Adventures of the Equestrian Seas

"C'mon, Twilight! Cheer up! We get to help with the Summer Sun Celebration this year! This is a high honor! There's no reason for you to be so upset about this!"

Twilight groaned.  "Spike, if this is a high honor, then why did they give the job to a pony they, not ten minutes ago, laughed out of the councilors' chambers? I'm fairly certain Cadence offered it up in pity... Besides.... I'm not just sad.  I'm also getting *hurk* ..... sea sick..."

The boat waved back and forth on the ocean.  It was your standard seafaring travel ship, with several passengers and supplies and similar odds and ends.  Ponies ran about the deck doing their jobs, hoisting masses, swabbing poop decks, you know, typical boat stuff.  But Twilight was content to hang her head overboard, waiting to throw up.  "You know..." began Spike, "You might feel better if you go below deck and can't actually SEE the... well... sea!"

Twilight sighed and shook her head.  "Oh no, Spike.  It's not the sea itself making me sick..." This was half true.  Though, truth be told, Twilight did have a fear of being dragged into the deep blue by horrible creatures of unfathomable age, such as the supposed giant octopus that murdered her predecessor.  "... It's the motion that makes me sick.  If I go below deck, I'll feel it all the same, and then I'll just... just.... !!!"

Apparently, Twilight is a thought-triggered unicorn, as the mere thought of throwing up produced the effect.  After a few seconds of purging her lunch, she coughed and moaned.  "Spike... let it be known.... I hate the sea.... and I'm pretty sure it hates me..."

"LAND HO!"

Almost instantly, Twilight's sea sickness was forgotten.  She perked right up and looked out at the sea.  Sure enough, there was an island; the Apple Islands.  They were a series of small islands surrounding a larger hub land; this was where the main living space, known as Ponyville, was located.  It's a fairly knew settlement; it's been said that it was founded by a family of ponies who wanted to build their own farm and fame, the Apples (whom the islands were named after) who farmed apples (whom many ponies are often surprised to find is just the namesake for the island's founders!)

Twilight had intended to read up on the island while she was on the trip, but didn't wish to vomit all over any reading material she brought with her.  She would have to do that later.

It wasn't long before the ship docked and ponies began to move back and forth.  Twilight was quick to rush off the ship and onto the docks, kissing the closest thing to solid ground she had felt in hours.  She yelped as she got a splinter; Spike, being such a good boy, was kind enough to pull it from her lip, eliciting another yelp from Twilight.  "Right, well, I guess we should get this over with..." said Twilight, blushing at her silliness.

"Yeah, agreed."  Said Spike as he pulled a checklist, seemingly from nowhere.

"Alright Spike, what is it Cadence wanted us to do?"

Spike hummed and looked over the list.  "First, we're supposed to look into food, which is going to be covered by the Apple family this year.  Then, we've gotta make sure the Weather Ponies are containing the weather.  This place is dangerously close to the Everfree Waters, which are known to spawn the occasional wandering cloud, and small, rogue winds and waves.  Then, we've got to check in on the musicians... uhh... then decorations!"

Twilight hummed.  "Right.  Where are the Apples?"

Spike hummed.  "... Says here the east-most island."

Twilight balked.  "What!? We've got to cross another body of water!?"

Spike nodded.  "But it's a short trip.  We'll only need a little rowboat or something for this one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight threw up for the second time today.

Spike rolled his eyes, turning to face the pony who was rowing the row boat; a large, red stallion with an orange mane, wearing a yoke and having a wheat stalk hanging from his mouth.  "Yer friend aint much a sea pony is she?"

"Nah", responded Spike, "We've never left our island before"

The stallion nodded silently.

Eventually, the small boat made dock.  Twilight leapt off and began to kiss the planks, yelping as she, once again, got a splinter.  Spike plucked it out for her.  The stallion quirked a brow.  "That happen often?"

Spike chuckled.  "Well, today it does."

The stallion nodded.  "Y'all feel free to come on up when ya can."  Without another word, he began to trot on forward.  Twilight groaned, deciding to take a moment to gain her bearings before continuing.

The island that was dubbed 'Sweet Apple Island’ was a strange sight.  It must have been a deactivated volcano or something, because rock formations rose up to block almost the entirety of the island, save for the path towards the farm, which itself rose uncomfortably over the sea, with naught but fence posts separating any who walked that path from potential doom.  Twilight decided to brave it, and started her pace.

Much to her surprise, the inside of the rock formation was filled with grassy land, with a few hill-like formations, and most of it was filled with apple trees!

"Well HOOOW-DEE!"

Twilight's hoof was yanked up from the dirt and shaken vigorously by an unknown assailant, her entire body being violently jolted around by her limp hoof.  "Welcome t' Sweet Apple Acres! Mah brother tells me y'all're here ta inspect fer the Summer Sun Celebration, an' Ah gotta say we are mighty, MIGHTY pleased t' have ya here!"

Twilight groaned and seemed ready to hurl again.  "She's a little sea sick from the trip from Canterlot... and from Ponyville..." said Spike, looking pleadingly at Applejack as if asking her to stop shaking his weak stomached friend about like a ragdoll.

The orange pony wearing the stetson smirked.  "Sorry sugar cube, Ah guess Ah got a bit carried away there... uhh... tell ya what! We're havin' an' Apple Family reunion! Why don't y'all have a bite, on th' house?"

Twilight held her hoof up.  "NO! N... no.... d-don't mention food... I.... I don't think I can take anymore throwing up today...."

Applejack shrugged.  "Ah... uh... Ah see." She grinned.  "Well, uhh, then y'all just rest assured! Th' Apple Family's got th' whole thing covered! We're prepared for the siesta, an' jus' ta prove it, mah family is gonna show y'all jus' what we got!"

Applejack proceeded to introduce family members, all named after various apple-based foods and goods.  She had a lot of family (although she claims a few family members couldn't make it due to being pulled into the sea by a giant octopus), and eventually, the list ended with Granny Smith.

All the apple and apple-themed ponies...

Twilight threw up for the third time this day.

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Twilight forcibly dragged herself off the small boat and fell limp over the dock.  She gave the wooden plank a single kiss.  Another splinter.  She lamely said 'ow' and Spike trotted over, plucking it from her lip.  "Twilight, if you keep this up, ponies are going to wonder why your lips are covered in small red sores.  That's how rumors start."

Slowly, shakily, Twilight picked herself back up.  "Spike.... p-please tell me we don't have to go to another island..."

Spike shook his head.  "Not right away.  Besides, I think once you spend a bit of time on land, you'll be able to pull off the shorter boat travels."  He looked around.  "Now we have to find the Weather company..."

"Weather company!?"

The two stopped to look at a strange pink pony.  "Oh! They're at the middle of the island somewhere, this way they can be ready to attack rogue weather situations at any direction and--" Suddenly, the pink pony leapt in the air, gasping widely, before zipping off.

"Wh... what just happened...?" asked Twilight.

"I have no idea..." said Spike lamely.

Twilight, slowly regaining more of her composure, trotted forward with purpose.

"Say, Twilight, you haven’t said a thing about this whole 'Nightmare Moon' deal... it's not like you to simply up and forget something."

Twilight sighed.  "I haven't forgotten, Spike.  But between getting splinters, getting sick, and getting laughed at, I've had very little time to really think of it."  She turned to him.  "Which is why I want to get this done as soon as possible.  The sooner we finish up all of this, the sooner I can get to researching the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon, Princess Celestia, and any other piece of lore surrounding the Mare of the Moon legend."

Twilight looked up at that moment to see a cloud drifting.

"Oh for the love of-- there's a rogue cloud here! It is *WAY* too close to the ground... Spike, how often does this island get destroyed by hurricanes?" Twilight is not a mean pony.  She has just been having a bad day, and was a bit huffy by this point.

"Wha-huh?" Said a voice above the cloud before a cyan mare stuck her head over the ledge.  Twilight couldn't help but notice she was wearing an eye patch.  "What's this about hurricanes?"

Twilight quirked a brow.  "... Are you Rainbow Dash? The Weather Captain?"

The pony huffed.  "What if I am?"

Twilight sighed.  "What are you doing sleeping on the job? I mean, there are clouds all over this place."

Rainbow sighed, rolling her eyes.  "Don't worry about it.  I've got it under control."

Twilight sighed.  "It doesn't look under control.  It looks like you've just let the whole town fall to a cloudy mess! I mean, I didn't think Ponyville's weather captain would be such a slouch!"

"Slouch?" Said Rainbow, glaring down at the unicorn.  "Slouch!? Lady, I'll have you know I can clear this sky in ten seconds flat!"

Twilight held up her hoof, ready to say 'prove it' but decided she had enough for today.  "You know what? I'll just take your word for it.  I've got bigger fish to fry.

That did it.

Rainbow disappeared from her perch; the takeoff alone blasting the cloud to pieces.  She flew about, kicking and punching and plowing through clouds.

And she finished in record time, floating above Twilight with a smirk on her face.

"See? Ten.  Seconds.  Flat."

Twilight smirked.  "Okay, that was impressive...."

Rainbow Dash grinned triumphantly.

"... Although it was roughly 10.5 seconds."

Rainbow furrowed her brow.  "What are you, an abacus?"

Twilight beamed.  "Oh! I have a bunch of math equipment and tools at home! I've even got machines that are powered by--"

Rainbow balked a bit.  "Whoa whoa whoa, easy there egghead..."

Twilight shrugged.  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to see somepony about decorations."  With that, the purple pony waved off the rainbow maned mare and turned, trotting down the path.  Now that she had spent some time away from water and re-attained her connection to land, Twilight was feeling a lot more comfortable than she had been the past few hours.  Eventually, they climbed a hill to a small boutique.

Perched just near a cliff.

Overlooking the ocean.

Twilight... did not throw up.  It's the motion, not the ocean, that makes her sick.  She actually enjoyed the sight of the ocean.  It was calming for her.

She trotted to the door and knocked.  No response.  Twilight waited a minute before knocking again.  Once more, nothing.  She knocked a bit harder, getting frustrated.

"Uh, Twi? Maybe she's... I dunno... setting up decorations?"

Twilight blinked a bit, then blushed.  "Oh, uh, of course! Heheh..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No no no, this is all wrong! The flags must be spaced evenly! Even an iota of difference will be noticed by anypony with an eye for detail.... wait! Just...  a bit more to the.... perfect!"

Rarity grinned up at her work.  The flags had been set all over the room - seven in all, evenly spaced, with two of each of the tribal flags from before Equestria's founding, and at the very end of the hall, a flag symbolic of the Equestrian Alliance; a rearing pony with a horn and wings.  There were various banners and curtains decorating the hall, giving it an elegance, a grace - oddly enough, none of the curtains actually covered any windows.

"Excuse me, are you Rarity?"

The marshmallow unicorn did an about face to see who spoke to her; a lavender unicorn mare and a small purple dragon.  "Why yes, yes I am! Why do you ask?"

Twilight smiled.  "My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I'm here as Liaison for the Summer Sun Celebration.  I was wondering if you had the decoration sorted out?"

Rarity blinked.  "What? I thought the Liaison was... what was his name? Oh yes, Live Bait! I was told to be expecting an Earth Pony named Live Bait... from what I remember, his cutie mark was supposed to be a target..."

Twilight pondered on that for a moment before shaking her head.  "Yeah, uh, eaten by a giant octopus, really unfortunate, I'm his replacement."

Rarity 'ooooh'ed in false understanding.  "Well, that is too bad... uhm... should we.... have a moment of silence during the festivities?"

Twilight shrugged.  "Yeah, Cadence said it would be only proper.  Oddly enough nopony seems too bothered by his loss, or that of the other twenty or so crew members lost.  They seem more mortified at the loss of the boat."

Rarity shrugged.  "Well, I suppose that's the kind of age we live in... anywho, as you can see, the preparations are made, and, dare I say, they are fabulous! I do believe the council will be quite pleased when they arrive!"

Twilight nodded.  "Yes, it certainly does look impressive..." Truth be told, Twilight was more or less basking in the first sane pony she's had extended interaction with during her entire time here.  Rarity smiled.

"So, you're from Canterlot? Oh, we must talk! You must tell me what it's like!"

So she wanted to know about Twilight's home.  That's no biggie.

Suddenly, a pony fell from a ladder and slammed into a table, knocking a bucket of water that had been placed there by some incompetent oaf into the air.  It spilled all over Twilight's head.

Who stared wide-eyed at Rarity, who returned the expression.

"Oh... my..... goodness! We have GOT to get you cleaned up!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight sat there while Rarity messed with her mane.  She was just going to dry off.  How did drying off turn into getting her mane styled? Suddenly, Rarity was putting a corset around her torso and stretching.  "Wha-OOF!"

"Sorry dear, but I do believe you'll thank me! Unf... how does a unicorn get so pudgy..."

Twilight blushed.  "I-I'm not pudgy! I'm average weight for a unicorn!"

Rarity giggled.  "Of course you are dear! I was just thinking out loud, my apologies!"

Twilight looked over to Spike, having just realized he hadn't spoken the entire time.  The small purple dragon stared wistfully.  She sighed internally, knowing it was only a matter of time before the small dragon developed a crush on her.

Wait.  He wasn't looking at her.  Past her.

Okay, so he had a crush on Rarity.  That was good, that meant things would not become awkward anytime soon.  Although it admittedly did hurt her pride that he was developing a crush on this pony who, not five seconds ago, called her pudgy.

"Rarity... *oof*.... i-is this necessary? I'm p-pretty sure *hurk* that I'm fi--" Twilight's voice disappeared into silence.

"Oop! A bit too tight...  I might need to take your measurements again..."  Rarity seemed to pull a single lace and the corset loosened its iron grip on Twilight, who quickly removed the offending cloth and threw it aside.

"OH LOOK I HAVE TO CHECK ON THE MUSICIAN SEE YOU LATER RARITY!" Twilight magically yanked Spike, setting him on her back, and dashed away as fast as she could.

"Twilight, what was that about!?" Shouted Spike, awoken so rudely from his daydreaming.  "Why did you just snatch me up like that!?"

"In case you hadn't noticed while you were fantasizing about that mare, Spike, she was in the middle of attempted murder!" Twilight whisper-yelled.  She was having the worst day so far, and she was fairly certain it was only going to get worse from here.

Then, they heard singing.  Wonderful, angelic singing, with a chorus of birds.

It was enthralling, and Twilight absolutely had to know where it was coming from.  The odds were against it, but she was certain that this was their musician; this made sense, as the odds were also against every pony given a job for this thing being insane.  Twilight had a suspicion the island might have been used as a dump for crazy ponies at some point; something worthy of future research.

Eventually, they reached the clearing, and there sat a yellow pegasus with a pink mane.  She sang gently, while the birds followed.  She smiled.  "Okay, that was good, but uh, you? In the back? You think you could raise your pitch just a teeny bit more? You're kind of sticking out, and I know you want your moment in the spotlight, but--"

"Oh my goodness, that is beautiful!"

The suddenly appraisal was not well received by the birds, who fled, or the pegasus, who... fled, leaping into a nearby bush.  Twilight stared in confusion at the scene that had just played before her.  She wanted to just turn and walk away, but she had a job to do, and she was going to do it.  She took a few calming breaths to try to expel her frustrations.

"I'm sorry for scaring you..." she said loud enough.  "I was just impressed was all."

Slowly, a yellow nose poked from out of the bush.  "There we go! Come on out, it's okay."  Slowly, the pegasus crawled from the bushes on her belly, staring up cautiously at Twilight, moving closer, and eventually, close enough that she stood up, although she tried to remain hidden behind her mane.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle... and you are?"

"fmmmm.."

"Uhm... excuse me?"

"Fluttemmem..."

"... Fluttermeme?"

"Twilight, what is going on here?" said Spike, peaking from behind her head.  Fluttershy gasped and zoomed in on the dragon.

"Oh my! A Baby Dragon! I can't believe this! He's even a land-dragon! I don't think a dragon has been known to live in Equestria in at least 500 years! What do you eat? How do you sleep? Do you shed?"

Twilight smirked at the suddenly open Pegasus, when she suddenly noticed something; a jagged scar running up along her right flank and side.  The fur had covered it well enough that it wasn't ugly, but it was visible still, which made her wonder if it was disfigured beneath all that hair, or simply rendered it unable to grow back.  She wondered what that was about, but would have to question that another time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eventually, Twilight got home and shut the door behind her, stopping the Pegasus she now knew to be Fluttershy, from continuing to prod Spike.  "What!? Again!? Why is it everytime I have fun you cut me off?"

Twilight groaned.  "Spike... I'm tired, I'm frustrated, and I've been putting off eating all day for fear of more sea trips.  I want to just... start planning this whole Mare in the Moon deal without further interruption from the crazy ponies of this town."

"Fine, but tomorrow I want to mingle!"

"Mingle all you like Spike."

Twilight turned the light on.

"SURPRISE!"

"Oh for the love of Celestia..."

TO BE CONTINUED...