The Alignment Of The Self With Destiny
Tree Hugger watched her mother fret about with a resigned sigh. Yellow was feeding off red again, brightening as the other grew deep and dark; the other colors were overlaid by a dirty grey, which could only mean one thing.
She adjusted her glasses. "Momma... what do you need help with?"
The mare turned to look at her, a muddy blue color spiraling out from her throat as she adjusted the floral pattern yellow bandanna around her head. "You shouldn't worry about it, Hugger, I... I can handle this."
"But you're so gray..."
"I'm brown, dear."
The filly shook her head. "You're never brown, momma. You're usually very green, but you're so yellow now--"
"I thought those enchanted glasses were supposed to help you with your synesthesia," the mare muttered, shaking her head. "Really, sweetie, it's fine. You don't need to worry about it."
Tree Hugger pouted. "But I want to. I like it when you're green!"
A tinge of splotchiness inched into the red. "If you like green ponies so much, wait for your father. Or look in the mirror sometime!" She ran a hoof through her daughter's tangled mane. "Honestly, it's like you want to have birds nesting on your head or something."
"I'm not a tree," the filly protested. "I'm a Tree Hugger!" She suddenly snapped her forelegs around her mother. "And you're a Willow, so I'm hugging you!"
The mare smiled as her red and yellow streaks paled. The splotches faded away, and a whisper of green pushed through the grey overlay when she nuzzled her daughter. "How can you hug a Song, dear?"
"I can if it's a Willow Song."
A fond nuzzle descended onto the filly's head. "I suppose you can at that... why don't you go outside for a moment, play in the garden? I... have some things I need to do."
Tree Hugger frowned as her mother turned away. The green was swirling around for now, but the yellow started to draw from the red again, and it wouldn't be long before the green had slipped back under the gray. She had tried to explain this all so many times, but... the big ponies never believed her, never understood. Sometimes her own red bands swelled with splotches when that happened, but she never let them stay that way if she could.
With a final sigh, Tree Hugger walked out the door. There wasn't anything she could do for her mother at the moment, or at least there wasn't anything her mother would accept; she knew from experience that uninformed help could make things so much worse than better.
The garden was, as always, lovely. The grass and the trees didn't glow like ponies did, but thin streaks of deep red whispered constantly throughout, and she could see sparkles of yellow scattered everywhere. She always liked it when spring came around; the red pathways would brighten to almost pink around the cups Momma called flowers, and the yellow sparkles would buzz merrily about them before darting off into the distance. Occasionally she'd find a larger glow, headed by blue streaks yet dominated with red and orange, but they almost always darted away when she approached.
She'd found a collection of such glows surrounding one about a quarter her size once, the larger one headed by an indigo color but growing a splotchy green when it noticed her. Momma had said the big one was a mommy cat and the little ones were kittens. She hadn't come any closer, just watching them from a distance... a week later, a big brownish orange pony had come by to pick them up.
Momma said he was blue, though. After that, she'd tried to get Tree Hugger's vision corrected, but... well, nothing seemed to work.
Tree Hugger shook her head at the memory, frowning as she meandered through the plants. She decided to follow some of the yellow sparkles shifting through the grass, watching them form lines back and forth to their holes in the ground. Sometimes they would flicker with red splotches, but she always backed away from those. Red sparkles almost always tried to hurt her...
Her gaze drifted around, taking in the plethora of plants. Her parents had always worked this garden, even before she was born, tending to a wide variety of flowers scattered throughout. She'd helped when she grew old enough--well, she'd carried watering cans at first, to be honest, but she learned about other things swiftly enough. Her daddy always glittered gold when she helped out, and Momma grew green whenever she walked in.
Well... almost always. Lately, whenever the two were in the garden together, strange splotches would form in Momma's green streaks, and Daddy always looked a little brown. They wouldn't talk as much to each other, either... She wanted to fix it, but she didn't know what was going on.
Tree Hugger's eyes landed on the pink-leaved shrub in the center of the garden. Her momma had called it a smoke tree when they saw it for sale, but for a tree it was honestly rather small. Still, the filly mused as she stepped closer, it was incredibly beautiful in bloom. The plant forewent the complicated petals of its kin and instead spread soft clusters of whiskers in spherical shapes. The resemblance to smoke, apparently, had been how the plant earned its name.
But as she approached, Tree Hugger couldn't help but widen her eyes. The red channels in this plant had been broken. Already the lines in the branches were fading, cut off from the pumping in the trunk.
"No... no no no, no." The filly galloped forward. "This is not... no. Please... don't fade..."
This tree had been a gift for her on her fifth birthday, back when Momma and Daddy were still green and gold. She'd tended to it all these years, finding sanctuary in the worst of times in its shade. Tree Hugger couldn't imagine the poor thing fading....
She trotted around the trunk, trying to find the reason for this sudden wound--there. A bird of some sort, nesting inside a hole carved into the tree trunk. Momma had warned her that it was a delicate plant, but she'd never expected for a bird to be able to kill it.
Tree Hugger reached a hoof up, intent on removing the blockage.
Then she stopped, frowning. Did the bird know what it had done? To her? To the smoke tree? She couldn't imagine the creature did this deliberately... The thing didn't deserve to be forced out, not when it was just trying to make a home in the only way it knew how.
But... she didn't want to lose her tree either.
She put her hoof down, examining the channels of red beating desperately against the floor of the nest. Some did manage to go around, but not... enough. Maybe if there was another way, some sort of bypass...
Tree Hugger raised her hoof again, pressing against the side of the tree. She'd watched Daddy do this sometimes, use his earth pony magic to generate a plant really fast, but she didn't understand exactly how it worked. "Um... grow this way, tree."
The tree remained dormant, red veins ignoring her.
Tree Hugger frowned. Now how had Daddy done it? He'd turned violet for the briefest of moments, then some green had... come out, forming new red paths to guide the plant along. So what she needed to do was turn violet first?
But... how was she supposed to do that?
Daddy had said that he listened to the plants and the soil when he did what he did. Maybe she should try listening to the tree... no... trees didn't talk. They glowed and grew, but they didn't talk... Hmm.
What else had Daddy said? Something about... focusing on his connection to the world. Well, Tree Hugger knew she was connected to the world, she could see so much... maybe... maybe she had to see it all?
With some contemplation, she put her hoof down. She kept her eyes wide as she stared at the tree, but she didn't focus on it. Instead, she tried to visualize everything she was seeing: every grain on the bark, every vein in the grass, every hair on the feather of the bird's wings. She listened, too, to the rustling of the grass as the yellow sparkles whispered through and the faint clipity clop of her mother pacing in the house. Scents of growing grass and crushed ants flowed through her nose, the faintest taste of the air brushing against her tongue. A gentle breeze brushed across her back and the dirt under her hooves felt... soft. Welcoming.
As Tree Hugger stood open to the world, she began to notice a strange... whisper, if whispers were colors instead of words. It spiraled around everything, leaping from the ground and lounging in the branches. It narrowed into the bird and passed through harmlessly, weaving down the trunk of the smoke tree and into the grass where it danced across the many yellow sparkles. She could even sense some of it passing through her own body...
Magic.
It was magic.
The magic of the world.
Tree Hugger was violet for an instant.
In that moment she sensed all of the garden.
Green and red surged from her body and into the tree.
And through it she channeled the magic around her making it whole again.
Tree Hugger blinked, shaking her head as she compressed back into herself. "Whoa..." she breathed.
Her eyes blinked, almost of their own accord, as she stared. The hole was still in the smoke tree, yes, but now there was a strange network of wooden arches all around it, connecting the lower trunk to the upper portion. She couldn't help but giggle as the bird flew out, perching on the lattice experimentally. Red was flowing back into the upper portion, the tree growing stronger even as she watched.
"Radical...."
"Tree Hugger!"
Tree Hugger turned to look at her mother as she ran into the garden, splotchy green streaks shattering through the dirty gray, and tilted her head quizzically. "You seem... unbalanced--"
The mare swept her up in a tight hug and she gave an unconscious squeak as her ribs were crushed. "There was a shining light, and, and I looked outside and your eyes were glowing and the smoke tree was, was twisting--what did you do, young filly?!"
"I..." Tree Hugger paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "It... the tree was broken, but it wasn't dead... I thought I could fix it."
The mare froze for a secocnd. Then she held her daughter out at foreleg's length. "You thought you could what?"
"Well, I just... I thought I could fix it, and I did what Daddy showed me once, except I think I did it with the whole garden instead of just one plant?" Tree Hugger smiled faintly. "It was a harmonious rainbow, Momma. Everything was flowing through me."
"I... when did Meadow Dan show you how to do that?!"
"He said it was earth pony magic."
Her mother groaned, putting the filly down. "Right, the plant growth thing... Well, I guess I can't blame him for that, you must have taken it pretty far--"
She peered at the filly for a moment.
Tree Hugger tilted her head and watched the colors flowing through her mother. A bright indigo all but subsumed the mare for a moment, then it shifted to a swirling fractal of blue. And just as suddenly the fractals exploded in green and orange fireworks, cascading through Momma with wild abandon.
"Tree Hugger..."
"Yes Momma?"
"You... you got your cutie mark."
The filly blinked. She craned her neck to look at her flank, and through the swirls she could see the image of her precious smoke tree. "...whoa."
"Yeah, whoa."
"That's just... it's so..." Tree Hugger smiled. "I get it. I get it."
"You're a master gardener!"
"No, I... I can see the flow of the cosmos." Tree Hugger nodded. "That's what it means... But that doesn't mean I don't like gardening!" she added quickly, turning to her mother. "I mean, the garden is where I learned to see it, so it's not--"
The mare chuckled warmly. "Don't worry about it, dear. I'd be proud of you no matter what you became." She wrapped the filly up in another hug, this one much gentler and warmer. "You're special... you're so special."
Tree Hugger felt something tug at her heart, and without even thinking about what she was saying she opened her mouth. "Daddy loves you, you know."
"What...?"
The filly shrugged. "It... it felt like I had to say that. I don't know where it came from, but it... felt like I had to say that." She nodded, nuzzling her mother. "I love you too. But not like daddy does."
The mare let her go, shaking her head. "Not even five minutes after earning your mark, and you're already trying to... well... I don't know. Listen, what's happening between me and Daddy--"
"It's not for me to know," Tree Hugger interrupted. "It's between you and him. I just have to remind you that he loves you." She smiled lazily. "It's a blessing, from the universe, you know?"
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Unusual perception, earth pony magic, oneness with the universe, beautifully logical headcanon...
There isn't a single thing here I don't love. Headcanon wholeheartedly accepted. (Well, mostly. I still like the idea that Tree Hugger's body naturally generates THC.) Thank you for this.
Well i have to say you did a great job on the little story of how Tree Hugger got her cutie mark so enjoy a free random song
6000485
I did a lot of research into chakras and aura readings for this. See if you can interpret what I've written, I dare you.
6000509 You sir or Madame must have tankers full of free time to research chakras and aura reading and as for the answer to your question I'll go with a calm aura with a hint of wisdom
But I have you to say you did put in a good amount visual details that a person could visualized being her and doing what she did
Cute...
A version of Tree Hugger that is "G-Rated". I like it. This fandom needs more of this kind of Tree Hugger.
This story is awesome~! Tree Hugger is my new favorite pony, one of my top ten, she's just so mellow and peaceful.
Everyone is always making fun of her saying that she is high and what not, but she just really at peace with the world and takes everything with stride. Ever since I saw that episode of MLP last weekend, I've been working really hard on my zen meditation, and last night I was so into it I actually felt like I was floating on clouds.
A great story for a great character.
40.media.tumblr.com/07e53154ef602c26d59505dbcbf59bf8/tumblr_nogb0sEVM11u0je0eo1_500.png
Good. We need more stories where she isn't some doped up hippie and more of this, where she's just a nature lover. Well done.
I'll be thumbing up and favoriting.
You've encapsulated why I find Tree Hugger awesome.`
It is unclear, can tree hugger see only auras, is she legally blind or entirely blind in terms of perceiving physical reality?
6000999 Yes, G rated hooray!
6000543
Google is actually pretty useful for research. And no, that's not the interpretation I was referring to, I meant the actions as they happened.
6000767
Come on fair reader,
one word comments are so vague,
what's cute about this?
Understand this, though:
I do like comments a lot
even simple ones.
There is just something
about provoking deep response
that us authors love.
Excuse my ranting
I don't mean to belittle
just explain myself.
6000999 6001130 6001333 6001863
Tree Hugger's high is 100% pure natural cosmic bliss. But she is high. Just not on drugs. Unless you count cosmice bliss as a drug. It's up for debate.
6001390
That was my intended goal!
6001536
This was a bit subtle, I'll admit, but here it goes: Before gainging her cutie mark, Tree Hugger had both normal vision and 'aura' vision, but her aura vision was always more powerful. While she was doing her thing with the tree, though, her eyes were almost burned out with magic. Technically she is now mostly blind, able to pick up outlines at the best, but her aura vision is stronger than ever.
Also when she looks at Discord she sees an inverted chakra pattern and a tye-dye set of swirls. It's psychedelic.
6002382
Sooo... She's Daredevil?
I'm okay with this.
6002382
6002425
Now i gotta ask: does her Aura Sight now cover a 360 degree field of vision? Can she now passively feel, taste, touch, and smell auras? Has her full potential not yet awakened?
This Tree Hugger now is on-par with pinkie pie for deserving the descriptor "not all alicorns have wings and a horn".
Whoa, I like, like man
6002382
I don't know. I just think it's adorable!
And how you said she could be on drugs, she's most likely not because a) this is a children's show b) there are actual people with a mental disability that act like that.
Excellent! THIS is how I imagine Tree Hugger! While I don't mind pot references and the like, I feel like a lot of people were way too quick in labeling Tree Hugger as nothing but a drugged-up hippie. Chakras and auras and such talk is not just some pot heads coming up with weird shit, it's actually honest to goodness deep and powerful stuff. A+ on showcasing that wonderfully in this story!
I really loved this! I could visualize all the scenes with your wonderful descriptions! Very well written!
I love this take on Tree Hugger and her unique synesthesia. A really heartfelt and heartwarming interpretation of the eco-mare.
Simply beautiful.
6277512
Were they actually trying to make Tree Hugger the butt of a joke and imply she's a worthless fool, though? I thought it was gentle ribbing, at worst.
Very interesting!
Congratulations on the RCL interview and upcoming feature. You and Tree Hugger deserve it.
I enjoyed this story, Tree Hugger needs more of this kind of representation.
Woah...
What a beautiful take on Tree Hugger, and so refreshing! (And now we don't have to worry about her being a bad influence on Fluttershy!)
Adorableness.
This story was great. In fact, you could almost say it was:
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/964/571/168.gif
Masterweaver,
The seven shining suns within my soul
Reach out and hear the songs that shine in yours
The rhythm of their tune, its thrum and roll
Makes harmony with hoofsteps on all fours
The deepest light, when love and magic fuse
Yields beauty, folding endlessly within
The shining spirit of the world, my Muse
Inspires the thread that's spun from where I've been
Though even I have limits, still I strive
To keep the flow of world-light running smooth
The spark that lit to keep the smoke alive
Burns ever on, the light that feeds my groove
I'm glad to share these moments next to you
Our paths have touched; the world is born anew
--
Sometimes I am moved to comment in sonnet when a story really touches my heart. Such was the case with this tale. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It is truly beautiful, and I shall be watching to see other creations of yours.
Light and laughter,
SongCoyote
Nicely done! I loved seeing how Tree Hugger sees things in this story.
A couple of double spaces:
Hello!
Grand Moff Pony here on behalf of the group You Might Like This. I wanted to let you know that your story was featured in one of our monthly recommendation posts.
Thank you for sharing your story with the community, and have a great day!
-GMP
I wish I could favorite this a thousand times
Oh my, what an adorable path to illumination.
I always thought that Tree Hugger in the show, despite the ribbing, was a quite positive character, and one who had the super-power to understand Discord.
Your look into her fillyhood was an interesting dive into a deeper exploration of her and her place in the world (the center of all, it seems). Thank you for it.
You can has review!
Cool! ... Was thinking the plot with her mom was gonna be sad, but it seems like it'll be getting better!
Also, that magic! Whoo! ... Saw it first in Group Precipitation, but soo much more in-depth here!
Also came 'cause I wanted to read Yearly Epiphany, so I need to understand all of it.
Gonna read Psychadelic tomorrow...
Color is life. It is our food, our strength, our hope. You can use this Color to touch the world around you, because here, it is Color that gives life.
I don't know if it's what you were thinking, but it's what I was thinking, so I thought I'd share. If you like your vidyamagames scary and Russian it's an alright trip.
This is really amazing headcanon that I wholeheartedly support! Rather than being a pothead she's actually unique in her own wonderful way. Absolutely lovely fic and I made sure to share it on my tumblr as well so others can read it too.