//------------------------------// // Chapter II: Alga // Story: ROOTS // by SkeIePone //------------------------------// The Whitetail Tribe had celebrated the return of their little buck, thanking Resin over and over and demanding that they repay him somehow. They had offered him every type of beverage and food and trinket that they owned. Resin had to kindly explain to them that the only sustenance he required was fresh water and sunlight. They had all nodded in understanding, but Resin had still caught the deer trying to splatter food on his roots. Beyond a partial participation in the festivities, he had made sure to warn the Whitetails about the fire raging in the South, near Ponyville. The deer were sure to in turn warn their youth about the inferno, and to forbid any of them from pulling a stunt like the little buck had. Then they pledged eternal allegiance to Resin and promised to help fight off the fire (even though he had explicitly said not to) before they recommenced with their festivities. The dryad left the Whitetails to their parties and began to make his way back into the clearing where he had left his niece. Alga would most likely want to sun herself by now if she wasn’t already. It was still early in the morning, but Resin doubted that he would make it back home by noon. He’d have to make this whole fiasco up to her. Maybe he could teach her a thing or two about magic? Alga was still a novice, after all. And when she was older she’d have to be able to help him with the daily tasks of a dryad. Or maybe he could just show her something a little less dangerous. Like how to tend to orchids. Yes, orchids. That was something little saplings liked. Colorful, pleasant, harmless orchids. Not something as potentially harmful as fighting a forest fire. * * * * * * * * * * “Alga? I’m back!” Resin strode into the clearing. He was pleased to see that the fire had not spread there, and probably would not for several more days. They would unfortunately have to relocate. “Alga, where’d you go, you silly little sapling?” There was no reply. “Alga… Are you hiding from me?” Resin asked as he checked up in the forest canopy. “Okay, Alga. Enough with the games.” Resin said with mild irritation, redirecting his attention to his surroundings. “Come on out. I understand you being angry with me, but I promise I’ll teach you some magic today.” Still nothing. “Alga!” Resin felt himself bristle. He really didn't like punishing Alga for any reason, but after calling for her several times with no answer… That sort of thing couldn't go unwarranted. “ALGA! Come out this instant!” Resin made his core flash once more, illuminating the surrounding trees. Said trees glowed with a blue light before lifting themselves up with their thick roots and moving to the side, clearing away the brush as they did so. Resin let out a huff as the search still turned up nothing. “Young lady! Do not make me take away your privileges! This is your last warning!” No reply. “THAT’S IT! No playing with the fireflies tonight!” Resin waited a good two more minutes before he completely blew a gasket. He cast a spell that halted several songbirds midflight. The birds landed on his back, twittering in mild confusion. “Hello, sorry to bother. But have you happened to see something like me?” Resin asked the suddenly tame birds. “But smaller? I really must find her.” The birds chirped their songs and Resin grumbled a short thanks. The birds, now broken from the spell that held them in place, took flight once more. He really didn't want to perform a tracking spell. The dryads were always expert trackers, thanks in part to their ability to communicate with nature itself. But Resin didn't particularly like tracking because of how taxing it was. He did it anyways. A trail of blue flowers spontaneously sprouted from the ground, forming a line that continued to grow in the direction that Alga had gone. The thing that make tracking so costly to perform was the amount of growth it required. Sprouting dormant seeds took a lot of magic and effort. He began to follow the trail, marching along through the overgrowth. Several birds tweeted above him, and a few squirrels took to following him. Resin ignored the annoying little animals. He didn't have time for their shenanigans. Flatout ignoring the creatures dancing about him, he continued to follow his ever-growing trail of flowers. He could feel the energy leaking out of him like water out of a broken jug. He despised tracking. Suddenly, the blue flowers curved off into what Resin assumed was an old pony hiking trail. He had always meant to close up the trails, because they were just wasted spaces all over the forest. But the dryad had never gotten around to it. He was relieved to see that Alga’s path had gone into this trail. But he wasn't relieved to see clear hoof-shaped prints in the ground next to the dwindling trail of magical flowers. “Oh no.” He whispered. He started to run, following the hoofprints now. “No no no no no!” Resin felt an emptiness in his core. A feeling he had felt once before and never thought he’d ever feel again. “Please no!” But the thing he had been dreading was unfortunately true. Alga had followed ponies out of the woods. Possibly even the very arsonists who set the forest ablaze. He could see sunlight through the tree trunks, and beyond that he could see the colorful houses of the pony village located right next to the Everfree Forest. Alga had gone there. That foolish sapling. He remembered long ago when his elder sister, Hyphae, had left the forest. She had left him the bulb that would grow into Alga behind to ‘keep him company’, claiming that the ponies were so much more different than from what they used to be. That ponies could change. That ponies could come to accept that they have harmed the balance of nature. "The ponies are so kind now. Ponies and dryads should learn to love each other, not fear each other. They seek us out, why not let them find us?" Hyphae had said. "I'll be back by nightfall." Hyphae vanished that day. Xylem, Resin’s guardian and grandmother, had scolded Resin for letting Hyphae go. But ever since that day, Resin knew. He knew that ponies were dangerous creatures. They chopped down trees to build their filthy ‘houses’ and slaughtered wildlife for ‘sport’. They took plants and enslaved them to turn them into 'crops', sad wastes of life whose only purpose was to make a food supply for the ponies. Those greedy monsters, those beasts of destruction. Ponies only knew how to take. They never gave back to the Forest that bowed to them in fear. They just took and took and took. Now they had taken Alga, from what the blue trail said as it had crossed over the ponies’ hoofprints. She had left the forest without him, chasing after the very threat he believed to have committed the horrible act of arson. Alga was in a grave danger. Those ponies… They were up to no good. And Resin wasn’t going to let them destroy her like they did to Hyphae. Poor, poor Hyphae. The fear for Alga’s safety molded itself into something deadlier. Resin could feel himself well up in anger. The one dryad you will never want to meet in an angry dryad. And Resin was beyond angry now. He was outraged, berserk, maybe even ludicrous. And he had all of the Everfree at his disposal. Resin willed the Forest to hear his call. His call of anger and rage. The ponies are stealing our sapling, our daughter needs us, he rumbled in a language older than any other, we must get her back. In the trees, birds burst into a sinister song of crows and caws. Timberwolves howled in the distance and the roars of manticores could be heard as well. Trees groaned and creaked, the fresh bark cracking in order to make up for the quick movement as the trees uprooted, using their thick roots as appendages. Should anything go wrong with his journey, the forest would practically explode into the pony village. Resin’s core glowed, the blue light rivaling that of the sun. But then it dimmed. All at once, the warsong of the Everfree halted. He wasn’t strong enough to go on a rampage. He needed to rest. Resin fanned himself out, splaying every leaf as he absorbed the great fireball’s heat. He would need to prepare himself. Outside the Forest was a dangerous world out there for a dryad. * * * * * * * * * * “So why would a dryad start acting so oddly, Zecora?” Twilight asked as they made their way through the midday market of Ponyville. The Princess halted their conversation to wave to an orange Earth Pony mare in a broad hat, who eagerly waved back and then recommenced the sales of her apples. “I would not know how they will think, beyond some dangerous hoodwink.” The zebra squinted, not quite used to the bright sunlight. “Well, let’s head back to the castle. We could do a bit of research. maybe we could bring Spike along next time. I’ve read that Dragons and dryads get along nicely. Maybe we could make a few friends!” Twilight squeed in excitement, “Imagine! Being the first Princess to open Pony-Dryad relations! Eeeeeeee!” She tapped her hooves together and began to trot much faster than before. Zecora snorted and rolled her icy eyes. The zebra still did not trust the troublesome dryads, especially since they so frequently raided her stash of supplies in hopes of sabotaging her potioneering. Zecora was not known as one to hate things, but the one thing she hated more than anything else was a dryad. Fluttershy meanwhile, browsed the many stalls with mild interest as she followed her two friends. She’d occasionally stop and ask about various foods and wares, mostly about their safety with animals. Unknown to the Pegasus, she was being watched. A strange glowing bush shuddered from its place in the Sugarcube Corner’s flowerbeds. A pair of blue eyes followed the floating mare as she quietly appraised every trinket she saw in the vendor’s cart. Alga was studying the Pegasus. She had heard that some Ponies were born with wings, but she had always imagined veiny, nasty wings, like on a bat. And she expected Ponies to be gruesome and filthy. But these colorful beings looked less like monsters and more like… gods. Pretty, colorful, and bright gods. With dainty little bird wings and curling horns that didn't resemble anything she had ever seen before. These creatures were beautiful, and powerful as well. The flower bed was a good example of their raw power. They could force wildflowers to grow in bunches? Without even using magic? Bigger and healthier than any flower from the Forest? How could these Ponies manage such inconceivable tasks? How could they build homes from stone? How could they get trees and plants to grow their food for them? There were so many questions Alga had, and so little time. For she knew that even now, Resin would be hot on her trail, angrier than ever. Though she was quite frankly scared out of her wits in the Ponyville Market Square, Alga dreaded returning to the darkness of the Forest and to the wrath of her uncle. And out here, there was so much sunshine! So much water! So many animals and new friends to make! And Alga knew that she wanted to befriend that shy yellow Pegasus first. “Honey, do you remember this bush being here?” A plump blue Earth Pony mare waddled over to the flowerbed, obscuring Alga’s view of the Pegasus. A tall stallion sauntered over to look. Slightly annoyed by this interruption of her espionage, Alga directed her attention to the couple. “Well… no. I don't. Think it’s a weed?” Weed? Alga thought, Who the hickory is she calling a weed? I’m not a weed! “Maybe. Let’s just get Pinkie Pie to remove it. She’s not doing anything else productive.” Uh oh. ‘Removing’ doesn’t sound fun. “PINKIE! GET THE WEED WHACKER!” The stallion shouted into the house. Alga winced from the shout, but her chlorophyll ran cold when she heard the whirring that all plants instinctively dread. That rumbling was paired with an overjoyed yippee; which for some reason scared Alga further. What were these crazy Ponies going to do? “Brrrrrblrbrblrblrblrblr!” A pink mare babbled excitedly as she continues revving up the strange device in her hooves. Alga shook visibly; but none of the ponies noticed that the bush is whimpering and shuddering in fear. The weed whacker edged closer and closer to where Alga lay, the blades whirring so fast that the dryad sapling could feel the breeze made by their rapid spinning. Then, she couldn’t take it anymore. Alga unfurled herself so quickly it looked like the bush had spontaneously exploded into a pony-like creature in less than the blink of an eye. The blue mare screamed and leapt into the hooves of her husband, the pink mare fell on her back in surprise, the weed whacker fell as well and sputtered away into some roses. Everypony in the market gazed at the thing in the Sugarcube Corner’s flowerbed; all eyes were on her, Alga. The dryad had never felt so many creatures staring at her in fear. The blue light that made up her core dimmed slightly. “Oh my…” A quiet voice whispered. It was the yellow Pegasus. The Pegasus had heard the screams of the blue mare and came immediately to help. Alga looked up into her cerulean eyes, eyes that were sad and scared but happy and kind. “Hello, little one. I’m Fluttershy. What’s your name?” “A-Alga.” “Alga! What a pretty name for such a pretty… um… what are you?” “Silly pony! I’m a dryad!” Alga giggled nervously, staring back at the ogling crowd. Where was this leading? “A dryad? F-From the Everfree Forest?” “Where else would I be from?” “Oh my! O-Oh my goodness. I need to get you somewhere safe! Could you… um… come with me? I can take you someplace with food and water. You must be lost, you poor thing. I mean, you can come if you want to.” Alga looked into the Pegasus’s kind eyes and smiled. “Sure.” * * * * * * * * * * A small, quaint cottage stood between the Everfree and Ponyville. It was some distance from the farm called Sweet Apple Acres, but not far enough away to be considered isolated. The cottage was seemingly overrun by several creatures of all sizes and shapes. But what the owner of this cottage considered to be the most elegant creature of them all stood alone in the middle of the cottage’s kitchen. Standing in a large tub of water. Fluttershy gazed with wide, adoring eyes as she watched the beautiful dryad soak up the bowl of springwater she had poured just for it. Alga, it’s name was. What a suitable name for such a cute little… plant… tree… thing. The lichen growing on the woodland spirit’s bark reminded Fluttershy of a patch of pond scum. Not in the disgusting way, however. She would never consider another living thing ‘disgusting’! The shining green was amazing; what with the way it made the dryad glimmer in the sunlight streaming through the window. “Is it good?” Fluttershy whispered. Alga nodded; she had been so thirsty. Fluttershy sighed and smiled. At least she was as good at keeping plants as she was at keeping animals. Fluttershy had a sudden light bulb moment. She could get Applejack to help her with this dryad. “You know, I’ve always wanted to be a tree,” Fluttershy admitted, “because trees are so big and strong and graceful. I’m just… me.” Alga opened an eye and looked straight at Fluttershy, who she thought was the embodiment of grace itself. “Well, I think you’re a good pony. A better pony than most trees I’ve met.” Alga shuddered slightly as she closed her eyes and remembered an awfully rude sagebrush tree she had met eons ago. It kept trying to outgrow its neighbors and it had simply ignored Resin’s instructions. That had been the only tree that either dryad had been forced to uproot. Alga finished her drink and stepped out of the large mixing bowl. The dryad looked about the Pegasus’s roomy cottage as the yellow mare dumped the remaining water into the nearby kitchen sink. “Are these animals your friends?” Alga asked, gesturing towards the various free-roaming creatures. Fluttershy nodded. “I raise animals for ponies to keep as pets. So many of them have been here their whole lives though, so I just keep those ones for myself.” Fluttershy picked up a rather grouchy-looking bunny and nuzzled it. “What’s a pet?” Alga asked. Fluttershy started to do the dishes as Alga and the bunny watched. “Oh, do dryads not keep pets? Well, a pet is an animal that a pony keeps and takes care of. Pets are a lot of responsibility.” Alga propped herself up on the countertop, watching the Pegasus work away. “So you take animals from their homes in the wild, and then you cage them up fooooor…? What? Slave labor? Food?” Fluttershy looked up from her dishes in alarm. “Oh no, no! Oh my goodness, no! Never! We keep them because… They're nice. Its always nice to have companions.” To emphasize that point, the Pegasus lifted up the bunny with her hooves and gave it a nuzzle. The bunny looked mildly irritated, but Alga didn't bother pointing that out. “Uh huh. Well, my uncle always said that ponies were nothing but slave-masters and crooked thieves.” Fluttershy returned to her dishes, raising her eyebrows and keeping her gaze on the sapling. “My. What's your uncle’s name? Is e a dryad, too?” “His name is Resin, and he says he’s the last guardian of the Everfree!” Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. “Is that true?” “Heck no.” Alga snorted. “Of course there's other dryad guardians. There has to be…” Fluttershy gave Alga a look. She didn't say anything, but Alga knew what Fluttershy was thinking.