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// Chapter Twenty Three- Prehistory, Faery-Style 
// Story: STAR TREK: EQUESTRIA 
// by Alicorne 
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE



PRE-HISTORY, FAERY STYLE



I settled back and tucked both hooves behind my head and began to get blessedly warmer. I wasn’t a bit sleepy so I hit the little tyke up with a question that had been nagging at me for a while now.
“Tyllae? On the Bridge when you were facing that Klingon… what happened? What did you do and how for Pony’s sake did you do it, anyway?”
Tyllae folded her legs beneath her and snuggled down into the silvered fabric, getting comfy.
“Oh, that?” She waved a nonchalant little hoof. “Tyllae has magic, but magic that scares off mousies an spiders an deerses does not do much good on nasty, big, smelly Kling-gone no-goods! Tyllae tried very, very, very hard! Tyllae warned Kling-gone to go ‘way but no-good Kling-gone didn’t listen to little Tyllae! Nope, nope, nope! Tyllae had to go to Other Side to use much, much, much stronger magic!” She nodded as if that just explained everything!
“Oooh, kayy… The other side of what? I come from Equestris, remember, and we never had Faeries… or much in the way of magic, for that matter!”
Tyllae furrowed her little brow, trying to find the words to make it clear.
“Long, long, long time ago Faeries lived inna world like Sunny an Starry do. Faeries moved into Other Side of the world. After long, long, long while Faeries came back into this side. Other side is very, very, very nice but Faeries remember how nice thissa side is, too. Faeries remembered Sun an Moon an flowers an trees an grass so Faeries came back. But Faeries know how to be in both Sides at once. Faeries like stay thissa side, but know how to reach Other Side when need to.” She illustrated her point by continually switching her fore hooves back and forth. “On Other Side is very, very, very strong magic Faeries can go back an use on thissa side when have to, see?” She blinked up at me helpfully. “Dragons came from Other Side but stayed on thissa one. Faeries are smarter an go back and forth! Yep, yep, yep! That way Faeries don’t need to be so big an fierce an mean an fight alla time. Much, much, much more fun to play an help Ponies. Tyllae thinks Ponies an Faeries related ‘waaay back! Pegasuses an Unicorns are older than Earthy-Ponies. Alicornies like Celestia an Luna older than that. Sooner or later will live long enough to figure out how to get to Other Side. Faeries will be there to welcome an show how to have fun, too!”
While I laid there and tried to digest this Tyllae looked thoughtful.
“Tyllae thinks alla magic is on Other Side. Faeries an others bring in onna this one. Only a little bit. Too much would make things messy like when Discord came in. Too mucha magic too mucha time. Tried to make This Side lika Other one but didn’t work. Poor Discord! Shoulda stayed on Other Side till learned more about how This Side likes to be! …Once ‘ponna time two ponies talked to Tyllae. Wanted to know alla bout Faeries! Tyllae was much, much, much younger then an not quite as smart as now. (I remember quirking an eyebrow at that comment, but kept quiet!) Tyllae hopes Tyllae was helpful! One was a Unicorn with a white beard and wore a very, very, very pretty cloak with all sortsa stars an bells onnit! Tyllae thinks that Pony was called ‘Star-Swirly’, or something like that. Tyllae remembers Star-Swirly getting all confoozled after talking with Tyllae… (Imagine that!)
The other Pony was much, much, much more fun! Was an Earthy-Pony like Starry! Well, not ezackly since this Pony had four legs. Starry knows what Tyllae means! Oooh! Tyllae remembers! That Pony was a Doctor, too! But not like Sunny! A very, very, very smart Pony! Told little Tyllae lotsa, lotsa, lotsa stories about all kinda funny peoples! Now who was that Pony…?” Tyllae scritched her head with a hoof, trying to remember. I only half-paid attention, trying to work this out in my own mind while the Mare in my head sat looking as ‘confoozled’ as Star-Swirly… whoever the heck he was!
Tyllae gave up trying to remember and carried on. “Anywho, Doctor-Pony wore a pretty, red bow-tie an he traveled in a magic blue box. Faeries knew it was magic ‘cause it was smaller onna outside than onna inside. Tyllae never went inside, though. All fulla metal an machinies! But it was a nice magic box! When Doctor was running around the box would talk to Tyllae an other Faeries. Magic box would listen to Faeries for hours an hours. Magic box liked Faeries! Even gave Faeries nice things to eat an drink! Tyllae really, really, really liked the blueberry muffins! Yum! Ditzy liked muffins a whole, whole, whole lot!
Doctor had a Pegasus that traveled with named Ditzy-Doo. But Doctor always called Ditzy ’Miss Doo’, Tyllae does not know why. Doctor was very, very, very in love with Ditzy. Ditzy was a very, very, very good an gentle Pegasus with a gray coat like Cappy Caper anna yellow mane lika sunflower! Had yellow eyes, too! But something was wrong with one of Ditzy’s poor eyes an it sometimes pointed inna wrong direction. But Faeries did not mind! Ditzy was always very, very, very nice an Faeries made sure nothing bad ever happened to Ditzy even when Doctor would get in trouble.” Tyllae frowned. “Doctor was always getting in trouble! Was oakey-dokes, though! Doctor always helped people no matter what! Faeries liked that about Doctor.” She yawned and laid her tiny head on my left breast again. “Tyllae remembers that Doctor said he would come back an visit again. Tyllae must have missed that. Tyllae would like to see Doctor an Ditzy again…”
With that, the little Fey sighed and began to drift off to sleep leaving me not much better off than I was before!
“Hay! Wake up!” I wriggled my upper torso to shake the little confoozle-artist awake. “You’re saying that Faeries lived in the world so long that they evolved into something else, right?”
“Starry! Tyllae is still pooped!” She grumped. “An Tyllae said no fair using words Tyllae does not unnerstand! Wassa ‘eee-volved’ ?”
“It means ‘changed through time’ . Foals change into adults as they get older, animals who move to different places change their appearance over time to…” I almost said ‘adapt’, but changed words to avoid another elfin protest. “…be able to live better in their new surroundings.”
“ ‘Course Faeries did! Everything changes in time, Starry! Faeries know that! Mountains become hills, forests become deserts, shores become plains. All Magic of Time! Faeries remember how little lizards became birdies while other lizards became not-lizards. Lands change shape alla time and living things change with! Ponies don’t live long enough yet to see it happen in lifetime. Sooner or later they will, just like Faeries did. Now let poor, pooped Tyllae go ‘sleep!”
“No way, kiddo! I’m wide awake and I want to hear more! You’re telling me that at one time Faeries looked different, that they used to be… well, mortal?”
Tyllae picked her head up again wearily, not unlike Sunny first thing in the morning. “Starry is lucky Tyllae loves Starry!” She yawned again. “Yes, yes, yes! Faeries used to be Big like Ponies. Like Tyllae said, everything changes. Lizards lost scalies an got nice, warm bodies an became not-lizards. Not-lizards spread everywhere! All sortsa shapes an sizes! Faeries happen somewhere in there, too. Many, many, many kindsa animals. Every so often some learn how to be smart. Faeries did! Some not-lizards, too. Became Peoples an not animals any more. Had to be smart not to get eaten by lizards an not-lizards. Peoples come together to be safe. Learn to grow an gather nice, yummy food! Peoples learn to make houses an build things, just like Ponies do! Is just lika tree, Starry! First groupa Peoples issa seed. Little seed grow into big, big, big trees! But trees die, Starry! Faerie tree almost died. Not-lizard trees did. All gone now! Poor not-lizards!
Things change alla time! Sometimes warmer, sometimes colder. Air get better, get worse. Sickness come, sickness go. Fire come outa ground and land change shape. Big, big, big Ice come, then go. Discord liked, but was never happy that change did not happen fast enough. Shoulda been more patient like good Faeries! 
Faeries make an do all sortsa things. Some good, some very, very, very bad. Still, Faerie-Tree keep growing. Faeries learn from mistakes. Faeries learn how to live long, long, long time. Then learn how to live forever an not get old an sick, nope, nope, nope!
Not-lizards go away an animals get nice, soft fur. Some nice Furries become Peoples an plant own Trees. This time Faeries try an help other Trees grow. Faeries come an teach an try to make Furries unnerstand. But Faeries teach too much or not enough and alla Trees die time an time again. Faeries were very, very, very sad. Faeries only wanted to make other Peoples happy like Faeries are. After long, long, long time Faeries stop. Faeries learn a little wisdom an let other Trees grow onna own. Oaks can’t teach Walnuts how to be Oaks, Starry!
Then, one day, Faeries find Other Side an Magic! At first Faeries very, very, very excited! Faeries wanna change alla world! Make weather all nice an warm, make all sortsa nice, yummy foods! Enough to feed all Peoples! No more being sick! No more being scared! No more have to watch other Trees die ever, ever, ever again! Was gonna be all so good forever, Starry!
But Faeries got stupid again! Faeries let Magic loose onna this Side an Magic changes things on This Side much, much, much faster than onna Other Side! Faeries meant good but found out that, onna This Side, Magic didn’t care if good or bad! Peoples… an some Faeries, too… got all greedy an used Magic to do wrong things! Try make alla Trees grow like Bad Ones wanted no matter who got hurt! Keep alla other Trees in shadow of their Tree all stunted an twisted! Bad Trees wanted their Trees to be biggest an to phooey with all others. Dragons come over to This Side an planted greedy Trees. Discord came, too, an had all sortsa fun! Even some animals found way to use Magic to make stronger, meaner, and fiercer! This is how nasty Manticores an Hydras an Griffons happen, Starry! All Faeries fault!” Tyllae shook her head and sniffled.
“Faeries very, very, very sorry and did what could to seal off Other Side. But sooo much Magic got in Faeries knew it would take long, long, looonngg time… even as Faeries reckon… to go back to normal. Soon almost alla Trees die. Faeries try an protect little Saplings but all but very, very, very few live! Finally Faeries used Magic of Other Side to fight back. Faeries learned to get mean!
Sunny told Tyllae ‘bout balefire bombs an guns and phaser-thingies, but that was all just Dannylion fluff nex to Dark Magic! Faerie Tree very old by then with lotsa, lotsa, lotsa branches! Elfs, Pixies, Sylphs, Dwarfs, all kindsa Faery-Folk go makea big, big, big fight for long, long, long time! Faery-Folk very, very, very brave but Bad Ones very, very, very strong! An they learned how to be mean lots sooner than Faeries!
One little Tree Faeries tried to keep safe was Pony Tree an biggest, bestest branch on Pony Tree were the Alicornies! Alicornies were very, very, very good an learn how to use Magic, not like Faeries do but in own, good way. When Faeries almost all too pooped to keep fighting Good Alicornies come in an help poor, tired Faeries!
Discord was Last Big Enemy. Faeries not happy to fight. Faeries know that Discord not evil, not really. Discord never unnerstand not every people liked Chaos! …Star-Swirly said that there is Chaos in Faery-Folk. Tyllae just remembered that! Anywho… good, good, good Celestia an Luna made Big Magic alla own an used it to stop Discord by turning all into stone. Faeries were glad Discord not killed. … Though poor Tyllae knows now that being a stachoo is no fun, not one little bit! Nope, nope, nope! Poor Discord! Tyllae was very, very, very happy to hear that Discord was let go inna end. Even Discord can learn, too! Nice wins in end alla time!
… But Discord is all gone away, too, Sunny? Maybe Discord is with Celestia an Luna? Tyllae hopes so! Discord really, really, really likes Celestia!
After Big Fight was finally over most Faery-Folk went back onna Other Side but come back onna This Side sometime. This Side still Home an everypeoples lika visit Home, right? Faeries like Tyllae still stay to help Pony-Tree grow. Don’t want Pony-Tree to die. Tyllae thinks there are some very, very, very nice flowers onna Pony-Tree! Yep, yep, yep indeedy!”
The little Fey yawned hugely and long, paddling her forelegs a little with the force of it!
“Can Tyllae go sleep now, Sunny? Tyllae is sooper-dooper pooped an wants to take a nap before brekkist!”
I disengaged my hands and scooped the little tyke up and slipped her under the blankets to cuddle up in her Number One Favorite sleeping spot.
“Here you go, Squirt! Thanks for the story! I’m… not entirely sure I believe it but thanks, anyway! Sleep tight! I’ll let you know when the food gets here.”
She murmured something in agreement but was already asleep by the time I let the blankets back down. I carefully put my hooves back under my head and laid back to think about this.
The Mare in my head looked up from her display and eyed me speculatively…
If I understood her correctly, Faeries were a species that evolved on Earth. They survived so long that they ascended, apparently, to another plane of being. There seemed, anecdotally at least, a precedent on other worlds. Civilizations grow from simple beginnings and grow more and more complex. They reach a critical threshold and become… less so. In the end all that is important are the simple things. Eating, playing, having fun in the sunshine. Some go beyond, though…
I shook my mental head. It’s more metaphysics than archaeology! Species are born, mature, and grow old. Some get senile, even! … How much of this is just Faery Folklore? Are Augments just a twig on the Pony-Tree? Were ‘not-lizards’ Dinosaurs? And how did she know about the Evolutionary progression from Reptile to Dinosaur to Bird?
Tyllae said there were all sorts of other Trees. Pre-historic Civilizations? Ponies have been around a few thousand years on a three-and-a-half billion year old planet. … How long does it take achieve sentience, anyway? The Science I knew made my head whirl with all the potential variables! The chemistry of Life is a commonplace thing in the Universe. Hundreds of worlds in space bore life. More than a few of them harbored intelligent life, some friendly, others not. How many ‘Trees’ sprang up and withered in the march of time? The Mare in my head tapped the reference to the Magic Blue Box and raised a quizzical eyebrow at me that I flatly ignored! The Universe is already weird enough, thank you!
I contemplated the extra-warm spot under the blankets. I was Earth Pony enough to want tangible proof. Tyllae’s tale was appealing and it would be nice to be able to just accept and go with it. …But, like so many things about the little Fey, there were more questions involved than answers! Tyllae had the potential to upset the applecart of not just Pony history but prehistory as well!
I slipped a finger under the covers and stroked the little head. I turned the thoughts over in my mind, ‘Did you fight in the Big Fight, little Tyllae? Did you step into the Other Side one fateful, terrible day and open your blazing eyes and unfurl your blazing wings to do battle for the sake of Ponies? Did you keen your weird, majestic cry when you learned to kill for the first time?’
She stirred a little in her sleep. She never opened her eyes when she sleepily admonished me. “Silly Starry! Tyllae is not that old! Tyllae’s Mommy taught Tyllae how to fight like Mommy did inna Big Fight! Now let pooped little Tyllae sleep!” She snuggled her head closer against me and shook her mane in irritation.
I paused, understandably surprised! Then I fetched the teensy telepath a little swat on the rump with a forefinger.
“Hay! It’s considered polite to tell somepony when you’re reading their mind, you little sneak!”
The Mare in my head looked up in alarm as the sleepy giggle came over her speakers! “Tyllae can’t help it when Starry is so close! Stop thinking at Tyllae an let Tyllae nap, Starry! Please, please, please?”
“Okay! Okay! Sheesh!” I tucked the blankets around the little mite and just gave up. Enough Was Enough!