The classic definition of a wonder is something that amazes and is looked upon with admiration in awe. But at the same time it is called extraordinarily good or unusual. But where does this apply after all? A celebrity after all could be extremely popular with her fans and be looked upon with admiration and awe at the same time, but does this make her a wonder of the world? I believe it doesn't, she is still just a celebrity. So instead I define a wonder as someplace of great importance. Be it in history, beauty, raw resources, or a combination of the three. Back in the day the biggest wonders were statues built in the honor of another pony. Kings and monarchs who failed to stay alive as time took them and eventually took their statues as well leaving not but giant hooves of stone as time demolished such precious wonders.
It seemed only natural to make my own wonder, the Garden of the Caretaker.
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The Caretaker had three gardens to the side of his grandest of trees, his home of homes. Heart of hearts. The first of which was closest, the place of natural beauty and a collection of sorts to form his largest and most treasured garden. The second Garden was devoted for plants that aided in treating the sick and injured of his forest and to aid in their well becoming, and the third of which was a prison to the opposite of the second and third, plants so dangerous or horrendous that he dare not remove them from their containment in order to preserve the life of his forest.
Out of the three however, only the first had been presentable, as the second was crippled from how much he had used to treat Chrysalis's entire hive and the third was a sanctum potentially lethal to the bug pony. So when they arrived upon the entrance of the first through the use of the same method of transport her drone had been taken to and from the farm with. His hooves were prepared this time to catch the queen of changelings as she was ejected from the stump like creature he had complete control of. While he began to trot through the entrance of overgrown vines however, he noticed that Chrysalis didn't follow. She merely gawked at the giant tree that made up his original self and he fancied the mental image of her jaw hitting the floor.
However she only stated the obvious, "That... Is a very big pine tree." in truth his heart of hearts was a combination of trees, but he doubted she would be interested in cross species genetics enough to explain the entire process, but however he did give her a vocal response, "Thanks, it's me."
Now her jaw actually dropped, though from disbelief or the sheer magnitude of the casual comment he couldn't know, "That tree is you?" He nodded, and she went on,"How in the world did you become a magical tree that size?"
"Endless growth over... I have no idea how long a period of time though. I lost count of the passing moons long long ago." He looked up to the tree tops above, so thick that not even a single ray of golden sun could peer into the dome like expanse of branches and pine needles.
His gaze flickered momentarily to Chrysalis gauging her reaction before he coughed and trotted into his garden. It was alight in massive blue glowing mushrooms, carefully cultivated and treated into various shapes from earth ponies to bunnies, and even one light blue mushroom had taken on the shape of a manticore proudly roaring, enough detail that Chrysalis had thought it actually alive for a second. As the Caretaker trotted down the wide pathway that traversed his garden he made note that Chrysalis stayed close behind, her questioning look eyeing both him, and the tree that composed his being in alternating glances, her gaze only momentarily being distracted by the various forms of art that grew, he could feel a bit of disappointment coming from his plants, especially little Bon Bloom and her sisters, which were nighttime flowers of course who had thrived in the dark dimly lit canopy, giving it's radiant glow ever the more brilliant and delicate for its effort. He reached out a wooden hoof, caressing the flower gently and asked her, "Do you not see the little ones in your flat out gawking? Starring at the stars leaves one blind to the road ahead, as someone I knew once said."
Chrysalis for her credit, only looked mildly surprised, "Just pondering on how you became a tree is all." she gave the rest of the garden a look, a small smile decorating her usually grim face. It was hypnotic, that small fanged smile that, "Lovely garden, not quite my thing, but still lovely none the less."
The Caretaker rose an eyebrow, "What pray tell, is 'your thing'?"
Chrysalis looked slightly downcast, "Don't have one, being a single Queen is hard relentless work, if anything, I hardly have had any free time as of late in trying to find a new food source for our magic. Our... landing was a result of failing that."
The old Caretaker merely frowned, he said nothing, lost in thought. Why had this situation seemed familiar to him? A queen who took her job seriously, but failed at it? He realised something, "Your King didn't help?"
Queen Chrysalis looked down, hiding her eyes, "The late King Monarch was the first to suffer at the lack of it, he was always a fool that way, a kind and generous fool, he fed his subjects his own stores when our drought started, when we could no longer provide in secrecy what we tried to gain in publicity. We do not need a store of love to survive for short periods... But a year of it can kill even the mightiest of us."
It was hard to read the Caretakers emotionless face, but then he turned around and laid a hoof on her shoulder, "I am sorry for your loss. I'm sure that while he is rolling in his grave from your invasion of the mare of fire's home, I am sure he would be happy that you went to such lengths to feed your people."
"Mare of fire?" chrysalis repeated, taken aback.
"The Doom Weaver, Sun Raiser, Moonbane, Take your pick." The caretaker snorted, "The subject is about you, not that... For lack of a better term...Murderer."
"You mean Princess Celestia, raiser of the sun and paragon of good to the ponies, correct?" Chrysalis remarked.
"Is that what shes called now? Seems someone erased history....Again." The Caretaker faded slowly into the ground, "You're welcome to stay in my garden for as long as you like. When you go, just tap on the stump three times in order to get it's attention. Four will make it mad, and two will just wake it up."
she ignored the statement, "Mind if I send a few drones out of the forest? We need a new supply and if we replace one or two drones with what provides a steady supply..."
The Caretakers monotone had returned, "I care not for what you do as long as the secrets of this forest never falls into the hands of a pony, maybe tomorrow we can discuss each others history over tea. I am rather interested in learning what Equestria has become in my solitude..."
"It's a deal."
He vanished completely, leaving Chrysalis to ponder over these new revelations, mentally she ordered her drones out when a few minutes passed and the monstrous creatures resembling stumps took her best scouts away to the edge of ponyville, she would have one check the library to references of Celestia under these names.The library was a nice place to start, if anywhere was. But first was the main problem. How was she going to kidnap ponies and get them out of town without the newly assigned guards finding out. It wouldn't be too long, if Equestria's streak of magic development was concerned, before they began developing detection spells for her kind. Unless... She had an idea, brilliant none the less. If the Equestrian government was to create a Changeling detection spell... What better place to be than around developing it? Of course she'd make her own adjustments of course. That and she knew just who to replace... One who would be the perfect source of love for her top drone, surrounded by five friends and gave Princess Celestia mail daily. The fact that the bearer of magic also happened to live in the library she needed her drone to visit anyway just sold it.
She was going to kidnap Twilight Sparkle.
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Unaware of Chrysalis's plan and she of him watching her, the Caretaker merely observed the mare's attempt at evil laughing over something she had been thinking about. He smiled, something had certainly brightened her mood, perhaps he would ask about it later... All the free time in the world did allow him some grace. He merely turned back to his pet project, and began alternations once more... Perhaps this year he would finally spread his forest up and confront the Mare of fire...No, Celestia. Herself for the crime in which had earned her the nickname Moonbane.
He worked onwards, disembodied and within the seed once more, smaller than a grain of sand in the enlarged seed's great cracks. Magic welding and changing the seed at it's core. No longer would it be a Zap Apple tree... Instead it would be something... More.
Yes... More was the word. He grinned at it, then frowned, how on Equestria would he get the seeds all the way between that mountain castle and this forest... Then it struck him and his vision shifted to Chrysalis once more. He smiled, it was almost too perfect. Maybe tomorrow was going to be more interesting then he had originally thought. Summer the bird chirped in alarm, She knew what that shade of green glow meant.
"Don't worry Summer, it's only a favor for a favor. Besides, I need to perfect the seed first in any case."
Summer ruffled her feathers unconvinced, drawing another deep chuckle from the Caretaker.