//------------------------------//
// The Inconstant 
// Story: Paradise in Limbo 
// by Undome Tinwe 
//------------------------------//





Time flowed differently in this realm.

But that was to be expected when reality itself was malleable here. This was not a realm of time and space and the physical, but rather one of ideas, of wills and spirits. And those were ever-shifting. Thus, nothing was constant here.

The Gardener knew this.

She knew that her Garden would not last forever, and that even while it existed, it would be ever-changing. The plants she tended to were just extensions of her will, and would bloom or wither as the landscape of her soul shifted.

That was fine. Ponies were inconstant beings, and it seemed only fitting that here, in a realm where souls were imprisoned, all things would reflect these inconstancies.

It was enough for the Gardener that she was surrounded by beautiful plants, and beautiful visitors.

They came and went as they willed, the other souls trapped here. Some came to appreciate the beauty of the garden, to seek out the peace that eluded them elsewhere. Others, mostly friends of the Gardener, desired the company of the one who tended to this place of tranquillity. Eternity was a long time to spend alone, after all.

But even Eternity could end. Ponies came and went from this realm, as the source of their imprisonment was broken in the physical world. The Gardener simply enjoyed the time she had with those who sought out her home here, and didn't think too much about the future. After all, time lacked meaning here anyways.

Still, there was one constant in her life, as inconstant as she was. A visitor whose visits might be moments or eons apart as timelines twisted and shifted in Limbo, but who always came back to her garden seeking out her peace.

The Lost Princess.

There were no names here, where memories of past lives were clouded at best and often lost entirely in the transition between worlds. Even appearances here were more ideas than physical reflections of a past life, so even if she remembered the details of her life before, the Gardener would not be able to recognize anyone on sight.

Still, souls were bared here, and so they were each given a moniker according to the nature of their true self. The Gardener tended to her garden, and to those who wandered into it.

And the Lost Princess wandered without purpose.

"Hello, Gardener," she said as she trotted down a path carved between the rose bushes. "I see the orchids are blooming today."

The Gardener nodded. "Hello, friend. Yes, they matured soon after your last visit, and I've been tending to them since then, as I knew you wanted to see their full beauty."

"Thank you." The Lost Princess smiled as she reached out a hoof to stroke the petals of the delicate flower. "I know how difficult it can be to keep a specific plant alive here, and I appreciate the effort you put into it."

The Gardener shrugged. "I thought of how happy you would be to see it, and the resolve to see your smile kept it alive. How have your wanderings been?"

A familiar sadness crossed the Lost Princess' expression, though her tone stayed cheerful. "I met the Trickster again. We exchanged riddles without solutions for a time, and then he spoke of realms that did not exist until we parted ways."

"He is always good for some entertainment," The Gardener said as she absently pruned an apple tree near the orchid, but every time she cut off one branch, two more grew in its place.

Seeing her struggle, the Lost Princess asked, "Do you need help?"

The Gardener nodded. "Yes, please."

This was not the first time they had worked together, and with two pairs of hooves working to cut away the stray branches, they were able to trim the tree back into something beautiful.

"Thank you," the Gardener said when they were done. "I always appreciate your help."

"And I enjoy being helpful," the Lost Princess replied. "It's quite convenient how that works out, no?" She shot her a cheeky smirk at that.

The Gardener smiled back. "Quite so. Since you're here, would you care to help me with some other chores? The azaleas need watering, and I am thinking of digging out another plot to plant in."

"Of course." The Lost Princess picked up the watering can which had just manifested on the ground. "Where were you thinking of expanding your garden?"

As the Gardener showed her the place she wished to cultivate next, she felt her own heart begin to lighten. It was true that nothing was constant in Limbo, but the Lost Princess was always there to brighten her life whenever she could, and that was enough for now.