The pink pony ran to her friend, galloping over the vines and through the garden towards the other. Lingual Rose, upon seeing this, ran to meet her halfway, weeping openly as she did so. They embraced fondly, but their happiness was short-lived. For, as they front hooves were wrapped around one another, a hissing noise, like that of a snake, began to crescendo. The green pony defended the other, stepping in front of her bravely with wings outstretched. Her maroon eyes shone in the rising light of the day. It would be dawn soon.

The vines seemed to have recovered since she burst through them. They began to rise up once more from the woodwork of the gazebo, whispering as they did so. The roses, beginning to bloom quickly, lead the charge. They refused to back down without a fight. Lingual Rose turned to Lily and nodded, assuring her safety. Then, with a quick sigh, she stepped forward to meet her greatest foe. The roses snickered at this act for it would prove nothing in the end. They knew where their power lied and it was not within her anymore.

"Þú heldur að þú ert frjáls, en þú ert skakkur."

Lingual Rose did not let this deter her. She would be free, in the end. Spreading her wings further, in a show of might, she stepped forward. Her heart palpitated quickly and she feared it would fail her in the end. Blinking slowly, she steeled herself. The first step would assure her of victory. If she could open her mouth to speak then she could truly express herself. Looking down at her cutiemark, she sighed. This would mean rejecting part of her cutiemark. That vine across the letter "A" represented a part of her still. To deny the roses meant denying her destiny…but it had to be done.

"Je suis libre."

The roses shifted and the larger blooms swooped down to surround her in a force of physical intimidation. It worked. The blooms grew and grew, singing the same song that the pony had often sung to them. They mocked her and, while doing so, grew to surround her in a hell of deep red petals. Lingual Rose sank to the ground and covered her head with her hooves. It was all too much for her. She began to weep once more and could not find the words to tell them "no". Her breath caught in her throat and she knew she was going to have an attack as she had so many times before. Sweat beaded at her forehead, underneath her bangs, and her heart began to beat even faster. It looked hopeless; the best thing to do would be to accept the situation but…

"Нет!"

She stood suddenly, rejecting them with her words. No longer would she suffer under the status quo. No longer would this crushing anxiety mark her personality as it had since the day she first received her cutiemark. Standing firmly upon her own hooves, Lingual Rose took a deep breath and began to shout as never before.

"لم يعد سوف تعاني تحت لك.

Non erit tristis ego.

ฉันอยากเป็นอิสระ; ฉันอยากมีความสุข.

Jeg elsker henne, og jeg vil gi alt til henne.

Ella és la meva major amor i per ella em rebutgen tots vostès.

Ab heute bin ich endlich frei!"

And so it was that she rejected her own roses, and her own pre-made destiny. The roses, confused, could not find their own words, nor could they feed off her worry or anxiety, for there was no more. Without nourishment, and gripped by fear, they began to shrivel away. Down and down the vines went, twisting as they did so, until all that remained in the garden was a single rosebush. The leaves were a waxy green and upon the bush there was one single bloom. And it was pure white. Lingual Rose, still unsure, went to the bush. She whispered a word or two into the leaves, but the plant did not respond. This was all the proof she required. It was over; she was free.

Then Lily began to squeal excitedly, pointing her hoof at the back of Lingual Rose. She turned around and saw that her flank was shining. Then, all at once, she had an epiphany. The roses were not an innate part of her destiny, as her vine was upon her flank, but a part of its meaning. True, she was gifted at languages and that was a gift that marked her forever. It was something that made her truly happy. Her destiny wasn't that she could only speak in languages to the roses, for what good would ever come of that? No, the vine represented how she could no begin to spread the languages to other ponies; how through them the world could be joined in the many languages that created such an orally diverse world. The roses did not represent an anxiety that could not be beaten or worked through, but instead upon her flank they represented this new possibility. Her anxiety would not be a part of her any longer. And, she knew that any future, no matter how frightening, could be faced with her new partner.

Lingual Rose turned around and ran to Lily once more, hugging her tightly. Lily drew back, her face blushing, and said, excitedly:

"So, does this mean you can speak to me?"

The green pony nodded with fervor, her bangs bobbing as she did so. To prove her point, she began to speak rapidly.

"Ja! Jeg kan tale på alle sprog, som du ønsker ... undtagen engelsk."

Lily's golden eyes sparkled and she began to laugh. Her partner thought it sounded like a little bird chirping. It was very sweet.

"You can't speak in English to me, can you?"

The green pony shook her head, a bit sadly. The other pony hugged her once more and smiled, baring brilliant white teeth. She kissed the other gently upon the cheek, blinking slowly as she did so. It was a bold move for her.

"You know what this means, don't you?"

Lingual Rose, afraid that Lily would leave her, shook her head quickly, her big eyes pleadingly big. Why would she kiss her and then leave anyways? That made no sense! Lily seemed to pick up on this, for she was quite good at reading her partner's facial cues now, laughed lightly and swept a hoof over her partner's thick bangs.

"I guess I'll have to take a language class!"

Lingual Rose's wings shuffled brightly and she grew happy once more. She closed her deep eyes and kissed Lily upon her mouth. Lily let hers close languidly, enjoying the sweet sensation. Notably, it was warmer than she could have thought. Naturally, after a few moments, they drew away from one another. Lingual Rose laughed once more; she couldn't find the words to describe how elated she was!

Lily blushed once more and said:

"Maybe I'll take two language classes..."

And that was that.

So it was that the couple began to date happily and Lily did take those language classes (Spanish and German, as it happened). The couple began to discuss more complex things as both of their language skills continued to evolve. Lingual Rose, upon discovering the true meaning of her cutiemark, began to teach language classes at the Ponyville Town Hall. Ponies both young and old came to take her classes on languages from Japanese to Swahili. When visiting dignitaries came to town, it was said that they were very impressed at the language and communicative skills of this little town.

This isn't to say that she quit her little job tending the garden in Town Square, but Lingual Rose tended it now with Lily, as a volunteer project for the town. Together, they made the flowers grow with their ever-increasing attention to them. During the springtime, Ponyville had the most gorgeous garden, and it was for all to see. After all, after moving in with Lily, Lingual Rose never did return to her garden, nor did she have the desire too. The house was sold shortly after her move-in to an older couple with no interest in gardening whatsoever.

And, as it seems to happen, they lived happily ever after…