Gaea, the mother of thorns

by Fungic_Mare

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Clover the Clever, Gaea Everfree, Profanity, Adventure, Slice of Life, Death, Alternate Universe, Human, Narcotics, Original Character
Length: 7412

Have you dreamed about a world that you didn't want to leave? well, i did...

For a long time my dreams were the only escape from the cold walls of the hospital room, dreams about a better world, of mystic creatures, of green plains, dreams where i was not me, but another creature in harmony whit the nature around me. This is the story of the world that i dreamed of when i went to sleep for the last time.

Published 2024-10-26 19:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-11-09 04:58:42 UTC

Prologue - Do humans dream of magic lands?

Cold…
A simple word of four letters, yet the only four letters needed to describe most of my life. It's hard to describe it otherwise when you must spend weeks and even months inside the four walls of a hospital room with more frequency than anybody's sanity will let you without becoming insane.

But then again, it's not like the people around me think that I'm the most sane person here, at least not after I tell them about that place.

It's not like I can blame them for that. A girl who has spent two-thirds of her life in a cold room and who, even in her middle twenties, keeps talking about a fantasy world where she is a magical wooden deer? Yeah, people would at least question whether my brain is still working well.

My little visits to this other world started just a few months after my first visit to the hospital, being only 10 years old and seeing my parents and brother in such a terrible mood when listening to the doctors who didn't have a single good news for them, being taken away from my friends, replacing the unbeatable dishes of mom with the bland food that offers this place, taken away from my precious little garden that my dad and I started just a couple weeks before... Yeah, it wasn't exactly the happiest moment of my life.

After the first time being interned for a long time, the doctors ordered that I take regular revisions. A little while after that, my dad took me on a camping trip, a trip that was interrupted when I had a sudden attack. Since then, it was a bye-bye to any activity that involved being more than 4 miles away from a hospital.

Saying that I was devastated would be an understatement. After that, I have become obsessed with every magazine that shows me the bare minimum of the exterior world, from flora, fauna, and even encyclopedias of mystic creatures—you called it, and I probably have already read it—whatever makes me feel free of my tiny room was welcome with open arms.

Seeing back at that time, I wonder if this was my little obsession—what let me come to this site for a start.

It was on a specially bad day that everything started.

That day the doctors postponed my release from the hospital indefinitely just when my dad and I finished our plans ready for this week. When they told me that I'm discharged from the hospital, we were finally going to have a nice trip to the house of my grandparents, something that I had been wishing for since, so I took the news very poorly.

It was like all the will of my body went to vacation, without desire to eat, drink, have visits, or even get up from my bed, cursing my luck for being forced to stay in between these four dammed walls, wishing to be free, wishing to don't be sick anymore, wishing with lands as fantastic as my brother's tales.

Wishing to be happy again.

I cried to sleep that night, and when I opened my eyes once more, I was already there—a paradise greeting me with open arms, a world that was made for me.

A world that I'm visiting once more this night, once I shut my eyes close.

Magic.

That's the only word that can describe what's in front of me right now.

Green fields extends as far as the eye can see, bordered with trees and snow mountains, birds singing happily and butterflies flying without worries with the warm rays of sun showering every creature over the land.

"Hello, my dear land, once more i come to visit... Damn, it doesn't matter how many times I've visited this site; I just can't get used to this faerie voice." letting go a little chuckle for myself, I do a fast revision over my body.

"Yup, still a wooden deer", i say once i put a hoof in front of me, The first time i saw my reflection on this world, i nearly screamed, i mean, who didn't going to have the same reaction if their body was replaced for the one of a quadruple made of wood and leaves? "Body sturdy, antlers decorated with gems and my mane is green and leafy... yes, everything seems correct."

I took a minute to close my eyes and just feel my surroundings, inhaling deep to smell the fresh scent from the green grass, the soft touch of the wind and the lovely sound of the critters around me.

With a final smile, I start to walk.
My walk turns in to a jog.
And before I notice, I'm running with all my strength.

Once more, I'm in the only place that feels like home; seeing the sun beans reflects in the little gems on my antlers. I still remember how hard it was the first time I came to this place; I barely was able to keep in feet for a pair of minutes before falling face-first on the ground, but every time I came here, it became more and more easy. It's a weird sensation, feeling certain familiarity with this body, but not a familiarity that someone obtains from practice and getting used to doing something; its more like I started to...remember? I think its the best way to describe it, like if I have been in this body once long, long ago, and now I'm finally where I'm supposed to be... ugh, I better stop with that nonsense; I'm here to be happy, no philosophical.

After a good couple of hours running in the meadow, I ended at the border of a lake with some fruit trees surrounding it, the calm water letting me have an image of myself: "I'm a beautiful specimen, even if I say so myself." Its a shame that I've not encountered another being like me; the birds and the rabbits are good company, but there's a limit to how much conversation about carrots and nests I can take.

Yeah, the discovering of being capable of speaking with animals was exciting just for a couple of weeks, i mean, comparing that with some of the things i was discovered to be capable of as the years went by, talking to animals is not exactly the thing i would brag about the most.

Since I'm already here, I indulge myself by taking a break. "'Just a dream, they say. Bah, explain then my fatigue and hunger then," I say to no one in particular, its been a long time since I gave up trying to explain to anyone that this world is more than a dream.

The first year my family and everyone thought that only was the wild imagination of a little girl with a severe case of 'too much candies in her tummy', but not much later the doctors started to convince my mother that all my experience in this world was some type of escapism method, Since then my already limited time in home was reduced even more with the visits to the psychologist.

"I swear that if need to see another ink spot..." letting go of a sigh, I gently tap on the ground. A shimmer extends from my hoof through the ground, and a root extends from the end of the green glow rising to the trees and collecting the sweet fruit for me. "Enough of that, time to a sweet, sweet treat." Before one of the apples finds its end in my mouth, I feel the gently pat of a soft paw on my flanks. A little albino fox who seems exhausted is leaning against my body.

"Cotton? Whats the matter, honey? You seem like you have run a marathon," I say, returning to stuff my mouth with the juicy delicatessen.

"M-miss i...i seen… " The words stopped for a moment while the little one caught his breath. "i've seen a strange creature near the flower river! "

"A strange creature?" i say skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah!" the little fox nods vigorously

"Like the 'Shadow monster' that was chasing you?" i respond with a smirk on my face, "don't worry, i'm going to tell the squirrels to stop messing with you again."

The little fox turned from white to red in less than a second, then shaking his head put a serious look on his face. "N-nothing like that! I really see it! It have long legs like yours and has shiny things over the body, and and—" I gently put a hove against his snout.

"Okay, okay, relax a little, Cotton," softly patting his head, i put up on my hooves and stretched my woody muscles a little. "i'm taking a look to it, ok?" As the words leave my mouth, i started to walk towards the river.

"'Kay," say him hesitantly, "but be careful, miss!" its the last thing i heard before i started running, Still a little skeptical about what Cotton saw, it wouldn't be the first time that the little one 'saw' something that scares him, the poor thing's scared even from his own shadow.

It took me around of 15 minutes to arrive to the river, with a light glow on my antlers, i let a spiral of leaves
surround me, once the leaves fell down, my body had morphed into a snake with the same green and brown color and wood texture as my previous body. "Well, let's see what got the little one so frightened." Quietly, I climb up a lonely tree at the border of the river. From the top of my green lookout, I can see... what the heck am I seeing right now? "Is that an armored pony? Wait, it have wings, a pegasi? But since when a pegasi have bat-like wings?"

Slowly i climb down and start my way towards the mystic creature who seems to be pretty small, or at least in comparison to my actual size. 'What is it doing? its…eating fish? uh...that's certainly odd'

Before i could approach even more to the little carnivore pony, i saw a baby bear walking to... him? her? i cant see it from there; the baby bear just sits down in front of the pony. "Owww, look, they're friends now." jiggling to myself, i keep watching, Once the pony noticed the presence of the bear, it took a look to the half-eaten fish, then to the bear and once more to the fish.

With a deep concentration frown, the pony deliberate for a couple of seconds before sighing deeply, After that, the pony gives the fish at the bear with a little smile in in the face, The bear doesn't hesitate a second and starts devouring the fish with the voracity of an oversize french puddle 'Well, at least now i know that Cotton have nothing to worry about.

Slowly I approach behind the pony; now that I'm close, I can tell that is a she, with a yellow coat and a bright orange mane as well as her tail. 'Time for presentations, i guess,' With the same spiral of leaves, i recover my previous form, my shadow casting upon her, Once i get her attention, i show her a friendly smile and with a soft tone, i say "Hello, little one, do not be afraid".

Seeing her pupils shrink, i highly doubt that shes following my advice.

Author's Note

This took me a way loot more of time that i was expecting, once i finished the chapter i rewrite it because i was taking more that i can bite.

This is my first time writing something that isn't for myself, im also not a native speaker so please, leave your comments and free feel to give me some feedback, tips and corrections, if you have some doubts i will be more than happy to answer, as long as it doesn't involve an spoiler :raritywink:

Chapter 1 - Three first impressions

Its okay, Pansy, keep calm, just keep calm.
You can do this; you absolutely can do this.
…
Oh, who am I kidding?! I CANT DO THIS ANYMORE!

Everything just keeps going worse and worse since the bucking storm started. Commander Hurricane has been over me like a storm cloud, our supplies are getting short, weve lost a fourth part of our pony force already, and now theres a weird-looking creature who is twice as tall as me, looking down on. There goes the'stealthy and unnoticed’ part of my mission.

Just where did she come from?! I didn't hear anything! Ok, thats it, If this thing doesnt end with me, Im pretty sure the commander will do it when he finds out that I shared my food supplies with the local wild life

Goodbye, oh cruel world, Pansy is ready to leave. Im just going to close my eyes and-

"Uhhh...are you alright, little one? It was something I said." Then open them again. When I listen her voice, seeing her confused face, I think that its safe too say that she isnt a violent pony—or a pony at all for that matter.

"Y-yeah, Im s-sorry miss..." I do my best to sound rough and confident, just like the commander taught me, I fail miserably.

The creature had what looked like a surprised face, but just a second later, she once again took the word with a soft smile on her face. "...Gaea, you can call me Gaea."

"W-well, miss Gaea, I am" I try to make me look as smaller as I can. " I-I’m private, Pansy s-sir...miss! I mean,miss!"

"Pansy,uh? Thats a… interesting name." Miss Gaea, give me a smile that does little to calm my nerves. "I have never seen somecreature like you; tell me, what brings you to this land? Your presence has scared one of my little friends."

That's it; I have been seen for the locals. I need to go ASAP from here before this keeps getting worse. " I'm really sorry, madam. I-I didn't know that this was your land. imgoingrightnowsopleasedontpursueme,okey?okey!bye!"

Despite my gallant attempt to fly away, a green Shimmer appears bellow me; a second later, a wall made of what I guess are rooots appears in front of me, ending with my chances of escape "Please, wait a moment." This is it; this is the way I die. Remember me like the brave soldier I was. "Please, little one, why don't you stay at least to rest and take some food? I don't want to sound rude, but you seem to be in the bones."

Between all the responses I could imagine, her concern was not on the list; at least the locals seem to be friendly towards pegasus. "O-oh no, thats not necessary; I really need to-" and of course, my stomach couldn't choose a better moment to rumble with the impetus of a bear.

If Tartarus is going too take me, this is a good time.

While I do what I can to cover my face and give my best impression of a tomato, I hear a soft giggle in front of me, "Youre really sure that you can't stay here for a little snack?"

"Sorry, madam, but i still need to refu-" Once again my stomach protests; the quiet giggle of miss Gaea now blows up in a full laugh.

When miss Gaea finishes laughing, she just gives me a smile while walking away. A couple of seconds later, I see her stop, looking at me over her shoulder. "Are you coming? Im sure I have a bowl of fruit with your name in it.”

With a sigh, I lower my head defeated 'the mission has already failed, I might as well take take a snack before the reprimand of Commander Hurrricane...' With that last thought on mind, I just let it be whatever it would be and went after her.

This little pegasi sure has appetite.
Since the moment I toss a bowl of fruit to her, she hasn't stopped to stuff her mouth with fruit. "Slow down, dear; no one is going to take it from you."

I give her a smirk when I see her sheepish look. "S-sorry miss-"

Before she could finish speaking, I raised one of my hooves, "Please stop that. Its the first time I meet somecreature who speaks with actual words, so lets keep it casual, just call me Gaea, its okay, Pansy?" I say, doing my best to sound as friendly as I could, the last thing I wish was to give her another reason to have a panic attack.

"I...yes, Mi- I mean, Gaea." While Pansy put a hoff behind her neck, I took a bowl of fruit for myself. "If you don't mind me asking... you mention something about me being the first creature you have to speak with, but what about your tribe?"

"My...tribe?" I look up, and in response to my silence, Pansy looks at me like I have grown a secon head.

"Yeah, you know, the others like you? ....You have a tribe, didn't you?" So these little horses (ponies?) with wings live in tribes? a pony society, its interesting at least.

"As far as I know, I'm the only one on this land...well, beside the critters around."

"OH, THAT ARE GREAT NEWS!" At the weird selection of words that Pansy elected, I just raised an eyebrow. "N-not that you not having a tribe is good! its that youre alo- n-no, wait!"

I must give the best that I have to not start laughing. "Take your time, honey." Pansy’s face took on a red tone while struggling to order her thoughts.

A minute or two later, Pansy takes a breath and tries to speak again "W-Well you see, right now my tribe and I are searching for a home, and this place seems really great... and since there are no more ponies around here, I was wondering if..."

Before she can complete her phrase, I interrupt her with a raised hoof, "You want to establish here with yours, isn't it right?"

With eyes fixed on the ground, Pansy nods one time, "The storm has left our home uninhabitable, and this land is rich in resources. With a land like this, we can prosper. W-we could even gather survivors from other tribes."

With new resolution, Pansy looks directly at my eyes and speaks once more, "Please, will you help us to make this land our home?"

I close my eyes for a moment. I don't really have a reason to prevent them from establishing here; I'm not really the owner of this land or something, and help them means I can prevent them from cause damage or have a confrontation with the creatures in this land, and having proper company is also a plus…

Well, it's decided then.

Once I open my eyes, I give Pansy a smile, but before I can even start talking, a brown eagle, wings outstretched, flies with incredible velocity toowars us. "Miss guardian, we have a big problem!"

With a fast movement of my hoof, a bed of vines got in the way of the eagle's diving flight, stopping her from crassing in the ground. "Sunny? Whats wrong?"

While both ignored the weird look that Pansy was giving us, with a deep inhale, the golden eagle prepared to speak, "Scintilla’s cave is collapsing!"

My ears raise up after hearing Sunny; it seems that this day isn't going to be more than problems. Without looking away from Sunny, I speak once more to the confused pony, "It seems that I am needed in another place; I must leave now. Why don't you go with the other ponies that are with you and bring them to me tomorrow morning to talk a bit more? There's an unoccupied cave not too far from here, but I recommend you wait until tomorrow to get there; rooming these lands at night isn't a wise decision.”

"U-uh, it sounds good, I think, thanks... For the fruit, I mean, our supplies are a little short right now. It has been a while since I ate fresh fruit."

"Is that so?" Dang, the poor things really have it bad. After a few seconds of thinking, I decide to give them a little present, and with a soft glow of my antlers, a little pouch of braided grass appears in front of Pansy. Life is really easier when you don't have to carry things with you and you can simply summon whatever you need instead. "Take these seeds. Just plant them and give them a little of water; that must be enough to have at least a decent amount of fruit."

"Fruit? w-wait miss Gaea!" Leaving her in a hurry, I morphed myself into an eagle with a wooden-like body and leafy wings before taking off with Sunny. It took us only a couple of minutes to reach the colapsed entrance of the cave.

Flying down, I morphed into my usual form just before landing in the center of the various animals that have been gatered with intentions of help "What have happened here?"

inspecting the cave, one of the critters on my side responds, "I see it! Two strange creatures enter Miss Scintilla’s cave." weird creatures again? I wonder if its another one like pansy... " Then one of the creatures freaked out when they saw miss Scintilla and started to run everywhere, crash against a pilar; that is when the cave collapsed."

"I see, I only hope that no one was hurt." approaching even more to the cave, my antlers and the red gems all over my mane started to glow. "Please, everycreature, take a step back for a moment."

In a fast move, I stand over my hind legs, then I stomp to the ground with my front legs. Just a second later, the earth in front of me started to tremble. With a bright light, huge roots and vines started emerging in great quantity, lifting the debris and little by little clearing the entrance of the cave. Once there was a good amount of space, the roots and vines merged together to make an arc with enough space to have an adult bear walk through without difficulty.

Lighten up my antlers to have a light source I walk inside the cavern. Deep down, I see Scintilla. Standing away from her are two ponies; these ones didn't have any class of wings like pansy, but they're certainly bigger, and the one with the yellow coat and green mane is notably bulkier. "The entrance is clear; did anycreature get hur-"

"E-E-E-ENEMY!!" Wow, this one sure can scream. Before I could do anything, he launches out of the cave.

"Humph! What an inconsiderate male," Scintilla claims, "getting inside a lady’s house, making a mess, and fleing like nothing."

"I'm sorry for what happened, Scintilla," I say, lowering my head a little. "I'm going to help you restore the cave as soon as possible."

"Its okay, darling," Scintilla responds, looking at the other creature, still in the ground, too occupied glaring at Scintilla to notice when a bed of vines lifts her from the ground. "Just take the other one out of here; I need to go back to my beautifying sleep."

"Well, you heard the lady," I say while taking a steep to the yellow cotted pony.

"S-Step back!" She says, trying to get away from me, flinching when her weight falls over one of her hind legs, "Stay back o’or else..."

"Please stay calm; I'm not here to do you damage; I just want to help," I say, offering a hoof in her direction. It took a moment before she hesitantly extended one of her own hooves. "That's it, can you walk?."

"Y-Yeah, I think so." After giving her a smile when she started to walk, I couldn't help but notice that she still was alert; I just couldn't help but wonder what kind of things she has been through to look so...frightened.

"May I ask what made you think that adventuring inside of a bear’s cave was a good idea?" Once we reach a good place under a tree shadow, I dismiss the critters who have started to surround us. The last thing I wish was to make her even more nervous with the unwainting attention.

"I..." for a moment, her eyes keep looking at the ground; she was clearly doubtful. "We were looking for some herbs... or at least I was, " she says once her little debate with herself ended. I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t supposed to hear the last part, so I'm just letting that go.

“I see... I suppose that you weren't searching them only for you; seeing that other than your hind leg, your seems to be pretty healthy, the same for the one that rushed from the cave as soon as he saw me." She doesn't even hide her face of displeasure when I mention her companion. “Tell me, what kind of affliction do yours have?”

In an instant, I observe how the suspicion grows in her eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

"Well, dear, it would be hard to help you if I didn't know what herbs I must give you.” Her face reflexed her disbelief; it was more than obvious that she wasn't expecting that kind of response.

Hesitantly, she gave me an answer after a couple of seconds of observing me like I had grown a second head: “I... I don't have anything to offer for your help.”

“Its a good thing then that im not asking for anthyng then.” Once more, the surprise is writing in all her face

"I don't get it... Why would you help somepony who can't even give you something in exchange? Thats just ridiculous!”

‘Why did you even do so much for me? I... I cant even return you the favor...’

Her words touch too close from home; my mind wanders for a moment towards the memory of a conversation that my brother and I had not too long before my thirteenth birthday. The memory brings a smile to my face. "I don't need a reason or a reward to do what's correct."

She took a couple of seconds to process what I just said before coming back with a response, "But... but you don't know who you are helping; what if you do end up regretting helping us?"

"Youre right, I don't know if later I will regret giving you my help, but I did know that I would regret if I didn't do it, beside..." With a soft tap on the ground, a root extended from below her, the tip stopping just seconds before hitting her chin. "I have eyes in all this land and what's needed to defend it if some creature tries to damage it."

My little threat results more effectively than I thought; how the fur in her face has become almost white is beyond my comprehension.

"But I know that it will not be necessary; I highly doubt that somecreature who has plans to do bad on this land will not be telling it."

Once the colour comes back to her face, she responds a little more confidently and calmly, "My tribe... have been in a long travel to the south when the storm became too much to bear it." An storm again. Just what's happening beyond the mountains? "The youngers have taken the long way poorly; several of them suffer from fever, and the adults have some wounds that haven't been treated. I fear that they could get infected if they aren't treated as soon as possible."

Fever and unattended wounds... I must have everything she needs. "Fortunately, the wound problem is easy to deal with, and for the fever, I would be able to offer you a way to make it more manageable, but you will still have to be careful that the condition of the young ones does not worsen."

Letting out a sigh, she offers me a bow before she speaks, "You have my sincere gratitude, ma'am." I would like to tell her that this is not necessary, but before I can say anything, she continues, “I, smart Cookie, promise to you that I will repay you this debt." Once her little ceremony ends, I give her a smile and guide her to a nearby pound where some medicinal herbs grow.

We spend some hours gathering everything that she would need; we use the time to bring information one to another. She talks about her tribe and how she has been traveling and collecting sees from the north to this land, and I in exchange give her some advice on what to do and what not to stay out of trouble with the critters around here.

Once she leaves to get the herbs back to her tribe, I take my time to organize my thoughts.

I wonder if I should help her settle here like I'm going to do with Pansy. For what both of them told me, they would benefit from having more help to settle down in their new home, though it would have to wait until tomorrow. The sky has started to darken; soon I will return to my own world. It's really a shame; I never get to stay here enough to have a good starwatching session; even if I must cross paths with those things, it will be worth it.

Anyway, that's going to be a job for the future me; for now, I'm just getting a little fun in the pond before I go back to my normal life.

This isn't going how I spected.

When Princess Platinum selected me to go with her in her mission of searching for a new land, I was ready to give everything for it, to face adversity, to take the call to the adventure.

I was prepared to meet the new civilizations, to discover new knowledge from the mysterious southlands!

But instead... "Trees and rocks, does this land not have anything besides trees and rocks?!" I exclaimed in exasperation, launching a hoof to the air.

I know that this is for the best; after all, this kind of safe and fertile land is exactly what our tribe needs, but I can't help but feel that this is a waste of time, especially when all the royals keep insisting on this stupid idea of segregation.

We wouldn’t even need to keep going so deep in the new lands if they just accepted to make a new deal with some tribes of the other races, but no, nopony accepted the suggestion of the scribe.

"I better stop sobbing about it and get Princess Platinum the jar of water she asked for.”

Approaching at what seems like a pond of pristine water, I guide the jar down and... "Hmmm hmm hmmm~" then I drop the jar for being distracted with a melodic, humming voice.

The voice sounds so elegant; even without words, I can sense certain regal air in it. Guided by a growing curiosity, I get closer to the origin of the soft humming. Now that I'm close enough, I can have a look at the owner of such a melodic voice and...

and...

In an instant, its like the entire world has been mute just to give me the opportunity to admire the mare in front of me.

She wasn't like anything I've seen before—taller than anypony I've met before. Her entire body having certain resemblance to a tree, a ethereal green light surrounding her body; its like nature itself made an avatar, red gems shining like rubies floating around her face; a beautiful mare in all the extensions of the word.

I need to approach even more. Maybe this is the opportunity i was calling for, the first encounter that will guide me to a new exciting life, maybe-

*CRUNH*
Maybe I need to be more careful with where I'm standing.
The mare in front of me turns as soon as the branch under my hoff is broken, her bright green orbs encountering mines.

I need to say something, even if its only a greeting. I just NEED to say anything, "A-anything…"

…Oh dear ether, please take me now.

I don't think that my lame introduction was well received if the angry glare in her face is an indication.

Her branches-like horns star to glow with a major intensity; there is no need to be a unicor to notice what a charging spell looks like. "Get down!" I hear her shout. Not wanting to make her more upset, I just follow her instructions.

A green wave of energy flew directly over me, followed by what I can only describe as a melted shadow screaming when it impacted. That thing was so dark that it seems to consume the little light that the pond reflects from the moon and the stars; I just keep seeing while the entity flees, then a calm voice speaks behind me.

"Another one? and alone in this sour of the night?" I turned my head to see my Savior, smiling softly at me. "Tell me, little unicorn, what are you exactly doing here?"

"i-i am...i.." I'm not proud to say that it took me a pair of seconds to stop being mesmerized by her before I could give a coherent response. "I'm here just to collect some water... Wait, did you say 'another one'? What do you mind with that?"

"Well, I encountered other two like yourself today."

Another two? Have other Explorer teams end here as well? "If I may, what exactly were the other two doing?"

"They say something about migration; apparently a storm made their former land uninhabitable; I dare to say youre here for the same reason?”

Well, that confirms it. I need to tell Princess Platinum, we could use extra hoves to explore this whole area. "I appreciate the help; if it isn't much to ask, will you guide me to them?"

"It would be better if we leave that for tomorrow." The mare responds, giving a look to where the shadow creature goes. "Those things roam freely at this hours.”

I almost forgot that; the news of other explorers here distracted my mind for a few moments. "What was that thing anyway?"

"An aberration," I hear her saying with a cold tone, certain repudiation tinged his words, 'did her mane turn a bit reddish?'

I shook my head to clear my thoughts; if we stayed here for a while, I would have to acquire answers about that creature for myself.

"For now, its better if you go back to where you came; as long as you have company or keep a light source close to you, those things aren't going to be a problem, but just in case..."

One of her hooves reached for a gem that was floating around her face, then toss it to me, a warm sensation emanating from it.

"W-what is this?"

"Just a little charm in case you cross paths with another of those things." Once more, her face was decorated with a soft smile. I couldn't help but feel my cheeks slightly warmer. "Now go back to your refuge; we would meet here by tomorrow."

Nodding a couple of times, I took the jar of water in my magic and lit up my gorn to light my way, but before I got to far, I turned my head back with the intention of asking her name, "Im sorry, madam, I forgot to give you my gratitude. Can I have your...name?"

I just keep staring confused. Where the mysterious mare was just seconds before, now lies a tree, its trunk adorned with golden lines and red gems shimmering around its branches. "Did I just have an allucination?"

I shook my head at the idea and just took my way back. Allucination or not, I was going to discover it tomorrow.

It just took me about twenty minutes to be back in the camp. Going into the tent of Princess Platinum, I catch her writing a new entry in her travel diary, "You sure have taken your time, Clover."

"Im sorry Princess, something happened in the way to the pond."

Now locking at me, she takes the jar of water, serving herself a glass "Something I must get worried about?"

"Nothing, my princess; I just had an encounter with a wild lifeform, but a native of the zone, help me."

As soon as I say it, Princess Platinum spills the water, just missing my face for mere inches. "You what!? Did you get folloowed? Was one of those pesky pegasi? or a brute earth pony?, we need to prepare if they attack!"

"Princess, please stop; it wasn't even a pony, and even if it was a pony, I seriously doubt they will start a fight just because they see us." I let out a sigh; now she was acting like the other nobles as well? All the fight between tribes is just getting too out of hooves.

"Probabilities are low, dear Clover, but never zero." After taking a noter glass of water, she adds, "So what as those wild creatures then?"

"I don't really know; it doesn't really look like anything I've encountered or studied before; it was like a liquid shadow."

"Liquid shadow? Now thats odd, how is it that we never encountered it before?"

"Well, the mare who helped me say these things only show at night at creatures whitouth company and apparently doesn't get closer to sources of light."

"Interesting... I would like to have a word with this mare of yours; did you encounter another one on your way back?"

"Not a single one; she gave me a 'charm' to prevent me from being approached for whatever that was." I said, tossing the princes the little red gem, and she started examinating it, showing an expression of awe and curiosity.

“Are you sure that she isn't a unicorn?” I give her a nod as an answer: “this gem is filled whit magic, there are spells that im not familiar with; its so... fascinating.”

“Magic that even a royal hasn't heard before? Now thats interesting.”

“It is indeed,” taking a small “did you know where she went? I would like to have a little talk with your benefactor.”

I shook my head before responding, “Not really, but she told me she saw the other two unicorns early; she's guiding me to them tomorrow.”

“It is set then; tomorrow we are meeting with her.”

Aaaand...it is done.

It took some hours, but finally everypony has been treated like it was needed. I really need to find a way to return the favor to Miss Gaea; without her help, I would not even be able to gather enough herbs.

This new land sure looks promising; everything seems to be improving since we got here.

“And remember to be grateful with me; without MY gallantry and extreme charisma, there will not be medicines for the peasants like you." Well, almost everything.

Even with more food, fertile earth, and now supplies of medical herbs, we still need to deal with the ever-growing ego of Puddinghead.

If it wasn't because he had the only armed ponies on his side, I sure would be kicking his bucking flanks.

“And she didn't ask for anything in exchange?” The violent thoughts are postponed when I hear the sooft voice of the elder mare I just attended.

"That's right, Miss Petal; she just gave me everything that we needed, and after helping me back in that cave, she even took her time to give me some tips on how to navigate this land.” I can't help but show a smile while I speak.

“That level of kindness isn't common nowadays." miss Moon Petal chuckles putting a hoof in front of her snout “Well, better show her our gratitude tomorrow at first hour.”

“I don't know; are you sure that it is a good idea? I dont want to be a bother to-” and of course, that pain in the ass has to interrupt me.

“Of course we were going to have a little visit to our benefactor; what kind of pony we would be if we didn't do at least that?” Puddinghead doing something for anypony else? Now thats something ne- “Isn't it good to be alone in a land full of...savage creatures like this, so why not let her form part of our tribe? Of course she would need to...contribute to our noble cause.”

And there goes the last bit of respect that i still have for him, “but sir, we dont know if she wants to-”

“Tata~ dond be pessimistic Smort Coockie, I'm sure she would be more than happy too have the opportunity to serve—I mean, to help us." So that's his game. I promise for all that its sacred that if he does something stupid, I'm sending his bucking flank back to the mountains with a kick. “Tomorrow we were going with her.”

Before I can say anything else, he leaves without looking back.

I have really bad feelings about this.

I better keep close to him so he doesn't do something stupid…again.

Tomorrow is going to be a long, long day.

"So, let me see if I get this," the commander storms says with a voice as cold as ice. Suddenly, the ground became really interesting to look at.

"You only failed in your reconnaissance mission." Oh, look, a little worm. "you let yourself expose to a native that we dont know if is hostile, letting her know about our existence."

Can I escape if I flew right now? No, he's probably just going to chase me and put me inside a storm cloud. " AND after that, you revealed confidential information like It was a simple gossip..."

Is it to late to take the offer of Cloud Chaser to become part of the Wheater team? "... Just to come back here with empty hooves?!"

"W-well, not exactly empty hooves..." I tried to look confident in my words, and of course I failed at the instant "s-she gave me... seeds..." With a sheepish smile, I show him one of the seeds of the pouch

"Seeds," he repeats with a twitching eye; that's a new level of wrath in his face.

"...She says theyre magical seeds..." Oh, thats a new tone of red too.

"Magic seeds? Magic seeds!? Do I look like a buckin unicorn to you!? Are we earth ponies!?" With great speed, he takes the seeds and places them on the ground, stepping on it. "Do you think that just planting this buckin seed and giving it water will solve all our problems?!"

To make emphasis in his rant, he took a small raincloud to pour water over the seeds

"That's it; youre going to Martial court in this ins-" VROOOM

His words didn't finish coming out of his mouth when a lightning appeared from the ground and then extended, pointing to the sky. Where the commander put the seed, there is now a full-grown tree. On his branches there are multicolored apples—a lot of them.

The commander and every other pony around us are looking in amazement at the spontaneous creation.

It took several seconds for Commander Hurricane to be able to speak again.

"Private pansy?"

"Yes sir?

"You're being promoted."

"...wha-"

"Take the seeds AND start planting, NOW!"

"Y-yes sir!" Don’t wanting to miss the opportunity to scape, I complete my task as soon as I can. The last thing I heard from the commander was him telling something about preparing a group to give our greetings to our new neighbor.

Author's Note

Finally i finished the new chapter, Yippie :yay:
Sorry for take so long for this, im already a mess when i write in spanish, writing in a language I'm not accustomed make me even messier, between that and my dyslexia, it almost make me insane once I have to make corrections or edit parts of the chapter that i didnt like enough :pinkiecrazy:

Anyway, for those who doesn't recognize the names of the ponies here presented, they are the founders of Equestria, so yes, this fic takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far far away :moustache: