Twilight's Garden

by Wanderer D

Final Chapter: Uetskayitsin

Twilight's Garden

By Wanderer D

Uetskayitsin

---

Twilight snorted and rolled over. Or tried to. Something warm and heavy was stopping her from doing so.

She frowned and slowly opened her eyes, smacking her lips at the sudden dryness that they seemed to have. She took a deep breath and coughed, before looking around and down at the figure of Applejack, who lay curled up next to her.

That's odd… Twilight thought. Why is Applejack here wi— Her thought was interrupted as a deep sense of dread invaded her.

Flashes of what had happened after her visit to the bar came to her. The uninterrupted drinking. The hugging. The belching. And finally...

"So you were sayin' you said something about it being on time?

Li.. *urp* lishen," Rarity had responded. "I just want to say I love you both. Youse my very very bestest friends. Almost sisters."

"Yeeah, Ah hear you filly, ah love you too!"

No. Nonono… someshing about… about time…"

Rarity stared at Twilight owlishly before sniffing. "You don't love me?"

"No, no, I do. A lot. But you said something…

"There ain't no time like the present!"

"That! That's the thing you said…" Twilight frowned. "That's what she said." She shook her head. "Wait, wait… why are you laughing?"

She looked up to where her island was.

Or where it was supposed to be. The sense of dread became panic. "Ohnonononononononono…"

She turned around and gasped.

Behind her, staring almost dispassionately at the pair of them stood the shamans, while shuffling nervously next to their assigned mentors were the rest her friends.

Twilight elbowed Applejack, who mumbled and turned, snuggling into her. Twilight, panicked, elbowed her again. And again.

"Whu…" Applejack blinked and tried to see what Twilight was looking at. Slowly, Applejack's confused eyes widened as Twilight could see the events of the previous night repeating in her memory as well.

Finally, she turned to share a look with Twilight. "Oh, buckin' Tartarus."

o.0.o

"And so," The Great Shaman said casually as the two mares followed her with drooped heads into a private room. She closed the door, allowing them to be alone. "It seems our new island has disappeared."

Both mares cringed.

"To think, we had both the Yolilistlitlatlakoli and the Yolilistli together for the first time ever, and following our traditions ended up in us losing our future island."

"Well, the thing is…" Applejack stammered. "Y'all didn't lose it exactly."

"Oh?"

"It… well, you're sorta walking on it right now…" Twilight grudgingly admitted.

The Great Shaman looked down at her hooves. "Funny, this island we stand on does not seem like the barren volcanic surface that was next our shore just last night."

"I'm sorry!" Twilight finally gasped. "I'm so sorry! I just got so mad! Applejack is so good with plants! And she knows everything there is to know about growing them! I wanted to learn the theory, the history and the secrets!"

Applejack sighed, taking off her hat and pressing it to her heart as she nodded solemnly and looked down. "Ah'm sorry too. Ah hated doing everythin' we did. Ah did not want to learn history. Or maps. Or theory. Or solve puzzles. Ah was angry too… and Ah was jealous of Twilight here doing what Ah am so good at."

The Great Shaman looked at both of them and waited.

Twilight gulped. "I was very jealous of you… but it wasn't just that…" she admitted, glancing guiltily at Applejack. "T-the truth is… I felt a lot less important than I've grown used to… and well…" she shuffled in place.

Applejack gave her a look. "You thought you were supposed to be more important than Ah was?"

Twilight cringed. "Y-yes…"

"Oh, Twi."

"N-not at first," Twilight explained quickly. "I just… every time they reminded me you were their goddess reborn it was just another nail on how I wasn't good enough."

Applejack blinked. "What made you think you weren't? It's all a statue and the beliefs of these ponies… not to mention, this is all our fault in the first place!"

"Well, yes," Twilight sighed. "But I didn't know that and I let my jealousy of you really hinder my thoughts and views. Maybe I could've learned more if I hadn't been so focused on the fact that I wasn't… that I wasn't the center of attention."

Applejack chuckled. "Oh Twilight, what am Ah goin' to do with you?"

Twilight's eyes widened. "A-aren't you mad?"

"Mad? No." Applejack shook her head. "Mildly disappointed? Yes. But not just in you. Ah could've swallowed mah pride and learned, and Ah didn't. Ah'd much rather preferred to be doin' what you were doin'." She grinned. "Probably would've taught a thing or two to that Kuautemiktlan fella."

Twilight laughed, wiping away the small tears that had formed as she heard her friend speak. "Yeah, I bet you would have."

"Aww, come 'ere you silly filly."

They embraced, all grievances forgiven.

"Ahem."

And quickly were reminded they were not alone.

"While I'm happy that the Yolilistli and the Yolilistlitlatlakoli have found new strength in their friendship, we are still short an isle."

The two mares shifted uncomfortably until Applejack's eyes narrowed. "Wait. Ah just remembered somethin'," she said. "Didn't y'all say a few days ago that the underwater volcano created the new island?"

Twilight blinked. "Yes, but that's an event that happens outside of our control. And even if we could control it… The volcano is not accessible from here."

Applejack gave the Great Shaman a look. "Well, that ain't exactly true."

Twilight blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Ah mean, there's a series of tunnels under this very island, that connect straight into the volcano."

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "You are not suggesting we force the volcano to erupt to create a new island, are you?"

Applejack shrugged.

"That's insane, Applejack."

o.0.o

"This is insane, Applejack!" Twilight shouted as she hovered high above the molten lava. Her shields active to keep her from getting cooked from the proximity.

"Ah know! But we also kinda made this whole mess!"

Twilight shook her head but looked high up towards the lone exit hole at the top of the volcano. "You two better head out!"

"Good luck, Twi!" Applejack called, Ah'll see you outside!"

Once she was sure Applejack and the Great Shaman were safe, Twilight started a slow spiral, letting her magic seep into the lava below, stirring it and slowly applying as much of her earth pony magic into the flow as she started to mix her magic with it. Once she was circling as fast as she could with the lava below churning dangerously, she shot a single, powerful blast into it, before shooting up as fast as she could fly and pulling with all her magical prowess.

She saw the world rumble around her as her magic strained, but didn't break, she shot straight out of the volcano, a purple star in the middle of the day, followed by a river of shimmering lava, that followed her miles into the air and then down on the side towards the ocean, where it splashed with tremendous force. The lava slowly poured over itself, expanding with the aid of her magic from the coast outwards until at last it stopped several kilometers offshore.

Twilight glided down to land next to Applejack, who was overseeing the whole process. She saw Rainbow Dash guiding several pegasi pushing heavy clouds that they placed on top of the smoldering, cooling rock and then kicking them to entice the rain to fall onto the surface.

Several unicorns, Rarity included, cast cooling spells on the rock, slowly advancing as it became solid and cool enough to walk onto. Then, (Rarity sporting a grimace of disgust) they spread several tons of old produce and organic trash mixed with soil.

Once it was done, Applejack turned to face her friend. "Now, Twilight. Ah know you don't like this, but somehow you managed to do it. Hay, Ah couldn't have done better myself. Ah might've been drunk out of my flank, but Ah do remember the feel of your island, and it was ripe for growth. You can do it again, filly. Trust yourself."

"I don't know if I can…"

"Child," the Great Shaman spoke up, placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "The Yolilistlitlatlakoli has faith in you… have some faith in her."

"Well, if the Yolili still talk talky says so…" Twilight grinned at Applejack who shared the smile and rolled her eyes.

"Just relax, Twi. Remember how you felt when you woke up with the earth all around you," Applejack said, bumping shoulders with Twilight. "How it felt under your hooves. How it did it smell when it was ready to be planted in. You did it before, sugarcube. You can do it again."

Twilight nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Her thoughts went back to the mornings when she had woken up from an exhausting night… and the ground had been soft and inviting, no trace of the smells from the compost or hard pebbles under her. She remembered how she had felt like she belonged there and how it had been asking, almost begging for plant life to begin.

She opened her eyes and took off, flying to the center of the newly formed island before dropping down onto it, hard with her hooves as she willed her magic and the ground below her to be one. The impact seemed to create some sort of wave, originating from the point of impact as rock cracked loudly over and over becoming dust that quickly mixed with the rain and disintegrating organic matter.

Like a drop of water into a still pond it expanded turning hard volcanic rock and trash into soft, water-absorbing spongy ground at a speed and scale that before last night she had thought impossible.

As the sun began to set ponies started trotting happily onto the island... the islanders, shamans, merchants, townsponies and even her friends, all spread tiny seeds into the island's more than ready soil.

As each seed landed, Twilight felt a tiny pinprick tugging at her. Her connection with the island was beyond anything she could have imagined, and grinning, she leaned down to gently whisper: "Grow."

~o.0.o~

"Twilight?" Spike called, opening the door into her room with one claw as he held a tray with breakfast in the other. He frowned and looked around. "Hm." He glanced around before stepping back and closing the door behind him.

He wandered about the castle, using his flame to keep the metal tray warm so Twilight's breakfast wouldn't get cold. He checked the study. He checked the library. The throne room. But there was no sign of Twilight.

"Huh." He scratched the back of his head. "Where could she be?"

He wandered out of the throne room and was about to start calling her out again when he heard something. Curious, he placed the breakfast tray on a side table just outside the room and followed the noises.

He found himself using one of the smaller side-doors of the castle, which led into a small, private garden. Neither of them had done much with it since discovering it, and thus had left it alone. It wasn't like anypony really visited all of the place anyway.

Thus, he was surprised to find Twilight, of all ponies, getting her hooves dirty as she spread compost around.

"Twilight?" he whispered. "What are you doing? Are you sleepwalking again?"

Twilight shot him a glare, but shook her head, lifting a hoof to signal him to be quiet.

Spike rolled his eyes and leaned back, watching as Twilight took a deep breath… and slowly, all of the compost seemed to crumble and mix with the earth right in front of Spike's eyes, which went wide as dinner platters.

He watched in muted awe as Twilight levitated several small bags of seeds and spread them around before leaning down and whispering something… just before they sprouted right then and there.

"H-how?" Spike gasped, walking into the grass and touching a tomato carefully, as if it would fade away just by that. He gazed at Twilight, who somehow seemed to just… belong there, in the middle of nature, like never before.

Twilight shrugged. "I guess I just discovered a new talent..." she giggled. "Or rather an old one?"

Spike narrowed his eyes. "That makes no sense."

Twilight laughed. "True. Come on, let's eat some breakfast."

o.0.o The End o.0.o

Comments

[KnightMysterio]

I like this ending.

[A.P.O.N.I.]

Thank you very much for this. This is the epilogue that, in my opinion, the story needed. Between this and the previous chapter, I'm bumping this into favourites.

[punzil504]

derpicdn.net/img/view/2017/5/21/1442348__safe_screencap_twilight+sparkle_not+asking+for+trouble_spoiler-colon-s07e11_adventure+in+the+comments_alicorn_animated_c-colon-_debate+in+the+.gif

[Wanderer D]

8240605 8234889 8234656 8234482 8234202 8234114 8233365 8233284
8233062 8232868 8232422 8232541
8232411 8232292

Well everyone, the new chapter is up. Thank you again for your honest opinion, I hope this makes up for it a little.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Vastly improved from before. Emotional closure, lessons applied, and a clear sign of personal growth in Twilight. Applejack didn't seem to learn much, but she wasn't the one who had to get over her own expectations and ego. In any case, great work with what we now know was a very nebulous prompt. Thank you for it.

[Nonchalant]

Thought something was missing. I'm as open to leaving the fans high and dry on a joke as the next asshole writer, but this is truly a satisfying ending. Congrats on the story, enjoy yourself!

[Misplaced Mage]

Much better ending! Though now I must retract my "everything is going precisely as planned" comments. And back it goes on the favorites bookshelf!
"Time travel. It's a cornucopia of disturbing concepts."

[Xuncu]

Yas, das better~

[Aotrs Commander]

I'm gonna be devil's advocate, and say I preferred the end before, meself. But I appreciate I'm in the minority, so no harm, no foul.

[Raugos]

8245834 Yup. Much nicer than before; Twilight actually completes a character arc.

[JediMoonstar]

Yes Twilight let nature flow through you!

[Lancerlot]

In the end, Twilight is ALWAYS ready to learn new things. < I made a seed grow! Yay!)

Being humiliated and forced into that situation, though? Not good. She would have jumped into this new skill eagerly if asked properly.

[pahnazd]

Well, that was certainly one way how to turn the previous chapter's "ending" into a true one. While I wouldn't have minded the previous chapter being the epilogue, it certainly left a few things unresolved.
This remedied that in a wonderful way.
Good job

[BlueNinja]

Far better. Also, AJ teasing Twi to get her to use dirt magic is hilarious. However:

something about it being on time?[\i]

Rogue tags!

[Web of Hope]

I honestly wasn't expecting more, so yay more, and yay actual closure to what was otherwise a really good story.

[Sollace]

A perfect ending to a wonderful story. Thanks so much!

[darkfire95]

I'm going to tell you this the story was good, I like it. But it would be insane if Twilight went in her nightmare or rage forms and tearing apart the shamans and her friends. I kind of hoping she was going to blast Rainbow Dash and fight her and going to the main island to get it all straight out. Also why did you want to made Twilight a gardener rather then whatever Applejack is?

[BirdsBooksBrownies]

I'm confuzzled, so does this scene with spike happen after everything went down on these islands or was the island thing but a dream/fantasy playing out in Twilight s mind? I'm honestly a little put out with this story, the set up was great, the rising tension with twilight acting all bitchy was a tad out of character, but it wasn't bad, in fact I think she could have had some real growth in she learns that being a princess is not about getting your way or being the center of attention/ defacto leader (even in the show humility isn't her strongest suite she's not as bad as the early RD, but she often jumps into the leader role without so much as blinking). But then we have that drunken binge and what appears to time travel, and while I enjoy a drunk pony story as much as anyone, this seemed like taking everything that was set up and throwing it away for a gag, and then the epilogue while better than the previous chapter seems to be one of the so-called "cop-out" endings where everything was but a dream. Not saying a dream ending is a bad thing in of itself, after all wizard of oz is still massively popular. In fan-fiction though, it seems that writers often turn to this as an easy out if they get bored with a concept, hit a writers block, or just for the sake of messing with readers. Now, I'm not trying to say you are a bad writer for this, or that I'm going to melodramatically unlike this story or stop reading your work, I'm just trying to make sense of what to me feels like a story with real potential going to waste. And also I want to say that I mean absolutely no offense with anything I just wrote, I'm not exactly the best at translating my thoughts to paper, so sometimes things come out more directly or less nicely than I would like.

[Maran]

“Ah was angry too… and Ah was jealous of Twilight here doing what Ah am so good at."

I'm sure she's telling the truth, but if I didn't know better, I'd think Applejack was just saying that to make Twilight feel better about herself. AJ seemed more annoyed than angry when she was with the shamans, at least until she went on her drinking binge, and she didn't seem jealous of Twilight to the same degree that Twilight was jealous of her. Yeah, AJ wanted to be the Gardener, but she also felt sympathetic toward Twilight and could tell that she was stressed. That's the response that was shown, and it doesn't match what was told. Contrast this with Twilight's irrational anger toward AJ for at least two chapters, in which she said AJ looked "smug" and said some other mean things about a pony she considers to be one of her best friends. AJ comes across looking like a saint compared to Twilight.

At least Twilight eventually realized she was wrong for letting her jealousy and anger prevent her from learning as much as she could have. I'm unconvinced that Twilight doesn't still think that her position as princess is more important than Applejack's job as a farmer, deep down in her heart. Oh well, I guess being a princess is going to inflate one's ego and there's not much to be done about it other than put said princess through embarrassing trials. Besides, Twilight was never the most humble pony even before she ascended.

Overall, this story had some interesting concepts and worldbuilding. I love reading other authors' takes on earth pony magic. The execution of this story idea is uneven, alternating between absurd parody and straight-up lore. The ending was satisfying, but the tonal shifts and Twilight's immature behavior were a little distracting. I suppose some of this fanfic's problems might be the result of rushing to fill the commission within a certain time.

[redmar]

This is not a bad story but I don't really like it. Twilight's behaviour was out of character and the shamans methods of teaching aren't all that efective as Twilight has stated in this chapter. The shaman teaching Twilight did not make any attempts to do anything about her unhappiness that he did notice which is never adressed in this story. The ending here was rather sudden which I didn't like either.

[Spell Craft]

The names read as very Alaska Native to me. I'm pronouncing things Inuk in my head, but it's probably not as intended.