//------------------------------// // Uprooted // Story: Guarded Emotions: The Final Season // by Alabenson //------------------------------// “So, you really almost did the same thing the first time you saw those two breathing fire like that?” Rockhoof asked as he briefly leaned forward, pulling back as the café table he and the other two warriors were sitting at nearly toppled over. “I intended to, at least, right down to using the fountain in the courtyard to put out the fire. The only reason I didn’t mostly boils down to a difference in immediate priorities,” Moonwhisper replied. “Immediate what now?” Rockhoof asked. “When I saw what I thought was a building fire, my first act was to inform Princess Twilight, after which I intended to refocus on the fire itself. Thankfully, however, Twilight realized what was going on and stopped me before I, well…” “Before you flooded the entire school like Rockhoof here did,” Flash Magnus concluded with a chuckle. “Laugh all you want, you’d have done the same thing if you’d been there,” Rockhoof said testily as he glared at his fellow Pillar of Equestria. “The two of them were sendin’ great gouts of flame shootin’ out the window like a ragin’ inferno. I didn’t even think dragons that tiny could make that much fire.” “That’s right, the Mighty Helm never really had to deal much with dragons, did you?” Flash Magnus replied. “Not really. We had to chase one off every now and then if one decided to try nesting in the volcano near our village, but that was rare and other than that they never really bothered us. What we really had to keep an eye out for were the great sea serpents. Have either of you ever seen one of those beasts?” Rockhoof asked. “I can’t say that I have personally, though I have read a few briefings on them,” Moonwhisper replied. “I haven’t either, but I get the feeling we’re both about to get the full description,” Flash Magnus added, having known Rockhoof long enough to know the telltale signs that one of his stories was incoming. “Imagine a great monster with the head of a dragon and the body of a snake, longer than two great longships put end to end,” Rockhoof said, ignoring Flash’s last comment. “The villainous beasts lurk out in the open ocean, waiting for ships to pass by so they can pull them down into the depths. You’d think staying on dry land could protect a pony from them, but no, the monsters would follow terrible storms to shore and then would drag any fishing villages and such they’d find back into the ocean. I had to defend my village from one of the beasts, once. It came on a storm so terrible that a hundred pegasi couldn’t have broken it up, filling the sky with clouds so pitch dark they turned the middle of the day as black as night. I was keepin’ watch in the driving rain when I saw a great shadow rise out of the water. Knowin’ I didn’t have time to rouse the rest of the village’s warriors I tossed a small boat that had been pulled up onto the shore into the water and used my trusty shovel to paddle out to meet the villain before it could reach the village. The waves rose up all around me, liftin’ me up higher than Twilight’s castle before plungin’ me back down watery valleys of darkness and death, but I kept on until I intercepted the beast. It lunged out of the waves once I got close enough to it, smashin’ my boat to splinters and tryin’ to pull me under, but I wasn’t some helpless fisherpony. I fought back, givin’ it a shovel thrust, followed by a shovel thwack!” “It’s a pity Miss Fluttershy wasn’t there, she’d have likely managed to completely tame the creature in a matter of minutes,” Moonwhisper wryly noted. “Erm, I suppose that’s a distinct possibility,” Rockhoof admitted, deflating somewhat at this. “Fluttershy’s the one who took up Mage Meadowbrook’s mantle, right?” Flash Magnus asked. “I’m still not really clear on all the names of Princess Twilight’s friends. I take it Fluttershy is good with animals, then?” “Aye,” Rockhoof replied as Moonwhisper nodded in confirmation. “She’s got a cottage out on the edge of the forest filled with all manner of beasts, and that’s not counting the draconequus,” Rockhoof added darkly. “Frankly, I’ve found Discord to be less…problematic then his reputation would suggest,” Moonwhisper said. “Granted, I wasn’t assigned here until after Discord was fully reformed, but now he seems mostly content with socializing with the few creatures who can tolerate him.” “That, and harassing Princess Twilight, from what I’ve heard,” Flash Magnus added, eliciting a sour look from Moonwhisper. “Yes, and that. I’m not especially fond of that particular habit of his, but at least he doesn’t seem to be outright malicious about it. In any event, there’s not much that realistically can be done about it, save threatening to report his behavior to Miss Fluttershy,” Moonwhisper said. “Yeesh, between Discord and being right next to the Everfree I’m guessing boredom isn’t an issue that you colts need to worry about around here,” Flash Magnus said. “Frankly, I’ve found that Ponyville’s reputation for frequent monster attacks and magical chaos is largely exaggerated,” Moonwhisper said. “Granted, its proximity to the Everfree Forest keeps it from being entirely peaceful, but it’s not as though bizarre magical happenings are an everyday occurrence.” At that moment, rumbling could be heard from the direction of the Everfree Forest as the top of what looked like a crystalized tree could be seen poking up above the canopy of the forest. “What the hay was that?” Flash Magnus asked as the rumbling subsided. “Aside from further evidence that the universe is both sentient and actively engaged in mocking me? I have no idea.” Moonwhisper replied. “Although, it would appear that whatever that was came from the direction of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Which, if I’m not mistaken, was also the location of the Tree of Harmony. Given that, I think I’m going to have to end this lunch early and investigate.” “I think you’re right about it being connected to the Tree of Harmony, at least. But I’m not sure whatever just happened was a bad thing,” Rockhoof said. “You felt it too, then?” Flash Magnus asked. “Whether or not what just happened is benign is irrelevant,” Moonwhisper said as he stood. “The fact of the matter is something just produced a significant discharge of magic in the area where several of Twilight’s students are, hence I have a duty to investigate.” “What? There are students out there?” Rockhoof exclaimed as he shot to his hooves as well. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? Let’s move!” ********* “So, the Tree of Harmony somehow revived itself…and turned itself into a clubhouse for your students?” Moonwhisper said after Twilight finished explaining the transformation that the Tree of Harmony’s remains had undergone. “I have a few questions.” “How?” Flash Magnus blurted out, his mind apparently playing catchup to what he had just learned had happened. “That would certainly be near the top of my list,” Moonwhisper said. “Do you think they’ve got any cider in there?” Rockhoof mused. “That, on the other hoof, would not be on the list at all,” Moonwhisper replied before looking back at the crystalline clubhouse and letting out a sigh. “Of course, if the students are gong to starting coming out here then I’ll need to arrange for regular patrols for this part of the forest. It’s a good thing we don’t have any other major security issues to worry about here in Ponyville.