Morning dawned upon the humble abbey of Gardenia, waking the beauty of its lush flora as well as its residents. The Battle Foals got up a little later than the monks and Greensprout since they didn’t adhere to whatever schedule they must have set for themselves, but nopony seemed to mind. Fire Fight and Air Slash yawned and stretched as they awoke well-rested from their much-needed slumber. Their nasty spelunking from yesterday had taken its toll.
“Morning, Air Slash!” Fire Fight said. When he looked at him, the young samurai was just gazing solemnly at one of his swords. “I think I smell breakfast. We better hurry before it’s all gone.”
“Good morning…” he muttered.
“Something wrong?” Fire Fight asked.
“Oh….my blades are becoming dull. That’s all.” Air Slash answered. He barely glanced at Fire Fight when he said that.
Fire Fight creased a sympathetic smile when he realized what was really bothering him. “You’re gonna miss Greensprout, aren’t you?”
Air Slash sheathed his sword and sighed. “Shadow Shroud’s sharp senses have bled onto you, it seems.” He stood up and looked at Fire Fight. “I’ve sworn my allegiance to you, and I won’t go back on that…..but…..”
Fire Fight put his hoof on Air Slash’s shoulder. “You’ll see her again, dude. Once we find a place to call home, you can write to her or even visit her as much as you want! Just don’t forget about her.”
Air Slash’s spirits were raised a little from hearing his friend’s words. “Perish the thought.” He said with a smile. After gathering their bags and armaments, the two colts joined everypony else for breakfast, which consisted of toasted hay, fruit and Fire Fight’s favorite: mushroom omelettes! Shroud was happy to finally see him smile so happily in what felt like a near eternity. Shrapnel took a gulp of water from the river while Zebota hunted another deer for him before getting breakfast himself.
Zebota cut the deer up into bits that he put into a makeshift food bowl for his beast. Crazylocks had her plate next to Shrapnel, so that two ate side by side. Next to them was a table where the other Battle Foals shared their breakfast along with Greensprout and Meadow. “I trust you all slept well?” Meadow asked.
“Yes, sir. Ah was out like a light.” Kickback said.
“We all was, I bet.” Turf War said.
“I had to take Quantum Tech away from the Gaia Root, but we slept well after that.” Greensprout said. Quantum blushed.
Fire Fight smiled and rolled his eyes. “Quantum…” he said. “Oh! Did you get results back about that resin?”
Quantum nodded. “I did, and it’s rather…..disturbing. The resin has strange parasitic properties, and if it's consumed, it overtakes the host’s entire nervous system, even their very consciousness. However, the host’s aging is halted completely, and any nourishment they normally receive is replaced with more resin as more is consumed and self-reproduces within the host.” She explained.
Everypony was shocked. “You mean to say that…..those ponyfolk became the Fallen by…...eating that resin!?” Zebota asked.
“Gotta be why d’hey spit was glowin’.” Turf War said.
“Yeah, but why eat it? I thought they used it as a power source.” Spiral inquired.
“Well, if you remember, those ponies worshipped some mystical tree as a divine entity. It’s quite safe to assume that this would the tree that the resin was produced from. The resin itself also is highly conductive of a strange magical energy that gave a similar reading to the mystical bond between Zebota and Shrapnel, but it seemed to flow only in the resin itself, which makes me wonder if it was unique to the resin or perhaps the whole tree itself.” Quantum explained. “Seeing the many wonders of this substance definitely sparked the religion around the tree, perhaps even to the point that they’d eventually yearn to receive more direct blessings if you catch my drift.”
The foals and Meadow certainly did catch her drift, and it was a cold, unnerving drift indeed. “They began eating the resin as a form of rite!?” Meadow said.
“I can’t say anything conclusively, but based on what I’ve been able to gather, that is the theory I’ve come to.” Quantum Tech said. She then looked at Meadow. “Abbot, I must ask that you warn anypony that passes through to stay far away from that cave. We don’t know if any more of the Fallen are still around, and we certainly don’t need any more tragedies…” she said as she looked at Greensprout, who lightly sighed.
Meadow nodded. “I certainly will. Do you wish to keep the journal that Stone Century wrote?”
Quantum shook her head. “No, we’re quite done with it, but make sure that it does not tempt anypony to ignore your warnings.”
“Agreed. I will keep it safely guarded.” Meadow said. He then looked over at Greensprout. “I…trust that this will not bother you?”
Greensprout shook her head. “No, abbot. I have all the memento I need of them right here.” She pulled out the little photo from her robe.
Meadow smiled. “Ah, yes. That one picture hold far more words than many others do.”
“Hol’ up! I just thought o’ somethin’. You said dat resin is all like bondin’ an’ stuff, right? What if maybe dat tree controls things that eats its resin and was…..I don’t know, protectin’ itself o’ somethin’?” Turf War said.
“Like a colony of ants commanded by their queen?” Zebota asked.
Turf War shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I mean I know dat gotta sound crazy as-”
“That’s actually very insightful of you, Turf War.” Quantum blurted. “It would explain why they seemed to congregate around mass collections of the resin.”
“Hehe. See? Yo’ boy smart sometimes!” Turf War said.
Quantum smirked. “That in of itself is a scientific discovery.”
Everypony started laughing save for Turf War, who had a shocked expression about his face. “Man! Dat’s….” Turf War couldn’t say anything for the risk of cussing in a place like this, and it caused his face to distort with frustration.
“Yes, Turf War? Please go on.” Quantum teased. With his face still scrunched, Turf War just released a deep breath and eased up. Quantum giggled. “I’m kidding, Turf War. If brains were all that mattered, you’d be completely useless, and you’re anything but.”
Turf War just rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Mmhm.” Fire Fight gave him a pat on the back, and he regained his mood. “How ‘bout Greensprout’s li’l Gaia Root thing?”
“Such a fascinating item, that one.” Quantum said. “It seems to share some properties with the glowing resin, but with…..reversed polarities, if you will. Abbot Meadow, when and where was it found?”
“As far as I know, it’s always been in Gardenia, though I don’t how long. How it truly came to us is a mystery.” Meadow replied.
“Hmm…..We’ll get back to that. Anyway, the root itself generates a bio-friendly nature-based magic akin to what we’ve seen Zebota use, but the emerald adorning it seems to act as a sort of buffer that reverses the effects of this magic, preventing the root from growing any further.” Quantum explained.
“So it was built onto the root for a purpose?” Air Slash asked.
“It would seem so; the magic in the emerald was most definitely cast into it. However, it is also able to conduct the very energy it was designed to hold back, which…..unless its purpose to begin with was for the use of healing, I have no idea what it could have been meant for……unless…..” Quantum said.
“Unless what?” Spiral asked, but then she gasped when she realized something. “The Gaia Root could have come from the same tree that made that glowing resin!”
“And when the ancient ponies realized that it was dangerous, they tried to hold back its poison!” Air Slash said.
“If this tree was as grand as the Fallen believed it to be, then it’s not unreasonable to think that its roots extended even out here.” Shadow Shroud said. “Thus, what became known as the Gaia Root was originally designed to arrest the growth and vitality of a massive parasite.”
Quantum Tech nodded to them. “Exactly!”
Greensprout gasped. “Could…..Could that explain why it responds to me better than anypony else? I was born in what was once the heart of it all.”
“While that’s only speculation, it’s the only conclusion I can draw.” Quantum said.
“I believe it is as you say, Greensprout.” Zebota said. “I sense that your exposure to that place from birth has allowed you to become attuned to the natural flow within it and objects that come from there. The spirits that dance inside that jewel welcome you as their sister.”
“You truly think so, Zebota?” Greensprout asked. Shrapnel lowly grunted at her.
“He says ‘it is the same as my master and I’.” Crazylocks blurted. Her breakfast covered her muzzle like a pig that had been playing in mud. They all laughed.
“Oh! Speaking of using it, I should mention one more thing.” Quantum said. “As you all know, earth ponies transmit earth-receptive magic through their hooves, allowing them to grow crops and otherwise tend to flora and much of nature. The Gaia Root is receptive to this magic seeing as it is….well, a root, so only an earth pony may utilize its powers.”
“Hmm….That explains why Gentle Gust couldn’t get a spark from it. She’s one of our pegasi.” Meadow commented. As they finished their conversation, they also finished their meal. “Will you all be leaving soon?”
Fire Fight nodded. “Yeah, we should. There’re foals out there that can’t wait any longer.”
“You are strong in your conviction, Fire Fight. Never lose that.” Meadow said.
“We really can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for us, Abbot Meadow. I hope our paths cross again soon.” Shadow Shroud said.
Meadow chuckled. “Your well-being is our reward, child. It is what we all here strive for, but perhaps you won’t have to wait as long as you may believe.”
“What do you mean?” Spiral asked.
Greensprout got up and proudly held her Gaia Root. “I’ve decided that I want to come with you!” she declared. The Battle Foals nearly choked on their food from shock and gawked at her. “I spoke with the abbot last night after Quantum Tech finally fell asleep. My experience with you all yesterday cast a new light onto me that I had never seen before that I wish to explore further, and I feel that aiding you in your quest will take me on that path.”
“Wh-What!? Greensprout….are you sure? This isn’t going to be some stroll in the park, you know.” Fire Fight said.
“I’m shocked you’re even ok with this, abbot.” Shroud said.
Meadow sighed. “It was not an easy conversation, but there is much truth in what she says. Fire Fight, the actions that you and your friends took yesterday served as a mighty structure upholding the words you spoke to us. There is a side of the light of this world that you understand, but we do not. I wish I could explore with you, but my place is here in Gardenia.” He then looked at Greensprout. “While our methods do not agree, we share the same goal: to forge an age of peace for all of Equestria, and I hope that whatever Greensprout will learn from you will help build a bridge between our sides of this coin.”
While the offer was sudden, Greensprout’s presence was definitely welcome. Her ability to restore and buff their vitals was helpful enough already, but her expertise with herbs and plants coupled with skills as a gardener would be a blessing and a half for the utopia that they would eventually build. Not only that, but Air Slash’s heart was fluttering. “I have no objections whatsoever!” he declared with a big smile on his face. Greensprout giggled along with the other fillies.
“Good to know, Air Slash!” Spiral teased.
Air Slash cleared his throat. “Y-Yes, well…..A-As such, this is but a formality, but I must give you this.” He reached into his bag and pulled out another one of the Battle Foals medallion that he made and handed it to Greensprout.
Greensprout looked at it curiously. “What’s this?”
“Your new badge of honor, Greensprout. Welcome aboard.” Fire Fight said.
Greensprout took another glance at the silver medallion. Its fierce design wasn’t something she wasn’t all that fond of on the surface, but knowing its deeper meaning made her proud to possess it. Plus, she was impressed at Air Slash’s craftsmanship. She put it in her own bag. “Thank you all.”
“Ah reckon you’ll stay in the back while we do all the rumblin’?” Kickback asked.
Greensprout nodded. “Yes. When battle has made you weary, I will heal your wounds and mend your broken spirits. My herbal remedies will no doubt also serve us well.”
“Just don’t be afraid to fight back yourself as an absolute last resort. I know that you’re not usually one to partake in an open fight, but our opponents will pay that no heed.” Air Slash said.
“I know, Air Slash, and I have the utmost faith that you will guard me as you have been. All of you.” Greensprout replied. Air Slash blushed a little. Just then, a bush some yards away from them began rustling. Without a moment’s thought or hesitation, Air Slash drew his swords as quick as lightning and put himself between the bush and Greensprout. When yet another squirrel emerged from the brush, he nearly dropped his swords from embarrassment as he felt everypony’s eyes on him.
“Tsk tsk, Air Slash. Threatening innocent, little animals like that? I expected more from an honorable Bladerunner.” Shadow Shroud teased.
Air Slash glared at her as he sheathed his swords, but he then felt Greensprout gently pat him on the back while giggling. He couldn’t lose his temper in front of her, and her very touch just about calmed him. “Ehh….sorry.” he muttered.
“It’s alright. Just don’t allow your fighting spirit to override all of your other emotions. I’d hate to see you become the monster that I nearly became down in that ruin.” Greensprout said.
“Indeed.” Air Slash said.
“I trust that you’re packed sufficiently, darling?” Quantum Tech asked.
“I am. I have some herbs and remedies packed into this bag, but I need to go get the bag I packed my food and water in. Please excuse me.” Greensprout said. She trotted back to Meadow’s house.
Meadow then looked at the Battle Foals. “Take some supplies from us if you need to. We wouldn’t want you to starve from not having fresh food.”
“Thanks, abbot.” Fire Fight said. They restocked on food and water as Greensprout returned from retrieving her supply bag, and the other monks gave them their good wishes.
“So, where do y’all reckon we should go from ‘ere?” Kickback asked.
“If I may?” Meadow said. The Battle Foals gave him their attention. “To the north of here is another river that flows from the Everfree forest. Just across the other side from here is a relatively big hamlet called Trifectown that lays to the east of the White Tail Woods. I hear that the locals pride themselves on competitive sports.”
Shroud looked at her map for this place. “Yep. It’s just where he says. How about it, guys?”
“FINALLY! I GET TO RETURN TO MY TRUE PEOPLE, THE CROQUET MALLETS!!” Crazylocks blurted.
“Uh….right. That aside, sounds good.” Spiral said.
“I’m widit.” Turf War said. Everypony agreed.
“Alright. Well, thanks again to all of you! You won’t tell anypony we were here, right?” Fire Fight said.
Meadow shook his head. “No, Fire Fight. You have a journey to take, and we shall not hinder it. Go with peace.” He then looked at Greensprout. “And you be safe, my child.”
Greensprout hugged her adopted parents to which he returned. The two embraced lovingly before they gave a heartfelt farewell. “Goodbye…….grandpa.”
Meadow was surprised to hear her call him that, but the warm look in her eyes told him that he was truly family to her. He smiled and gently kissed her forehead. “Goodbye.”
As the Battle Foals disappeared into the thick brush beyond, the monks of Gardenia gathered around their elderly leader. Some were a little weary of his choice. “Abbot, are you sure this is such a good idea? Their families…..I can’t imagine what pain this must be bringing them.”
“Indeed. Wouldn’t it be better to just mull things over with them?” another monk asked.
The aging abbot took a deep breath. “We could, but Fire Fight has taught me something that I think we can all learn from.”
“What’s that?”
“Sometimes, it takes one error to correct another. These foals seem to know this, and through their own error, they seek to correct the one great error that Equestria has committed since its founding.” Meadow answered.
“And what error is that?”
Meadow looked off into the brush that the Battle Foals disappeared into and smiled as he thought about them and what they’d accomplish. “A desire for perfection.”