Daughter of the Woods

by Robolestia

The Truth

The two friends reappeared in reality with a second flash of energy, and fell an inch or two to the ground, landing on the dirt just outside the time-tested Apple family farmhouse.

"Sorry," Twilight apologized. "Not used to teleporting two ponies, miscalculated."

"I didn’t even notice," Applejack said, without a hint of sarcasm, before turning her head to look at the farmhouse. "Granny Smith?"

"Applejack?" Granny called back, the elderly mare’s voice coming from what Twilight guessed was the Apple farmhouse’s living room. Applejack locked onto Granny’s voice, and started walking up the stairs to the farmhouse.

Twilight couldn’t help but be morbidly fascinated by how Applejack was still not only alive, but seemingly minimally impaired by the fact that her lower torso was as close as it was to being cut in two. She still walked like she didn’t have a hole through her.

"Are you alright?" Granny Smith went on, a hint of worry creeping into her voice. "You were runnin’ about like a madpony just before! Didn’t even have time to tell me where y’ were goin’!"

"Sorry, Granny," Applejack said, leading Twilight through the front door and around a short corner into the living room, where Twilight saw Granny Smith sitting in her rocking chair, with half a scarf sitting in her lap, needles at the ready. Granny was squinting at her, and leaning forward a little.

"Oh, it’s Princess Twilight!" Granny Smith made to try and sit up straighter. "I’d bow to you, and all, but forgive me, my hip’s playin’ up."

"You don’t need to bow to me," Twilight reassured, waving a hoof. "Really. I kind of understand why Princess Celestia feels the same way about everypony bowing to her."

Granny Smith started peering at Applejack. "And you... what’s goin’ on with you, AJ? Don’t think I can’t tell when my granddaughter’s got somethin’ on her mind."

Applejack didn’t waste time, and cut to the chase by presenting her side to Granny Smith, hole and all. "That’s the problem," Applejack said. "I might not really be your granddaughter."

Granny Smith flinched a little when she saw the wound, but to Twilight’s astonishment, didn’t react in surprise so much as she sagged a little in her chair, and resignedly set her knitting aside.

"I knew this day would come," Granny Smith said quietly. "I’m sorry, Applejack."

"Sorry for what?" Applejack pressed.

Granny Smith shifted in her seat, and looked around. "Where’s Mac and lil’ Applebloom?"

"Out in the orchard somewhere," Applejack said. "Why?"

"Because this story ain’t for them to hear ‘less you’ve heard it from start to finish and want them to know, too," Granny Smith said levelly, looking at Twilight. "The truth can be a tricky beast to wrangle once it’s out of the cage."

"Twilight stays," Applejack said. "She’s already thinkin’ I’m a dryad. She needs the answers, too."

"Alright, then, I’ll start from the beginning." Granny Smith cleared her throat. "Long ago, when I was a little pony, things were very different here in Ponyville... because there was no Ponyville!"

"Granny," Applejack said quickly, cutting her elder off. "We’ve heard the story of how you helped found ponyville with the zap apples."

"I haven’t," Twilight mumbled reproachfully.

"But did y’ hear the whole story?" Granny Smith challenged, not hearing Twilight.

"I, uh," Applejack blushed. "I think so?"

"Y’all have thought wrong, then," Granny Smith said bluntly. "Just like how I wanted it. Now do y’ wanna hear the truth, or not?"

Applejack sighed. "I would like to hear the truth, Granny."

"Then shush, y’all are bustin’ up my flow," Granny Smith chided, before clearing her throat again. "Now where was I? Oh yes -- we were runnin’ short on food."

"Why were you-" Twilight started, before an orange hoof filled her mouth quickly, and a look from Applejack strongly discouraged Twilight from finishing the sentence.

"So, in th’ dead of night, I went out lookin’ for vittles," Granny continued. "I looked high and low, and there were naught to be found in what would soon be Ponyville. So I expanded my search to the Everfree Forest -- I figured since there were critters living in there, there had to be somethin’ to eat, right?

"Now, I walked through that forest for hours, didn’t find nothin’ edible. It was damp, musty, and I was fair spooked by th’ place, bein’ a little filly and all. So I decided t’ pack it in and come back durin’ the day, maybe, when I managed to take a wrong turn of sorts.

"Th’ forest led me astray, and I didn’t recognize a bit of the forest I was walkin’ through, completely lost, until I found a clearing, and standin’ in the middle of it? Only the most incredible apple trees! I had never seen anythin’ like it, or it’s colorful fruit! Needless to say, I didn’t waste no time pickin those apples as quick as I could."

Granny Smith leaned forward, chair creaking slightly, and Twilight sensed a change in the mare’s story. However the story usually went, it must have ended then and there.

"And then there was a sound behind me," Granny Smith continued. "I turned around, and thanks to those accursed shadows, couldn’t see a thing. I heard it again, it was like a low moan. Sounded like somepony was hurtin’ to me, and I couldn’t ignore it. I stepped forward to get a better look, and saw this strange shape pullin’ itself through a bush.

"It was strange, sort of like a pony, and at the same time, definitely not. It had thick bark for skin, a mane of what I think looked like moss, and a pair o’ horns to match. But you know what I remember most?

"It was her eyes -- and it definitely was a her -- those eyes were a most brilliant green, and I felt like they belonged to somethin’ that y’ could talk to every day and still learn somethin’ new from. But they were also filled with pain, and as this bark pony crawled outta the bush, I could see why -- her back legs were all kinds of messed up; she was missin’ one entirely, and the other weren’t movin. I wanted to run, I really did. I won’t lie. But she held out a hoof to me, like she was askin’ for my help, and how could I say no?

"I carefully got closer to her, and she beckoned me closer, holdin’ out the biggest seed I did ever see. It was about the size o’ my hoof, it was that big. She pushed it out to me, and said somethin’ like "Take it", before she finally gave in to her pain and collapsed. And I stood there for a spell, askin’ myself what I was to do an’ all. I picked up that seed, and as I was considerin’ what it was, I heard another fearsome sound; a long howl that sent a shiver right through m’ bones.

"Well, that did it for me. I said a quick prayer to Celestia to look after that bark pony, and I put that seed in my bag and ran for it with those durned timberwolves on m’ tail, fixin’ to eat me. Everypony knows th’ rest. I escaped, lived to tell th’ tale, planted the seeds out of those rainbow apples I picked the next mornin’, and bam, we was swimmin’ in zap apples overnight. Farm saved by yours truly.

"That other seed, the one the wood pony gave me? I didn’t plant that’n. Didn’t know rightly what it was, and even my pa had no blinkin’ idea, and he was the seed expert, don'tcha know. So it lived on my shelf like a keepsake for a spell of years, and I guess I forgot about it until I wasn’t such a little filly no more and we had us a proper farmhouse -- this one, in fact.

"By then, I had the zap apples all figgered out, and reckoned I had what it took to deal with this mystery seed, so I cleared a lil’ space somewhere behind one of the orchards where nopony would bother it none, and planted it in th’ dirt.

"I waited for weeks, months for that seed to do something. Watered it daily, sang to it, read it stories of Grognak th’ Barbarian, didn’t get a peep. But after a whole year o’ feelin’ cheated, it finally sprouted, three lil leaves on a stick, and I was over th’ moon about that.

"‘course, I should have guessed that it’d take another couple o’ years to do anythin’ more than that. I paid it as much attention as I could, but I had responsibilities, a farm to start runnin’ proper because my pa was gettin’ on, and my brothers couldn’t run a three legged race, much less a farm. Even had a coltfriend, too.

"When I went back to check on it, it was like a real small tree, not growing tall, but not growin’ like a regular shrubbery. I almost out and pulled it up then and there, truth be told. But somethin’ about it just made me... I had this feelin’ and all. It was important, important enough that somethin’ had died giving me that seed, so I kept waterin’ it when it was dry, and readin’ it a story when I had the time.

"‘course, by then, everypony on th’ farm knew about it. Joked it was my pet tree, and all. They almost put it in a plant pot and dragged it to m’ wedding to boot! Although I’m real glad they didn’t in the end. It was goin’ on fifteen years since I planted it when I had my boy, Russet Apple, and that seed still didn’t sprout.

"I waited near on forty years in the end. It was just after Russet himself got hitched and had a son -- Mac -- that I noticed a new change in the plant. For the first time in over thirty years, it had produced any sort of fruit. And it didn’t even look like no fruit I’d ever seen, like some sort of tough ol’ seedpod more than anythin’ else. But it got bigger, until it was about the size of a foal.

"Then it finally died. The plant just... withered overnight. It spent near forty years growin’ to a real stately height of about two foot tall, to produce that one pod and die. Didn’t make a lick of sense to me, and I was a bit sore about the plant dyin’ so sudden. So I figured I’d take the pod in and see what sorta soup I could fix up from it.

"Only, when I got to cuttin’ it open, I found it was still real warm, and it kicked like there was somethin’ alive in there. I opened it up, and I could not believe my eyes -- it was a little baby filly, orange with a little tuft of yellow mane, and big, green eyes." Granny smith pointed a hoof at Applejack. "It was you."

Applejack looked stunned. Twilight actually had to look carefully to make sure she hadn’t quietly died during Granny Smith’s story. The elderly mare hadn’t stopped, though, and she kept right on talking.

"So, I had this little filly on my hooves, when Russet walked into the kitchen; he was gonna make a joke about how he hoped the pod soup was gonna be worth it, but he shut up sharpish when he saw AJ in my hooves. Wanted to know where she came from, couldn’t believe "from the pod".

"But just like me, when all was said and done he figured it all meant somethin’. That wood mare givin’ us a seed that gave us a pod with a filly in it weren’t just for kicks. So’s nopony asked questions about a mysterious extra kid, we agreed to keep her origin a secret. Sour Grapes – your mom – agreed to pretend she was several months pregnant all of a sudden with a second kid, and it wasn’t long before AJ was officially a member of th’ family.

"Since then, we wondered if you’d do anythin’ weird. But you grew up a normal little gal, and never suspected a thing about your birth. And when Russet and your mom... passed on, well. I was the only one left that knew the truth, and as the years went on, I almost expected y’ to never do or show any hint of where y’ came from." Granny Smith sat back. "Until today. I don’t rightly know what happened or why, but y’ know as much as I do now, and y’ old enough to make y’ own decisions."

Applejack just shook her head slowly. "I just can’t believe it. Whoever heard of a pony comin’ from a seed?"

"Well, technically," Twilight began reflexively.

"That ain’t the same, and you know it," Applejack countered, cutting the princess off.

"You’re right," Twilight apologized. "I’m sorry."

Applejack just sat back heavily in her seat on the couch, slumping, and seemingly unbothered by the hole in her torso. "I mean, if this story is true and all, that technically makes me, what, sixty-somethin’?"

"You look good for your age," Twilight chipped in. "So, what now, AJ?"

"What do you mean, what now?" Applejack asked. "I’m a dryad, apparently. A dryad what looks like a regular pony. What am I supposed to do?"

"What th’ princess means," Granny clarified, "Is what you’re gonna do with that knowledge. If y’are still fixin’ for answers, why not go in and ask about? Or y’ can wallow and mope in it," Granny added to Applejack, "And quit. But I know I didn’t raise no quitters."

"But I’m not even your granddaughter," Applejack said sadly.

"Just because we ain’t related by blood don’t make us any less of a family," Granny Smith said levelly. "You been payin’ your dues like an Apple, you’re an Apple. Don’t matter where you’re from."

Applejack smiled a little. "Thanks, Granny."

"‘sides," Granny grumped. "Raised you long enough. Pretty sure that counts."

* * *

Applejack and Twilight stood at the entrance of the Everfree forest, and both couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive about the whole idea. While the both of them had made the journey through the forest to the Castle of the Pony Sisters several times in recent memory, they hadn’t had to make it with recent timberwolf and woldwarden interest fresh on their mind, and a pony that was almost confirmed to be a dryad in their number.

"Are you ready?" Twilight asked, eyeing Applejack’s wound, which had puckered up somewhat but was still significantly gaping and oozing the occasional drop of sap.

"‘m fine," Applejack said dismissively, catching Twilight looking. "It hasn’t killed me by now, so I don’t think it’ll do me in."

"Alright, just checking," Twilight said. "The book said dryad were hardy and tough like trees, not necessarily indestructible or undying."

"When was the last time you saw a tree die because it had a hole through it?" Applejack pointed out.

"Huh, good point," Twilight conceded. "Well, if you’re ready, lead on!"

"Eh?" Applejack blinked. "Why do I gotta lead?"

"Well, since you’re the one discovering hiterto unknown origins," Twilight reasoned, "I think this is your show and you should take the lead."

"But you’re a princess," Applejack countered, gesturing in front of her. "Ain’t right that a princess walks at the back of the group."

"Hey, what did I say about playing the princess card?" Twilight retorted. "Besides, you’re a dryad, and probably a princess of this forest. You go."

Applejack opened her mouth to try and think of a reason why Twilight should still take the lead, and gave up, unsuccessful, declining to comment as she wordlessly took the lead and Twilight followed her into the dappled shadow of the forest.

The pair looked around, unsure of what to expect; the two mares’ minds flicked through countless scenarios, from three-on-two woldwarden ambush, to trees full of dryad archers straight out of a fantasy novel.

Applejack was wondering how hard it would be to spot a dryad archer, when she spotted something else; low, lupine and wooden.

"Timberwolf," she whispered, stopping.

"Where?" Twilight asked.

"Right there," Applejack said, pointing with a hoof at a fallen log, against which the timberwolf was pressed.

"I don’t see it," Twilight said.

"His eyes are glowin’," Applejack pointed out.

"I still don’t see it," Twilight said.

"Look, it’s right there," Applejack said a little louder, stepping towards the timberwolf, pointing. The movement was enough to cause the timberwolf to break and run back into the shadows of the trees.

Twilight gasped. "Oh my gosh, I didn’t even see it there!"

"Are you sure your eyesight’s up to scratch?" Applejack asked. "Maybe readin’ by candlelight like I know you do is ruining your eyes or something."

"My eyesight is still 20/20," Twilight countered.

Applejack shrugged and continued walking. After a brief moment of peering at her own hoof, Twilight cantered to catch up.

"So, any ideas how we’re gonna look for clues?" Applejack asked. "I don’t exactly feel any different. No bursts of insight or anything."

"I don’t suppose the dryad have libraries?" Twilight wondered.

"And where would the library be?" Applejack asked. "Pretty sure ponies have explored this place top to bottom and found no unusual buildings. About the only two things of interest in here is Zecora’s place and the castle ruins."

"Well, remember how Granny Smith said she got lost all of a sudden and found the zap apples?" Twilight asked back. "Maybe we just have to get lost suddenly."

"And how do we just ‘get lost suddenly’?" Applejack asked aloud.

[My dear,] a rich, male voice said, [For a daughter of this forest, all you have to do is ask.]

Comments

[Inthretis]

Surprisingly, this concept has been done before with Fluttershy. Still, this is good.

[gamerj14]

I really like this , but I still have to yet to see the reactions of AB y BM

[Robolestia]

5143833
There's a difference between wanting to be a tree and actually being one.

Wouldn't work as well, anyway. Wing horses shouldn't be tree horses.

[Inthretis]

5148072
No, I mean there's an actual story where Fluttershy is a plant pony from the Everfree forest. For whatever reason, she's not even the main character.