Twilight is manifested into a mysterious cavern via a spiral of leaves and green energy, following Applejack’s actions. The alicorn repeatedly blinks before observing her surroundings.

“Applejack?” She inquires, her head turning in every direction. “Where are you?”

“Ah’m all ‘round you, Twi,” The cowmare’s voice echoes all around the cavern, yet her physical form was nowhere to be seen. However, Twilight took notice of several cavernous greenery and ferns glowing with an orange hue. “Go on through that cave entrance further ahead; ah’ll meetcha there.”

Twilight was simply at a loss. She had seen Celebes perform feats just like this, but for it to be Applejack, a pony she had grown so close to alongside four others, had raised many questions within the lavender alicorn.

She adheres to her friend’s request and treks forth, her hooves clopping against the cavern floor and echoing throughout the large chamber littered with stalagmites and stalactites.

She traverses down the cavernous pathway, resembling a near-perfect rock and dirt comprised cylinder tube, enlightened by blazing torches of green flames. The green light melds into Twilight’s lavender fur, her eyes reflecting the green hue. And before long, she makes out a light at the end of the tunnel.

Her hooves began to dig into the now formation of dirt as she approached the light, the presence of greenery becoming more apparent until she finally reached the exit, a forelimb raised to shield her eyes from the sudden light adjustment.

Her eyes adjusted to her new surroundings before lowering her appendage, and her orbs widened in awe at the beauty before her. She was simply lost in the beauty of nature, so serene and peaceful that it easily could’ve been the most luscious environment in all of Terraria.

Fields of grass, streams of pure water, and a healthy forestation were all overlooked by a type of artificial sun. Much like what her friends had told her about the underground Jungle Biome.

Just where in Equestria- er, Terraria, was she?

Her gaze then locked onto Applejack, the cowmare positioned on a small island surrounded by water with a singular apple tree, sitting on their flank with their back turned to Twilight. And those folded wings of wood and greenery on Applejack’s back… Twilight would need to inquire about that, as well.

The alicorn took flight and soon landed behind the apple family member, although, even throughout this entire affair, Twilight still retained her hesitation. After all… she killed Granny Smith. This caused her to look away with her ears folded against her head.

“Come sit with me, partner.”

The soothing words of Applejack garner Twilight’s attention, and after swallowing a lump, the alicorn proceeds forth, sitting alongside the earth pony.

They sat in silence for a mere, agonizing moment. At least for Twilight.

“Twilight,” Applejack starts. “Ah ain’t mad at ya. But ah ahm disappointed.”

Yeah, Twilight figured. Her body shook as she prepared for the undoubtful barrage of Applejack’s scornful rage.

The orange mare turns to Twilight. “Ah’m disappointed that you’d even consider me holding you accountable fer what ‘appened to Granny.”

“But it was me who-”

“Confound it, Twi, did everythin’ them Ancients told you back there go in one ear and out the oth’r?” Applejack interjects, Twilight sighing. “That wasn’t you.”

“It’s just not that easy to brush aside, Applejack,” Twilight argues. “The fact remains that it was my hooves that killed you… it was my fault that Granny even had to make her sacrifice in the first place.”

“Fer Celestia’s sake, not this again,” Applejack said with a shake of her head. “That wasn’t you, Twi-”

“It WAS me, Luna damn it!” Twilight roars out, Applejack momentarily stunned by the lavender mare’s outburst -- resulting in another moment of silence.

Twilight, having regained herself following the outburst, her face slowly falling from anger to absolute regret, brings her forelimbs up to conceal her features.

“I’m… I’m so sorry, Applejack.” Despite the alicorn’s hooves covering her face, a river of tears still strolls down both of her cheeks. “I… I…” She lowers her forelimbs, looking down at them. “I just- I need-”

“Shhh,” Applejack soothes as she rests a forelimb onto the weeping alicorn, slowly raising the other limb before gently pulling Twilight into an embrace. “Don’t hold it in, Twi. Let it all go.”

Those words broke the dam as Twilight shoved her face deep into Applejack’s chest, her screams muffled as she unleashed all her inner sorrow. The cowmare stood there in full support, patting the weeping mare with comforting words.

“Let it all out, Twi. Ah’m here fer ya,” Her loving grasp tightens, “We’re all here fer ya.”

Seemingly unbeknownst to them both, an equine figure observed them from nearby, sitting down on a hill that overlooked their island location.

“Twilight Sparkle…” The golden earth pony comments, his eyes shut before opening them as two golden-red orbs flash as his pupils. “I look forward to working with you once again… my disciple.”

Nearly half an hour passed, and Twilight had fallen into a slumber while being held by Applejack. The cowmare sighs contently before resting the alicorn onto the grassy ground, taking extra care with laying down their head.

She nods contently and turns back to the apple tree in front of her. “Rest well, Granny Smith.” She tips her hat, the apparel being secured in place via a series of vines. “Ah’ll take over from here. So you rest up easy, ‘n tell mah and pa we miss them a lot -- I love you.”

A sudden surge of wind kicks up, Applejack closing her eyes as her mane and tail flutter in the breeze. A single leaf is plucked off the nearby apple tree and carried away, lifted high into the air before the leaf seemingly vanishes without a trace.

The leaf reappears at surface level and is continually carried -- guided by the wind. A chanting of both feminine and male voices can be heard as if they had come along for the ride.

The leaf hummed with green energy going down its’ form, traveling at a fair speed. It now passes through a Desert Biome, which happened to be Anubis’s, then a forest, a Jungle Biome, and even a Snow Biome.

Whatever magics that were clearly at play had defended the leaf from the elements as it passed through the biomes.

It continued onward, gracefully passing over several settlements, kingdoms, and nations.

Finally, the greenery then vanishes again, doing so over the surface level of a particular location…

The leaf reappears underground and floats toward a nearby settlement that’s rested within this underground sanctuary, of which many littered Terraria. The artificial sun bathed the underground realm in its’ warmth, and the green seemed to be drawn to something here. Or someone.

As for the location itself, the leaf had floated past a large sign; the words etched onto it told of a familiar site:

NEXUS

A trio of fillies and a baby alicorn could be seen playing with young beastfolk on an open field of grass, and even several members from Equus mingled with them -- young kirin, yaks, griffons, and a single minotaur.

However, there was also a creature among them that was a member of a species that had, at long last, returned to Terraria after the fall of Nyarlathotep: Pokemon.

“Throw it over here, Ponyta!” Scootaloo calls out.

“Hey!” The female Ponyta responds, floating a red ball over her head with her psychic powers. “I told you a hundred times already; It’s Galarian Ponyta.”

Scootaloo smirks. “It’s gonna be Lame Ponyta if you don’t hurry it up.”

The Galarian Ponyta’s left eye twitches. “Oh, it! Is! On!”

As the duo contends in a game of heated catch, both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle watch over Flurry Heart, playing with the young alicorn.

Overlooking and guarding all of the playing children, save for the Ponyta, who insisted on being a full-grown mare, is a feminine figure that resembles a combination of a snow leopard and a wolf: Tundra.

She leaned against a nearby tree, keeping her gaze fixated on them. A sudden tea aroma meets Tundra’s sense of smell, and she turns her gaze to an approaching elf holding a silver plate with a steaming teapot and two appropriate cups resting on the saucer.

“Good morning, Tundra,” The elf greets happily.

“Hey, Andriell!” Tundra responds with a wave. “Have you seen Akuma yet?”

The elf conjures forth a small table and rests it before Tundra, setting down the tea, saucer, and cups before sitting down alongside the beastfolk.

“No, I haven’t,” The elf responds as she prepares the tea. “The last time I heard from him, he mentioned going to Torinago to check on it.”

Tundra sighs. “It saddens me to what had become of it. Torinago was a beautiful place; I always wanted to go there.”

“But now…” Andriell hesitates, biting her tongue, followed by a shake of her head. “L-let’s change the subject… tea?”

Tundra chuckles. “Sure thing -- wait,” Tundra could sense something strange yet familiar, and her eyes went skyward. She narrows her orbs upon spotting something approaching the fun-loving young and single Pokemon.

“Wait… isn’t that…”

Andriell, having followed Tundra’s gaze, gasps in surprise upon seeing a very particular and vibrant leaf.

“That’s a Dryad’s message!”

Consider this chapter a nice calm before the building up storms.