The Slumber of Gaia

by Khenlos

The Aurora Festival

One of the facts of life as I know it it’s that it’s full of beautiful contrasts. Death gives way to new life, like the eternal cycle of plants and animals living off each other and creating wonderful life forms, only for them to perish and give way to new ones that are marvelous in their own way.

Now the yaks were showing how calm and paced their traditional music is, with solemn tones that almost sound like hymns form a forgotten monk order, a clear difference from their exuberant and almost child-like glee regarding the destruction of things. I was just hearing the music, enjoying the simple tones of the strange instrument and looking at the mesmerized yaks. If you compare the previous behavior it was like day and night… and there, another contrast, and one that life as we know depended on it to exist!

Truly it was kind of unexpected if I’m being honest with myself. Usually the normal observable behavior of many creatures can tell you a lot about them, but it’s true that culture has a strong effect over the whole collective, sometimes overcoming their pure instincts as a group rather than evolving with other attributes.

This was one of those times and I was certainly pleased with it. It was not completely hidden and the poor tables can attest to that, but they were in the right path. Instincts tempered by a strong mind!

“It seems that big winter pony is pleased with yaks. Prince is happy that no yak needs to be smashed,” the wooly prince Rutherford said as he came to my side, making me nod in approval.

“It’s been a delightful evening, dear. You sure are different from ponies, but in a good way I assure you. Sadly we will depart tomorrow. I like to see more animals and while the tundra is lovely I’m afraid that there aren’t many around here,” I explained to him, making him nod slowly but making his bangs swing up and down.

“Yaks are best at not having animals. Of course you can visit and party with yaks any time. You are big and strong, like yaks! But not as strong as yak,” he said, more to convince himself than anything. I mean I think the imprints of my hooves will be forever marked on what used to be the floor under our table.

Maybe I was a bit enthusiastic after my initial reservation regarding their customs, but can you blame an old lady for being a bit over the top? How can you break something gracefully?

“I’m sure I’ll come to visit another time. Can’t say when, though,” I cryptically said, making the yak huff.

“Ponies always like to talk in odd ways. Better leave before I start to talk like you, big winter pony,” he simply said bowing to me before going towards what I think are his counselors… or his drinking buddies. I can’t really tell.

“Please forgive prince of yaks. He’s young but has good heart,” suddenly an elderly voice said from my left side. Would you look at that! Pretty sneaky for a hooved animal of that size!

“Why should I forgive him if there was nothing to forgive? He has been respectful and kept an honest approach with me, even if I just arrived here,” I simply told him with a small smile, making him chuckle.

“We yaks respect traditions! We yaks ask nature and ancestors for good weather and prosperous lives, and pay our respects to those who earn them,” he told me, making moves as if narrating a story towards an audience. Maybe it was force of habit? “I saw you coming in a vision, and felt it in my bones. You feel like an old friend, different from nature here. Here nature does not respond to yak’s pleas and yaks use their magic and strength to survive. Like ponies with no wings and not horn, but better! But you moved the storm away, I know that,” he stated, a grateful look on his eyes as he looked at me. It seems that while they are not technologically developed they grew in other ways… Curious indeed!

“Ah, you found me. Yes, I did move it away, but it was just a nudge. I felt a bit cooped on the airship and had to let go of my frustrations in some productive way. Glad to see that it helped your tribe and the ponies alike,” I told him with a playful smirk. He just nodded, getting the wooly bangs to cover his face again.

“Winter pony is strong, even if other ponies can’t sense it. You are not princess, but you are not our nature either. You are good friend of yaks and other creatures and care for others,” he said, again doing some moves as he talked, all mysterious and all of that.

“I try to not be in the way of any creature, but I’m always there to nudge them a bit and set them on the right path. It may be ironic, but it’s in my nature to be nurturing yet challenging. I like to think that anyone should earn their wins, but also should receive help when they lose,” I said, reminiscing on the many times that I influenced life directly on my planet. I still remember the very first interference like it was yesterday.

“Yaks are grateful, winter pony. And if you let an old yak be bold, please see if you can find why nature is silent to us. We are good yaks, right?” he asked me, hope clear in his voice. I just nodded.

“I’ll see what I can do. For the time being, better be with your prince. It seems that he’s getting into a fight. Again,” I simply told him, making him laugh and turn towards the young royal yak.

“That boy is like his father. Better watch him now. Royal yak hangovers are traditional, but not fun,” he told me before departing with the urgency that only an elder creature walking at a sedate pace can have.

Maybe the ‘me’ of this planet it’s just slumbering away, not knowing what’s going on? All these creatures and magic surely are the product of someone looking after this special planet, right?

I can remember the events that created some of my longest slumbers and they were all after getting tired after expending large amounts of energy. I can clearly recall the very first one, after a particular fit of rage and frustration.

One can’t forget the cause of multicellular life after all.

---

A gentle breeze blew through the plains of Yakyakistan, all creatures enjoying the respite from the usual snowstorms of the arctic winter. The moon was high in the sky and the stars could be seen, but despite that it was not freezing that night, as if the whole landscape was protected by some invisible force.

It was under this calm nighttime that Twilight was walking, as sleep was evading her and she decided to wander a bit around the settlement, her mind still busy as she mused to herself.

‘The day approaches… everything is set up perfectly… so why it doesn’t work?’ she thought to herself, reflecting on the little planet that was resting on a shelf at her cabin on the airship.

“Bad dreams, Twilight?” princess Luna asked, startling the younger alicorn as she appeared out of nowhere.

“Oh, princess-I mean, Luna. You scared me,” she stated, taking a relieved breath, “No, it’s just that I’m having trouble to sleep tonight. I have many things on my mind lately.”

“I can lend you my ear, if you are willing to share your woes,” the lunar princess said, a compassionate smile adorning her face. Twilight smiled at her before nodding to her.

“Maybe it’s just what I need,” she conceded, “I’ve been having trouble with my little planet.”

“Is that so? I’m afraid I’m not following every step regarding your little experiment,” Luna said with an apologetic expression on her face.

“It’s alright, really. I should be one that must document everything after all… I’m not getting the results I’ve wanted. I kept it a secret but… it’s already populated by microbes… but the thing is that it doesn’t produce anything else? It’s like a spherical petri dish!” the lavender alicorn almost yelled in frustration, “I don’t want to bother Gaia for something that should be obvious to me like last time…”

“Maybe you took her advice without any context. I remember she always says that it’s best to let nature take its course, but in many times around our journey she has actively affected the environment and those around her. Complete inaction begets ruin, Twilight,” Luna explained as she started to walk, followed by the younger pony, “It stands to reason that you know my sister’s way of ruling, so I’ll skip to the point and tell you to really think about how she governs Equestria. What is her preferred way to do it?” the night princess asked her fellow royal, a glint of playfulness shining within her eyes and smile.

“How does she…? It’s a known fact that while not intervening directly she is a known strategist and schemer, always thinking ahead,” Twilight recited from memory, “but she’s known to take direct approach when really needed, often taking matters on her own hooves like… when…” suddenly, a glint could be seen inside Twilight’s eyes as a spark of recognition ran across her face, “Of course! Thank you, Luna! I’ll analyze the little planet and see what can be done, I never tried to use all the powers bestowed by Gaia to control it, but I mean of course I would not how could I? I could destroy the thing if I wasn’t careful and after I almost freeze it permanently I mean-“

“Calm down, Twilight. Now that you have a solution, would it not be better to sleep on it and see if you can take on the problem tomorrow?” the dark mare asked. Twilight was going to reply but a yawn cut short that train of thought.

“You know… you are probably right. Thank you for your advice Luna. Have a good night,” she politely said to the elder alicorn, before slowly returning to her lodgings. Luna nodded to herself before looking at the night sky, taking flight soon after and deciding to take a look at the usually unreachable lands of the arctic north.

‘She is still very young and inexperienced, but I’m starting to see what Celestia and Gaia see in Twilight. While grateful for her timely rescue from the Nightmare, I’ve never saw more than the heroine that she was, and not the pony that she actually is,’ Luna thought, as the cold, northern air blew under her wings, propelling her higher than the nearby hills and giving her a unique vantage point to watch the beautiful frozen wastes of Yakyakistan.

Luna watched in contemplation, her wings suspending her easily and the cold not really bothering her under the light of her moon, as it gave her a substantial boost of magic that helped her against the elements.

‘Truly, there is beauty if you take the time so see it’ she pondered, as the ice and snow reflected the light of her moon and the wild aurora borealis that could only be seen there. ‘The Crystal Empire has the best magical auroras that could be seen by any creature, created by their collective hopes and love collected by the crystal heart, but I’ve never seen such beauty from the untamed and unseen energies of our world…’

She had to return soon to the airship, she knew that. ‘There is still a bit of time. Just a moment more…’ she thought to herself, her eyes drinking on the colorful beauty of the aurora. But she knew that in a few hours the sun was going to rise, and all this beauty was going to be hidden once again. ‘Just a few minutes will be enough.’

She was true to her word and returned safe within her estimated timeframe, maybe colder and a more tired than she was before her nightly escapade, but also more enlightened on the natural beauties that laid hidden in plain sight to most ponies, and maybe a bit more understanding of Gaia’s views regarding the natural world.

Comments

[manacar]

Thx for the update I really like this story and glad you started to update again so thank you

[Legoliam1235]

nice

[Liqwidice]

Truly awe inspiring.

[CrackedInkWell]

1.bp.blogspot.com/-KrZBx1vfrSU/WYPnB6IcmQI/AAAAAAAB5o8/kxDo8P0TnFYRhna2INHBa4dZ_vPow3vsgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170804_105525.jpg

Looking at the Equestrian Map, I guess they could go southwest towards the North Luna Sea that's unknown or Eastward towards Griffonstone.

[Viper Pit]

I wonder where is the planet's Gaia is

[xbox432]

As interesting as Twilight's experiment is, and it IS interesting, I can only see sadness in her future at this rate. If she actually manages to create life more evolved than microbes... she will also have to watch as they die once the 10-day time limit comes.

[Booster Spice]

Nicely timed.

Dragonapod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1902/DragonAurora_Zhang_2241.jpg Aurora

Wasnt the trick on Earth, the algae absorbed all the CO2, the planet Snowballed and because tectonics stalled, eventuallt the heat built up and ruptured through the mantles weak spots causing mass vulcanism, leading to a vast array of new enviroments to exploit and new resources to exploit them with?

Time to poke holes in the theory.

Wouldnt the Hooffall Of Gaia be revered by Yaks from now on as Perfect Smash?

[Vaguely Demented]

Wonder if Twi will become this planets Gaia.

[Greenhorn]

9465056
Shining, Spike and her friends might not like that idea.

[Reese]

"said as she came to my"
"said as he came to my"?

(Tired, presently, and not thinking of much to say, but I am enjoying this. :))

[Vaguely Demented]

9465796
I don’t imagine they would protest. Unless they think she will run it into the ground.

[Greenhorn]

9465886
Shining: Twily? The mountains do not need to be uniform shape. It makes navigation very difficult.
Spike: Dude, you should be glad that she didn't turn rivers into straight lines.
Applejack: Twilight? Ya don't know nothin' about the timberwolves patrollin' the orchard like guard poinies, right?
Rainbow: Err... Twilight? I know it is summer... but we do actually need cloud sometime, you know?
Celestia: Twilight, would you mind take care of the Sun (and the paperwork, of course) while I am on vacation?

[GamePlayer64]

I'm wondering when will Gaial give her motherly love to Chrysalis?

[Copper Quarry]

9466229
She already gave Chrysalis her share of love earlier
(Chapter: Alien Diplomacy: Global Edition)

[Green121]

Maybe the ‘me’ of this planet it’s just slumbering away, not knowing what’s going on? All these creatures and magic surely are the product of someone looking after this special planet, right?

The slumber of Faust