//------------------------------// // Gaea Unleashed // Story: My Little Mages: Anima Gaea Semperlibera // by Foxhelm //------------------------------// The sound of the crow cawing woke Sunset from her dreamless rest. “Ha,” she shouted as started to fully come around. “I got to tell everyone,” she said as she kept out of her stone hiding spot. After looking around and was sure she was not spotted she booked it out of the forest. It was still the very earliest part of the dawn. As she got close to where she and the others had slept outside she saw that Timber was awake seemed to be stoking the fire to get it back going. “Morning,” he said with a smile, “woke up and you weren’t here.” “I couldn't sleep,” Sunset said as she sat down on one of the logs. “So I took a walk. You won’t believe what I saw, a trail of diamonds along the ground.” Sunset noticed the sudden silence that came from Timber. The silence seemed to awkwardly long for Sunset and Timber but was only and a couple of seconds at most. The silence was cut short as Applejack gave a loud yawn as she woke up. “Hoo-wee,” the paladin said as she got out of her sleeping roll and seemed to just turn on like someone turned her switch to on. “That was some dream Ah had.” The paladin added. “Honestly, Applejack, can’t you let a girl get her beauty sleep.” bemoaned Rarity as she reluctantly got up from her own sleep. As she got up a slight crack like sound came from her back. “Ow.” the enchantress added, “How are you…?” she started to ask but then had to groan. “I forgot you are farmgirl.” She sighed as she got out of her sleeping roll and the others also got up each at different spots along the spectrum between the responses between Applejack and Rarity. As everyone was caught up in the ritual ‘good morning’, Sunset was still focused on Timber’s reaction. She knew that Timber was behind what happened yesterday, but if with what she recalled from Timber’s conversion with the being in the forest was true… Sunset's looked over to Gloriosa. Yes. She had to first confront and convince Gloriosa what Timber was doing was wrong and he was doing it for her life. And then get Timber to stop. “Hey Gloriosa,” Sunset caught the druid’s attention. “Yeah,” Gloriosa said as she turned her attention to Sunset. Sunset looked at the firepit for a second and then back to Gloriosa, “Can we talk, just you and me.”  she requested as she gave a slight glance towards Timber. Gloriosa followed Sunset’s eyes and noted that Sunset stole a glance of Timber. Gloriosa gave a small smirk, “Certainly.” she replied. “After breakfast.” she requested. Sunset nodded in agreement. About an hour later Sunset directed Gloriosa to the Everfree, “So you wanted to talk, I assume about Timber.” Sunset stopped and turned back, “Well yes and no.” Sunset started and took a breath, “You’re not gonna believe this but.” she paused for a second. “I found a trail of diamonds like the one from Timber’s story from last night.” She said as she looked around the area for a hint of the trail. After a few seconds, she found the faint remnant of the trail. “Here,” she said as she pointed the trail out to Gloriosa. She didn’t look over to see Gloriosa’s reaction. “So I followed this trail into the forest where I saw Timber. He was speaking to someone, I think it was Gaea Everfree or what he thought was her. She wanted him to continue the minor sabotages we have heard about yesterday and go farther. He tried to protest, but Gaea said something about her magic keeping you alive.” As Sunset spoke she didn’t look towards Gloriosa. Had she, she would have seen Gloriosa’s face go pale for a minute and see the druid pick up a stick. “Now if we can…” Sunset was cut short as she was knocked to the ground and almost out by Gloriosa striking her in the back of the head. “Sorry, but that wasn’t just Gaea that Timber was speaking to,” Gloriosa said as Sunset tried to get up, covering the back on her head. But in her pain, Sunset was able to open one eye and see that on the sash that Gloriosa wore there was a geode that looked like a circle of the seven colors of the rainbow in-line with Gloriosa’s belly. Just as it seemed to glow Gloriosa stuck Sunset in the head knocking her out. “Nothing personal, but you’d do the same if it was your home,” Gloriosa said as left Sunset in the woods. Sunset didn’t know how long she was out, but she suddenly felt something seemingly meld into her forehead. She slowly came around and saw Timber give a sigh of relief, “Thank Zacherle.” he said. Before Sunset could comment, “I guess you figured it all out.” “Didn’t see Gloriosa as part of all this.” Sunset groaned as she sat up. “But now that I think back to your story from last night…” Timber gave a soft groan, “Yeah, it was part of the deal. Every woman in my family,” “You mean, your sister, mother, maternal grandmother, her mother, and all the women of that line.” Sunset pointed out. He gave a sigh, “The point is that Gloriosa can channel Gaea.” he exposed. “You mean Gaea can possess her?” Sunset asked with her confusion of the term written all over her face. Timber gave a really unsure smile as he squinted his eyes and swag his head from side to side as he tried to find a way to explain. “Not really, um…” he paused and continued to find an explanation. “Okay, they both achieve the same thing of a more spiritual being using a person’s body.” Timber started. “But possession is…” he tried to find the right word. “Well think of end result is like…” “Sex?” Sunset asked or more accurately offered Timber an out. “Yes, the end result is like sex,” Timber accepted the analogy without a second thought. “Which would make a possession a rape, and channeling is…” “Consensual.” Sunset finished the analogy. Sunset then got to her feet and started to run back to town, “We got to stop…” She stopped as she heard the drawing of bow’s string. “You don’t have to obey Gaea.” Sunset didn’t turn around to see that Timber had made a bow and knocked an arrow as he aimed it at her. “You know she’s overreacting and going way too far.” “Sorry but you know what they say, about blood and water.” Timber replied, tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. Sunset sighed, “Everyone gets the saying wrong.” She took a breath, “It goes ‘the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Her focus gem started to glow and then her hands. She spun around and sent a couple of fireball spells at Timber. The force of the spells’ impact on his body sent Timber into a tree knocking him out. “Sorry, but what’s Gaea and Gloriosa are doing is still wrong.” She said as she was about to leave, but she couldn’t help but stop for a second and look at Timber. She had to admire Timber’s loyalty to his family, even in this he stood by his sister, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was a thick the water of the womb was, what would he do for someone he chose to be with, or maybe his own child. She started to leave again but stopped again. She needed a plan. She looked around her and then saw a piece of wood. She smirked. After Gloriosa left Sunset in the forest,  she stopped and took a breath. “I don’t want to do this,” she said a tear was shed from her eye. “But this forest will be protected.” She took a breath and focused her mind as the geode started to glow. She slowly closed her eyes as she dropped to one knee. Her breath quicked and became more forceful as the geode glowed brighter and brighter. She then opened eyes and mouth and let out a silent scream as her eyes projected fields of white lights that blinded all around her to what was happening. As the light from her eyes faded, Gloriosa’s new state was revealed. Her skin had noticeably changed, taking on a grayish shade. Her hair also changed to be a mix of moderate cyan in color and bright turquoise. Her sclera became black and her irises became light green in color. “Let’s do this.” She said as she left the forest. At the same time as the geode started to glow, “She's a really strong flyer!” Flash informed before Cadance made a magic bubble crystalline blue in color to surround the baby inside the one Twilight that surrounded Flash and the baby, separating the baby from the Sentinel and bring the baby to her mother. Once the baby was separated from Flash, she began to sniffle as she tried to reach out to him. After a couple of seconds, she began to cry loudly. The cry caused a shockwave that burst the bubble she was in and continued to resonate as it struck the Crystal Heart. The Heart had been spinning since it was placed where it was. The Heart stopped for a second. Everyone watch terrified about what could happen, even the baby was scared at that as she floated into her mother’s arms. The Heart then cracked and shattered into eight million and one fragments. Everyone then gasped in horror. Flash walked over to where the Heart was and looked over the fragments of the Crystal Heart, “And she’s extremely powerful in magic.” Flash commented, earning him glares from the two parents and the two much older demigods. Flash gave a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head, “Well, that’s going to make it just a little harder to do the Crystalling.” “It's worse than that,” Twilight said as she ran over to a window and pulled open the blinds to show forming black clouds. “Without the Heart, Krystalopolies is about to be buried under a mountain of ice and snow!” The baby then buried her face in her mother’s bosom with a whimper, freighted about the big scary black clouds. As Gloriosa left the forest, the plant life started to grow and follow her. As she got close to town, “Attention, people of Magiville!” she declared as her voice seemed to travel into the residents via their contact with the grass on the ground. Everyone turned to see the transformed Gloriosa. “Any and all plans to expand into The Everfree are permanently placed on hold.” She continued. As she spoke the plants from the Everfree grew outward and in more places like mustard seeds. Filthy was the first person to step forward and confront, “Now see here, you are not a resident of Magiville, you don't have a say in the matter.” Gloriosa only glared at him before her eyes flashed. From the ground around Filthy a massive tree grow in seconds trapping him in the uppermost branches. “DADDY!!!”  Diamond Tiara shouted as she reached out in a desperate attempt to take her father's hand. She took off her tiara and started to hack at the trunk. “Anybody else?” Gloriosa asked. Pinkie then stepped forward. “Now listen, you big meanie, we welcomed you into our town, to our party and you seek to destroy our town.” Pinkie then looked around herself and saw a series of roots grow out of the ground and surround her. “Well, this is inconvenient,” she said as the roots trapped her in the ball as she screamed. Gloriosa continued to walk forward as some music began to play, all the while pants continued to grow and cover everything like ivy on old buildings at a nearly unimaginable rate. She started to sing. “I have waited for the day To send this greedy wolf away Now the magic is my salvation Gather close in my protection We... will... stand for Everfree! Behold the beauty of nature in all its glory No need to fear the vultures at the door Right here you have me to protect you Within these walls of thorns Forever free, forevermore! They have come into our domain Here to seal our camp in chains But we have held it for generations This is just a complication We... will... stand for Everfree! Trust in me, this is for your own good Don't be afraid, nature is our friend All of this beauty that surrounds us Every lovely bloom designed to defend Let them come, just let them try! I'm not about to say goodbye! This camp will be here throughout the ages Written into the history pages We... will... stand for Everfree!” the while people ran, some got trapped in the plants. Others tried to hack at the plants but to no avail. As Gloriosa’s song ended, Fluttershy looked around gave a sigh, “Why do these kinds of things always happen to us?” the druid asked her friends. “First Nightmare Moon, then Discord, Chrysalis’ invasion, Nightmare Rarity, King Sombra, The Aura Mark swap, needing to return the Elements of Harmony to the Tree of Harmony, Tirek, The Sirens, Starlight’s Village, Midnight Sparkle. Can we have at least another mostly eventless adventure like the Gala.” Fluttershy bemoaned. “No time to complain. Time to do what we always do! Save the day!” Rainbow declared. “And how to expect to do that. Gloriosa trapped Pinkie in that ball of roots, so good luck getting something from her hair and pockets. My sword is back at the temple, so we can’t try to cut the plants. You don’t have your bow. And Gloriosa is clearly a more powerful druid then Fluttershy.” Applejack list off. “You know you really could use a trip to the spa, Gloriosa!” Rarity shouted, “Just look at you, your hair’s a mess, your feet must be cracked and worn and you really could use a mani-pedi.” Rarity list off seeming to be obvious to the scowl that formed on Gloriosa’s face and the growing shadow the druid cast grow on to encompass the enchantress. “To the spa?” Gloriosa asked in a shockingly sweet tone. “To the spa?!” she asked again her ire every present. Applejack turned to Rainbow, “And Rarity has poor word choice, that has only made it worse.” “Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Rainbow groaned, “Please tell me you have a plan.” Applejack looked around until she spotted Sunset emerged from the forest. “We’re in luck, we got a pyromancer.” The paladin said as she pointed Rainbow’s eyes in the direction of the forest. As Gloriosa smiled as she saw that she had saved the forest, she suddenly felt a great amount of heat behind her for a second. She turned to a massive breath of fire come at her and then die down. She jumped to the side and saw that the breath of flame originated from the mouth of Sunset. “Dragon's Breath,” Gloriosa whispered in horror. Sunset stopped her spell, “Next time you try to take over any place with plants, make sure you fully disable a pyromancer.” she jabbed and turned to the forest as she looked like she was preparing another powerful fire spell. “You wouldn't dare.” Gloriosa hissed as she got up and ran to tackle Sunset. However, Sunset didn’t evoke another blast of fire but conjured a set of fiery wings and flew into the forest. Gloriosa growled before she jumped and seemed to merge and vanish into a blade of grass. Sunset flew into the forest, her target, the ruins of The Castle of The Two Sisters, Celestia’s and Luna’s former seat of power. She knew it was mostly deconstructed, but there was still some of the stone structure and foundation. That being said she’d just settle for some part deep enough in the forest that it would be just her and Gloriosa. After flying several kilometers, but still a fair distance from the castle, a hand reached from a branch above her and pulled her into it. She screamed in pain and then fell to the ground, her Phoenix Wings spell dissipating. “Ow.” she groaned. Gloriosa then emerged from the trunk of the tree, “I will not let you, or that greedy wolf, or anyone harm this forest.” Gloriosa declared as her eyes flashed. Tree branches and roots, vines, and other plant life then started to wrap around Sunset. Sunset was, however, calm as she closed her eyes and took a breath. “Why aren’t you frightened? I can use these plants to tear you apart.” Gloriosa shouted in shock. “Because you can’t.” was all Sunset said before she allowed herself to engulf in a fire, burning the plants that wrapped around her. Once the fire died down, she wasn’t as she was. Her hair was flowing upwards, from her back were a set of white wings that seemed to be made out of an energy-like substance, were solar yellow in color and looked more chiropteran in their structure. Across Sunset’s face along her eye was a red bar-shaped tattoo. On her upper arms were tattoos of her aura mark. She was dressed in a pink and white dressed and wore golden boots on her feet. “You might be channeling Gaea, Gloriosa, but I am a demigoddess.” Sunset declared. Gloriosa stepped backward but tripped ourselves and landed on her rear with a trunk. She tried to back away in a panic. This attempt ended as she bumped into a tree. “There is nowhere to run, no place to hide.” Sunset declared, without a single ounce of malice in her voice, if anything it was pity her tone betrayed. Sunset then raised her right hand and pointed it at Gloriosa as fire pooled in it. Gloriosa could not help but break down and sob in pure unadulterated fear. “I know…” she started to say between the tears, “but I can’t… my life and Gaea’s are linked… we’re dependent on the life of the forest… we feel every tree, every brush, every plant, and each lost not by natural means… it kills us…” “Like a death of a thousand cuts, but each one hitting the bone.” Sunset surmised at the pitiful sight. Gloriosa nodded between the tears. Sunset squinted as the fire in her hand started to grow and began to shift until it was violet in color, “But what you planned to do and have done…” “I need Gaea to live,” Gloriosa protested. “My mother needs her, her mother needs her, as did her mother and so will any daughter I might have, and Gaea needs us to interact with the world.” Sunset raised an eyebrow, “She’s an ancient spirit and she no longer has the power to take physical form.” Gloriosa tried to explain. “And if we all die she’s cut off from the world and if you burn her out of me, you’ll kill all of us,” she begged. Sunset kept her hand focused on Gloriosa, “Gloriosa, I need to speak to Gaea.” she ordered. Gloriosa closed her eyes and took a few strained breaths before she let out a silent scream. Her skin, hair, eyes returned to the original state as from her heart the being Timber described seemed to partially manifest as it was mostly transparent and seemed to intangible. “Gaea Everfree, I presume,” Sunset stated, keeping the pooled fire in her hand ready to cast on her. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” Gaea, said her voice very similar to what Sunset heard last night, but Sunset could not help but hear the fear that Gaea was trying to hide. As Gaea saw Sunset step closer, she tried to step back, but Gaea knew she couldn’t leave Gloriosa. Sunset didn’t move, “I know you feel threatened, angry, scared, and desperate.” Sunset started, “But you both know what you’re doing is wrong. You can’t protect your home by destroying someone else’s.” Sunset looked down to the geode that was on Gloriosa’s sash. She saw that it was glowing, but something felt off about it. Sunset vanished the fire in her hand as she raised her other hand and brought them to both Gaea’s and Gloriosa’s faces. Soon all three’s eyes became fields of light. Gloriosa traveled in the heart of the Everfree forest, in an otherwise long untouched part of it. “What do I do?” Gloriosa asks as she comes across a stream. Instead of her reflection, it was Gaea’s image she saw. “It’s only a matter of time…” she trailed off. “I know.” Gaea’s imagine in the stream sighed, “And my power in this world has mostly slipped away, its only the pack with your line that allows me to remain connected to the physical world.” The two fell silent, the defeat they felt impregnate the air. Then from the corner of Gloriosa’s right eye, there was a faint pulsating light. Gloriosa turned her head and saw a geode that was made of seven gems, each one a color of the rainbow, pulsating. Gloriosa got up from the shore and walked to it. Gaea’s voice gave a sigh that hinted that she was awash with ecstasy. “The power…” she said as she started to pant as she tried to contain herself, “I never felt such…its…”. Gloriosa placed her hand on it and she too was awash with the power within the geode, “Yes…” Gloriosa moaned as if in bliss. “We can defend the Everfree FOREVER!!!” the two said together. Sunset removed her hands and the spell ended. She looked to the sash and took the geode from it and held it in her right hand, her eyes closed as if in thought. After about a second of holding it, her eyes shot open, “I know this power.” Sunset was about to close her fist so hard to break the geode, but she stopped. She then turned to the transparent Gaea, she then breathed on her right hand which seemed to be halfway in transparency as Gaea. “You do need some of the power this has, but you can’t use it to destroy what others have built or threaten them and what they hold dear. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Gaea looked to the forest floor, “And my time has passed, hasn’t it?” she asked. Sunset shock her head, “No, you are the collective consciousness of everything that has lived and lives that make up this forest, as long as the forest exist, it’s still your time.” Sunset then closed her fist with the geode tighter, “But now is not the time for destruction of what could because the fear about possibly losing about what you have, now is the time to look at what is open to you.” Sunset continued. She began to open her hand, “Let Magiville be as it is, let them grow and developed, let them interact with the forest on their terms. Let them experience the wonder of this forest, not just its horrors they know.” Sunset continued and her hand opened to reveal the geode just about to separate into the seven gems. “It’s not your time to feared, it’s your time to be loved.” Gaea looked from Sunset in the direction of Magiville. Her eyes flashed. Back in Magiville, all the plants that Gaea and Gloriosa called to grow started to resend and revert back into the forest, the ground and their seeds, freeing Pinkie, Filthy and the town at large. “Well, that’s convenient.” Pinkie said. Back between Gaea, Gloriosa, and Sunset, “You did the right thing.” Sunset said as she placed her hand in Gaea’s. “And trust me, if this was all because you suspected someone to haphazardly cut into the forest, yeah people are gonna respect this place.” Sunset smiled, the geode then broke as some of its magic entered into Gaea. The spirit let the magic soak into her for a moment. Once the power subsided, Gaea gave a small smile and vanished. Sunset then took a breath and she changed back to her normal appearance, “No one can know I can still do that, there are already enough demigods.” she asked Gloriosa. Gloriosa nodded. “GLORIOSA! ARE YOU THERE? SUNSET?” came the voice of Timber. The two women then turned to see him not far off, but not looking in their direction, “You know he didn’t agree with what you were doing, but he was willing to kill me to see your plan to the end.” Sunset commented. Gloriosa smirked as she saw a small smile on Sunset’s face, “And you’re wondering what he’d do if you were with his child.” Sunset’s face went red. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Gloriosa chuckled before she turned to Timber’s direction “HEY, LOGHEAD!” she called to her brother and went to meet him, giving Sunset a chance to save her face before meeting with anyone else. After a few seconds, the two meet up with him, “Hey, what happ…” Timber started to ask. “We resolved the matter with Gaea,” Gloriosa cut him off, “Now I have to make amends with the people of Magiville.” Gloriosa looked to the ground unsure of what would follow. “Hey, if Applejack can forgive me for stealing Princess Twilight Sparkle’s crown out of pettiness and spite, you got nothing to worry about.” Sunset attempted to comfort. Gloriosa could only weakly smile. About an hour later, after the three had returned to Magiville, Gloriosa had apologized for her action, leaving out her channeling of Gaea, the new deal between Gaea and Sunset concerning Magiville and the Everfree forest, and that Sunset could at will take on her demigod form. Everyone mostly turned to Filthy with bemused scowls. “On second thought there is plenty of room to develop on the other side of town,” Filthy said as he pulled at his collar with a nervous chuckle. And with that, most of the town seemed more or less willing to forgive Gloriosa, provided she help repair the town. Which she did after with her power over plants in about an hour. After which, everyone started their last day preparing for the Summer Sun Celebration, wrapping up as the sun was starting to set. Once everything was set up, it was decided by popular vote for Rarity’s fashion show to be held that night. No pressure as Rarity had the gowns ready to go and was able to recruit other models than her friends, namely Brighteyes Muffins, Cheerilee, Lyra, Bon-Bon and Gloriosa. The next day after the Summer Sun Celebration had started, Sunset slipped away from the celebration and sunk back into Twilight’s castle. In her hand was the geode that Gloriosa, well, more actually Gaea, gave her. Could she trust what the spirit said? She sighed, “What do I have to lose?” she asked as she opened the portal in the library and returned to Midnight castle. It was late in the day, and the castle library was mostly empty. She turned around and closed the portal and then left the library. The walk to her chambers was mostly eventless, save for a few greetings here and there. There she placed her bag to the side, she would take the clothes to be laundered later and sort out all the other stuff then. She took off her focus gem and set it to the side. She looked at the geode and then to the small oak which seemed to have grown slightly in her absence, not to the point where Sunset would need to transplant it, but it was larger than it was. She placed the gems in the pot, close to the roots, and she began to turn. The gems started to glow and vibrate which cause Sunset to turn her focus back at the scene. The gems then started to dissolve into the roots. The young oak then started to glow purple until it seemed to a purple light. The light then started to grow and it’s form changed from its young oak state until it looked like a silhouette of… “Twilight,” Sunset muttered as the light started to dim. Sunset rushed to grab a blanket and as the light fully dimmed to reveal Sunset’s guess to be true as the oak’s body matched the soul that it hosted. Sunset caught Sci-Twi, as a normal Magicborn, as the transformation ended and wrapped her in the blanket. “You’re alive,” Sunset said with tears of joys started to form in her eyes and slip down her check and yet not fully believing it. “I don’t believe it,” she muttered. Sci-Twi reached her hand out to feel Sunset’s face as she squinted her eyes. “Sunset?” she asked, “Why are you checks we… why are you crying?” she asked. She was answered with an embrace and a kiss. It was gentle but also full of passion. “I almost gave up on ever seeing you again,” Sunset said as she ended the kiss and stroke Sci-Twi’s hair affectionately before she placed her forehead on Sci-Twi’s forehead. “I am so relieved you’re back,” Sunset whispered and kissed Sci-Twi again. Epilogue Elsewhere in Midnight Castle, Juniper is looking through one of the boxes sent to her from her mother when she was hired by the previous baroness. While she had them for years, she never really had the chance to go through them, Cinch had her as little more than a glorified gofer-secretary hybrid. Always running around doing this, getting that, taking notes, etc.  Now with Sunny as the baron and the employing of the other Shadowbolts as her closest staff, left Juniper more or less without a job. Okay, that’s not entirely fair, as she still had her job but she had almost nothing to do now outside of some really formal events, which were few and far between as Cinch and even more so Sunny, followed an example of Princess Celestia; minarchy. Things just run most smoothly for a government when it’s interaction with the people was kept as a minimum. Regardless, Juniper looked at the box and saw a stylized capital ‘S’ with a wing on its upper curve with the two ends looking like lightning bolts. However, the ‘S’ was over a sun barque. “That’s odd,” she said as she opened it. One the top was a hand-mirror and note. On note was the sun barque and under it was the words ‘To my little tree.’. Juniper opened the note as she started to read a wicked smile started to form on her lips.