Indigenis wandered the Jiyya grove. The orderly trunks and lush canopy seemed to keep going and going, convincing the young sphinx that this was surely an orchard and not a grove. That was the difference between the two right? Orchards were bigger than groves… yeah, totally! Orchard was even a bigger word. Case closed.
Indigenis sighed as he pulled out a little notebook and wrote ‘Orchard vs. Grove’. There was another thing he’d be looking up when he got back to the library. If he didn’t it’d bug him for days, a little niggling thought that he’d forgotten something. Was it important or trivial? Wouldn’t matter cause it would just hang there on the tip of his tongue, hiding in a bend of the brain. Best just write it down and look it up.
And so ‘Orchard vs. Grove’ joined the list along with ‘Jiyya myths and cultural importance’, ‘Thestral empire’, ‘Learn to make crepes’ and ‘History of thestrals in Equestria’. It was going to be a long library trip. But if he was going to be an archaeologist then he’d best get used to it, it was a career of mostly research after all.
Research into ancient and fascinating cultures, mysterious myths and legends, exotic peoples and foods and beautiful places across the world! Indigenis couldn’t wait! But first the library.
Indigenis was hoping this field trip would reveal more about thestrals and their history with Jiyya trees and their fruits. Maybe even highlight the connections and cultural parallels with the Tea’la tree ponies. But no, it was all about the trees cultivation and stuff. Boring stuff.
Boredom was something Indigenis had a weapon against. All he needed was a focus to weave the necessary magic. A focus like that.
Buried in the grass at the foot of a Jiyya tree is where he found it hiding. A stone. A triangular stone. An arrow head! He dug the artifact out, judged it to be adequate indeed and just like that the ‘spell’ was cast.
Doctor Indigenis surveyed the jungle he had delved deep into. The sounds of life chirped, hooted squelled and cawed uncaring of his intrusion. How long had it been since the last intelligent being trod this deep, searching for what he did… the Lost City of the Ponyans! Sure, civilization had clawed the ruins of some ancient monuments back from nature, a city had even sprung from one nearby, but still the true prize remained unclaimed.
The professor of archaeology looked to his only clue, an ornamental arrowhead. Having studied its markings he was sure indicated it belonged to King Clophofenkof, the last ruler of the Ponyans. And it had led him here.
The thick foliage crowded around him, smothering out the sun. The buzz of insects and chatter of creatures making it difficult to hear past his own pawfalls. He kept stalking forward as stealthily as he could, he couldn’t afford to be caught. The native tribes jealously guarded all the secrets of their fallen ancestors and would surely kill him if they found him.
Maybe by skinning him alive! Or boiling him! Or-!
*Crash!*
Natives! They found him!
“Ow. I thought griffons were supposed to be graceful like cats Gerty.”
“Haha, I laugh.” Gerty said in a light wheeze.
And just like that, Indigenis’ fantasy evaporated under the heat of his blush from the thought of being found out being so silly. And then the purple fangy face of Rocky was in his.
“Hi! I’m Rocky Road and that’s Gerty,” she said pointing over her buzzing wings to the tangled mess of griffon trying to free herself from the leafy branch she rode down. “What’s your name?”
Somehow Indigenis managed to not startle at Rocky’s infiltration of his personal space. “Uh, I’m Indigenis.”
Rocky scrunched her face as her head tilted in confusion. “Indig.. Indesi.. Indignant… Uh is it ok if I just call you Indy? Great thanks! So what were you doing?” The purple nymph licked the air sloppily like a plate a few times then seemed to savor what she found. “Hmm… HMMMM… AHA! You were playing make believe weren’t you! What was it what was it?!”
“I was a Doctor of Archaeology looking for the lost city of the Ponyians.” Wait, why was he telling her?
“*GASP* like Daring Doo! Is that what you want to grow up to be too? I’m gonna be a great explorer-er too!”
“Who’s Daring Doo?”
“You don’t know Daring Doo?!! She’s only the best adventurer and archamologist ever! Her books are the best, like there was this one time with a rock-”
“ROCKY!” Both Sphinx and Changeling turned to look at the irate little(ish) Griffon that had apparently been trying to get the nymphs attention for some time. “Don’t you gotta get back to your class?”
“Oh yeah…” Rocky looked off into the distant parts of the grove toward the blobs of purple and blue walking between the rows. Then she looked at Gerty and Indy appraisingly. Then she smiled and stood all prim and proper.
“Ah yes, my companion is entirely correct Doctor Genis,” She said in a bizarre but thoroughly cultivated accent that somehow turned the second half of the little tom’s name into Jones. “I, Miss Paved Way, socialite and secretly spy for the bad guys, have secured your services for results and not this dithering! Let’s be off, or do you intend to refund me for this expedition and give up on Lost Ponytas?”
‘Indy’ sat there dumbfounded for a moment before it clicked. He stood back up and threw himself into his alter ego. “Ha! Good luck finding Ponytas without me Ms.Way. You may be resourceful and I don’t notice you being a bad guy cause you’ve seduced me, but you’ll never find your way to the treasure without my knowledge and the key.”
Gerty looked at both of them. “You’re both such dorks y’know that?” She said dryly. ‘Indy’ seemed to flinch and deflate a little and Rocky gave her an almost desperate series of head gestures that could only translate as ‘C’mon and join us’. She sighed. “Are you two done flirting so we can find the Lost City already? I, uh, Clara.. Quick-Claw, get paid by the hour and you’re running up a tab.”
Indigenis took it up from there. “ Right, now let’s move carefully cause this jungle is crawling with natives that will kill us if they find us-”
“Rocky?” A half dozen on the nymph’s sisters exploring on their own walked from another row bringing both groups into view of one another.
Rocky froze, blinked and then… “Ah! The Cannibal natives guarding the Lost City have found us! RUN!!” She cried out loud as she explained the game across the link.
And so the Brave Adventurers ran, chased by the wildly grinning Cannibal Natives as they whooped and hollered.
Bell Curve watched as her wayward charge was pursued with her new pals. <Rocky’s adventure into the city seems to have been a rousing success my Queen. Two new friends if I’m not mistaken, she certainly has a knack for it doesn’t she? Should I arrange for a transfer into the mixed classes for her?>
Queen Twilight’s attention was evident in the teacher’s mind. <Hmm… Yes I think so. Little Rocky seems to be eager to jump into a bigger pond ahead of her clutchmates. Go ahead and prep her for her new adventure into school. Thank you for indulging me and Rocky her little journey into the city. Don’t argue with me.> She said preempting the teacher. <I may be Queen, but you are the one I’ve entrusted with their growth and development. You’re intimate knowledge of your charges is not to be belittled. Okay?>
Bell Curve blushed at the praise and the love directed her way, from both Queen and class. <Yes my Queen. It has always been my pleasure to serve.> As the Queen’s attention faded away Bell looked over her little ones. She wasn’t a Queen and she felt pretty certain she never would be and so they weren’t her changelings. But… They were Her little ones. Her children. She smiled as they played and explored, marveling at bugs and plants and even just the weather.
They always grew up so fast. Too fast. But that was okay, it made these times all the more precious after all.