondering, she repeated the spell, stronger than before.

Ah!

She got a better response that time, noting the crystal filly’s eyes lightly glow a brief moment, but far more important was what she’d found inside of it.

There was such a thing as a mana conduit; a very particular crystal that would channel magic through it in very particular fashions. They were created via magic, as no natural crystal would ever form so particularly as to become a mana conduit.

Yet, one such conduit existed within the crystal filly; or, Twilight told herself, calming back down, something a lot like one. “…Double checking results.” She said, repeating the spell.

Eek!

There was no spell reflection at all that time; that shock, however, was swiftly overcome by the spell’s results, Spike hesitating as the filly’s eyes lit a bright pink. The filly didn’t have a mana conduit in it.

It had a multitude of mana conduits within it. Impossibly interconnected to one another, forcing Twilight’s spell through a particular path through them, and swiftly breaking the spell apart as the impossible pathway diverged, tearing the spell form to pieces.

This was impossible, Twilight knew: mana conduits required a near exact structure, and were in no way able to ‘connect’ to one another. Yet, her spell had found just that, except mana conduits were not just connected, but sharing space with other conduits, and forming coherent ‘pathways’ through the filly. That also split into others.

Spike eyed Twilight’s gape, Twilight herself stunned by the revelation, and then mildly upset by what it also told her:

Due to that same structure, it would be actually impossible to understand the exact design of the conduits. Any spell would be forced away by another conduit long before it could reveal the exact crystalline structure.

“Twilight?” Spike asked.

Twilight shook herself, determined to find out more, the filly’s eyes slowly losing their glow. “…Detecting multiple mana conduits cooperating within the target. It seems there’s a sort of system to send magic through the target as well.”

Ah… ha…

“Attempting a manifold spell form; it should survive better and give me a complete picture.”

Ah!

Again, Twilight sensed no reflection, but that time, it was as if the filly was actively absorbing the spell; Twilight noting the magic being particularly drawn towards the crystal patch on its back. Spike startled as its eyes instantly lit brightly, shining.

Her spell again found the same impossible manifolds of conduits, her magic hurried through; the manifold spell form breaking harmlessly and giving her further information as they spilt, that time. Spike could actually see it, faint glowing lines visible in the filly, as if bands of light hurried through it.

Part of what was new was that several null points existed, which caught and destroyed any magic or spell that escaped the conduits. Then several of the spells found an endpoint, and identified what appeared to be a distinct crystal form within the filly, before they hit it and were instantly decomposed and absorbed. Other spells kept going, noting a magical flow inside the filly, one that followed their same pathways; which Twilight was sure hadn’t been there before, the young alicorn only then noticing the brilliant shine from its eyes.

The manifold’s limits were finally reached and the spells began breaking apart once more as Twilight noticed the physical attributes of the filly; she and Spike noting that the general flow moved towards the filly’s head, and that the crystals on the back of its head were starting to glow themselves. First with a faint glitter, slowly growing brighter until they had a strong glow to them, the eyes’ shine fading until they were dark again, even the tiny blue light gone.

Then, suddenly, with a light ‘ping’, the crystals ceased glowing, and were abruptly surrounded by a curious, shimmering blue mist. The tiny blue lights returned, slowly returning to their original glint, and wandering a little as they did so.

W, w, wow… Tha, that was… wow…

Twilight, wondering, sensed the curious mist. Then her mouth dropped open.

The mist was pure magic; somehow remaining thick around the crystals there and not diffusing instantly like it should be. That was shocking.

But more so, Twilight kept track of her approximate mana use, and was rather experienced in measuring her expenditure according to the widely accepted guide for doing so.

That little cloud contained twice the mana she’d used in her spell.

Instantly, Twilight recast the same spell, needing to know if it had just happened or if some mechanism she’d missed had given the extra magic.

A, a, again!?

Again, the crystal filly’s eyes lit up, Twilight focused, determined to spot what she’d missed before. She swiftly noted what she was sensing:

There was no magical flow in the filly at first. The special crystalline formation inside did have a magical presence, but didn’t give any indications of outputting anything. The null points only voided mana that touched them.

Nothing appeared to be adding magic at all, and the general noise from the swiftly many spells made clear measurement impossible.

Which meant, Twilight knew, that somehow, the filly was actually doubling her spell’s total mana.

Actually, more than that, as some mana was devoured by null points; Twilight guessing that added maybe .2 or so to the total change.

Which could shake the foundations of magical knowledge, but Twilight felt it more likely that an otherwise unknown and unseen mechanism was adding magic, rather than that a foundation of magical knowledge was wrong. Perhaps that differing crystal structure within the filly?

She determined to check it again when she paused.

The filly wasn’t doing what it had before. Rather, the glowing lines inside of it were increasing, both in brightness and number, which was causing the filly to begin to glow.

Twilight quickly tried to sense what was happening, before being shocked again. She managed to figure out mana was rapidly increasing in the filly, but her spell had been so powerfully pulled towards the crystals on its back that she didn’t know more than that. Spike actually saw the glow on her horn be pulled towards it.

“Twi, Twilight?” Spike asked, noting the filly glowing more as time passed, the drakling at first confused at what he was seeing, before noting Twilight’s clear worry, which sparked his own. “What, what’s it doing?” he asked, tensing.

“I,” she began, trying again, before feeling the accumulating magic on her horn gone the moment she had it, the young alicorn startling. “I don’t know!” she yelped, the filly still growing brighter, Twilight watching with wide eyes, worry shifting to fear as glow turned to shine, swiftly growing brighter once it passed a point.

Twilight grabbed onto Spike and moved to the wall, holding him close as she tensed, waiting for something, more afraid for that she didn’t know what she could be waiting for.

She flinched at the touch of magic, but a moment more had her pause.

That wasn’t a random magical discharge; it had been her examination spell.

She looked just in time to see near countless such spells scattering, impacting everything in the room, manifold forms breaking and reflecting, filling the whole of the room for a few, brief moments, the crystal filly dark. As the last few spells faded, the tiny blue lights slowly came back, weak and wobbling as they slowly returned to their first brightness.

Wha, what, what is… What, what just happened? W, why do I feel so… weird? I…

The tiny lights returned to the original shine as Twilight cautiously relaxed, getting back up, and focused on her.

Y, you… I… I know about you…

You…

You’re… too big. Too deep. Too everything.

Y, you’re not a real pony!

What, what are you!

“…W, what happened?” Spike asked, slowly calming himself.

“…It just repeated my spell.” Twilight said, staring at it as its head shifted somewhat, its tiny lights moving a fair bit then. “On everything, at the same time.” She took a step closer, and, to her surprise, it took a step back.

S, stay away from me you, you thing! Did, did you hurt my friend! What did you do! I, I have to find them, now! T, tell me you’re nearby!

It turned, and began moving towards the door, its motions almost hurried in appearance.

“W, wait!” Twilight said, heading towards it. “You don’t have to,” she began, reaching for it.

N, NO!

Without any warning, a burst of magic propelled the crystal filly into and through the door, Twilight startling as it did so, and seeing it tumbling into the library. She stared out the hole at it, seeing it somehow manage to tumble onto its hooves before stopping, and resume slowly hurrying away.

“W, wait!” she yelled, hurrying after it again. “It’s alright, it’s al,” she tried, before badly flinching at it produced a hideous screeching sound, as is somepony dragged many nails across glass, except with a multitude of tones which made it far worse. She pushed forwards regardless, Spike holding his hands over his head.

Stay AWAY FROM ME!

Twilight got to sense the magical wave an instant before it hit her, throwing her back to impact the wall, the same burst of force throwing everything in her general direction with her, Spike yelping as he rolled back into the magical study and practice room, nearby shelves falling over.

Twilight landed on her hooves a moment after, dazed, and shook herself before looking. To find it floating in the air a brief moment before it shot off, flying through the air.

Not good, not good, not good!

She flinched as it hit shelves, the wood cracking and shuddering as it did so, before she saw it hit and go right through another door, heading out of the library. She stared a brief moment before running after it; that brief encounter told her she had to stop it, and quick, before things really got out of hoof.

Pinkie was feeling quite happy with the party. Lots of ponies had shown up and everypony was having a good time. Even the plant filly, which was rather hard to understand, but Pinkie felt she’d figured out lots of stuff about it, or rather, about Bushy:

It couldn’t talk, write, read, or understand. Pinkie had tried a number of ways, but Bushy had shown no indication of understanding any method of communication. Due to that, Pinkie had thus named the strange filly Bushy, and had worked to figure out what she could about it.

Bushy didn’t eat like normal ponies. A cupcake had been stared at, and Pinkie had shown it how, just in case. And Bushy had ‘opened’ its ‘face’ and put/grabbed the cupcake there and ‘shut its mouth, maybe’, crushing it there. Bits of cupcake were still present.

Drinking was equally odd; Bushy would just extend a hoof and the wood making it up would uncurl to dip into a cup and swiftly empty it. Giving it juice had this process stop and Bushy to startle before it ‘drank’ even faster than it had before. Said juice also made Bushy more active, and after a few cups, it had just started tossing them onto its back.

Bushy could control the wood making it up. Soon after Pinkie had gotten the party going, Bushy had shifted some of the wood on it to feign having a mane and tail. Which also partially revealed the dirt inside of it; Bushy went for another drink every time it grew a little dry.

Bushy’s leaves rustled when it was excited, Pinkie felt, but the ‘mane’ and ‘tail’ helped a lot more; Bushy wiggled both sometimes, and Pinkie was fairly confident that meant she was very happy about something.

Wood control also extended to how Bushy held things. Soft things, like cupcakes, had its hoof wood pierce into it, but hard things, like cups, were carefully grabbed by the wood, or, if it was really small, by tiny roots on those little branches. Bushy couldn’t hold anything it couldn’t pierce or grab in that fashion.

Bushy could even use its wood to make music. By tapping and rubbing wood together, Bushy could produce a good beat and several surprising notes, and it definitely wasn’t random, as Bushy would mostly match its music to the songs being sung. However, Bushy couldn’t really dance, instead just stumbling around with awkward, semi-random motions; reminding Pinkie of Twilight, in that way.

Bushy clearly liked meeting new ponies, always taking a few seconds to stare directly at them and look them over. It also clearly loved being amongst lots of them and being the focus of attention, or at least Pinkie felt it did. But what Bushy really, truly loved was coloring.

Bushy had near vibrated when Pinkie had given it some crayons, and then used them to produce some surprisingly accurate images of flowers and then of ponies nearby. It had drawn a few of such drawings, held them up to be looked at and approved of, and then took the time to try and color its own wood.

And if that wasn’t proof of Bushy loving bright colors wasn’t enough, it had taken some colorful frosting and made a spirited attempt to get it all over itself.

Altogether, she felt she’d given Bushy one of her most successful welcome parties ever; especially considering Bushy’s trouble with understanding and expressing itself.

But, just like a normal filly would, Bushy clearly started to grow tired after a time; less wiggling, slower movements, slower reactions. It did go for a lot longer than a filly that behaved like it would, however, and by the time Bushy was tiring, the party was starting to wind down.

I, I love all of you; this, this had all been just, just the best thing ever. If, if I ever wondered if you guys were welcoming, well, I’m taking this as total proof you are! G, giving me all that special water stuff and letting me have all the color I could want and, oh, oh hey, it’s you! The color keeper!

Pinkie spotted Bushy wandering, heading her way, and went to her, smiling down as Bushy stared up at her, its glowing eyes a little dim. Pinkie smiled at it, and despite knowing it pointless, asked, “Did you have a great time?”

All of you guys and your white stones. Your soft and warm forms, your not-vine stuff, your weird hoof things, all the moving everything, always. You’re so different than me or anypony I know, but you’re still ponies.

Thank you for giving me all this. All the special water, all the colors… I don’t know what it means to you guys, but I loved it, and I think it’s something really special. Thank you.

To Pinkie’s near shock, Bushie appeared to nod; lowering its head for a brief moment before looking back up at her. Her smile turning into a bright beam, she sat down and gently hugged the strange filly, Pinkie feeling rather proud of Bushy right then.

Wh, whoa, uh… O.K, you’re not really grabbing me… You’re just holding me real close… Gosh, you’re warm, and… Oh! Is, is this how you invite! You’re saying ‘I trust you’, right? You have to be. But… just in case:

Can I please invade you?

Pinkie had another pleasant surprise as Bushie shifted, and sort of hugged her back. She gave a happy sigh, feeling a hoof lightly stroking at her side, and gently squeezed.

O.K, I’m pretty sure you’re trying to invade me. Though you’re really bad at it. I’ll just take that as a ‘yes’ then, alright?

Pinkie felt a tiny sting on her side, and the mare froze, her eyes popping open as it felt like three needles suddenly stabbed her. With a sharp yelp, she leapt into the air, Bushy tumbling over, ponies startling in turn.

Pinkie then looked at her side, to spot three tiny holes in her side, bleeding; they still hurt. Confused and baffled, she looked at Bushy, and hesitated.

Bushy was lying on the ground, and was shivering a lot. Its eyes were gone, but far more pertinently, the wood making Bushy up was visibly growing.

A, ah, ah,

Pinkie stared, wide-eyed, as white wood swelled in size, before branches suddenly broke free and jutted out, waving in the air like tendrils, still growing as leaves appeared and grew with them. A few moments had many such branches out, new ones branching off the largest, and they began to weave themselves together; remaking Bushy not as a filly, but as big as an adult pony; and then bigger as wood kept growing despite it.

Bushy shifted, and rose to its ‘hooves’, as the new form finished, its head appearing almost like a mannequin’s might, then. More branches rose upwards from its back, rapidly swelling in size as they rose upwards, while smaller ones grew out from Bushy’s shoulders and flanks, those lacking any leaves. The ones on its back wove together, before lightly splaying out as they neared the ceiling, swiftly growing thick bundles of leaves so as to resemble a tree.

A brief moment of stillness followed, before, with a little pop, hundred so white flowers appeared amongst the leaves, turning Bushy nearly perfectly white save for fragments of frosting and some tiny bits of color still on some parts of wood.

Pinkie stared and slowly relaxed before freezing as Bushy’s eyes reappeared suddenly.

Blood red.

That, that, that was amazing! The, the single best thing I’d ever felt! I feel, I feel, I don’t know what I feel!

The branches on Bushy lightly shifted, Bushy itself gently shifting.

…But I know I want more.

A branch lashed out, snapping around a mare’s hoof, who screamed, which was the impetus for everypony to then panic. Bushy turned to the panicking crowd, and more branches lashed out, ponies using the chairs and tables to defend themselves from the seeking wood.

Before more could happen, Pinkie hit Bushy with a pie, and yelled, “No, bad Bushy! Bad!”, causing Bushy to freeze, and then turn to her.

…What if everypony else isn’t like you? Maybe you’re the only one like that. It has to be somepony special to be the color keeper, after all. Just like how not all of my kind have flowers.

…I know its rude, but I want more! I have to have more! Come here, you!

Pinkie started as all of Bushy’s attention turned on her, Bushy appearing some kind of plant-based nightmare as branches flared out around it, casting a shadow that accentuated its bloody red eyes.

Pinkie had barely readopted her glare when she heard the start of a roar; and then, suddenly, it was silent, and the bakery was empty, Bushy suddenly gone, the place a disaster. Pinkie blinked, before she looked outside, and easily spotted both the large pile of white branches and the great winged lion glaring at it.

She headed out the then broken front doors towards him, ponies gathering in a crowd nearby, attention mostly focused on the pile of wood, quite a few startling up from the prone positions they found themselves in.

“Kitty!” Pinkie called as she came, attracting the great winged lion’s attention.

“Pinkie, what was this… thing?” Kitty asked, frowning at the pile.

“That was Bushy.” Pinkie answered, looking at it herself.

“…Bushy?”

“…Bushy wasn’t always bad, you know.” Pinkie sighed, looking rather sadly at the pile.

“Pinkie?” Kitty asked, wondering as the Pink mare sniffled. “…You’re bleeding.” Kitty remarked, eyeing the sad mare.

“That… that’s probably my fault.” Pinkie said, sighing. Before Kitty could ask, she told him, “I hugged her and I think I held too long or too hard or something and panicked her; she bit me and got really big and… all that.” she said, gesturing at the pile. “And now she’s gone.” She squeaked, tearing up.

…Ow.

Kitty eyed the pile for a moment. The screaming that had first attracted him, and then the plant pony monstrosity he’d pulled out of the bakery that had clearly been threatening Pinkie hadn’t seemed like anything peaceful.

“She, she wasn’t always huge.” Pinkie told him, sniffling. “Bushy was just a little filly before. A happy little filly that loved to learn. She loved to color and could draw really good. She made all these really pretty drawings of flowers and ponies, and she loved singing. She couldn’t sing, but she could make sound to sort of match it.”

W, what happened to me? Why am I buried in… more of me? W, why is this wood so thick? I, I don’t grow stuff this thick.

…Why is a lot of it broken? Like, really broken?

“She moved her branches around to pretend to have a tail and mane, and she tried to color herself.” Pinkie continued, sighing sadly. “I, I’m sure she was happy. At least until I spooked her.”

“I’ll always remember you, Bushy.” Pinkie told the pile, wiping her eyes. “At, at least I got to welcome you right before it all went wrong.” She finished, her voice tightening at the end, Pinkie lowering her head.

It’s mostly dead too… This is… really weird. Back to the light. Nice and careful, just in case whatever broke all this wood is still out there.

Sure hope it wasn’t one of the color ponies.

Pinkie and Kitty hesitated as the small rustle, and the sad mare looked up.

“…Bushy?” Pinkie asked, hope blooming as she saw a small portion of the pile shifting. A moment after, and she saw the twin green glows.

…Color keeper? Alright! I know that you’re safe!

Bushy, again a small filly, came out of the pile, reformed as it once had been, and headed to Pinkie, who barely restrained herself from rushing and grabbing onto it like she wanted to.

“Bushy, you’re, you’re…” Pinkie tried, teary, before she yelled, “You’re alright!”

Loud! And… you’re leaking? Your eyes are leaking. That isn’t bad for you, right?

Kitty watched as the plant filly touched at Pinkie’s fallen ears, before yanking back.

Oh, ew! Salt water! You’re leaking salt water!

“So, this is Bushy’s… first form?” Kitty asked.

What was… oh.

“Y, yeah.” Pinkie told him nodding, before hesitating. Bushy was staring at Kitty for a moment, before it suddenly pulled inwards, even its leaves pulling flat against it, and it, without breaking eye contact with Kitty, began to ever so carefully move behind Pinkie.

Oh, that’s so not good… W, what even is that? Is, is that what broke all this wood? All my weird, too-big, dead wood?

“It’s just Kitty, Bushy.” Pinkie told Bushy, wondering how she might indicate Kitty’s harmless intentions to a filly that couldn’t understand. “He’s perfectly safe!” she said, heading to him and patting at him, smiling at Bushy. Bushy appeared to slowly relax, untightening.

Y, you can just touch that? Is that… is that what woodcraft looks like to you guys? We make things sort of like us; did, did you make that thing sort of like you? Are you seeing…

Oh. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no!

Pinkie and Kitty hesitated as Bushy suddenly looked around itself, Pinkie noting that it seemed far more animate than normal.

I have to find them! But, but how! Nopony speaks around here! Wait, wait! The color! A picture!

The plant filly turned, and ran back into the bakery. Pinkie, wondering and curious, followed, Kitty doing the same before he stopped outside while Pinkie went inside, noting the plant filly hunting amongst the general mess for something.

White stuff, but, but where’s the colors! They have to be right, or they might not understand! Green, Blue, but no purple or pink! Where did they go!

Pinkie noted it grabbing at crayons, and discarding them after a moment, and wondered. Her eye caught a few nearby, and thinking it was, for some reason, searching for a particular color, got them and carried them over.

The pink one was snatched, but the yellow wasn’t.

Yes, thank you! I got half, and… There!

The plant filly darted, and got a purple crayon from nearby, before hurrying to the nearby paper, and drawing with clear focus and purpose. Pinkie wandered closer, and watched.

After a few moments, it had drawn a purple pony with what had to be wings, extended out, a blur of pink on their flank, and a smaller, pink filly next to them. Done, the plant filly then grabbed the paper, and held it up to Pinkie.

Please understand, please know what I’m trying to tell you, please, please, please…

Pinkie pondered. The figure did look like Twilight, but crayon was pretty vague. It might be a purple pegasus with some kind of pink cutie mark instead. The pink filly was unknown; there had been no pink filly the plant pony had seen at the party, Pinkie knew, and it seemed silly to think it had spotted Diamond Tiara to then draw her.

Bushy clearly really wanted to draw this, and really wanted to show her the same. There was some reason it had done so beyond just wanting to draw, Pinkie was certain.

But she found herself struggling to guess what Bushy wanted to tell her. It wasn't until Pinkie thought of getting Twilight to help before realizing who the purple pony had to be. Pinkie nodded, and told the plant filly, “Follow me.”

Did, did you get it? Are, are you going to where these two are?

The plant filly watched her leaving, and Pinkie looked back. Then she smiled, and gestured for it to come, and simply hurried out of the bakery.

Y, you better be going to the right place! It’s really important!

Pinkie looked back, and saw it hurrying after her. “We’re off to Twilight!” she told Kitty, then galloping away, making sure she didn’t outpace the plant filly, rushing after her. Kitty hesitated before he followed in turn.

Please be alright, please be alright, please be alright…

Author's Note

In case anyone's wondering about Kitty, see my other story, Sands of Time, for more information.
And if any of you have any suggestions for how to, perhaps, better tie this together, please leave a message or comment.