Gaia Ch6

Flower examined a large, blue bloom sticking up amongst the greenery, and smiled happily as it bounced back and forth in the breeze. Fluttershy and Spike stood a little ways off, the small dragon eyed her warily.
"Well how do you explain it?" He asked.
"I...Well...I don't know. Maybe it was just a coincidence?" said Fluttershy, a note of hope in her voice.
Spike shook his head. "When she got happy just now the forest practically exploded. That's no coincidence."
"Well yes bu-"
"The rest of Ponyville is dead from the neck up. Except here, what's the only difference?"
Fluttershy was quiet. She looked at Flower, who turned and waved excitedly. The yellow Pegasus smiled a bit despite herself and waved back.
"What if she's the cause?" Spike whispered
Fluttershy turned to Spike, she opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. She glanced again at the brown mare playing happily, and thought of the previous day when they'd met, of the mares boundless exuberance and gentle, if at times naive, kindness.
"It can't be her..." Fluttershy whispered.
"What's that?" asked Spike.
"It can't be her...I don't believe it..."
Spike placed a claw on his forehead. "Come on Shy! It's the only thing that makes sense. Ponyville was fine yesterday. Suddenly BAM! Strange mare in the woods with freaky powers and now the place is a wasteland! You can't ignore that! I don't think some glass ball sitting in the woods has anything to do with it!"
Fluttershy took a step back.
Spike sighed. "Look, I know you like her, but you can't ignore the facts. What she just did? It wasn't normal, earth ponies shouldn't be able to do that. Some unicorns shouldn't be able to do that."
Fluttershy bit her lip. "Well...that's true...but she's not evil, I've spent time with her Spike...She'd never hurt anypony on purpose."
"On purpose or not, things are getting bad out there, and we need to get to the bottom of it. The princesses are in town, we have to take her to them at the very least. They might know what's going on."
Fluttershy was quiet for a moment, then she nodded. "Alright."
She turned to find Flower standing a few inches away looking at the two of them quizzically. "Have I done something wrong?" she asked.
Spike jumped, tumbling into a pile of nearby vines.
Fluttershy stared at her for a moment, Flower's deep green eyes searched her face. The brown mare's ears lowered as she sat back on her haunches.
"I-If I have done something wrong then I am sorry..." she said quietly.
"No, no!" Fluttershy said quickly. "You haven't done anything wrong...we're just... curious. That's all."
Flower's ears perked up. "Curious?"
"Yes..." Fluttershy looked out at the fresh greenery which covered the forest. "Did you...do this?"
Flower's face clouded for a moment. "Do this?"  
Fluttershy gently pointed to a daisy which bloomed at their hooves. "The flowers...all this growth in the forest?"
"Growth?" Flower bent down to the daisy's level. Her face broke out in a wide grin as she watched it sway in the breeze. "Magic."
"You can do magic?"
Flower's smile faded, she looked distant as she thought. "I still do not understand..."
Spike got up, brushing himself off. "Did you, or did you not make this stuff grow?"
Flower stared at nothing in particular for a moment. "Make...stuff...grow."
Her eyes focused suddenly on the daisy in front of her. It shuddered, it's leaves bouncing and jerking before several more shot from the ground . Growing from tiny sprouts into fresh yellow blooms in seconds, they burst forward like tiny fireworks.
Flower smiled to herself. "Make...stuff..." She paused to pick one.
She gripped it carefully by the stem between to hooves. Sitting on her haunches, she offered it to Fluttershy, a grin painting her features again. "Grow!" she said proudly. "Yes."
There was silence for a moment as Fluttershy stared at the flower. A ladybug fluttered from the nearby trees and landed gently on its petals skittering about on the freshly grown bloom.
"Woah..." said Spike.
Flower nudged Fluttershy with her hooves. "For you."
"Oh." Fluttershy snapped out of her daze. "Um...thank you." She gently took the flower and tucked it under a wing. "Um...how long have you been able to do that?"
Flower paused, looking back down at the patch of daisies. "How...long?" she tilted her head in thought. "Always, I think...always. I had...forgotten." She looked at Fluttershy. "But now I remember. It is nice...to remember." She smiled. "Thank you."
"Huh...for what?" asked Fluttershy.
Flower took the daisy from Fluttershy wing and placed it gently in her mane.
"Magic."
Spike looked from Flower to Fluttershy, then at the vibrant foliage around them. "I'm sorry to ruin the moment. But we really need to see the princesses now. They need to know about this."
Fluttershy sighed. She knew he was right. She could only hope that Flower wasn't the cause of what was happening, and that perhaps the princesses would know what to do.
"Alright Spike," she said getting up. "Flower, follow us. I'd like to introduce you to some more of my friends."
Flower's ears perked up up at the word. Her smile grew. "I would like that."
"Alright." Fluttershy started down the path back towards her cottage, Spike hopped on her back. "Follow me."
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The thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle was growing tired of waiting. A nearby tree began to shrivel and wilt as its impatience grew. Internally it could feel the life beyond the path growing. That worried it. It needed to move faster. It needed to hurry, it needed to strike. It needed access to this power. Mentally, it threw itself against against the wall again, knowing it was pointless, but reminding its most recent charge who she was dealing with. It would not be stopped long. It could hear her, deep down, struggling, fighting. She knew its plans, what it was willing to do to get what it wanted, and it terrified her. The thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle grinned at the thought.
The smile almost reached its ears.
It sensed movement further up the trail. Something was coming. Probably a pony judging by how it felt. A snack would do it some good, it thought. It needed all the strength it could get, all the might it could manage. It put on a friendly face, smiling cheerfully as it waited for whoever was coming to round the bed. To get close.
"It's right this way!" It heard them call.
Inside, it felt a flash of memory. It picked through the thoughts of the pony who's face it wore. There was a farm pony with a ridiculous hat in this mind. A friend. An ally...
It's friendly smile took on a slightly crueler tone. This could be useful. It threw itself against the mental wall again with extra force to let her know it meant business. It could feel the wall beginning to crack, if it threatened this new pony, she might bend to save her. How quaint. It might not need the dragon.
It searched for a name in the haze of memories. One floated to the top after a bit of a struggle.
"Applejack..." It said with a bubbly, not quite equine chuckle. "This should be entertaining."
The orange pony came into view, it quickly hid the harsh edges of its smile and waved Twilight Sparkle's hoof in her direction.
"Hello Applejack!" it said. "It's nice to see you."
The farmpony skidded to a stop. "Twilight! You're alright!"
"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be, Applejack?" it asked, tilting Twilight Sparkle's head.
"The princess...she said you were in danger. Are you okay? Did anything happen?"
The thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle paused. This one knew those who wished to stop it? Were they on their way? They had located it far too quickly. It would need to strike fast, it took a step towards the farm pony, its false smile syrupy sweet.
"Well, they must simply be over worried again. You know how they are my dear Applejack. Calm yourself.You must have been so worried. Let me give you a hug."
It opened Twilight Sparkles hooves in a friendly gesture.
"Aw, shucks." Applejack smiled. "I'm just glad you're okay. You had us a might worried."
The thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle could feel her as she got closer, it allowed itself an internal grin as it felt its charge struggle fiercely, trying desperately to warn her friend of a danger she could not know. The grin spread to its face.
"Goodbye Applejack," it whispered.
"You have found her!" called a voice.
The grin vanished, Twilight Sparkle's body froze as Applejack completed the hug.
That voice.
"You are unharmed Twilight Sparkle!" Luna came to a stop next to the them.
It did not dare move, it didn't so much as breath.
But she smiled at it.
Did she not recognize it? The thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle quickly regained its composure.
Of course...this was the younger sister...she'd been too little. She wouldn't have remembered. This was a stroke of luck. Still, she was too powerful for it to reveal itself now. It would have to wait. Inside, it could feel the pony whose face it contorted into a false smile let out a sigh of relief. It would not last long.
It released the farm pony.
"Luna!" it said. "Yes, I am fine."
"Celestia said she sensed danger. What has happened?" she asked, bending down to its level.
"Oh.." Of course She would know something was wrong. It cursed itself for being careless. Still, it could turn this to its advantage. Twilight Sparkle's eyes went wide in panic. "Oh yes! Yes I was! There was a terrible creature on the path! I barely fought it off! It must have run when it heard you coming! I'm so glad you have good timing."
Applejack stared at it oddly for a moment. "I thought you said the princesses were just being over worried?"
"Oh, they were!" it said quickly. "I can handle myself. They have no need to worry about me." It puffed out Twilight Sparkle's chest.
"That a girl." Applejack clapped it on the back with a hoof. "Now, where'd it go? We need to find out what's goin' on around here, and quick. Celestia's in an awful state."
It forced Twilight Sparkle's face to show concern. "Oh my! That's terrible!, It went into the forest. That way!" It pointed further down the path. "You two should go search for it. Why don't I see how Celestia's doing?"
Applejack nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Let's g-"
"Twilight! Applejack!" Called another voice. It turned around, to see Fluttershy coming up the path.

----------------------

Fluttershy heard talking up ahead, she sped to a trot with Flower in tow, Spike bouncing along on her back. As she cleared the treeline, she saw Twilight talking to Applejack. She called out to them before she noticed Luna. She paused, turning to Flower before continuing.
The brown mare looked past her at the small group.
"More friends?" she asked.
"Yes," Fluttershy nodded. "I want you to show them what you can do. They're going to have questions....can you answer them for me? Just do the best you can..."
Flower smiled and nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
Fluttershy walked over to the group, bowing slightly in front of Luna.
"Fluttershy!" Applejack cried. The yellow pegasus quickly found herself in a hug. "I don't know what's goin' on today, but Twilight says there's a monster about. Glad to see you're alright."
"Oh yes, I'm fine." Fluttershy returned the hug. "We didn't see any creature...But there's someone I'd like you to meet." She nodded to the tall mare holding back a few paces. Flower waved happily, and walked over.
"Hello, I am Flower." She looked closely at Applejack. "You are Fluttershy's friend?"
Applejack leaned back a bit. "Um...yes..." She offered her a hoof. "Applejack, pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Flower eyed the hoof oddly.
"Shake it." Fluttershy whispered.
"Shake it." Flower repeated. She grasped Applejack's hoof between her forelegs and shook vigorously. "It is nice to meet you Applejack!" She shook her hoof faster. "This is fun!"
Applejack was almost lifted entirely off the ground as Flower continued the hoofshake. Fluttershy tapped her on the side, and she reluctantly released the orange mare's leg.
"Thanks..." Applejack replied, working the limb back and forth in an attempt to recover. As she did she examined the new mare. Her face clouded for a moment.
"Is something wrong?" Asked Flower.
"No...not wrong.." Applejack put a hoof to her chin. "It just...it feels like we've met before..."
Fluttershy meekly raised a hoof. "Flower's having trouble remembering things...but she has something she wants to show you...Princess?" She turned to Luna to find her, staring wide eyed, at the brown mare.
Flower's eyes met hers, and the two stared at eachother for a moment.
"You..." Luna started. "You also seem familiar to me..."
A breeze blew past as the two looked at one another. Flower raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to one side, then another.
"We...have met..." she said slowly. "I...remember?" Her eyebrows knitted together in thought. "A very long time ago....Luna?"
Fluttershy looked at Flower in surprise. This was the first time she'd shown this concrete of a memory.
As Flower thought, her eyes shifted down to Twilight. She jerked stock still, her own eyes widening.
"Hello Flower," said Twilight with a smile. "So nice to see you again."
Fluttershy looked between them. Flower looked terrified.
"Are you alr-"
She was interrupted as Flower started screaming.
All four ponies reared back in shock as the sound echoed through the forest, filled with unbridled terror. Flower whirled around, almost tripping over herself a she raced back down the path towards the forest.
"Flower!" Fluttershy called.
"What's wrong!?" Applejack asked bewildered.
"She just bolted..." said Spike from Fluttershy's back.
"Flower" Fluttershy turned. "Flower come back!"
She started down the path, only to have Twilight step in front of her. "Leave Spike, he and I need to go to the library and get to the bottom of what's going on here. You and Luna hunt down Flower. I'm sure she's got something to do with what's going on here. She ran when she remembered the princess."
"But sh-"
"You saw it!" Twilight yelled. "That's not something an innocent pony would do. What was it you wanted to show us? Hmm? Everything was fine before she showed up, now Ponyville is a wasteland."
Spike hopped off of Fluttershy's back. "She's right Fluttershy. I think she's got more to do with this than she's letting on."
Fluttershy stared at them for a moment. "I....she...she's not..."
"Find her," Twilight said shortly.
Luna stepped up between them. "That is sensible. We shall ascertain what she has to do with this. "Come Fluttershy, Applejack."
Fluttershy stood there for a moment. Unsure what to say. "...Okay...but when we find her...let me talk to her...Please?"
Luna nodded. "I will allow this. Now come, Twilight, meet us back here if you discover anything."
"I certainly will. Come along Spike."
Spike hopped onto Twilight's back, and they started off towards the library. Behind them, Applejack and Luna galloped after Flower. Fluttershy hung back, looking at where the trees ended, and the grey began. She noted, very briefly, at the back of her mind, that it started exactly where Twilight had been standing.
She chalked this up to coincidence and raced to catch up.
In the grey, heading towards Ponyville, Spike couldn't see the thing that wasn't Twilight Sparkle grinning.

To Be Continued.