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Twilight's Garden

by Wanderer D

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Heavenly Paradise Island

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Twilight's Garden

By Wanderer D

Chapter 1: Heavenly Paradise Island


The airship drifted over the clouds, its masts fully deployed and extended by the power of the wind. Pegasi crawled all over the upper deck, checking equipment, and making sure the ship was working perfectly.

Inside the guest rooms, a small group of friends gathered together around a table, looking at the map of their destination.

"Ladies and gentlecolts," the captain's voice echoed into the cabin, "we will be arriving at the island of Iluikatliltik within the hour."

"So tell me more about this resort we're staying at for the next month and a half, Twilight… I must say, one does not hear the words 'tropical,' 'Paradise', and 'Island' in vain in my circles," Rarity said, reclining back on her seat and watching the clouds float below them, and far below, small islands in the middle of a vast ocean. "I have certainly never heard of it, and let me tell you, that is highly unusual." She smiled. "Why, I thought I knew every single tropical paradise known to ponykind, but this place sounds absolutely delightful!"

"More like a waste of time, if y'all ask me," Applejack spoke up, turning to look at them without moving her face from where it rested on top of her hoof. "Ah don't see why we need to be the ones to represent Equestria this time, there ain't no friendship problems there that the map could see, and Princess Luna and Princess Celestia have been there before! They told us themselves."

"Oh, don't be a party-pooper, Applejack!" Pinkie said, her head popping out from between the two pillows of the seat. "I've heard they hold the most amazing parties ever!" Her eyes were wide as she took Applejack's head in her hooves to pull her down until they were muzzle-to-muzzle. "I've been told their parties can last for weeks, Applejack."

"Yeah, bu—"

"Weeks! Applejack!"

"And you can't deny that going to an island in the middle of nowhere doesn't sound fun!" Rainbow Dash said next, looking over from the back of her seat, giving Applejack a knowing look. "There's going to be a lot of stuff to do! We can go flying, surfing, swimming, scuba diving..."

"And it really sounds like fun, bu—"

"And I've heard that they have the most amazing variety of animals living in their island and the ocean around them," Fluttershy added from her seat across the aisle. "I've heard that the Birds of Iluikatliltik are unique in their coloring and that their plumage is especially beautiful this time of the year."

"You did say that before we left, Fluttershy, thing is—"

"You can't possibly be upset about coming here by order of the princesses instead of staying home to help with the harvest?" Rarity asked. When Applejack lowered her head and mumbled something grumpily, Rarity shook her head. "Dear… you know the Princesses wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important."

"Ah know," Applejack acknowledged with a sigh. "And Ah know Ah can trust Big Mac and Apple Bloom with the harvest…"

"And don't forget Scootaloo is helping too!" Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"And Sweetie Belle!" Rarity added with a nod. "They're hardly on their own."

Twilight Sparkle, who had up to that point been engrossed in a book looked up from it. "Not to mention I asked Starlight Glimmer and Spike to help out too."

"And don't forget that they also asked their friends to help… so Discord will be there…" Fluttershy pointed out.

"And Trixie..." Rainbow Dash added.

"And Maud!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Applejack started twitching in her seat before she visibly forced herself to calm down. "Ah think Ah'm better off not rememberin' any of those things." She tipped her hat and looked away. "Ah just… well, gosh darn it, Ah miss being there for the apple pickin' season," she said.

"Ah know Ah matter to y'all, but over at Sweet Apple Acres, especially these days, Ah get to be in charge and ponies appreciate what Ah can do and what Ah'm good at. Ah know here," she tapped her head with her hoof, "that things will be fine without me this one time, but here," she tapped her chest, "Ah'm a bit afraid we'll all find out it don't matter if Ah'm there or not."

"That's not true, Applejack," Twilight said, putting down her book and smiling benevolently at her friend. "Nopony thinks you're not important, or that just because you weren't around this one time they won't need you."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash added enthusiastically. "I mean, just look at how many ponies and… Discord… they needed to replace you for a couple of days! The fact that you have kept it going when it was basically just you and Big Mac for so many years is really awesome!"

"And as a professional myself, my dearest Applejack, I can also tell you that no one will think less of you for this, especially—and I feel the deep need to re-emphasize this—because this was a personal request from two of the princesses," Rarity pointed out.

"Rarity is right," Twilight said after a moment, reaching out to put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "I know it's not easy for your to leave things to others, but the princess wouldn't have asked us all to go if it wasn't necessary. But look at it this way… there is a lot you could learn from this trip, Applejack."

Applejack eyed Twilight warily. "Oh? What do you mean, Twilight?"

Twilight grinned. "I'm glad you asked!" She seemed oblivious to Rainbow Dash's groan of exasperation and happily levitated several books. "Turns out the ponies of Iluikatliltik are a very agrarian group of ponies! They worship a goddess of nature, Yolilistlitlatlakoli, who blesses all the islands with gifts of wisdom, growth and nature's bounty. Legend has it that their island itself appeared through the grace of the goddess herself, and nopony knows how it happened!

"It's the island's tradition to invite the Yolilistli as they call us alicorns, to private sessions with their circle of shamans, powerful Earth Pony magicians who have controlled their earth magic to an extent we alicorns can only begin to rival or understand."

"The legend says that when the island appeared with the statue of their goddess in the middle of a giant field full of fruit trees and vegetables, an alicorn was witnessed flying around as if paying homage to the goddess herself… although nopony has been able to identify the alicorn, both Princess Luna and Celestia have said they felt the familiar echo of alicorn magic in the land itself."

Twilight flipped the pages. "So now, whenever a new alicorn is born, they are eventually sent here, where ancient knowledge is passed and we share our own insight and development into Earth Pony magic with them, a great feast is held, where the Yolilistli and the Grand Shaman sit at the head of the table right under the Kilokilo star, an item ancient in origin and delved in mystery which stands right in the cross-point of no less than eight Ley Lines!

"They say that you can feel the magic permeate your body and exalt your conscience just by being in its proximity, but that sitting there is where Celestia and Luna learned how to truly commune with the heavenly bodies they control!" Twilight giggled, flipping to another page. "The connection to the ethereal is so strong that, as the centuries pass and the Ley Lines fluctuate, the island itself is said to move to remain in constant contact with it."

"Well, that sounds very interestin', Twilight," Applejack said after a moment. "But Ah don't see why we all need to be there."

"Ah, well," Twilight brought up some extra books. "On that, I am not too clear. But legend does tell about the Yolilistli bringing their closest friends and confidants. There is apparently a lot of symbolic meaning about the growth of the Yolilistli and the roles of those that come with her. Surprisingly, like our Elements, they all have to fulfill some roles: The Guard, the Jester, the Advisor, the Healer and the Gardener."

"Oh my, are we to take those roles during this visit?" Rarity asked, fanning herself.

"That would be my guess," Twilight said, nodding. "While I'm with the Shamans, you all will perform duties related to these roles, although we have no sure way of knowing who will be doing what… it falls on the shamans to assign those duties."

Rainbow Dash Snorted. "As if we didn't know. Come on, Twilight, could it be more obvious?" She pointed a hoof at Pinkie. "Jester."

"Yay!" Pinkie disappeared from her spot next to Applejack to reappear in a shower of confetti next to Twilight. "I'm your jester! Oooh! Oooh! I know! I know! Fluttershy has to be the Healer! She's great at helping critters and even ponies feel better!"

Fluttershy tapped her hooves together. "Oh my, I-I guess that could be me. I do like helping ponies. Um… then that means that Rarity would be the Advisor?"

Rarity smiled. "To be fair I am well versed in politics and international trade, I do believe my skills would suit that role very well. And given the options left, I would be surprised if Rainbow Dash didn't get the role of Guard."

"You know it!" Rainbow Dash grinned, lifting up to hover confidently next to Twilight. "I will protect you from any harm, Princess! Just like any Wonderbolt would, only, in a much more awesome way. Because I'm both. Awesome and a Wonderbolt."

"So y'all are saying I'm only good for plantin' and farmin', is that it?"

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Of course not, dear," Rarity spoke up at last. "In my case it's just because I honestly don't think myself fit to truly perform any of the other roles," she admitted. "Quite frankly, out of anypony here I believe you to know as much about the market as I do, and I do think you'd be a good advisor, certainly centered and honest."

"Yeah! I mean, I'm awesome, but if there's anypony I'd have guarding my back it would be you! No offense girls," Rainbow Dash said, looking at the others. "But AJ can give me a challenge in the Iron Mare competition. That's guard material right there."

"A-and I have seen you take care of your farm animals, and your grandmother and your brother and sister," Fluttershy said, smiling. "You could do the healing too."

Applejack looked at Pinkie.

"Nah," Pinkie shrugged, "Maybe if I trained you for ten years or got you super, uber high on something and then spoon fed you a sense of humor." She grinned. "But You can do just about everything else!"

"See Applejack?" Twilight asked. "It's not that we think that's the only job you can do… besides, you should never underestimate the name of a Sacred Duty. More often than not, it means much more than what the title implies."

Applejack sighed. "Whatever you say Twilight… you're probably right, after all." She smiled. "Ah guess Ah am pretty good at growing things! Why, Ah bet Ah have a thing or two Ah could teach them about planting apple trees."

"That's the spirit! And don't forget, we don't know what roles we'll get until we get them!" Twilight added bumping hooves with Applejack.

Rainbow Dash snorted once more. "As if we didn't know what role you'll be getting, Twilight."

Twilight smiled, a bit embarrassed. "Well, be that as it may, everypony will receive their titles from the wise ponies of Iluikatliltik when we get there."

"Hey! We're here!" Rainbow Dash shouted excitedly.

The group crowded to the closest window, gazing out of it as the clouds parted and the deep, blue sea was revealed in all its glory below them. They could see a group of large islands, where the water slowly became lighter and lighter until it reached the crystalline tan edges of the beaches.

They gasped in delight at the small, quaint villages, the largest of which seemed to be dominated by a gigantic amphitheatre where they could see a large group of ponies had gathered and were cheering their approach.

The airship glided in, slowly and ponderously, jerking a little when it finally descended onto its landing bay. The group made their way through the ship to the upper deck, where a bridge extended down to the red carpet that had been laid down for them to walk to the where shamans waited.

They followed Twilight, who walked down confidently towards their destination: a large cavern completely dark beyond the altar where the shamans stood.

The way was of course packed with eager islanders, all smiling and throwing flower petals on their way, making Rarity and Fluttershy giggle, while Rainbow Dash preened and Applejack grumbled.

Pinkie returned the favors by shooting confetti at the crowds, which slowly would fall into an awed hush as the mares made their way.

"Welcome, Yolilistli, to our island," one of the Shamans said.

The girls all bowed, and Twilight smiled. "Allow me t—"

"Oh my goodness!" One of the Shamans, an old mare possibly as ancient as Granny Smith said, raising a trembling hoof to point at something behind Twilight.

Blinking, Twilight stepped to the side and glanced back, trying to figure out what the problem was.

"It can't be!" One of the shamans cried, falling to his knees in worship, followed soon by every pony in the area, except for Twilight, her friends and the Grand Shaman who waddled her way down, brushing past Twilight to bow deeply and reverently at Applejack, who stood there, rooted to the spot and eyes wide.

"You grace us with your presence, oh great one!" the Grand Shaman said in a hoarse whisper.

"Um… what now?" Applejack stammered.

"Your presence is a boon that we never expected to receive," the Grand Shaman said. "Truly, we expected a great being to join us in our long celebration… a great being to discuss the secrets of life, the universe… everything!"

Twilight took a step forth. "And that is why I'm—"

The Grand Shaman ignored her. "And now that you, Yolilistlitlatlakoli are here, it will be our greatest honor to discuss these secrets with you."

"Um, well, shucks," Applejack was blushing scarlet. "Ah mean, well that's uh, darn nice of y'all bu—"

"Come now," the Grand Shaman said, nudging Applejack to take the lead. "We have much to discuss."

When Twilight made a move to follow them, her way was barred by two masked shamans. "I am sorry, but even if you are an alicorn, your presence in these meetings will have to wait until next time," one of the shamans said.

"B-but… next time?!" Twilight gasped. "That's a thousand years from now!"'

The shaman shrugged.

"I'm the one supposed to discuss all of those things with you!" Twilight insisted. "Why would you take Applejack?!"

The shaman tilted his head. "I do not understand what your problem is, Yolilistli. You are after all the harbinger of Yolilistlitlatlakoli," the shaman said, motioning with his hoof at the giant stone statue that was being illuminated by several torches. "Know your place, or leave our lands."

Twilight had no reply; for as more and more of the cavern beyond the altar was lit, the more she could recognize the familiar features of the statue, from the mane to the hat, Yolilistlitlatlakoli was an exact replica of Applejack.


End Chapter 1


Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Joke's on You Estimated time remaining: 43 Minutes
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