//------------------------------// // The rooting out of the Problem // Story: Ponies of two Worlds // by Golden Paw //------------------------------//         Shadow Guard was certain he’d found what was troubling the great oak tree, but what do now? If his suspicions proved correct then he was going to need help from the rest of the Apple family and they may not like the idea of disturbing the roots and maybe even the graves…. But if they did nothing then the tree was bound to get worse. His mind made up Shadow launched himself back into the air and headed for the main house.         After a short flight he dropped out of the sky and cantered the last few steps up to the front porch. The light’s were still on, so hopefully somepony was still awake. Taking a steadying breath Shadow knocked on the door and after a few seconds Granny Smith's head poked out from an upper window.         "I told ya yer black menace yer ain’t coming in! We want our necks un-bitten by the likes of you yer blood sucker!" Shadow ground his teeth, Oh it had to be Granny Smith.         "Mrs Smith could you please just get Miss Applejack, I need to talk to her about something important," Shadow Guard tried only to be shot down instantly.         "No way, no how, I ain't having her lured off with some fancy tale in the middle of the night only for us ter find her sucked dry tomorrow. Now off with yer!" Granny yelled back.         The window next to granny’s was thrown open and the bemused voice of Applejack joined in, "What's going on granny?" "Nothin young'un, just shooin off a pest that's all," Granny's bellowed back and Shadow could only watch as the two began to argue.         "'Granny' that's enough!" Applejack finally slammed the shutters closed and Shadow waited as the sounds of a scuffle were briefly heard. A few cries later Applejack opened the door and confronted Shadow. Her mane was loose, flowing in the gently breeze and for a moment he completely forgot why he was even there.         "Now what’s this yer want Mr Shadow. We’re just goin ter bed," Applejack asked in a far more normal tone.         Shadow Guard stood there for a few moments with a faraway look in his eyes. The important news was floating just out of reach at the back of his mind, eclipsed completely by the pony before him. Shaking his head Shadow tried to focus on the task at hoof.         "I have found the problem with your beauty and the trees are such a sight that they need help," Shadow jabbered out before his mind realized what his mouth had just said.         Applejack just stared at Shadow with a look of utter incomprehension in her eyes, “Oh nelly, I must have bucked yer harder than I thought, now just take it slow n try that again okay?” Shadow tried a second time but met with similar results, "I...I no, I didn't mean to say you're beautiful that's not what I mean at all." Applejack's expression turned from annoyance to downright anger, "Look Mr Shadow, it's been a right hard day n we're all mighty tired, so unless its summit mighty important I reckon yer should head on back ter the barn n sleep it off ya hear." Applejack watched as Shadow realized what he had just blurted out and turned a bright shade of red in the face.         Shadow snorted at the sky, "No, no you’ve got it wrong Miss Applejack, please let me explain. It's about the oak tree".         Applejack snorted, but the urgent tone in Shadow’s voice seemed to be getting through and she eventually cocked an eyebrow and looked at Shadow with renewed interest, "Make it quick Shadow, before I change ma mind."         "I know what's wrong with your oak tree Miss Applejack, but I need your help to sort it," Shadow Guard eventually managed to speak coherently, "I think you may have a bad case of undermining."         Applejack’s face moved from one of interest to intense focus, "Come again? What's that about the oak tree?"         "Something is digging into the roots of your tree, I heard them moving about below and I’m sure it’s the cause of your troubles," Shadow clarified only for Applejack to look sceptical again.         "There ain't neither holes nor pits near bye, plus why would summit be diggin in the roots of ma oak tree?" Applejack asked., “Plus we ain’t heard nothin ter suggest….”         Shadow shook his head, “Please just trust me, it’s a problem we had back in the mountains.”         “You’d better be mighty sure before we start poking around there Shadow,” Applejack had a dangerous tone now.         "Just get a spade or something and dig down I promise we’ll find what’s hurting your tree," Shadow insisted and to his immense relief Applejack finally nodded.         Applejack followed Shadow and Big Mac back to the memorial tree. She held a lantern in her mouth while Big Mac carried several digging tools. The ailing oak tree loomed out of the darkness as they approached, looking just as sickly as before. Applejack didn’t dare hope that they’d finally found out what was wrong, but Shadow seemed sincere and didn’t really have much reason to lead them astray. Then again, she wasn’t sure that his brains weren’t rattled and misfiring either.         As they came close Applejack felt her heart pounding. Shadow walked up to the tree before pressing his ear against it. After a few tense moments he nodded to himself before walking about, stopping to periodically press his ear to the ground this time and all the while Applejack waited with baited breath.         "Here, this is closest to the surface. Bring that spade over, but be careful the ground could give way once you get deep enough," Shadow Guard ordered and Applejack felt her nerves twanging, at least he hadn’t pointed to the graves. Applejack didn’t think she could have coped if they’d had to move them.         Big Mac, ever faithful looked to her and she nodded with approval. The tension continued to mount as the shovel began moving the dirt, every strike making Applejack’s heart thump all the harder. After several minutes of digging Shadow held up a hoof, “The sound’s changed, I think you’re nearly through.”         Shadow then took his turn with the spade, “No offence Big Mac, but I’m a little lighter than you plus if it does give way I have these,” he spread his wings to prove the point. The ground under shadow trembled slightly and Applejack saw the loose soil begin to tumble away between the now exposed roots.         Shadow grinned up at them in triumph before he hunkered down and began to widen the small hole with his hooves. Applejack gasped as he revealed a roughly hewn tunnel leading right towards the tree. Even by the limited light of the lantern she could make out the badly mauled roots lining the tunnel and felt the anger bubbling up inside; diamond dogs.         “What in the hay would they be wanting with our tree?” Applejack hissed and Shadow motioned for her to bring the lantern closer.         “See for yourself,” He said cryptically and so Applejack thrust her head down and looking about started in surprise.         The rough dirt gave way to carved, stone and further along she caught the glitter of riches: It was a tomb. Applejack pulled herself back and gave Big Mac and Shadow a look of astonishment, “Well I’ll be, I knew pony folk had been here before us, but I never would have reckoned on that.” “This must have been the last resting place of a very important pony from the past,” Shadow surmised, “The oak tree must have cracked the seal with it’s roots, then the diamond dogs found a way in.” Shadow poked his head back into the hole and Applejack was forced to wait several anxious moments before he spoke again, “I think there’s about six of them further up the tunnel, they’re so busy digging I don’t think they know we’re here.”         "They're trespassin n killing our tree to boot," Applejack fumed, one look at Big Mac told her that he was just as eager to do some bucking right about now.         "Well I reckon we can take em, my legs ain't that worn from today's work that they can't deal with a few mangy doggies," Applejack announced and Big Mac agreed as he flexed his massive shoulders.         She deflated only a little as Shadow shook his head, “If you fight them others will just come back later. You can’t keep guarding this place forever.”         Applejack poured at the ground, “Well we’ll buck them too.”         “I have a better idea, one that will keep them away for good,” Shadow said and his lips parted to reveal his sharp teeth, “How are you with rope Miss Applejack?”         Garg was in charge of this pack and he was the Big Dog. His dark brown and black coat was healthy and clean, clearly indicating his status among his fellows. The alpha dog had heard warnings from other packs that the village of Ponyville should be avoided, that it’s inhabitants were cunning and strong. The last group that tried to mess with them had lost practically their whole hoard from what he’d heard. The stories were told far and wide of their powers of trickery but mostly the terrible sounds they could make.         Garg didn’t care about all that, because he had his plan. The diamond dogs didn't need to go anywhere near the village, they would dig under it. Garg was convinced there were rich pickings around pony lands just waiting for an enterprising mutt to claim them.         When his scouts returned with news of the dead pony tomb Garg’s schemes had been vindicated. He, along with his pack mates drooled at the thought of the wealth that would soon be theirs. His underlings had been only too eager to begin excavating the crypt and tore into the roots blocking their access with wild abandon.         Garg’s teeth shone in the torchlight, showing an impressive amount of jewellery which almost matched the gleam in his greedy eyes. They had hit the find of a lifetime here he was sure of it. True it was a little close to the surface, but the rewards far outweighed the risk in his mind.         The dog’s head filled with images of prestige and glory, maybe there was enough in this one haul to buy his way into the royal packs? Yes, the status of his dogs was going up in the world and Garg rubbed his paws as he played out the visions grandeur in his head.         Suddenly a strong rush of wind snuffed out the lights, plunging the dogs into darkness and the cave quickly filled with the sounds of whimpering. Quickly restoring order with some well placed cuffs about the head, Garg asserted his dominance. He was more annoyed than worried. Strange gusts of wind weren’t unheard of in tunnel networks, probably cave in some way back, bound to happen this close to the surface. His pack could work in the dark; it would just take longer to find their glittering prizes.         Now he had their attention, Garg barked out his orders and was about to resume his fantasizing when he caught sight of a lone pony figure standing further back towards the entrance. Garg narrowed his eyes, suspecting that a local pegasus had stumbled upon their digging, well he’d show them a….  Then he saw the glowing eyes watching from the darkness and the pony’s the wings were of a very different nature.         The black silhouette just stood there, wings spread out menacingly and all the time those glowing eyes bored into Garg’s. They seemed to be looking right through him. As he tore his gaze away Garg noticed small pinpricks of light were dancing around the pony and he felt a sudden chill in the air.         In a deep booming voice that seemed to make the tunnel shake this new phantom called out in voice like thunder, "Pitiful whelps thou hast broken the seal of this tomb! Thou grave robbers shall be punished for this violation!"         This resounding announcement was accompanied by a rumble of thunder and the whole tunnel shook, dislodging a number of small stones from the roof which fell onto the assembled dogs. The rest of the pack whined and looked to Garg for guidance, but before the alpha dog could respond in any way there was another blast of air which stirred the collected dust around the area into a frenzy.         "Thou shalt to leave this place and never return, lest I 'Mortifer' the dark stallion of the night, guardian of the dead and keeper of souls past take my due from your flea ridden hides!" The black pony still hadn’t moved and those slitted eyes continued to glare into Garg's in open challenge. Yet another roll of thunder resounded and the whole chamber trembled with greater violence than before.         The resolve of the pack stretched thin before finally breaking. With whimpers and whining they scattered, trying desperately to climb the walls and seeking anyway of escape, but the only way out was through the ghostly pony.         Garg could feel the situation slipping from his paws, he knew of stories of bat ponies and what powers they were rumoured to possess. Other packs had clashed with the dark ponies in the mountains and always coming off worse for it. Still this was just one pony and he had his whole pack with him, if he could get them together he reckoned they could take this dark equine.         The assurances this plan gave Garg drained away as a chilling cloud of vapour seeped into the tomb and the pinpoints of blue light swirled about the pony with more vigour. To Garg’s mounting horror the bat pony drifted gently into the air, floating without even moving his out stretched wings.         Whatever this phantom was, it wasn’t like any other pony Garg had ever heard of. Its glowing blue eyes burned with a cold fire and Garg saw the creature was grinning now, sharp teeth glinting in the dancing motes of light. A third rumble shook the area and Garg really started to believe this may indeed be some supernatural being summoned by the ponies to guard their dead.         "This is thy final warning dogs of diamond! Be gone and never return or I will claim thy souls as payment. The trickle of mist became a flood that enveloped the panicking diamond dogs. To Garg it felt like the icy claws of the great black dog of death, sending shivers along the canine’s spine and causing his fur to stand on end. The thunder returned with vengeance as the ghostly pony, its cold eyes still glaring at Garg, drifted upwards with a sinister calm close to the tunnel’s ceiling.         Garg’s pack mates needed no further encouragement; seeing their escape route now clear they dived down the tunnel and under the spectral pony. They clawed and snapped at each other in their desire to be away. Soon their distant whines and thudding paws faded to silence. Garg was found himself alone with the dark pony hovering before him, its stare pinning him to the floor.         Maybe there had been some validity to the advice from the other packs, foraging in pony lands was obviously more trouble than it was worth. A final shaking of the roof and the impact of a hefty rock impacting on Garg's tail was all that was needed to send the alpha dog scurrying after his pack mates.         Shadow Guard grinned at the retreating diamond dogs and then yanked the small rope holding him aloft. He was sure he could make out the giggling sound of Applebloom from above.         "Gotta hand it ter yer Shadow, I didn't think that would work, but boy am I glad ter be wrong," Applejack was beaming with happiness.         "We've had a fair number of encounters with diamond dogs back home. They are strong and tough, but lack brains and courage, plus I couldn't have done it without all of you, " Shadow smiled in turn as they all celebrated the victory.         He was still brushing off the glitter dust that had been applied to give his coat the blue sparkle, courtesy of Applebloom and her friends. It had given just that little extra touch of magic to the whole scheme.         The cheery voice of Applebloom was heard, "Yeah we showed them dogs not to mess with the Apple family,” It had been her idea to use the glitter and she was rightly proud it had worked so well.         Shadow turned his gaze on the large number of pots, pans and other metal items used in their ploy. He chuckled as he remembered how their crashing together had made the convincing ‘thunder’ when heard down below.         The sounds of Big Mac downing another mug of apple cider showed his positive thoughts on the whole event. Shadow had been secretly worried the roof really would give way as Mac’s enthusiastic stomping shook the whole hillside.         The final ingredient had of course been the mist and wind, a cunning little addition on Applejack's part. She’d used bellows to force fridge air through the crypt, an unconventional use of dry ice in Shadow’s opinion but effective. It had also been Applejacks strong teeth hauling the ropes that caused Shadow to 'float' without moving his wings and  his admiration for Applejack only grew as he thought of her holding him steady in the tunnel.         Granny Smith wasn’t going to miss out on the fun either and she had overseen the whole event with care, directing the others as needed and holding the lantern that had cast ‘Mortifer’ into silhouette. The whole family had come out to save their memorial tree and Shadow was over the moon that it had worked so well.         He eagerly finished another mug of cool cider and looked up at the memorial tree with a warm feeling in his chest. The great oak, though hurt by the digging of the diamond dogs was not beyond helping and Granny Smith had even warmed up to Shadow Guard after his efforts to help tonight.         “Darn tootin!” Granny yelled before she gave Shadow a playful hoof bump on the shoulder, “Why I know just the remedy to help the memorial tree so with love and care it’ll be back to its old self in no time.” “Plus the dogs left us all the jewels!” Shadow beamed only for a silence to descend upon the group. “Well it is on our land,” Applejack said uncertainly, “But it don’t feel right takin from the dead like that.” “Well they’re not using it anymore and we did save it from the diamond dogs,” Shadow added. Applejack turned it over in her mind, heaven’s knew they really could do with the money and they had help protect it. Then again, the planting of the memorial tree had caused the tomb to be broken open in the first place, “I reckon we should take some to cover costs n the rest we can give to a museum or summit.” She glanced at Granny who after a few seconds thought nodded her approval. That was enough for Applejack and anyway, she had other things on her mind, "Now sugar cube, yer wanna tell me what that there mix up on the doorstep was all about?" Shadow’s smile froze and he began to blush. Applejack continued to watch him as he rubbed the back of his head before staring at the floor, "Well er um, I really didn't mean to say you were pretty." Applejack snorted and Shadow went on quickly, “But that doesn't mean I didn't mean it, far from it. I think you’re the most beautiful mare I have ever met." He was babbling again, rushing his words in such a way that Applejack couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, and a little flattered.         "You're so brave and strong and and....." Shadow Guard wound down until he finished with a, "You have really great eyes. I would like to get to know you more," He finished weakly.         "That's real sweet sugar cube, ya done good by me n my family tonight. So I may be in a mind ta give ya a chance, but I ain't promisin nothin," Applejack said uncertainly.         “That isn’t a no though right?” Shadow asked, his eager eyes reminding Applejack of her dog ‘Winona’ when she was just a puppy. “It’s not a yes either,” Applejack said, not entirely sure how she felt about the whole idea.         Once word got out there had been an important find at Sweet Apple Acres a number of archaeological groups descended upon Ponyville to delve into its secrets. This was a great boost for the Apple farm as more ponies meant more hungry bellies to fill and they did a rousing trade keeping all the busy explorers fed and watered.         According to Equestrian land laws the find did indeed belong to A.J and her family, and true to her word they only took a little and let most of it go to a Canterlot museum. They sold their share off to collectors, paying for the broken chariot and a few other things needed fixing up around the farm. This all came as an added bonus; most importantly the oak tree had been saved.         The archaeological ponies took great care in their exploring, all under the watchful eyes of Big Mac and Granny Smith who made sure they treated the roots with more respect than the diamond dogs had.         For Shadow Guard, it was a mixed blessing; with the chariot now paid for he was out of ‘official’ reasons to remain on the farm. He had planned to be off work for far longer and now he found himself dragging his hooves. He’d grown to like the quieter life here during the short stay; Shadow had gained a soft spot for Sweet Apple Acres. He’d grown fond of the Apple family and especially Applejack. Having spent time with her he found himself longing for A.J’s company, beyond his initial interest in her looks. He held a far deeper attraction to her as a pony now.         But duty was duty and all too soon Shadow found himself waiting for a train back to Canterlot. The Apple Family came to see him off at least and Granny Smith had even given him a food package for the journey home.         "Thanks for everything Miss Applejack," Shadow said wearing his eye shades once more to protect himself from the sun.         "Aww come on, after the last couple of days I think ya earned the right ter just call me ‘A.J’ yer silly colt," She smiled in an indulgent way that caused Shadow’s heart to skip a beat. "Now yer be keeping yerself safe yer hear n don't let that Night Blade go working yer too hard."         "I'll be sure not to," Shadow looked down shyly before going on, "I was hoping to be able to come back and visit next time I have some leave? I would really like to see you again." He sensed the telltale feeling of a blush forming again to match the flutter in his heart.         Applejack paused for a moment, that felt like an eternity for Shadow, before she replied. "I reckon I’d like that too, just give us some fair warning next time. I don't want Granny makin ya sleep in the barn again." Both ponies grinned at this and Shadow did an internal ‘Wahoo’ before the train whistle blew reminding them it was time to go.         "I'll write A.J, take care of yourself and the others," He moved to hug Applejack good bye and to his great delight she returned it warmly. "Come on yer silly colt or ya’ll miss yer ride," Applejack said as they broke apart.         Shadow Guard nodded and boarded the train. Other ponies still gave him odd looks but he didn't care, the whole world was wonderful right now and he couldn't help but smile. He took the chance to give one last wave goodbye to Applejack through the window before the train pulled out of Ponyville and headed for Canterlot.                  The return journey was far less exciting and Shadow found his mind drifting back to the farm along with Applejack. It had been such a different pace of life and not just the change of hours. The farm had a special quality of its own that was far removed from the nightlife of Canterlot, but now he was heading back to night patrols and cleaning up after ponies that had drunk too much for their own good. It had been less than half an hour, but Shadow missed Applejack and the rest of the Apple family already.         He sighed and contented himself with imaginings of what it would be like to be back at the farm again. These warm thoughts kept him company as train made it’s winding way back to Canterlot and the fresh challenges awaiting Shadow on his return.