Two days, a Changeling fight and chase, and two stops for water later, Spark Storm had finally returned to Canterlot. Just on the outskirts of town, Spark sat down to take a breather. He was about to head into the city when with a pop and a flash of light startled him and made him fall back onto his haunches. In front of him appeared Twilight Sparkle, looking highly miffed.
"So there you are. Do you have any idea how worried Princess Celestia has been? How dare you just go galivanting off doing whatever it was you were doing, when my teacher was so kind as to take you in -" She was suddenly cut off as Spark Storm got in her face, glowering with anger. She gasped and backed off.
"You have no idea what I've been through. Not now, not before, so don't talk to me like you do!" He stomped past her. He wasn't going to explain himself to this one, not now, not ever.
He was still angry when he noticed her walking along beside him, a guilty look on her face. She glanced at him, sighed, then decided to speak. "Spark, I'm sorry. I really don't know what you've been through. But...maybe I'd like to know. Can you tell me what happened to you before you came here?"
Spark was still angry at her, but she was making an effort, so he spoke more kindly to her. "Thanks for the apology, but...I'm sorry, there's just a lot on my mind right now. Maybe later, Twilight." The Unicorn sighed and backed off. Making friends was a lot harder than Celestia had told her. She still wasn't convinced it was worth the trouble.
Spark Storm stood in the most beautiful gardens he'd ever seen. After debriefing with Celestia, and grieving once more over the loss of his teacher and friend, Spark had come here. He hadn't been sure if he should tell Celestia about what he intended to do. He took out the little helicopter seed. So small, yet so significant.
"Bit for your thoughts, Spark Storm?" Spark gasped at the appearance of the kind, regal voice of the Princess. He looked behind him to see her approaching, a small smile on her face until she noticed the seed resting on his hoof. She stretched out a wing, pressing it on the back of his hoof to pull hoof and seed towards her.
"Interesting seed you have there, Spark." She looked from the seed to Spark through partially closed lids. The look was inquisitive, and somehow intense. He swallowed hard. "Y-yes, well...I found it in the Everfree Forest before I ran into the Changelings." He held a hoof over his mouth in shock. Of course, he'd "forgotten" to tell her about the Changelings and the Nymphs. He'd just told her that 'monsters' had swarmed and killed Braham. Careless...He thought.
Predictably, Celestia drew away from him as if he'd shocked her. Her eyes told him that she'd been expecting a surprise, but a surprise it had still been. "Spark Storm! What have you done?" Spark Storm drew back from her. He protectively shielded the seed, something in hind sight he should not have done. Celestia saw this action and immediately snatched the seed from him using her magic.
"What is this, Spark Storm? I haven't seen a seed like this in centuries. It almost feels like there's something alive inside it, and I don't mean a tree!" She glared at him. Evidently he had lied to her, about several things. "And...Changelings? Spark Storm, you have a lot of explaining to do, and I mean right now!" Her tone was angry and stern. He'd never seen her angry like this, it was not something he wanted to see. But he had a promise to keep, and he wasn't about to fail his word.
He held out his hoof for the seed, his eyes hard and determined. "Princess Celestia, I swear I'll tell you everything. But only if you give me that seed unharmed. I mean to plant it here and protect what's inside it with my very life, and I'll never forgive you if you destroy it."
The Princess was taken aback with his tone, but she admired his courage. Not even Twilight Sparkle spoke to her like that when she was angry. Fixing him with an even stare, she lowered the seed onto his hoof. He tucked it into his mane carefully before sitting down on his haunches obediently, and proceeded to tell her everything, from his gliding accident that lead him to Ponyville, his encounter with the Ursa Minor, his final decision to leave Ponyville. He told her of his meeting with the Nymphs, the battles with the Changelings, and his promise to the Tree Goddess to plant and protect little Orea, still in her seed.
After more than an hour of explaining, the afternoon had been well-spent. It was nearly time to lower the sun. Celestia sighed heavily as she looked down at Spark Storm. He had had good reasons to keep the truth to himself, but that didn't excuse the fact that he had lied to her. There would have to be some repercussions, but killing the little Nymph seed would be both cruel and excessive. She would have to find something else to punish him with. Maybe more time with Twilight Sparkle. The very thought was itself both cruel and very funny, Celestia had to bite her tongue to keep from giggling at the thought.
Time was running out on the sun, and she had to make a decision. From what Spark had told her, Orea was innocent and kind. Maybe...Feeling the pressure of letting the sun stay up too long, Celestia let out a heavy sigh and got up to leave. "Spark Storm, go ahead and plant the seed." Spark gasped and smiled, but before he could get too excited, the Princess added, "But she is your responsibility!" She looked back at Spark with a stern glare. "Any damage she causes will be on your head, and you will be punished for lying to me, Spark Storm, so don't let her add anything to that list!" She let that information sink in, then spread her wings and flew to the highest towers of the castle to begin the transition of the sun and moon.
With a little sigh and a feeling of dread at what Celestia might come up with for his punishment, Spark turned and headed deeper into the gardens. He searched for bare ground, a nice clear space. He found what he was looking for after a few moments of searching. He started digging with his hooves, getting himself nice and dirty. He dug until the moon had risen well into the sky, resulting in a hole at least two feet deep. With a weary sigh and sore hooves, he removed the seed from his mane and dropped it into the ground, then buried it. He took a moment or two to find a watering can from the garden shed, then returned and poured fresh water over the dirt mound.
After he took the watering can to the shed, he made to return to his room and wash up. He didn't know how long it would take for little Orea to return, he might as well go and get his rest. He paused when he felt the ground tremble. No...Already? That's crazy! He turned and looked out into the garden where he had planted the seed and stared in awe. A tree was rising and growing. It stopped when it had reached fifty feet into the air, it's branches spreading out over the garden. It would make a beautiful spot of shade in the sun, and a gorgeous addition to the gardens.
Spark Storm, Celestia, Twilight Sparkle and several royal guards had come to see the sudden, impossible rising of the new tree. Celestia glared down at Spark Storm beside her, and nudged him with a wing. "Remember what I said, Spark Storm. Now go find her and make her welcome." Twilight stared blankly at the two. She was completely in the dark about the whole Nymph thing. Spark Storm heaved a heavy sigh and nodded at Celestia's prodding, then made his way into the gardens to find his charge.
When he got to the tree, he had to take a moment to admire the new life. At fifty feet tall, it had to be a solid two feet in diameter. It was still young, and with much care, it would continue to grow for many, many years. Circling the tree completely, Spark could find no sign of Orea. He looked up into the branches, and there, he could make out tell-tale signs of familiar wings. Of course. Up in the tree.
He spat on both of his hooves and rubbed them together before jumping onto the tree and wrapped his limbs around it. He started to climb, slowly but steadily. Celestia smiled as she watched him scale the tree. He certainly had been practicing. Twilight, however, couldn't see the sense in a tree-climbing skill. What business would a pony have in the trees, anyway?
For Spark, that business was busy sleeping in a large crook on one of the overhanging branches of her ash tree. Finally, he made it to her level. He stepped closer to her, taking a moment to look at the little Nymph, sleeping peacefully in the moonlight. The air was getting colder in the coming Winter winds, and she was shivering slightly. She'd always had the cover of her mother's trees to shield her from the cold.
Spark reached down and lightly prodded her until she awoke. She blinked blearily up at Spark, then reached up and pulled him down to rest with her against her tree. Spark blushed, but indulged her and rested against her side, wrapping a foreleg around her and pulling her closer.
He didn't have to tell her where she was right now, did he? No. It had been a long, strange trip these last six months, and he'd hardly given himself time to rest, and Orea was warm and comfortable. The talk could wait. Rest was welcome. The two friends took comfort in each other's presence, and rested the night away.