//------------------------------// // They are more than just Trees // Story: Ponies of two Worlds // by Golden Paw //------------------------------//         Shadow Guard hung upside down, eyes shut and tried vainly to sleep, but the more he tried the further rest fled from him. Finally giving up he instead tried counting the knotholes in the wood all around but his eyes remained stubbornly alert. It was ridiculous! It was as if Shadow had passed through exhaustion and was now on the other side and no amount of effort seemed to ease his plight.         With a snort Shadow released his grip on the beam and landed, a little unsteadily, on the barn floor. Not for the last time he cursed the after effects of his injuries. Shadow’s balance was off, his ears still had a background ring in them and worst of all he had confused memories about the past few days. Shadow snorted again for good measure before pacing back and forth in an effort to shake off his unease. When that didn’t work he instead tried exploring the barn proper. He spent several frustrating minutes failing to uncover anything of interest and came to a decision. Crossing the room, Shadow climbed the ladder leading to the loft space above before pausing at the open window. He drew in a deep breath, letting the friendly odour of straw, cut wood and the grasses outside fill his lungs. These all mixed with the fragrance coming from the apple trees in a way that only made Shadow long to be out there. Taking a few more moments to breath deeply of the heady scents of the night Shadow finally felt himself relax, after that stuffy train ride this was bliss.         Spreading his wings Shadow took a quick skip, a jump and then flapped once as he cleared the window and soared out into the sky. His flight was a little unsteady, but he compensated and quickly powered himself upwards to gain height, as if trying to reach the stars above.         Shadow smiled as he changed his upward thrust into a lazy glide, taking in the whole of Sweet Apple Acres spreading out below him. The dusk here was so much more peaceful than Canterlot’s and with only the sounds of fellow night creatures drifting up to him he suddenly felt a longing creep up in his heart. This place wasn't a world away from the rises near Smoky Mountain and Shadow savoured the similarities.         The orchards were the dominant part of the farm as he had expected, but only now did he see how much space the farm covered. They tend to all this with just Big Mac, Applebloom and Applejack? No wonder the stallion was built like a barn.         Shadow Guard turned his view towards the farm buildings. They nestled in the sea of trees like a beating, life giving heart that provided for the rest of the land. This farm was what it was because of the ponies that tended it and Shadow was moved by the simple beauty of the place. As his flight took him past the house, he picked out lights in the windows that imitated the stars above. One by one they winked out and as Shadow listened attentively he reckoned he could just hear the Apple family moving around below.         He was about to soar further afield when Shadow spotted movement near the front of the house. To his surprise he saw Applejack making her way out of the front door and heading for the barn. She hadn't noticed him, progressing at a leisurely trot and Shadow felt the jumbled mess of his thoughts return with a vengeance. Suddenly unsteady, Shadow quickly angled his flight back towards the barn and was just able to make a clumsy dive back through the window in time for Applejack to knock smartly on the door below. Cracking his neck, Shadow made his way over and, not sure as to why, checked his mane was straight before pulling the door open. He smiled when the pensive face of Applejack was revealed, this time feeling his heart do a little flip in his chest. Must be the bang on the head.         "Um Howdy, I wanted to come n make sure there was nothin yer needed n ter apologize fer Granny. She can be a might bit stubborn when she takes a mind to it," Applejack explained before reaching her head into the saddlebags she was wearing. "I brought you some dinner, it ain't much but it's some of the best cooking you'll find this side of Ponyville," She declared with a little flourish. Shadow suddenly realised just how hungry he was. With a grin he cautiously tasted before quickly wolfing down a fritter in short order. With unseemly haste Shadow was half way through the second when he saw Applejack watching him with a disapproving expression.         "Thurmrph," Shadow said before he took time to swallow, "Ehm I mean thanks." despite the stern look Applejack had a slight smile as well.         “Well it’s good see yer enjoyed it anyhow,” Applejack’s smile only widened as Shadow, with much more care this time, began on the pie next. "So you're gonna be okay in the barn then? I mean I could try n have another word with Granny?" Applejack pressed but Shadow waved a hoof.         "Honestly it’s fine Miss Applejack I’ve imposed too much already and I don't want to get Granny Smith any more riled than she already is."         "Just don't feel right makin yer stay out here that's all, even if yer are an ill mannered loud mouth," Applejack insisted, he should have been listening but all Shadow could do was stare into her eyes, the way the moonlight danced across them was enchanting.         Without realising he was doing so, Shadow let his eyes wander over Applejack's athletic frame, the strength in her limbs, the way her mane fell across her shoulders…. Applejack had cocked an eyebrow and Shadow quickly coughed as he felt his cheeks burn. He hoped in the dimming light that Applejack didn't notice his colour change and In a voice slightly higher in pitch Shadow bid her a good night with a bow.         "We're up at dawn, the rooster will give yer the wakeup call n once we’ve had breakfast Big Mac can show yer what you'll be doin around the place," Applejack said with an unreadable expression and Shadow half feared she might spin around and buck him again.         When she did finally turn about he flinched, but Applejack was merely turning to return home and left Shadow feeling very foolish as he closed the door again. Returning to his perch, he mulled the conversation over in his mind. He could blame the bang on the head for a lot of things, but his thoughts only got scrambled when he saw Applejack once more. Shadow bit into an apple with relish and continued to review his situation. He finally had time to think and his recent impressions were a slightly alarming. Sure Applejack was a nice looking pony, but to think she was beautiful after all she’d put him through? It couldn’t all be down to the bump on his head? I...I think I may have a crush on her. The thought was so unexpected that Shadow nearly lost the grip on the beam above. It was hard to believe, his first introduction to Applejack had lead to a possible concussion and….yet the more Shadow thought about it the more he became convinced he had the truth of it. I really do like her! Where does that leave me now? Surely Applejack had no interest in him...then again she hadn’t objected to his admiring glances. Maybe she didn’t notice? She must have done. Shadow allowed the tingly feeling insides continue, actually entertaining the idea that his stay here might not be all that bad after all.         The piercing cry of the rooster started Shadow’s next morning, announcing the new day right next to his head and causing him to shake violently awake before losing his grip on the beam above. Landing on his much abused head, Shadow glared up to curse the bird and instead got a face full of the first rays of Celestia's sun.         He screwed his eyes shut before fumbling around in the straw, trying to find his shades, which of course had fallen off in his tumble to the ground. Muttering about roosters and what he would do if he managed to lay a hoof on one Shadow finally found his eye guards. After blinking a few times he gazed blearily about and saw the rooster had wisely fled.         Sighing, Shadow Guard shook off the hay clinging to his coat and attempted to straighten his mane. He did a quick once over to make sure nothing had been seriously hurt in the fall before making his way out into the dawn. It seemed that Granny still didn’t hold with him coming in the house and so Shadow found a simple oats and water breakfast on the doorstep. The bowl had an attached note 'For the bat pony' written on it and sighing again Shadow began to tuck in. To his amazement found even this simple meal tasted better than he expected.           Big Mac came out the front door just as Shadow was licking the bowl clean, "Um morning Mr Big Mac, up and ready for duty." Shadow saluted out of habit, being a soldier takes a lot of drumming into you and even more work to lose these habits once they stick.         Big Mac watched him with a slight frown before adding a simple, "Eyup.” Shadow waited for more, but Big Mac just continued to stare at him in silence. Shadow quickly dropped his salute and Big Mac gave a little chuckle before tilting his head for Shadow to follow. Falling in step beside him, Shadow was quickly shown various pieces of farm equipment set out in a nearby field, “So I’ll be using these then?” “Eyup”, was all he got in return. Shadow pointed to a plough that looked about the right size for him only for Big Mac to respond with a shake of his head and a definite, “Nope.” To Shadow’s horror Big Mac hefted a far larger plough a little further on and advanced upon him with a stern look in his eyes. Shadow fidgeted but bit his lip as he saw Big Mac’s expression become even more dour. With only a slight tremble Shadow allowed Big Mac to hitch him up, methodically tightening the straps with not so gentle jerks that threatened to topple Shadow. His task done, Big Mac stepped back before nodding with a satisfied grin. Shadow pulled experimentally and felt the heavy blade the move tiniest fraction, it was like trying to pull a boulder. He glanced back at Big Mac who was even now hitching himself to his own plough, one far bigger than Shadows. “You sure I can’t use a smaller one?” Shadow pleaded only for Big Mac to shake his head again. Shadow tried again, straining his back and pouring at the ground. The heavy plough began to move ever so slowly through the soil and Shadow grinned. He was about to congratulate himself when, looking back to his opposite, Shadow saw that Big Mac was already a quarter of the way down the field with a smug grin on his muzzle. “Right,” Shadow muttered before pulling with all his might. Sweat began to trickle down his muzzle. Shadow tugged, hauled and buffeted his wings in an effort to move but to his dismay he only got a few feet down his own furrow by the time Big Mac had finished his first. Still panting Shadow finally reached the halfway point when Big Mac passed him in the opposite direction, already well into his second run. Shadow braced himself for another condescending glance or comment, but was pleasantly surprised to instead receive a nod of encouragement from Big Mac. Shadow was pouring with sweat and his legs were trembling when he finally reached the end of his own line. Gasping he hauled his tool about to begin the next furrow before seeing Big Mac drawing near again with sympathetic look, "Yer take the strain on yer shoulders, not yer back.” “Thanks,” Shadow gasped. He felt like weakling foal compared to Big Mac and more than a little embarrassed. He was a soldier for Luna’s sake, no stranger to manual labour. He was used to pulling chariots and wearing heavy armour, but here and now Shadow was giving an embarrassingly poor show of stamina. The heat of the sun above was sapping his strength, his dark coat drank in the heat and caused him to sweat profusely. Nor was a plough like a chariot, similar but just different enough to be perplexing. Still Shadow wasn’t going to let a hunk of metal and a bit of rough dirt beat him.         He was drenched by the time he finished his second length while Big Mac was comfortably into his fourth, yet Shadow wasn’t going to give up and by the time he was halfway along his third furrow Shadow thought he caught an actual nod of approval from Big Mac. After what felt like an eternity the first field was done and Shadow almost collapsed into the waiting hooves of Big Mac. Looking back over his efforts Shadow saw that he’d only done about a third the amount of the work, Big Mac having quickly overtaken him and done the lion’s share. It was a similar story for the second field and by the third Shadow was near collapse. Only the timely arrival of a lunch break saved him. Applejack had brought them up some simple oats and a few more apples. Though Shadow Guard noticed that his oats were far ‘simpler’ than Big Mac’s, tellingly absent of honey and fruit.         With the morning jobs completed it was on to the apple bucking and Shadow was paired up with A.J for this bit of work. She did a few runs to show Shadow the technique before letting him have a go. Confident he gave his assigned tree a good kick but to his disappointment only a few apples fell out before Applejack gave a short laugh.         "It's more than just force yer know, yer gotta know where to hit the tree n how," Applejack explained as she bucked the next tree and a whole bushel came down into the prepared buckets before she nodded to herself in satisfaction, "If yer just put all yer 'whack' into it you just end up with sore hooves n a dented tree, yer gotta treat em right n they will treat yer right, right on back." Applejack explained while Shadow nursed his rear hooves. "Guess it's just an earth pony talent that us winged ponies don't have," Shadow commented.         "Well we’re all farm folk n been doin this fer years, in the family n all that. You bat ponies must get yer food from somewhere right? Don't you have farms n such like?" Applejack asked with genuine interest.         "Well most of our food is scavenged from the local wilds,” Shadow replied. We have foraging groups that go out, as not much grows in our cave systems. There are a few mushroom and root farms," Shadow admitted, "But they are mainly for the hard times when food is scarce; usually we trade scavenged things for what we need, day pony food has a much better flavour to it for one thing.”         "Y’all eat mushrooms?" Applejack asked in surprise, her eyebrows raised. "No wonder y'all so jumpy!" This just earned a scowl from Shadow.         "Not those kind of mushrooms!" He retorted, "Your common cave mould just tastes like dirt and it will keep you going but isn’t good for much else. Roots aren’t much better, but as I pointed out they are only for the hard times."         "Not ter be unkind sugar cube, but then what role do y’all play in Equestria then?" Applejack asked with a thoughtful look. "What do you mean?" Shadow Guard was taken aback by this question.         "Well the earth ponies till the ground, unicorns use their magic for the sun n what not. The pegasi do all the moving of the clouds n weather, which ain’t summit I ain’t ever seen you negasi do. I was just wonderin what yer roll is?" Applejack said and Shadow furrowed his brow, having never thought of it like that before.         It bugged Shadow that he didn't have an answer to this question. Applejack wasn't being unkind or mocking but when it came down to it what did the negasi do apart from live, eat food and make more bat ponies? "Well we are Luna's guards and help out in the night watches," Shadow Guard said quietly.         Applejack kept her eyebrows raised, "I ain't heard of any kinda pony bein there just ter be guards? We ain't had no wars or nothin n I can't imagine there bein too much trouble in Canterlot from what I’ve seen."         Shadow Guard grinned at this. Canterlot had its own kind of trouble and he took a small satisfaction they were doing their jobs well enough to give this impression, but that didn't change the fact that he couldn't answer her question. What ideas he did have didn't seem to cover the whole role of negasi in Equestria. He had been contented and settled in his life as a Night Guard and then A.J went and asked a question like that. It was one he would keep returning to, but for now there were more apples to buck.         By the end of the day Shadow Guard was in huge need of a bath. It had been hard work, Shadow had been expecting that, but it was just the amount that needed to be done in the heat of the sun. Shadow was certain he would sleep soundly tonight, no problem.         Applejack led Shadow back towards the farm buildings and to his surprise she took a different route from the one to the orchards. Following the well tended path Shadow was lead from the masses of trees and fields before heading past a small but steep hill overlooking the rest of the farm. A single oak tree crowned its summit and even to Shadow’s unpractised eye it didn't look healthy. Most of its branches were barren and those that did have leaves looked drained and weak.         On a farm where so much was alive and thriving under the skilled hooves of the Apple family, this sickly tree looked terribly out of place. A sour note in the music of life and as they came around the hill Shadow Guard saw there was a small pair of stones at the tree's base: Grave Stones.          He looked to Applejack for an explanation but paused when he caught the sad look in her eyes. Applejack was looking up at the hill and Shadow could have sworn he saw tears pricking her eyes. He vainly sought for something say or do and on impulse checked that Big Mac wasn’t nearby, the last thing Shadow Guard needed was for the huge pony to think he had upset his sister again.         "Sometimes I just like to say hi to Ma and Pa on the way home," Applejack finally explained, "I were only a little filly when they went but knew em well enough to love em all the same.” She had a little hitch in her voice and Shadow desperately tired to think what was expected of him? Should he try to comfort Applejack or just let her be?         Applejack said they died a while ago and yet she was still crying about it now? That thought sounded a little harsh even to Shadow Guard and he chided himself for even thinking it. He had lost family too but didn't get all teary every time he thought of it. Then Applejack solved at least one part of the mystery for him.         "I miss em n all but that ain’t the problem: It's the tree. Just look at it. We’ve all tried everything we can think of,” Applejack gave a despondent sigh, “Been fine fer years then suddenly last winter it just didn’t pick back up again. It just ain’t thriving, we know it ain't sick, there ain't no nasty bugs or creepy crawlies eatin it; It just ain't livin well anymore."         Shadow nodded, for a tree to start failing for no known reason was a sore enough point for a proud farm pony, but this tree was clearly special to Applejack. Without even thinking about it, Shadow put forth a hoof to comfort her even as his mind whirred. When he finally realised what he’d done Shadow made to pull his hoof away, but to his secret delight Applejack made no effort to shake it off. "It should have years n years well beyond me left in it too, so we're all like cats stuck in a rattlin box: A lot of fretting but no clear idea of how to solve the problem. I would give up a good part of this year’s harvest if summit could be done."         With a brave sniffle Applejack turned to Shadow before giving his hoof a perplexed look. He quickly withdrew it and rubbed the back of his head, all the while looking up at the barren branches. ”Anyhow we best be gettin on, Applebloom should be done at school and we need to swing by and walk her home,” Applejack announced with finality. Shadow Guard nodded absentmindedly, all his thoughts turned to curing the tree. He told himself it was purely the need to solve a mystery, that Applejack was stumped by the tree’s illness only added to Shadow’s curiosity, but deep down he suspected it was mostly to make her smile again. Shadow’s heart sank as he heard the telling heavy hoofsteps from behind and turned to see an angry Big Mac had joined them. He saw Big Mac glance between the tearstained Applejack and himself, but mercifully he seemed to reach the right conclusion this time around. Spirits rising again, Shadow allowed himself to be led away and used the journey to the school as a chance to ponder the tree problem. Couldn’t be weather, and it’s not something the Apples were failing to do. It was something unseen, maybe…. Shadow felt the first glimmer of an idea forming and with enthusiasm began to plan how to confirm his suspicions. "We were learning all about how all ponies work together to make Equestria run proper," Applebloom explained as Shadow, Big Mac and Applejack trotted at a leisurely pace. Applebloom had been practically bouncing with excitement when they’d picked her up and was even now overflowing with the effort of explaining what she’d learn’t that day, "Each pony has its own kinda magic, that way we’re ‘sin-a-jistic’.” Applejack gave Big Mac a knowing wink, "Well ain't that summit, I never would have guessed that runnin the farm n helping stuff grow was all down to magic. I reckoned it was hard work."          "Well yeah, that too but Cheerilee said that we earth ponies are more ‘connected’ to the ground than other ponies and that's how our magic shows," Applebloom clarified. Her smile faded and her muzzle scrunched up as she looked at Shadow. He could almost see the question forming before Applebloom asked it, "Hey Cheerilee didn't say nothin about you bat ponies, what kinda magic do you have? Don't you move the clouds and such like pegasi?"         Yet again, Shadow found he was unable to fully answer that question, but he tried anyway, "Well we can cling to things where other ponies can't."         "Nah that's easy, I hold on to stuff all the time," Applebloom stated matter of factly, "That ain’t special magic, that's just bein a pony."         "Not like I can," Shadow said with a little smile. At this he swept out his wings and flew to the nearest tree. Inverting himself he clamped his rear hooves onto the branch and hung there upside down looking at the three earth ponies with folded hooves and a triumphant smile.         Applebloom let out an awed gasp, but this faded almost as quickly as it came,"Well that’s real ‘shiny’ n all, but what use is that Mr? Seems like to me all yer doing is making the tree work harder." "Hush Applebloom that ain't polite," Applejack said with an apologetic smile.         Shadow had been so sure he was going to impress the little filly that her comments caused his smile to turn into a frown of his own. The unique traits of his people didn't seem to have any other effect than to help themselves. In a land where everypony prided themselves on working together, bat ponies just didn’t seem to fit. Shadow’s earlier conversation with Applejack drifted back and it doubly irked him that the negasi didn't seem to have a specific role in Equestria unlike every otherpony about.         "It’s fine Miss Applejack, she does have a point...." Shadow Guard trailed off as he let his rear hooves detach from the branch and with a twist of his wings flipped right way up and landed on the ground.         "Enough with the ‘Miss’ stuff, yer worked yer hooves raw today and I think you’ve earned the right to drop the ‘Miss’. Plus that’s nonsense, the bat ponies make really good guards for princess Luna don't they sugar cube. They help keep the night safe for all us day ponies," Applejack announced but Applebloom didn't seem fully convinced and to be honest, neither was Shadow.         After dinner, (still eaten outside, Shadow hadn’t seen Granny Smith since their first introduction) Shadow Guard had a generous wash in the river that ran near Sweet Apple Acres. He rubbed out the accumulated dust and grime that seemed to have worked its way among every hair in his coat and mane.         “‘Haven’t got any proper, useful magic huh?” Shadow asked himself as he scrubbed all the harder. Well he would show Applebloom that negasi could be of use. He was gonna solve that tree problem. With a final splash Shadow clambered out of the river and shook himself down. Flapping his wings in a spray of water, he cricked his neck, rolled his shoulders and then turned to face his new nemesis in the distance.         Launching upwards, Shadow circled a few times around the wilting oak making sure there was nothing that could only be spotted from the air that would lead to its condition. There were no telltale signs of spreading illness in the ground around it, no signs of damage on the surface which convinced Shadow all the more that his suspicions were right. He circled once more before touching down by the two grave markers. The simple headstones were immaculate, the grass clipped and well tended around them. Clearly their presence hadn’t caused the trouble. Shadow bowed his head respectfully before turning his attention back to the oak tree. A brief trot around its circumference didn’t show any obvious marks or damage to its trunk. Lowering his head Shadow smelt the ground round about, but found nothing out of place, the natural smells of the earth didn’t hold any clues. After his third fruitless lap of the stricken tree Shadow was all the more certain that he was right.         With all other obvious trouble ruled out, Shadow carefully pressed his ear against the trunk and heard it. Shadow pricked his ears and listened, the sound was subtle but it was there: Filtering up through the roots were the sounds of claws on gravel, after a moment he caught the faintest sound of heavy but muffled breath.         Shadow nodded before quickly placing his ear to the ground. Yes! There it was, the telltale sounds of movement under the ground. Straining his ears Shadow could also just make the sounds of gruff voices through the earth beneath him. A wicked grin grew on Shadow’s muzzle, he’d found the source of the oak tree’s troubles.