“I’m still rather surprised,” Starlight said, “that you’ve taken an interest in our gardens.”
Lovejoy coughed for a moment before answering, “I was rather curious is all. When Ms. Glider told me about these greenhouses, they sounded a little too good to be true. So, I had to see this place for myself.”
The founder smiled, “It’s a noticeable achievement of ours. After all, in all the years since I’ve founded this place, nopony has ever gone hungry.”
“But how’s that possible?” he wondered aloud when they neared the cliff side where the entrance lies. “How can there still be food to go around when it hasn’t experienced famine or disease for these crops?”
“Just follow me, and I’ll be more than happy to show you.” Starlight was the first to enter into the cave, in which the elder stallion found that it wasn’t completely dark at all. Sticking out of the walls and the ceiling, glowing a bright, dull yellow were crystals that illuminated their path.
They went into the earth until they came across a dugout chamber, in which Dr. Lovejoy found a patchwork of vegetables, green leaves that had long sprouted! Astounded, the unicorn went up to one of the potato plants and touched the soft, moist ground. “How are these gardens being watered? I thought you said that the village has the only water resource around.”
“But we do,” she pointed upwards, “Just look above you.” He did, he saw stalactites above him. Each rocky spike slowly dripped water from above to the soil underneath. “We’re somewhere underneath our water reserve.” Starlight explained, “The stones provided all the light these crops needed, and the stalactites provide the right amount of water for them to grow. Plus, these caves provide the perfect temperature all year long.”
“I can see that!” the doctor told her. “But, what do you do for fertilizer? Surely you need something to give these plants nutrients for them to grow.”
“Have you noticed that there are no garbage heaps for leftover scraps?” she asked. “Come with me a little further and see for yourself.”
The orange stallion followed Starlight further into the caves, in which he began to notices some of the villagers were there. He was pointed to one chamber in which he saw a smiling stallion dumping old or leftover greens onto a patch of ground in which he mixed it into the soil. “Good afternoon, Flag Runner,” the mare called out.
The Earth pony turned with his wide grin, “Hello, Starlight.”
“Flag, would you kindly tell the good doctor what is it that you’re mixing in?”
“Yesterday’s garbage,” he said. “Scraps from vegetables and stems are going to help grow my radishes.”
As the stallion returned to his work, an idea was starting to form in Lovejoy’s mind, “I don’t suppose you folks have a garden for me as well?”
“We’re working on it.” The lilac unicorn told him, “At the moment, we’re sharing our crops to support you, but if you still stay around long enough, then you too will get to have a garden to tend to. Your cave is being laid out as we speak. Once we gather the tools, enough seeds, and your scraps too, then we’ll have your plant with the rest of us.” Then Starlight paused for a moment, “You can still do that, can’t you?”
“As long as it doesn’t require of me running around, then I’ll be perfectly fine. After all, I’ve heard somewhere that gardening is good for somepony my age.”
“Are you sure? In Our Town, we have to carry the scraps and carry whatever vegetables are ready. I can always get some volunteers to help you.”
“Oh don’t you worry about me too much, I think that if I needed help for something, I would ask. But what about your garden, can I see it?”
“Of course you can, right this way,” the unicorn said as she went further down to the deepest level of all. At the very end of the tunnel, it opened up to a space that was four or five times bigger than the other gardens he’s seen. It had with it several rows of carrots, potatoes, radishes, and onions that some of them look ripe for being dug up.
Dr. Lovejoy raised an eyebrow, “This is your garden? Doesn’t this seem like a little bit much for one mare?”
“Oh, all of this? This isn’t just for me; it’s my ponies as well. As the first garden created down here, most of this is in case something goes wrong with the other gardens and they need my help to save them from starvation.”
To the doctor, it’s now becoming clear. Manipulative, has high minded charisma, shows little empathy, but has a sense of right and wrong, and has a grandiose idealism of being a kind of savior to these ponies. From the elder’s stallion’s psychological experience, only one word comes to mind that diagnosed this mare next to him what she really is.
Sociopath. Starlight Glimmer is a goal-driven, power-hungry sociopath.
“Starlight!” a voice called out from behind them. They found Double Diamond come running down the cavern. “Starlight, good news!”
“What is it? Have any of the missing ponies been found?”
A sense of dread froze Lovejoy for a moment before the pail Earth pony said, “No, we have a newcomer!”
Above the surface, the villagers have gathered around with their best smiles. They now have a newcomer. A rather creeped out unicorn that held onto his saddlebag tightly, his eyes dashed back and forth from pony to pony. “Uh…” he said, “Can I… help you?”
“Welcome,” Starlight’s voice was heard, and the townspony backed away for their founder to greet the new pony in question. Lovejoy stayed in the back and observed the newcomer. The stallion in question was reasonably built muscles, yet had a dusty chocolate mane underneath his wide-brimmed hat. Lovejoy also noticed his cutie mark was an unfinished map. The founder went up to him and shook his hoof. “Welcome to our little village, I’m Starlight Glimmer, and you?”
“Hey there,” the stallion nodded, “Name’s Hidden Trek, or just Trek for short.” He glanced around at the grinning ponies, “I’m guessing you’re the mayor of this place or something?”
“I wouldn’t say mayor or anything like that,” she said, “I’m more of the lines of a founder of the most wonderful place in Equestria. So, how did you come across our town?”
“Well, I’m a kind of an explorer,” he said, “I go into unknown places and map out the details. To be honest, I’ve never really expected to run into a whole town.”
“Would you want to stay here for a while?” the mare asked. “None of us would mind.”
The stallion looked around, “I am a bit tired from all the walking I had to do to get here.”
“That’s great,” Starlight grinned, “Although, I’m afraid that at the moment, we’re a bit full for newcomers, unless…” she turned towards the elderly unicorn, “Doctor Lovejoy, you wouldn’t mind sharing your new home with Mr. Trek, would you?”
“Not at all ma’am,” he said, “I wouldn't mind having a little company around.”