The plant cover and foliage grew thicker as they travelled further upstream, the thin strips of silver shining bright as they trotted. The size and fullness of the silvery veins steadily grew in luster.
Twilight and Applejack stumbled through the tangled underbrush, the flora growing lusher and more vibrant with every passing step. Uneven terrain, unknown and potentially dangerous plants, a myriad of creatures both great and small, and general fatigue all stood in their way.
“We’ve been out here for hours!” Twilight complained, her body bobbing up and down with exhaustion. She nickered, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, mane and tail dripping with sweat.
Applejack gave a reassuring—if slightly nervous—smile. “Well, that two hours must’ve been as the bird flies; probably didn’t really account for bein’ slowed up by rough goin’.” She retched, her tongue hanging out. “Or that nasty cloud of Twittermites.”
Twilight groaned, summoning the last of her dwindling energy reserves to maintain pace with Applejack. Even with her alicorn strength (and all that that entailed), Twilight knew she was still no athlete. She grunted as she narrowly avoided tripping over a tree root.
Applejack turned back and smiled at the struggling alicorn. “Now don’t you fret nothin, sugarcube. I reckon we’ve been walkin’ for about four hours, so we’re gettin’ pretty close!”
Twilight laughed hoarsely, a smile noticeably absent from her face. Not even two, but four hours? She became intensely aware of how heavy her eyelids felt and the sheer volume of exertion wearing her thin. On top of her physical fatigue, the irresistible urge to practice her hitherto-untapped earth pony magic was growing stronger by the step.
It felt as if each time she tried her magic, it only compounded her weary state. But, surely they had to be getting closer. I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Twilight thought. Maybe just one more test to see...
Twilight tapped a hoof against the ground, sending out yet another magic pulse. The foci shone through the native aether as they illuminated her way. She knew Applejack was no liar: as she promised, they were getting closer by the minute. The magical confirmation brought Twilight a small measure of reassurance.
“Y-Yeah,” Twilight said, her voice wavering slightly as she stumbled. “I can... feel… it,” she said between breaths.
“You be careful now,” Applejack said sternly. “I know you’re startin’ to overdo it, Twi. I know you. You’re focusing too much on feelin’ stuff out with earth pony magic.”
Twilight panted, wrestling a scroll from her bag. She quickly scrawled earth pony overuse super tired day workout. Without even bothering to proofread, she quickly rolled it up and tucked it away.
Reaching the top of a large crest, Applejack whooped. “Twilight! We’re here!”
Twilight perked up , hustling over to join Applejack. Spread out before them in a large clearing was a settlement—no, a village! Dozens of wooden and straw homes peppered the glade before them. The river cut alongside the edge of the village, small fields layered on either side.
However, what held their focus wasn’t the village. An impossibly tall tree stood amidst the houses, its massive canopy providing shade for the entire village. Thick branches jutted out at odd intervals along the trunk, curling through the air. Applejack squinted; could she see a light—no, several lights—on the trunk? It was reminiscent of Twilight’s—
“Are those windows?” Applejack asked.
Twilight’s eyes widened as she fell onto her haunches. Her jaw hung open as she stared at the colossal tree. “Yeah… windows,” she said quietly. Sure enough, dozens of the windows dotted the surface of the tree.
As they stared, Applejack noticed Twilight acting unusually quiet. “Uh, you okay, Twi?” She asked, stepping closer to her friend.
Twilight hesitated. In her eyes, the tree gave off a soft aura, its branches obfuscated by intermittent shimmers of gold. “I’m… I’m fine,” she said, her voice trembling. “Just suddenly reminded of home.”
Applejack glanced at the tree, then back to Twilight. “I get what’cha mean,” she said as she pulled Twilight into a hug. Twilight sighed as Applejack held her. “Come on,” she said, “Let’s get into town and hopefully we can catch our breath. We’ve still got a friendship problem to fix!”
Twilight looked past Applejack, the tree’s aura causing the air to waver. A few balconies jutted out from some of the branches, with plant decoration that looked to be deliberately cultivated. From these, too, a slight aura drifted. “You’re right. The friendship problem should be our first priority.”
The two carefully made their way into the village. A buzz of excitement and low hum of activity filled the air, as ponies of all colors dashed about, carrying streamers, scurrying up ladders, clamoring over rooftops… it seemed as though everypony had a job to do.
“I wonder what all the fuss is about,” Applejack said.
“They must be preparing for some kind of festival,” Twilight observed, a sigh slipping from her lips. “Finally, something normal.”
“Howdy there!” Applejack said with a wave to a pale green earth pony. She sported a bright yellow mane with curls tumbling over her slim shoulders, a farmer’s hoe emblazoned on her flank. Her sky-blue eyes grew wide in surprise. With a gasp, she dropped a ruby-red lantern from her mouth and rushed over.
“Oh my Celestia! Are you two okay? You look positively horrible!” She pranced in place as words tumbled from her mouth in a rush.
“Heh! We’re all right, just a mite tired,” Applejack said, gesturing toward Twilight. “We’re actually here on official friendship business! We were wonderin’ if—“
“Wait! Are you an alicorn?” The pony interrupted, bouncing up and down as she zipped over to Twilight. She nosed herself under Twilight’s wings, flipping them up to a shout of surprise from Twilight. The pony looked her all over, poking at her horn, wings, mane, and seemingly every other possible nook and cranny.
As quickly as the investigation began, the earth pony zipped a few paces away, her head tilting in confusion.
“I thought Princess Celestia had a white coat?” the earth pony asked, her voice rising to a squeak.
Applejack quirked an eyebrow while Twilight stammered. “I… well, she… yeah it’s… but I’m not…”
“Yes... She does,” Applejack said bluntly, pursing her lips. “But she also ain’t the only alicorn in Equestria. Y'all don't get out much, do you?”
Twilight stepped forward, clearing her throat. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship,” she said. “We’re here on official friendship duty. We were wondering if you knew of any problems going on in your village. And… maybe a place for us to rest, too. We've come all the way from Ponyville and we're just exhausted from the trip.”
“Yes, yes, of course, of course!” the pony squeaked excitedly, her mane bobbing wildly as she nodded rapidly. “Come on, follow me!”
As the pony led them along the grassy road, Twilight and Applejack noticed more and more ponies out and about, each one helping to decorate the town.
“We’ll go to the elder! I’m sure she can help you!” Their new companion said, hopping along as they approached the center of the village. A few ponies caught sight of the two newcomers, stopping to stare with wide eyes.
“They uh… sure are excited to see us,” Applejack said nervously, glancing from one gawking pony to the next. “Right?”
“Oh! Sorry, we don’t get a lot of visitors, especially not a Princess! I think everypony is just a little surprised!” the earth pony said.
Applejack rolled her eyes with a smirk, glancing at Twilight. “You hangin’ in there, Twi?”
“Yeah, I’m feeling much better now that we’re finally here. And honestly… everypony here is in such a good mood, it almost seems like there isn’t a friendship problem at all!” Twilight said with a smile.
The trio arrived at a large house near the center of the village. Twilight was reminded of the town hall in Ponyville—albeit much smaller and with thatch-straw for its roof. Its relative size and overall level of craftsmanship led her to conclude that this was indeed the home of the elder… whoever that was.
“Here we are!” The guide pony said as she knocked on the door in a quick pattern. “Elder, we have guests!”
“Come in!” A shaky voice sounded from inside. Their companion opened the door, revealing a spacious living room. An older mare with a somewhat frazzled and greying blonde mane was seated on the floor behind a small table. A number of aged photos lined the wall behind her, each one housed in a wooden frame nearly matching her tawny coat. “Come in, come in!” The older mare gestured eagerly toward Twilight and Applejack.
“You two get some rest afterward, okay? The festival starts tomorrow night and I’ve still got a lot of work to do!” The earth pony said, bouncing her way back into the village. Twilight watched her for a moment, smirking, before closing the door behind them.
The pair turned to face the elder. The smell of hot ginger tea filled their nostrils, the soothing scent providing some comfort to their weary bodies.
“Please, have a seat. I’m Ivy Bramble, the village elder. It seems you’ve met one of my protégés, Holly Thicket. You young ones look like you’ve travelled far to get here.” Her weary eyes were only half-open, but Twilight could see their deep hazelnut color with ease. She noticed a spark behind those eyes, a spark that spoke volumes about the experiences of this unassuming mare. Ivy took a sip of her tea and sighed contently, setting the ceramic mug down with a gentle clink. “What brings a pony such as yourself to our little far-flung corner of Equestria, Princess?”
“We came because we believe there’s a friendship problem somewhere in this village,” Twilight said as she took a seat at the table opposite Ivy. “We have an artifact we call the Friendship Map that calls us to places around the world when we’re needed to help solve problems. Is there anything going on around the village that you might be able to tell us about?”
Ivy took another sip of tea. She reached across the table and set down a pair of cups from seemingly nowhere, producing a kettle and pouring some tea into each. “If that’s why you’re here, I think I have a pretty good idea of what you’re looking for. Sugar?”
“No thank ya, ma’am,” Applejack said, graciously taking a cup and blowing on her tea. “What kind of problem are we lookin’ at here?”
“First, a little history!” Ivy said. She slowly stood and shuffled over to the wall of photos, looking them over slowly with her aged eyes.
“Our little home here is named Peacegrove Village, founded many centuries ago by earth ponies. Much like Ponyville, if I recall correctly,” Ivy said with a glance at her guests. “Our founders took shelter from the ravages of the Silverglade under the tree I’ve no doubt you saw on your way in,” she said, sighing as she touched a photo of a young filly surrounded by a cheering crowd of ponies.
Twilight and Applejack couldn’t help but smile as they noticed the filly’s mane matching the elder’s. They had each seen pictures of Granny Smith as a filly and knew they were sharing a special moment with their new host.
“The dangerous creatures of the forest dared not approach the tree or clearing it protected, so it was decided to set up a permanent settlement along its base,” Ivy said.
“This tree sounds mighty important to y’all. Do ponies actually live in there?” Applejack asked. “We saw lots of windows and balconies all along the outside.”
“In a manner of speaking,” Ivy said. “It is a place of relaxation, young one—a place of study and growth. Those that wish to meditate and find peace, or learn more about the forest—or about themselves—hear its call. It’s not uncommon for some ponies to spend several days at a time in their own space, but they all have their own homes to return to once they have found solace.”
“Was the tree always inhabitable? It seems unlikely that a tree in such an underpopulated region of Equestria would grow on its own to accommodate ponies living inside,” Twilight asked, tilting her head inquisitively.
“Very observant, young one!” Ivy said with a chuckle. “There was always something special about that tree, something alluring… but it took time to turn it into what it is today. The turning point came one night as the full moon shone brightly atop the tree. Our ancestors had never seen the moon in that position in the sky before, much less as bright and full as the tales tell.”
Applejack nodded, listening intently. She knew Granny Smith’s tales from the founding of Ponyville, but this was something new. Twilight found herself engrossed in the story as well, subtly taking notes to cross-reference with her Almanac of Astronomical Anomalies later.
“It was a gorgeous sight,” Ivy said, her voice wavering. “The moonlight lit up the entire tree brighter and more beautiful than Luna’s starry sky… our ancestors described it like something out of a fairy tale.”
“And then?” Twilight asked, furiously scribbling notes as the elder spoke.
Ivy chuckled. “Even more incredible was what followed: At noon the next day, the sun shone directly overhead, in the same spot as the moon. With that season’s crops approaching harvest time, it was seen as a blessing from Celestia herself. Everypony in the village went straight to work, harvesting corn, apples, pears… you name it! The crops had become ready for the harvest overnight, a full month earlier than they were due.”
“That sounds…” Twilight said in a hushed whisper, her eyes widening and sparkling with light. “It sounds…” She struggled to find an adequate word.
“Our ancestors were amazed,” the elder mare continued. “The village was in perfect harmony that day… but the young fillies and colts turned out to be the most eager and productive. Many cutie marks were earned that day. It was then that the founders decided to make this a yearly holiday; a coming of age celebration and an appeal for a good harvest.” Ivy pointed toward a photo of the moon high on the wall. “Every year since then, the moon and the sun have blessed our village in their conjunction.”
“That’s fascinating…” Twilight said. She felt the gears turning in her head once more. “To think that the sun and the moon would line up like that! Normally there’s a slight discrepancy to account for the axial tilt of the planet, which helps signal when to change the seasons, so a conjunction between the two bodies is rare, bordering on the impossible! I would love to speak to Princess Celestia about…”
Twilight cut herself off, blushing as she noticed Applejack’s eyes start to glaze over while Ivy gave her a gentle smile. “Sorry! I get a little carried away sometimes.”
“It’s quite all right, young one,” Ivy said gently, sipping her tea.
“Well, I think that’s just plumb dandy of y’all to celebrate it every year. It sounds a lot like the Apple family reunion we hold just before the annual applebucking season!” Applejack said, wearing her smile in her voice.
“In the centuries since, the festival has grown and changed over time, but we always remember our roots of our beginnings. Thus was born the twin Festivals of the Argent Moon and Aurum Sun!” Ivy said, raising a weary hoof to point at the various decorations outside.
Twilight found herself leaning in, revelling in all of this new, unexplored history. Applejack, on the other hoof sat calmly with her tea, smiling at the idea.
“You two are in luck… the Argent Moon is expected for tomorrow night,” Ivy said with a smile. “We would be most honored if you could stay for the events.”
Twilight let out a squeal of excitement. She glanced at her cutie mark, then back up to Ivy. “We would love to! If the festival is tomorrow night, then it must be why the map called us here.” Twilight said. Wait a second… she thought. If the festival is expected to begin so soon, why would the map give us only a day’s notice?
“You said you might have an idea on what might be causin’ an issue, Miss Ivy?” Applejack asked. “Is there somethin’ specific going on?”
Ivy sighed as her ears drooped, speaking softly. “Indeed I would… As I said, it’s our annual coming of age ritual. Fillies and colts of the appropriate age are required to take part in a ceremonial test of wits and strength to prove themselves ready for adulthood. Some earn their cutie marks during the celebration, and others later, but everypony ends up with some idea of where to start looking. Cutie mark or no, this is to show they are ready to help lead and care for the village.”
“I see…” Twilight muttered to herself, idly fidgeting with her quill. “And you’re thinking it has something to do with this part of the festival?”
“Yes.” Ivy said flatly. “A young filly named Hopeseed has proven to be…” She paused, biting her lower lip as she frowned. “Difficult. For the last several weeks she has grown very distant from the other yearlings and withdrawn from her schooling and chores. Her parents say that she eats meals in silence, and just heads straight to bed afterwards.”
“Has she told anypony else what’s wrong?” Twilight asked.
“She has not. I am inclined to believe that she is concerned about the ceremony tomorrow, but she refuses to speak to us. All day she hides in different places throughout the village, and every time somepony finds her she just runs and hides again,” Ivy said with a frown.
“She ain’t in the forest, is she?” Applejack asked. “I don’t think it’s safe out there for a filly.”
“I don’t believe so, the forest frightens her. She’s always been very timid, but she was happy. This is very unlike her.”
“Do you want us to help look for her?” Twilight asked. “Maybe there’s something we can do to help.”
“I can’t ask that of a guest. Her parents are looking for her, and I’m sure she’ll come around sooner or later. For now, you should focus on getting cleaned up and rested! You two are filthy!” Ivy said with a maternal chuckle.
Twilight and Applejack looked at each other, then down at themselves, then turned in unison back at the trail of dirt they had created from the door. Bits of twigs, leaves, and dirt were caught in their manes, smudging their faces, and discoloring their coats.
“Oh my gosh, we’re so sorry! We’re so tired from our journey that we didn’t realize—” Twilight began, but was interrupted by Ivy’s laughter.
“It’s quite all right, Princess! Please, make your way to the tree. Many of the study rooms have private baths and beds, so you can clean yourselves up and rest. If there’s a green card on the door, it’s free for anypony to use! Go on!” she shooed Twilight and Applejack toward the door.
“I see… We will. Thank you so much for your village’s hospitality.” Twilight said, bowing her head in thanks. “We’ll do whatever we can to help Hopeseed. I imagine just finding her isn’t the solution the Map brought us here for. It sounds like there may be a more ingrained issue for her to work through, so please tell us when you do find her.”
“I will, I promise. The main entrance to the tree is straight down the road from here. You can’t miss it!” Ivy said with a reassuring grin.
The two visitors stood, hastily sipping down the last of their tea. Applejack waved goodbye to their generous host as she followed Twilight out the door.
Twilight could feel the tree’s aura wafting over the village much more powerfully than any of the other trees. She didn’t even need to focus to feel its gentle magic.
“It’s just like Amethyst Hollow…” Twilight whispered under her breath.
“Hmm?” Applejack paused. “You say somethin’, sugarcube?”
Twilight smiled and shook her head, motioning her friend to carry on. “It’s nothing. I agree with Ivy, we’re in no real condition to help look for Hopeseed right now. Let’s rest up and form a plan, and hopefully we can help out later.”
“Sounds good to me,” Applejack said. As the two approached the towering trunk of the village, the sheer height induced a mild sense of vertigo. Twilight found herself unable to look up at the canopy without feeling ill. As Ivy had promised, a set of wooden doors marked the entrance into the sanctuary—but these were no ordinary doors.
The circular door was split horizontally, the upper and lower halves intertwining with one another. The lower half of the door was split again vertically, and along this split a diptych was formed. The right side extending upward along the door was a mural of the daytime sky: Light blue with wispy clouds and a bright, golden sun in the lower corner. Painted on the left was a deep purple night sky, peppered with white stars and long, rolling clouds that mirrored the pattern of its twin. In the upper portion, a silvery full moon gleamed in the daytime light.
“Wow, they sure meant it with the what’s-it sun and who’s-it moon, didn’t they?” Applejack said with a chuckle.
Twilight nodded, astonished. The celestial bodies weren’t quite identical to the cutie marks of her elder Princesses, but given the reverence this village held for this festival, she was confident in her association. Twilight took hold of the door with her magic and pulled, slowly opening it with a loud creak. One glance inside told her what she already felt: she was home.