Quetzals and Caves

Chapters

First Impressions
Cause
Effect

First Impressions

Quetzals and Caves

Session 1: First Impressions

Whoever it was that sent the letter, they couldn’t have picked a worse time or place. The November storms had come early to the port town of Oatsmill. Rain fell from the night sky in large, freezing drops. Wind tore through the wharf as a group of porters scurried to unload the only ship that’d moored that day, their hoofsteps adding to the sound of roaring thunder as they galloped. A mare in a grey oilcloth cloak darted between them as she made her way across the wharf.

Hale Storm tilted her head up as lightning branched across the sky. The flash reflected off her golden eyes and lit her white coat before the rain forced her to lower her head again. She had seen her destination ahead. Its sign was swaying and dripping in the storm beneath the tavern’s sagging overhang. The sign was carved to show a pitcher wrapped in a ring of kelp. Just enough flakes of paint remained to outline the name: The Drowned Flagon.

Having left the porters behind, she hastened her already-quick trot towards the tavern. Once she was beneath the overhang she threw back her hood and shook out her cropped red mane. She tried to look through the windows but they were crusted with sea salt. She could only make out a lit fireplace and some silhouettes within. Her saddlebags still held the letter she’d received in late May that told her to be at The Drowned Flagon tonight. It hadn’t given specifics as to why. Tonight, though, somepony in there would give her some answers. Hale took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and, with her usual military poise, strode through the tavern door.

The door swung closed as she looked around the tavern. It was sparse: only a few ramshackle tables and benches, a couple of which were shoved close to a stone fireplace on the left side of the building while most were in the room’s dark corners. There were fewer ponies in The Drowned Flagon than her peek inside had suggested. Besides the fireplace, the only light came from a soot-choked lamp near the bar that swayed with a creak after the door let wind in. The lamp lit a couple of empty stools, an aquamarine pegasus, well past her golden years, face down on the bar, snoring, and a hefty dirt-brown earth pony mare behind the bar.

Hale trotted towards the bar. She could feel the eyes of the few patrons: a group near the fire and a couple at corner tables. Somewhere back to her left somepony began a chuckle that ended in phlegmy coughing.

The barmare didn’t even bother to look up. She only continued to wipe a rag across a tin cup so beaten it’d probably seen more than a few ‘passionate disagreements’ in the bar.

Hale cleared her throat and addressed the mare, “What’s ‘ramshackle’ mean?”

THUD.

Apple Bloom’s forehead hit the table and nearly tipped over the Quetzals and Caves story-keeper’s screen. As if on cue, thunder boomed outside their clubhouse while rain continued to pound on the roof.

“Scootaloo, can’t ya try and at least stay in character? We’ve only just started!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “You’re the one using all the fancy words. When do we get to the good stuff?” She threw her forehooves up. “You know, the action!”

Sweetie Belle glanced up from the d12 she was batting between her hooves. “Tell me again why you failed last week’s vocabulary test?”

Scootaloo responded by sticking out her tongue.

“Ugh. It means it looks like something that could fall apart,” said Sweetie Belle. “Am I there yet, Apple Bloom?”

“Not yet, gimme a moment. Now what were ya gonna ask the mare?”

“Well, duh, it’s a bar, isn’t it? I’m gonna get some hard cider!”

Apple Bloom sighed and adjusted the screen back to as it was before the interruption. “Alright, fine. The mare looks up at ya an’—“

The mare leveled her gaze at Hale. “That’ll be two bits.”

“And how much for some food?”

“Two bits.”

Hale repressed a snort and dug the bits out of the coin purse under her wing inside the cloak. As she dropped the bits on the bar the barmare pushed a mug of sloshing, brown cider and a wooden bowl at her. She looked at the empty bowl and cocked an eyebrow at the barmare.

The mare snorted. “What, this look like a restaurant to you? Get it yourself.” She motioned towards the fireplace which held a steaming cauldron just out of reach of the flames. “Food’s over there. No refills ‘less you pay.”

Hale took a swig of the cider and nearly gagged. “What manner of drink is this?” she demanded.

“Kelp cider. Or maybe you didn’t see the sign?” A choked laugh came from somewhere behind Hale again. “You don’t like it, there’s plenty’a ocean out there. All you can drink. If the walk’s too far, there’s the hatch I push the drunks through at close.”

At the mare’s words Hale noticed the lapping sound of waves coming from underneath the building. The floor wasn’t damp from the storm, she realized, eyes widening, it was from ocean spray seeping through the cracks in the boards. She choked down the bitter drink with a grimace, its warmth filling her throat even as she shuddered at the kelp taste. She thanked the barmare, grabbed the bowl in her teeth, and trotted towards the fireplace.

She frowned down at the broth of oats and seaweed in the cast-iron cauldron. She was trying to balance the bowl on her left hoof while holding a ladle with her right when a voice from beyond the fire made her nearly drop both into the cauldron.

“Maybe you’ll be lucky and get the last of the carrot, Lieutenant Storm.”

Hale whipped her head around, careful not to spill her dinner. She could just barely make out another table pushed up to nearly the side of the fireplace. It was hidden from anyone entering through the door by both the fireplace and the fire’s light itself. A hooded pony sat at the table, the tip of an orange muzzle grinning wickedly from beneath the hood.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” the mare spoke again, “it’s just Storm, now, isn’t it? My mistake.”

Hale stepped around the hearth and set her bowl on the table. “You’re the one who sent the letter.”

The mare tossed back her hood and let the long curls of her indigo mane tumble out. Icy green eyes met Hale’s. “We’ll get to that shortly. We have another guest we’re waiting on first.”

Before Hale could respond her eyes were drawn to the lilac glow of telekinesis that flung open the tavern door. A tall, lemon-yellow unicorn stepped into the room. She was soaked through to her skin; her fuchsia mane hung limply at her side and dripped onto the floorboards as she glared around the room.

Sweetie Belle’s eyes went wide and she waved her hoof. “Ooo! That’s me, right?”

Apple Bloom’s head popped up from behind her screen and nodded.

“Cooool. So, um, what do I do now?”

“Well, y’all can talk to each other if ya want. But hang on a sec.”

Apple Bloom took a sip from an apple juice box while she read over her notes. Setting the empty box aside, she turned her attention back to Sweetie. “A stallion by the door looks up at ya all menacing-like—“

Starbright released her telekinesis on the door and let it slam shut. Her mauve eyes stabbed about the room. “Alright,” she grumbled. “First: I get summoned to this wretched town. Second: I disembark to find that the crew doesn’t have the slightest clue where my luggage went. And third: nopony even bothered to offer me an umbrella!”

“Her? That — that princess is who we’re waiting for? You can’t be serious.”

Starbright fumed at Hale’s words. She started storming towards the table by the fireplace but froze as a hoof trailed across her thigh.

“Don’t lishen to her,” said a stallion at a table by the door, “I likes pretty prinshessess.”

Wisps of lilac magic dribbled from the corners of Starbright’s glowing eyes. Her horn flared. Iron chains shot out from beneath the table and coiled around his legs. His eyes bulged as he was dragged to the top of the table and held in place.

Starbright leaned down to the stallion. “Sir. That is not how you address a lady.” She turned back to the fireplace, shook out her mane, and trotted towards Hale again, leaving a steaming circle of dried floor and a scent of wood smoke in her wake.

“Nightmare’s teeth!” Hale swore.

“Yes,” the orange mare chuckled, “that is who we’re waiting for.”

“Sweetie Belle! That was totally awesome!”

“Scoots...“ Apple Bloom’s voice came from behind the screen.

“Oh, right, sorry. I mean—“

Hale Storm snapped her jaw shut as Starbright approached their table. “Impressive,” she said, nodding towards the doorway.

“Countess.”

Hale cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Countess Starbright of House Aurora. But you knew that already, didn’t you? What was the meaning of your letter?”

Hale’s other eyebrow rose. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to hear you got one, too, considering your arrival. But no, the letters came from our new… ‘friend’ over here.” She nodded towards the other mare.

“Oh, Phil?” The orange pony waved a foreleg towards the tavern door. The other two turned and saw the barmare staring daggers at the scorched ring of floor. “Phil,” she called, “a moment, please.”

The barmare trotted over to their table and leaned in to let the other mare whisper in her ear while Hale and Starbright exchanged a curious glance. The barmare jerked back as if struck. “You did WHAT?!” She glared at the other ponies around the table. “You’d better be right about this, Keeps.”

Phil trotted back to the bar and began shaking the snoring pegasus.

Starbright frowned as she turned back to the table. “And what, pray tell, was all that about?”

The mare placed her elbows on the table and clapped her hooves together. “Oh, I do so love when the pieces all start to fall into place. Oh, but where are my manners? I believe a little introduction is in order.”

“But—“ Hale started.

“Lady Starbright here is currently on the run from her father’s guard to avoid marriage to a corrupt politician and former Lieutenant Hale Storm was dishonorably discharged and imprisoned after a particularly nasty accident at the training academy. You’ll note, however, that she’s not currently in prison, though. Strange, isn’t it?

“I do believe a fairly sizable reward has been placed by each of your respective pursuers. Does that about cover it? Oh, and you may call me Keepsake. I’ll be the one helping you out of each of your predicaments so long as you perform a few tasks for me.”

Hale and Starbright gaped in turn at Keepsake and each other.

Keepsake’s ears perked up. “I do believe the first task will begin shortly. You two are to apprehend Pewter, a diamond dog enforcer and right-paw hound to the Gemcap gang here in Oatsmill. The gang has been notoriously difficult to capture for reasons you’ll no doubt soon see.”

Hale and Starbright’s ears twitched. The roar of the thunder had changed.

“And… you know the task will begin shortly, how, exactly?” Hale asked.

Keepsake blinked. “Oh, I was really quite exacting in my letter to him, as well. He knows The Drowned Flagon well. He’s been coming here for the past year or so to shake down poor Philodendron there.”

The barmare glowered back over her shoulder as she shooed another drunk out the door.

“What this town needs,” Keepsake continued, “is actual protection. Somepony who will stand up to these thugs and give the good citizens peace.”

The lantern over the bar began to sway as a flash of lightning showed a massive shape lumbering past the tavern’s windows.

“And when you can’t find true heroes, you find ponies whom you can make heroes.”

The doorjamb groaned and shattered, splinters flying everywhere.

A grey mass of fur and muscle sidestepped through the broken doorframe and stood dripping on what remained of the door. The smell of wet dog was horrible. Beady, dark eyes blinked behind wire-rimmed spectacles. His gaze fell on the table beside the fireplace. “Yous,” he said flatly.

Hale and Starbright turned back to Keepsake only to find her seat empty. “It’s a setup,” Hale said.

The diamond dog balled his paws into fists as he stomped towards the table, batting aside furniture as he walked. “I was told yous two was comin’ ta try’n take down da Gemcaps. I’m here ta take dis place apart and yous wit it.”

Starbright’s eyes widened as he loomed closer. “I don’t believe it matters. We have other issues at hoof.”

Pewter leapt towards the two ponies with a hammer punch aimed straight at Starbright’s back. His fist struck only a bright flash of magic and turned the bench she had been sitting on into kindling.

Two meters away Starbright burst out of a bubble of magic. “Tsk,” she chided, “big but slow. Strong but stupid. Thugs are all the same. I’ll deal with this rabble.”

Pewter roared as he turned away from the pegasus. Hale took the moment to shrug the cloak onto her back and, with a single flap of her wings, flew up to the ceiling.

The diamond dog snarled, dropped to all fours, and charged Starbright.

She grinned as light poured out of her horn. Ribbons of magic swarmed out of the floorboards, cocooning the brute.

Her grin evaporated as Pewter tore through the ribbons without even losing momentum. “What?!” she shrieked.

“What?!” Sweetie shrieked.

Dice clattered behind Apple Bloom’s screen. “That’ll be seventeen points of damage, Sweetie. It’s your turn there, Scoots.”

Scootaloo scraped a few dice into her dice cup, put her hoof over the top and shook it. “Alright! Time to show this guy who’s boss.”

Starbright’s breath exploded out of her as Pewter’s shoulder slammed into her side. She rolled across the floor before skidding to a halt.

Hale pulled her legs up into Falcon Stance and dive bombed at Pewter’s broad back. At the last moment she spun in mid-air and rocketed both her back hooves down at him. Pewter grunted from the impact and threw a backhand at the attacker behind him. His paw grazed Hale’s leg and sent her spinning away into the chimney. Hale’s vision spun as she bounced off the stones and wobbled in mid-air.

Starbright rose shakily to her legs and glanced about. Her eyes fell on the cauldron. She made a whipping gesture with her horn and the cauldron rushed over and poured the remaining burning-hot gruel on the thug’s head and shoulders.

Pewter howled in pain. Wiping one paw across his spectacles, he reached up with the other and grabbed the floating cauldron.

Starbright’s eyes went wide and she blinked in disbelief as her hold on the pot vanished. “How is that—”

The diamond dog hurled the pot straight at the stunned pegasus.

“Hale!” Starbright shouted as her horn burst into light again. The table they had been seated at flew into the air in a stream of bright purple magic. The cauldron smashed into the table, splitting it down the middle, before thudding to the floorboards.

Hale shook her head to clear it. She could see that Pewter had once again turned his attention to the unicorn. She dropped back into her fighting stance. “Star! Duck!”

Starbright bit back a comment as she crouched down. The grey diamond dog ignored the call as he loomed over her, his sharp teeth gleaming in the light of the fireplace. A whistling sound filled the air as Hale flew in a tight circle, gaining as much speed as she could in the tavern. Letting out a whooping battle cry, she shot low over the floor towards Pewter’s backside. With a snarl he turned and straightened up to snatch the pegasus from the air. Confusion flickered behind his spectacles before he looked down to see Hale skimming towards him, forehooves extended.

Hale braced herself as she pushed her forehooves down onto the floorboards. She tucked in her wings and bunched up her body as she flipped over, mid-flight, before her back hooves slammed into Pewter’s abdomen. The diamond dog barely had time to register the impact before she kicked back off of his stomach, pushing the full force of her flight into him. Hale flapped her wings to gain altitude and spun back around to watch. Her kick had lifted him off the ground and flung him backwards, over the still-chained drunk and right through the tavern’s front windows. His claws tore long gouges in the wharf as he flailed, trying to stop on the wet boards, but he rolled and bounced until he crashed into the ocean with a huge splash.

Starbright and Hale rushed out into the rain.

Pewter’s head broke the surface and he bobbed on the cresting waves.“Yous two don’t know what yous done. Da whole gang is gonna be afta yous flanks. Jest yous wait.” He spat out a mouthful of water, turned, and paddled off into the night.

Hale and Starbright exchanged a look and trotted back into the tavern. Inside, they saw Keepsake climbing out of a hatch in the back corner, Phil staring aghast at the ruins of her entryway, and the drunk stallion, softly crying as he lay chained to one of the few surviving pieces of furniture.

Keepsake righted a barstool and sat. “You two do pretty good work, you know.”

“Why?” Starbright growled. “Why couldn’t my magic touch him? How could he break my control?”

Keepsake frowned for a moment. “That’s the next and far more important task. We don’t know what’s behind it. Or who, if that’s the case.”

Phil trotted over to the bar, glowering at Keepsake. “This — this was your plan? To destroy my business? My home?!”

Keepsake sighed and ducked inside her cloak. Her head poked back out with a bulging bitsack in her teeth that jingled as she dropped it on the bar. “This should be more than sufficient for the damages. And for providing these two with a place to work and live while they investigate this issue.”

Phil glanced among the three ponies. With a resigned shrug she snatched the bitsack, went behind the bar, and came back with a box of nails and two hammers. She set them down on the bar and stared pointedly at Hale and Starbright.

Hale sighed as she looked around at the ‘ramshackle’ tavern. She turned to the unicorn, “So… your special talent wouldn’t happen to be carpentry, would it?”

“Apple Bloom! That was awesome! Hey, Sweetie Belle, did you see how I totally saved you from that guy back there?”

“Yeah... but only after I saved you from that pot, first.”

Apple Bloom folded up the screen and put it on top of her notes. “Well I’m mighty glad y’all enjoyed it. And look, the rain’s stopped! I think it might be a tad late to start crusadin’, though. Sorry, Scootaloo.”

“Pfft, whatever, there’s always next time. Oh, hey! I wonder if we can get our cutie marks in roleplaying!”

Sweetie Belle cocked her head at Scootaloo, “What would that even look like?”

Scootaloo grinned and shrugged. “Anyway, it’s probably time to jet. You catchin’ a ride with me, Sweetie?”

“Sure! Just try to avoid mud puddles this time.”

“So you’re staying at your sister’s tonight, then?”

Sweetie Belle giggled, “Why, whatever gave you that impression?”

Apple Bloom waved as her friends trotted down the ramp to Scootaloo’s scooter. “See y’all in class tomorrow!”

“Bye, Apple Bloom!” the two said in unison.

She turned back to the table and continued cleaning up the dice and papers while further thrilling adventures and shocking twists sparked to life in her mind.

Author's Note

Many thanks to Mourning Zephyr for helping me edit this after the contest!

Cause

Quetzals and Caves

Session 2: Cause

Apple Bloom read over her notes again with a frown. “There’s somethin’ missin’ here.” She shifted the pencil in her mouth from one side to another. “Maybe it just needs, I dunno, somethin’ more.” The midafternoon sun shone through the windows and across the empty desks of the classroom. She leaned back on her seat and stretched out her legs.

Even in the quiet room, she could hear the sounds of classmates leaving for home or playing in the schoolyard as they waited for their families. She was supposed to wait and go shopping with her grandmother. But with Granny Smith’s infamous napping abilities, Apple Bloom figured she had plenty of time to work on her game. So far, though, she had only added a few vague ideas. Sighing, she laid her head on the Quetzals & Caves Core Rules book and glanced at the clock. It was only 3:45. At least another half hour of waiting.

A metallic thunk and a squeak of pain from outside tore Apple Bloom from her reverie. She turned towards the sound. Several moments later, Cheerilee pushed open the door, leading a stumbling white unicorn filly in to the room. Sweetie was holding a hoof to her forehead but a stream of red trickled down from her brow.

Apple Bloom leapt up and rushed over. “Sweetie Belle, are y’all alright? What happened?!”

“Oh, hey, Apple Bloom. I… I ran into a pole.” Sweetie lowered her head and frowned.

“Apple Bloom? What are you doing in here?” Cheerilee asked, but shook her head. “Actually, nevermind. Just hold Sweetie up while I get something to clean that cut.”

“Sure thing, Miss Cheerilee.” Apple Bloom sat by Sweetie and wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders while the Cheerilee trotted over to get the first aid box in her desk. “Alright,” said Apple Bloom, “what really happened?”

A snickering came from the door behind the two. “Apple Bloom, you shoulda seen it! Sweetie Belle headbutted the flagpole!”

Sweetie sighed. “Like you haven’t done worse yourself, Scoots.”

Scootaloo trotted over, sat by Sweetie, and looked over at Apple Bloom. “One moment, she’s letting Diamond Tiara get under her skin, the next, WHAM, right into the pole! Complete with a little puff of magical sparks! I didn’t think I’d ever see stars when somepony else headbutted something!”

Cheerilee trotted over carrying a white box with a red cross. She sat in front of Sweetie and pulled out a bottle of disinfectant. “Alright, Sweetie, let me see it.”

Sweetie moved her hoof. A small cut ran above her right eye, staining the fur around it pink with blood.

Cheerilee leaned down and squinted. “Well, it looks like you probably hurt your pride more than your head, but we still need to get this cleaned. I’m sorry. This may sting a little.” She poured a clear liquid onto the cloth and ran it along the cut. Sweetie hissed through gritted teeth, but held still. Cheerilee bandaged it, ruffled Sweetie Belle’s mane, and put everything back in the white box. “That’s a good little patient, all better. Let me put this away and I’ll walk you home. And you two,” she said, glancing at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, “should probably get headed home, too, hmm?”

Scootaloo nodded but Apple Bloom just looked at the clock and frowned. “Uh, Miss Cheerilee, I’m s’pposed to wait here for Granny Smith, r’member? I told ya about it this mornin.”

Cheerilee smacked her forehead with a hoof. “Right, right. I’m sorry, Apple Bloom, but I can’t stay with you like I promised. Can I trust you to lock the door when you leave?”

Apple Bloom put on her most serious expression and saluted. “Yessum.”

The schoolmare giggled and returned the salute. “At ease, Bloom,” she said in her best military voice. “Alrighty! You two,” she said, pointing at Sweetie and Scootaloo, “let’s get a move on!”

The three left and Apple Bloom started trotting back to her desk. Halfway there, her hoof landed on something and a soft snap broke the silence of the classroom. She realized too late that she’d dropped her pencil while hurrying over to Sweetie. The pencil was mostly intact, only the lead had broken. Shrugging, she picked it up and trotted to the pencil sharpener. But her ears perked and she slowed as she got closer to the wall when she heard whispers coming through it from outside. She crept to a nearby window and peeked over the edge.

Apple Bloom ducked down quickly when she saw pink and silver manes. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were huddled against the outside wall. She pressed her ear against the wall. She could hear Silver Spoon speaking. “…of sight now, they just turned the corner.”

“But did you see?” Diamond’s voice asked. “Sweetie was bleeding! Do… do you think we should apologize?”

Apple Bloom could just barely hear Silver sigh. “We may have gone a tad overboard this time. But, no, we can’t start looking weak now. It’d end up being like our last school all over again. Anyway, we should probably get going ourselves. You know Miss Cheerilee will be stopping by our houses after she finishes up at Sweetie’s.”

Apple Bloom heard Diamond snort. “Like Daddy will be home from work yet. But you’re right, let’s go.”

She sat still until she could no longer hear the hoofsteps. Apple Bloom shifted her pencil from one side of her mouth to the other and then back again. “Hmm…” She stood up, sharpened her pencil, and returned to her notes. That had been just what her imagination needed.

Midmornings at The Drowned Flagon were Philodendron’s favorite time of the day. There was always time enough to get the floors swept and mopped, table scrubbed and benches straightened, and, when the mood took her, the windows cleaned. That mood was rare as the Sunset Ocean always dropped more salt on them anyway. The last task was prepping the night’s porridge and getting the vegetables ready for her kelp wraps that the porters would expect on their lunch break. But on the final two tasks, she was at an impasse.

She glared across the taproom at a white pegasus. “White! You’re on dish duty, why ain’t my cauldron clean yet? And what’s taking Yellow so long, you two’ve been here a week and she ain’t learned the way to the market and back yet?!”

Hale Storm slowly scrubbed at the cauldron in the washbasin. “It’s the waiting…”

Phil stomped over to her. “Yeah, and I’m tired of waiting on my cauldron! I’ve still got a whole bin of mugs for you when you’re done with that!”

“Training is all about quick responses in a tight situation,” Hale droned, dipping the rag back into the soapy water. “Dealing with problems as they arise. But the waiting… it’s like trying to hold your breath.”

“Yeah, and I’ve got a bucket full of chopped onion waiting to go into that pot already. Hurry it up!”

The front door shook on its hinges. They looked over their shoulders towards it. A second shudder ran through the door before it finally swung open. Starbright stepped in with a large burlap sack hovering beside her. “Honestly, Philodendron, the door still sticks? Whatever it was those workers charged you, it was far too much.”

Phil rolled her eyes. “Inlanders. Did you happen to, maybe, notice all that humidity in the air? From, I don’t know, the ocean? It’ll fit better in time. Now set down the groceries and help your friend there.” She waved over towards Hale. “Seems she’s too wrapped up in her thoughts to keep up her end, so now it’s your end, too.”

Hale turned back and resumed scrubbing the cauldron. “It’s the waiting…”

Phil rubbed her temples and sighed. “She’s been at that for a bit now. I think she’s lost it.”

Hale let her rag drop into the washbasin with a splash. “I’m just saying it’s been quiet.”

The other two mares exchanged a frown.

Hale turned and leveled a stare at them. “Too quiet.”

The other two fillies seated at the table groaned.

“Seriously, Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle slammed her forehooves on the table and leaned towards Scootaloo.

“What? I’m just roleplaying!”

Apple Bloom poked her head out above the Story Keeper’s screen. “As what, exactly? A bad movie? Seriously, were ya just waitin’ to drop that one?”

Scootaloo shrunk down in her seat. “…Maybe.” She popped back up with a wide grin. “But just wait till I’m back in action, though! After you lent me the book the other day, I’ve got all sorts of awesome ideas to try!”

“Y’all’ll get yer chance, just sit tight. You looked like ya wanted to say somethin’ else, Sweetie. Go ahead.”

Starbright shook her head. “Despite the cliché, our militant friend here is right: There haven’t been any reports of activity from the Gemcap gang since Pewter attacked your establishment a week ago. The ponies in the market all enjoy the reprieve—”

“The what?” Hale asked.

“Not being stolen from.”

“Oh.”

Starbright rubbed at a spot over her right eye and levitated the bag down to the floor. “Anyway, it appears they’ve gone underground for the time being. Maybe just being stood up to is all these brutes really needed.”

Phil sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. “I find that hard to believe.”

The sound of galloping hooves thundered outside. The door rattled as somepony or something bounced off of it and grunted.

“Fine!” Phil threw her hooves in the air. “I’ll sand the blasted door down tomorrow!” The brown mare snatched the burlap sack away and trotted back behind the bar. “One of you two go and see who’s trying to break down my door now!”

Hale turned around and moved the cauldron to a tub of clean water.

Starbright frowned at Hale. “Oh, please, let me do it,” she said dryly. “What if it was an attack, did that occur to you?”

Hale shrugged. “I’m pretty sure you can handle anypony that’s already been beaten by a door.”

The yellow unicorn pulled her lips back in a snarl but held her tongue. Starbright spun around and pointed her horn at the door. With a glow, the door swung inward and banged against the wall, earning a “Hey!” from behind the bar.

Beneath the overhang, covered in a light dusting of soot from the extinguished lamp above the door, a light green pegasus sat shaking her head.

The anger drained from Starbright’s face as she galloped over. “Miss! Are you well?! Please, come in, have a seat.” She led the mare in and eased her onto a bench by the salt-frosted windows. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen somepony so eager for one of Philodendron’s kelp wraps.”

Hale laughed as she trotted back to the washbasin, a bin of haphazardly stacked mugs balanced on her back. Phil just grunted and continued dumping ingredients into her cauldron on the bar.

“…elp,” the pegasus muttered, holding her head steady between her forehooves as her dark blue eyes rolled around wildly.

Starbright knelt down beside the mare to look in her eyes. “Miss? I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch th—”

The pegasus’s eyes widened. “Help! I need help! They have her, they took my daughter!”

“Okay, quick break!” Apple Bloom shouted and hopped off her stool.

Scootaloo’s pencil fell out of her mouth as she looked up sharply. “Wha—huh? Aren’t we just getting to the good stuff?”

Apple Bloom hopped from her left hooves to her right. “Yeah, sure, but it’ll have t’wait a few. I’ll be right back.”

Sweetie stared, mouth hanging open, as Apple Bloom galloped out into the hall. Her muzzle scrunched into a scowl. “Nopony likes being left on a cliff hanger you know!” Sweetie shouted after her.

The orange, freckled face of Apple Bloom’s sister peeked in through the doorway, her green eyes casting a stern look at the two fillies. “I’m mighty glad y’all are enjoyin’ your sleepover but try an’ keep it down, Granny’s turned in for the night already.”

Sweetie and Scootaloo looked down. “Sorry, Applejack,” they said in unison.

Applejack grinned and nodded. “No need to fret, girls, just keep it in mind.” She stepped into the doorway and eyed the table. “Huh. So Bloom’s found Macky’s ol’ books, huh? Why, I r’member those days. ‘Course Big Mac wanted to play more’n run things, so another one of the fillies from school stepped up an—”

Apple Bloom head-butted her sister’s haunch. “C’mon, Applejack, move it! I got important Crusader business to get back to.”

The mare stepped aside with a chuckle. “I can see that. Well, y’all have fun an’ if ya need anythin’ just lemme know. I’ll be up for another hour or so.”

Apple Bloom trotted to her seat as her sister walked back down the hallway. “Alright, so the pegasus—”

Tears welled in the pegasus’s eyes. “Please! The guards turned me away when I said the Gemcaps took my daughter, but a few minutes later an orange mare told me that I could come here for help! You have to save my Lily!”

Hale Storm let the bin of mugs fall from her back as she rushed over to the table. “Don’t worry, ma’am, you’ve come to the right place.” She spread her white wings and lifted herself off the ground. “We’ve tangled with these clowns before and we’ll stop at nothing to get your daughter back.” Hale circled around and pointed at the barmare. “Phil! See if you can get a message to Keeps and let her know that we’re on the job.”

Philodendron continued to scowl at the scattered mugs on her floor while muttering unpleasant suggestions as to what, exactly, Hale could do with her message.
Hale ignored Phil’s grumblings and spun back around. “Okay, you,” she said, pointing at the pegasus.

“Sea Mist.”

“Right.” Hale nodded. “Misty, you stay here. Star, you’re with me.”

Starbright growled but nodded.

“N-no!” Sea Mist stammered. “I have to show you where they took her! Please, we have to hurry!”

Hale saluted, turned, and flew up the stairs at the back while Starbright began to channel magic into her horn. Hale returned moments later, her oilcloth cloak fastened and sky blue metal cuffs on her hooves; right behind her, a pair of saddlebags floated down the stairs wrapped in Starbright’s magic. Sea Mist trotted around a small, scorched circle in the floor while the other two got ready.

The contents of Starbright’s saddlebags clanked as she settled them on her back. She nodded at Hale before turning back to the pacing pegasus. “Alright, Miss Miss, lead the way.”

“Mists Miss. I mean, Miss Tiss. Ugh! Miss. Mist. There.” Sweetie crossed her forelegs and frowned.

Scootaloo giggled into her hooves, and behind the Quetzals & Caves screen Apple Bloom just shook her head.

“The mare leads y’all outta The Drowned Flagon—”

The ponies rushed across the wharf, weaving between groups of porters on their lunch breaks. Sea Mist turned inland and flew up a dirt road, skimming over the ground to let Starbright keep up. Wooden structures gave way to taller, more solid stone buildings as the Hale and Starbright sped after Sea Mist. She led them across bridges and down increasingly narrow alleys, winding southward into the warehouse district that bordered the Black Silt River. They pushed through curtains of kelp set out to dry and to see Sea Mist come to a stop beside an open carriage door of a warehouse on the levee of the river. They could hear a muffled sobbing beyond the doorway.

Sea Mist flapped back towards them as the pair approached the warehouse. She reached down with her hooves and grasped Hale’s. “Please,” she whispered, “please get my foal back. And please, be careful.” Her teary blue eyes stared into Hale’s as she squeezed tighter. “Be careful.”

Hale nodded and pulled her hooves away. “Not to worry, ma’am, we’ve got this situation in-hoof.” She looked around the dim alley. The high walls blocked out most sunlight and the area beyond the doorway ahead was pitch black. She turned to Starbright. “You ready?” she whispered. “I think we’ll need some light in a moment but let’s see if we can sneak in first.”

Starbright nodded. Her horn flickered and the buckles on her saddlebags unfastened. “Okay, let’s go.”

More tears welled in Sea Mist’s eyes as the two stepped past her and into the warehouse. Past the threshold, their surroundings darkened rapidly. What light there was only gave them vague outlines of surroundings. The sobbing from before had stopped. Hale spread out her right wing, signaling Starbright to halt.

The yellow unicorn leaned over to whisper in Hale’s ear. “Did you hear something? Do you want me to use a light spell?”

Hale shushed her. “No,” she whispered, “not yet. It’s too qu—”

Something heavy and netted dropped on their backs, followed by heavy mounds of fur and paws leaping onto them. Hale grunted as they slammed into the floor, their legs buckling under the weight. Starbright’s horn flared but flickered out, leaving her panting. The stench was heavy, and the air quickly became hot as they struggled against the furry mounds. Hale bucked back at the weight on her, earning a grunt from above that was followed by two more mounds piling atop them.

The far side of the room lit up. A pink diamond dog, only an ear taller than Hale, sat on a stool with a match in his paw. The room dimmed briefly as he dipped the match into the bowl of a pipe clenched in his toothy grin. “So, ponies,” his nasally voice echoed as he used the match to light an oil lamp on a table beside him. “I hear you’re the ones messing with my operation.”

Author's Note

Many thanks again to Mourning Zephyr for helping me edit!

Effect

The soreness in her back made Sweetie Belle cringe. She groggily wondered why her bed was so stiff and tried to flop over on her stomach to grab her pillows. But, rather than the cushiony softness she was used to, her elbow thunked against a hard wood floor.

Sweetie shot up in her indigo sleeping bag and rubbed her elbow while biting back a curse. She was well aware of what her mother thought of Rarity’s ‘sewing incident’ words and wasn’t eager to have soap for breakfast. Again.

Her stomach grumbled as she thought of breakfast, pushing the banged elbow out of her mind. A few blinks and one yawn later, she’d swept aside the last bits of sleep from her eyes and looked around the dim room. Memories of the previous day slowly came back to her. She remembered she was spending the weekend at Apple Bloom’s house; her elbow had been enough of a jog to her memory of that. Then there had been dinner… some role playing… and then a bit of an argument. She winced at that last memory.

Apple Bloom’s brother, Big Macintosh, had stormed into the room to see what all the noise was about and had told them that if they didn’t quiet down and turn in for the night he would be happy to escort them home. That had ended the argument pretty quickly.

Sweetie Belle frowned. If it hadn’t been for Scootaloo walking us right into that trap… She reached up and pushed her frazzled pink-and-purple mane out of her eyes so she could glare at the lumpy cerulean sleeping bag across the room. In one fluid motion she twisted around, grabbed her pillow in her teeth, and flung it at her sleeping friend. Sweetie watched, smirking, as the pillow hit the largest lump. The sleeping bag squirmed around until Scootaloo’s head popped out of the opening.

“Ugh. I’m up, I’m up.” Scootaloo stuck her forelegs out to stretch but curled back up quickly, grabbing her side and grimacing.

Sweetie Belle bit her lip and glanced between her pillow and the curled up pegasus across the room. She pulled herself out of her sleeping bag and trotted over. “Um… sorry, Scoots. I didn’t think I threw it that hard.”

Scootaloo turned and blinked up at the unicorn standing beside her. “Huh?” She looked at the pillow by her before curling up again, sucking air between her teeth. “Why did you… Oh, forget it. No, this isn’t anything you did.” Scootaloo grunted and wrapped her forelegs around her chest. “Wing cramp. Rainbow says this is something that happens to young pegasi.”

“Well, uh, is there anything I can do to help?” Sweetie whispered. She leaned in a moment later, speaking even quieter, “And we need to keep it down. Apple Bloom’s still asleep.”

“Sure, actually that would be awesome. Just…” Scootaloo tilted her head towards her back and lifted her right wing. “Just put the tip of your hoof in the muscle there behind the wing joint. When you feel a knot just push down on it and rub it in a circle.”

Sweetie shrugged and placed her hoof there.

“Ngh, you need to press harder, Sweetie, otherwise it won’t work loose.”

“Shh!” Sweetie hissed. “Don’t wake up Apple Bloom!”

“I ain’t asleep no more. Uh, ya two need a moment?”

Sweetie gasped and looked up. Apple Bloom was sitting up in her bed, smirking down at them. Sweetie could feel herself starting to blush. “I’m just helping out as asked! And, you know…” she frowned and turned back to massaging Scootaloo’s flight muscle, “to make up for last night.”

Scootaloo turned to look directly at the pillow by her sleeping bag.

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “And to make up for the pillow thing, too. I hope you don’t get into any trouble because of me, Apple Bloom.”

“Same here, AB. We were kinda out of line.”

Apple Bloom waved a hoof and yawned. “Nah, it ain’t no big deal. Big Mac will probably talk with me about it, but if y’all apologize first that probably wouldn’t hurt.” She sniffed the air. “Look, you two finish what you’re doin’ and come on downstairs. I’m gonna freshen up and head on down for some breakfast. I can already smell Granny’s pancakes.”

The other two sniffed as well. The scent of fruit and batter hung in the air. Sweetie’s stomach growled like a timber wolf.

Apple Bloom grinned as she stepped around her friends and out into the hall. “Well put, Sweetie Belle. Well put.”

Sweetie shook her head and sighed before returning her attention to Scootaloo.

The room lit up with orange light, giving Hale and Starbright a clear view of their captors. Twelve diamond dogs stood in the room, not counting the four sprawled across the netting, the pink one on the stool, and the familiar pile of grey fur and muscle that was Pewter. Standing by the stool, Pewter narrowed his eyes and shifted a rope slung over his back to his other shoulder. Each of the gang members wore a different style of vest or coat but only the seated one wore a hat: a black felt cap studded with uncut jewels that shook as he chuckled.

“Pewter, you almost had me worried.”

The gray diamond dog frowned and pushed his spectacles further up his nose. “Those two’re more powerful than they look, Gem.” He pointed a paw at the diamond dogs on the net. “You four! Keep yer mitts on that net if ya knows what’s good for ya.”

Hale struggled beneath the dog pile. “Nnngh, when I get free of your goons I’ll show you something to worry about!”

Gemcap chuckled. “You’ll get your chance, soon enough.” He gestured to the two gang members by the entrance. “Slate, Slag, why don’t you escort our… ‘friend’ in.”

Hale’s and Starbright’s eyes went wide as Sea Mist was lead into the room. Tears were streaming down her muzzle as two diamond dogs shoved her onto the ground in front of Gemcap’s stool.

Gemcap pulled the pipe out of his mouth and blew a stream of smoke at the green pegasus. “Be careful,” he said. He sat up straight in his stool and looked around the room. “Does it sound like we’ve got another hero on our paws here, fellows?” There were a few grunts and chuckles from the diamond dogs. Gemcap looked back down at the mare. “I’m tempted to let you stay and see how we dissuade heroes.” He sneered for a moment before turning to Pewter. “Go ahead and give her her kid back. A deal’s a deal, right?”

Pewter grunted in response and hefted the rope off his shoulder. A forest green pegasus filly, her hooves and wings bound, swung from the other end. Pewter gently set the pony down, untied the ropes, and nudged her towards her mother. The filly galloped, crying, into her mother’s waiting hooves.

Gemcap pointed at the door. “Now go. And tell everyone you can exactly what happens when you cross us.” He turned back to Hale and Starbright as Sea Mist fled with her filly. “As for you two…” He gestured at the diamond dogs pinning them down. “Bring them inside, it’s time we taught them a lesson.”

The net around Hale and Starbright went taut, squishing them into a ball as the diamond dogs formed a large chain bag out of the net. Hale tried to kick their captors but with so little room to move she could only graze one diamond dog’s shoulder. Pewter pushed open a door and the two were carried deeper into the warehouse.

Lanterns lit the large room they were taken into, the light glinting off chain mesh dangling from the walls and ceiling. Another group of diamond dogs who had been sitting on crates stood as the group came in. In the center of the floor was a huge metal and glass hatch over inky water below. On the left, between two of the larger gang members, stood a massive, bluish-black statue.

The statue towered above the diamond dogs. A long, smooth and coiled tail made up more than half of the form, with a dorsal fin studded with curved spines winding along its back. Large, flat scales ran along the underside of the tail. Larger, bony scales on the upper half glistened in the dim light. Its arms, each the width of a pony’s barrel, were folded across its chest. The head tapered to a rounded point with a crest for the end of its dorsal fin. Rather than the dark blue of its body, the eyes were a solid coal black. It wore a blank, disdainful scowl.

The diamond dogs hauled Hale and Starbright to the middle beneath the looming statue and were quickly surrounded as the gang formed up in a ring around the pair, cracking their knuckles and grinning toothily. Gemcap paced the inside of the ring until he reached the base of the statue and turned to face Hale and Starbright.

“You two,” he said, jabbing the stem of his pipe in their direction, “were given a friendly warning but you chose to ignore it. I admit we underestimated you. So, I guess we need to give a better lesson in meddling with the Gemcaps!”

Some of the diamond dogs let out barking laughs. Hale took the opportunity to lean closer and whisper to Starbright, “I saw your horn light up earlier but nothing happened. More magic problems?”

Starbright gritted her teeth and nodded. “I tried to teleport but it felt like slamming into a wall. While they’re holding something it seems I can’t affect it or pass through it.”

Gemcap raised a paw and the gang fell silent. “Alright, ponies, if one of us wasn’t enough to get the message across, let’s see how many it takes before it sinks in. When we’re done and we toss your sorry hides out of town we expect you to stay gone!”

Starbright took a deep breath as she prepared to shout her response.

“No,” a deep voice rumbled from above. “I have a more permanent sssolution. Open the hatch.”

The jaws of both ponies dropped as they looked up at the creature towering above Gemcap. The ‘statue’ had uncoiled, risen up on its serpentine body, and was pointing a claw at the middle of the room. “I allowed you to try and sssolve things your way and you failed.”

Gemcap spun around and looked up. “B-but Lord Strasyx! You said there would be no killing!”

Strasyx whipped the back of his claw across Gemcap’s side, knocking him onto the floor. “Insssolent dog!” the creature’s lips pulled back, revealing rows of needle-like teeth, as he roared. “Now follow my orders or it’ll be your family that goes under the waves!”

The diamond dogs had expressions varying from fear to rage as they stared up at the massive creature. Pewter knelt down to help Gemcap up but the diamond dog just waved him off and stood, clutching at the new red stripes on his side. He turned away from the ponies and pulled his hat further down his brow. “Alright, gang,” he muttered, “we have our orders.”

Pewter frowned, his sunken eyes staring up at the grinning Strasyx, as he motioned towards the gang members around the ponies. One of the diamond dogs holding the chains growled softly, but the four hefted Hale and Starbright back up. Hale and Starbright began to struggle again as they were raised but the netting held them too tightly.

Starbright whimpered and grasped at Hale as they were carried closer and closer to the hatch. “Hale… I-I can’t swim!”

Two gang members pulled open the hatch while the four carrying the ponies hauled Hale and Starbright over the opening.

Hale, with great difficulty, managed to work her forehooves up to hold Starbright’s head still while she stared into her eyes. “Listen. We’ll find a way out of this. What I need you to do is to take a deep breath and, most importantly, don’t panic.”

“What are you hounds waiting for?!” Strasyx bellowed, his voice loud and hissing. “Toss them in already! And hold down the hatch or the unicorn might get out.” He turned to Gemcap. “As for you, Gemcap, come; it is time to tell you the next phase of the plan.”

As Gemcap followed Strasyx out of the room the diamond dogs released their hold on the chain netting, dropping it and the two mares into the water below the hatch. Starbright’s cheeks puffed up as she inhaled deeply right before the two hit the water.

They could barely hear the hatch slamming down above their heads as they plunged into the water, bubbles streaming up to the surface. Hale wrapped a foreleg around Starbright’s torso and used the other to push the chain netting off of them. Starbright squeezed her eyes shut and shivered in her grasp as the netting slid off. Hale couldn’t blame her; the water was freezing. No longer being pulled down by the chains, Hale flared her wings and pulled Starbright with her to the surface.

The unicorn coughed and blew water out of her snout while Hale held her up. She clung tightly and tried to imitate her companion’s kicking. “This—” Starbright grumbled, whipping her head to get her fuchsia mane out of her eyes. “This is why ponies are not meant to swim!”

Hale looked around the room, wincing every time one of Starbright’s kicks hit her back legs. The space under the hatch was a cylinder about half the width of the room above. The water level was less than a meter below the hatch and glass walls ran down below but the darkness made it impossible to see beyond them. “Hey, Star.”

“—and it’s not like we have webbed hooves or anything! And our coats are all wrong for being in water: we soak it up like a sponge if we’re in too long and—”

“Star.” Hale shook the unicorn.

“—all this salt is just going to absolutely ruin my mane. I’ll be brushing it out forever! Not to mention—”

“Star!”

“—and by the Moon Mare’s haunches it’s Starbright! One. Word. Not two!” Starbright’s eyes reflected a greenish light as she glared at Hale.

The pegasus blinked. “Um, huh? Wait, what? I was going to say we could probably use that light spell about now…” she trailed off as she looked around again. She could see further beyond the glass to stone walls of the flooded basement. The entire room was glowing with a pale green light. She cocked an eyebrow and looked around while Starbright continued to rant. Glancing down, she saw a glowing orb hanging from a long, thin spine attached above two glossy black eyes and a maw full of long, thin teeth rushing up from below.

“Starbright! Deep breath time!” Hale threw the unicorn away from her and dove in the opposite direction.

“That’s bet—” the unicorn shouted before hitting the water and sinking swiftly.

Hale felt the broad head of the giant angler fish ram into her haunch as she managed to barely curl her hind legs away from the fish’s jaws. Its teeth snagged on the hem of Hale’s cloak as it swam past, yanking hard at the cloth and pulling the pegasus down. Bubbles streamed out of her muzzle as the cloak’s clasp dug into her neck, choking her. Quickly her hooves reached up and hit the clip, releasing the cloak.

The fish thrashed for a moment before shaking the cloth free from its jaws. It flipped around in the water and dove towards the flailing unicorn.

Hale bared her teeth. She swam to the surface, took a deep breath, flipped over, and planted her back hooves on the ceiling. She kicked off the next instant, diving down at the fish. Her forehooves connected with its side and she flipped again. Hale grabbed Starbright and bucked downward, hitting the stunned fish. The two shot upward as the fish slammed into the stone below.

Starbright coughed out water as soon as they hit the surface. “Hale! Hale!” She clawed at the air.

Hale held her steady. “I’m right here. Calm down and breathe.” She looked down. The angler fish was swimming in a lopsided circle near the bottom.

“Every time I try to breathe I end up with a mouthful of ocean!” Star shouted, panting, before looking down herself. “And what the hay is that thing?!”

“Fish.”

Starbright stopped struggling and brushed her mane out of her eyes. “…You don’t say.”

“I think it’s stunned, though. Hey, do you think you could, you know, magic it away or something?”

The unicorn glanced up at the hatch. A pair of diamond dogs stood on the glass. “Two of them holding the hatch, I won’t be able to teleport anything outside of here.” She noticed something else. “They… seem to be arguing, though.”

Hale looked up as well. One of the diamond dogs was yelling at the other. He shook his head, pointed down at the hatch and then walked out of sight. “Huh, well, we’re down to one, now.” Hale glanced down and saw the fish starting to swim faster. “Okay, Fins down there seems to be waking up. Can you at least hold it down?”

“Foal’s play.” Starbright’s horn glowed even brighter than the fish’s orb. Strands of glowing kelp materialized from the stone floor and shot up to grab the fish but it just tore right through them. Silvery blue runes suddenly appeared on both sides of its dorsal fin as the magical kelp faded away. “No!” Starbright cried. “Well sod it all,” she growled. “I brought a backup plan anyway.”

Her horn glowed again and the straps holding her saddlebags closed slipped out of the open buckles. Four metal discs levitated out in the lilac glow of her telekinesis and began to rotate around her in the water. “As an instructor of mine once said, if you can’t entwine them—” one of the discs shot up to just above the surface of the water as she lifted a hoof “—beat them.” Starbright brought her hoof down.

The disc sliced through the water and shattered some of the angler’s scales as it crashed into it, knocking it into the opposite side of the enclosure. The disc bounced back and began drifting down to the floor. The fish, however, was not beaten and began thrashing as it looked up at the two.

Hale shook her head. “I think you’re just making it mad. Its hide is as tough as an old tire.”

Apple Bloom looked at the orange pegasus. “Uh, Scootaloo, they ain’t got tires. This here’s a fantasy settin’.”

Sweetie Belle giggled into her hoof.

“Oh, yeah, right.” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head. “What I meant was—”

“—as tough as iron.”

Starbright frowned and launched the remaining three at the fish, each one slamming it against the glass wall of the chamber. “Fine, then. Do you have any other ideas?”

“Hit it till it stops moving?”

Starbright rolled her eyes. “I’m afraid we’ll probably tire out before that monstrosity does.” She peered down at the fish; it’s swimming becoming steadier by the moment. “It seems to be recovering already, actually.”

Following her partner’s eyes, Hale looked at the fish as it rose more cautiously towards them and swore under her breath.

“And anyway,” Starbright continued, “it can actually breathe down there if it needs to rest.” Her eyes went wide. “Air! That’s it! Hale, would you mind keeping that thing busy for a few moments?”

Hale looked between the rising mass of fins and fangs and the grinning unicorn. “You can’t be serious. You’ll drown if I let you go for too long!”

“Then you’ll get to rescue me again. That’s what you soldier types get your kicks from anyway, right? Off I go!” Starbright kicked out of Hale’s grasp and immediately sunk into the water.

Hale dove in after her.

The fish lunged at Starbright but jerked away as her horn flared to life. A ring of bubbles formed around the unicorn and settled around her head, forming a sphere of air. She beamed at Hale as she continued to descend, horn glowing brighter.

Apple Bloom read the note Sweetie Belle had passed her again. “Y’all sure about this, Sweetie? I mean, ya can try but that’s gonna be a doozey of a roll.”

Sweetie already had her hoof over the top of her dice cup. She nodded and began to shake the cup.

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Alright, then. Give it a go.”

Hale used her wings like fins and banked out of the way of the angler’s charge. She tried to kick it as it went by but her hooves only grazed its tail. The angler fish flipped over and shot back at Hale. Pain exploded in her as it caught her wing in its mouth.

A stream of bubbles rushed out of her muzzle as she tried to scream. The fish dragged her down towards the bottom where the water was starting to glow. She flailed against its strength, struggling to pull herself free as she looked at Starbright for help, bubbles still rising from her muzzle.

The unicorn stood perfectly still on the floor of the cylinder. Bubbles were pouring out of the floor, walls, and straight from the water itself. Her glowing eyes and horn cast the entire room in brilliant lilac light. The bubble around her and the temperature of the water grew with each moment.

The angler opened its mouth in a gasping motion. The instant it did, Hale yanked her wing out and kicked off of the floor, rushing to the surface. She gasped down air before looking back down. The angler fish was right below her, unmoving, its mouth gulping again and again. Hale kicked her legs down, hitting the fish above its eyes and knocking it back down. It flailed around in the water, circled about, and bolted right back up towards her. Hale kicked again, pushing it down a second time. She dragged a hoof across her sweating brow. She blinked at the steaming water around her as she felt it growing hotter and hotter.

Hale tried looking down at Starbright but found she couldn’t stare directly at the glowing sphere below. However, she did notice the fish coming up a third time and pulled her hind legs back for another strike.

Suddenly, the fish stopped. It gulped two more times, turned sideways, and sank to the bottom of the cylinder.

As the light faded from Starlight’s magic an enormous air bubble rose up from the bottom. Hale found herself pinned to the ceiling for a moment as the compressed air broke the surface and rushed past her, blowing open the hatch. Hale flicked water from her wings with a grin and looked down for her companion.

Starbright lay beside the angler fish. Her body was limp – motionless in the depths.

Hale’s eyes went wide. With a cry, she dove back down. Her hooves and wings propelled her faster than they ever had before, yet it felt like an eternity while watching the unmoving body of Starbright. She scooped her up as fast as she could and kicked off the bottom, rushing towards the surface. Water erupted upwards as they launched straight out of the hatch.

The room was quiet and empty. The only light came through the door they had entered through. Gemcap had left the oil lamp burning.

Hale set Starbright down on her side and started the first aid techniques she had been taught in training.

“Come on, Star, breathe!”

She blew air into the unicorn’s muzzle and continued compressions. Moments later Starbright shook and coughed up water.

Hale smiled and reached over to pull Starbright’s mane out of her eyes. “That’s better; get it all out.”

Starbright coughed out another mouthful of water. Her eyes opened and rolled around for a moment before finally settling on Hale’s face.

“H-Hale.” Starbright coughed, pulling her legs against her. She tried to stand only to have Hale gently push her back to the ground.

“Shh… shh… Just relax and breathe. Don’t try to talk yet. None of the Gemcaps have come back to check on the noise, or that, that thing, but I’m going to take a look around. Will you be alright for a bit?”

Starbright tried to nod but instead sputtered out more seawater, gasping for air afterwards.

Hale smiled and spread her wings. “Yeah, just keep doing that. I’ll be back shortly.”

Minutes passed as Starbright continued to get the water out of her lungs. Hale spent the time flying around the room and checking the rest of the building but no further trace of the gang could be found. She returned to Starbright. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’ve had better days,” Starbright croaked, scowling. “I hate the ocean. I hate fish. And I think I just hate water overall! I’m never setting hoof in so much as a puddle again!”

Hale frowned and stamped her hoof. “Wrong. Tomorrow I start teaching you how to swim.”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes were wide as she stared at her character sheet. “I-I almost—”

Apple Bloom folded up the Quetzals & Caves screen and nodded. “I warned ya that if ya go over your magic pool y’all’d take physical damage.”

“Still! That was amazing!” Scootaloo reached over to hoofbump the unicorn filly. “Critical success! I think that should be our new battle cry. How’d you get the idea to pull the air out of the water, anyway?”

Sweetie returned the hoofbump and sighed. “I, um… I’m not allowed to have goldfish anymore.”

Apple Bloom chuckled. “Well, I’ll calculate y’all’s experience up tomorrow durin’ recess. Oh, go ahead and mark two points of weakness in Starbright’s hydrophobia flaw there, Sweetie.”

Sweetie sighed again and filled in the bubbles.

Scootaloo leaned back on her stool and rubbed her head. “So, um, the diamond dogs are still the bad guys, right?”

Apple Bloom glanced up. “What do ya mean, Scoots?”

“Well, that part where big whatshisname was, like—”

“Strasyx,” said Sweetie.

Scootaloo frowned and crossed her forelegs. “Yeah, him. It sounded like he was threatening them or something.”

“Well, what do y’all think about it? Maybe ‘good’ and ‘bad’ aren’t as cut n’ dry as ya might think.”

“Duh! We’re the good guys so our enemies are the bad guys.” Scootaloo sat up straight and tapped her hoof against the table with each word. “That’s how it works!”

“Um, Scootaloo, it’s not really a big deal, Apple Bloom’s only starting to get into things, I’m sure.”

The orange pegasus waved her hoof towards Sweetie Belle. “Fine. Whatever. So long as the bad guys get what’s coming to them.”

Apple Bloom grinned. “I’m just runnin’ the game, it’s y’all that make the decisions. We’ll see how things go from there. Now, I dunno about y’all but I’m starvin’. Anypony up for hittin’ Sugarcube Corner afore y’all gotta go home?”

“Count me in!” Sweetie smiled as she finished packing up her saddlebags. “I hear the Cakes are making some amazing lemon custard ice cream!”

Scootaloo’s dour expression melted into a wide grin. “As long as it comes in a milkshake I’ll give it a try!”

Apple Bloom helped her friends carry their things downstairs to Scootaloo’s wagon and in minutes the three were bouncing down the road to Ponyville.

Author's Note

Special thanks again to Mourning Zephyr for help in editing. And an extra special thanks to all my readers for putting up with this rather lengthy pause in the story. The end of summer and fall had their setbacks but I should be getting back in the saddle, as t'were.