The Lost Land of Dinotopia

Chapter 3: Welcome

The clouds had cleared an hour ago as the sisters continued to swim towards what looked to be a land mass. Vinyl stood up on the higher sand bar panting. She turned and helped Octavia on her hooves. Now both soaked and wet and tight from the salt water the mares panted with exhaustion looking at the rocky reefs, the beach, and up at the tall cliffs behind the jungle.

Octavia walked further onto the beach then collapsed into the receding wave panting. Vinyl sat by her lifting her up as a wave rolled back onto the beach to keep her from swallowing sea water.

“Vinyl . . . We . . . Should have . . . Stayed in the basket.” She panted with a sob. She was exhausted and deep in sadness.

Vinyl shook her head. “There was no way we could have made it. We would have drowned, Octy.”

Octavia glared coldly at her. “At least you should have gotten Mom out of there!”

Vinyl glared back. “There was nothing I could had done! We would have drowned if we didn’t get out of there.”

Octavia fell on her knees crying. Vinyl sighed patting Octavia on the back as she cried. “Why does this have to happen to me again?” Octavia whimpered out loud covering her eyes with her hooves. Vinyl sighed closing her eyes pulling Octavia into a hug. She kissed her softly on her wet head hugging her close.

“It’s alright, Octy . . .”

Octavia continued to sniffle hugging Vinyl back. Vinyl didn’t know what to do for Octavia. She was always the sensitive one between them and Vinyl always had ways to make her happy or at least not making her cry anymore. But this sadness can’t be shut away by mere words or silly jokes. Vinyl sighed looking around hearing the birds of the forest around them. She tried to think, think of something to do or somewhere to go. She has to get Octavia out the water number one then try to go and find help.

“Let’s get going. We’ll try and find some help. Get coastguard ponies out and find her.”

Octavia sniffed. “How?”

Vinyl kissed her on the head again. “Just believe and we will see her, again.”

“Like that’s possible.”

Vinyl sighed. “Anything’s possible.” After a long pause Vinyl looked up in the sky to see the sea birds flying around cawing in the air. She patted Octavia on the back. “Come on, we have to get going before it gets dark.”

Octavia sniffed and nodded pulling away from the hug wiping her eyes. “Alright, let’s go then.” Vinyl nodded reaching for her shades on her head but felt nothing but her soggy mane. “What is it?” Octavia asked turning to her. Then she realized seeing Vinyl’s sad eyes and watching her place her hoof on her forehead. “Oh, your glasses. Where are they?” She asked noticing how Vinyl as close to crying.

Vinyl sniffed. “With Mom.” She muttered shaking her head hard. “Let’s go before it’s too late.” Vinyl stood up and start trotting forward. “We’re going home and we will get Mom back.”

Octavia blinked hearing the coldness in Vinyl’s voice. “But Vinyl-”

“Dead or alive, we’re getting her back and going back home.” Vinyl said harshly trotting away. Octavia glared at her back then started following Vinyl off the beach towards the jungle.

The jungle looked strange to the earth pony as the sisters hiked through the forest. Octavia remembered seeing thick jungles back at home and she would always chase Vinyl into the jungles when they played as children. But seeing the strange ferns and flowers that were not accustomed for the Zebra Keys made her nervous. Wondering where they ended up and how this island is growing such plants that don’t seem familiar. What made even worse was that they had to stop. Towering above them was a large mountain rock wall. Vinyl snorted with annoyance as she looked to her left then the right. Octavia sat down staring at pink flower curiously.

“This way.” Vinyl declared pointing to the left. Octavia looked up watching Vinyl trot to their left following the giant wall. Octavia sighed then trotted after Vinyl. They continued their trek through the jungle until Vinyl discovered a gap in a cliff wall. Vinyl beamed a victory grin at her sister then trotted to the crack. It looked big enough for a small pony to fit through.

“Come on, I bet we can get past the mountain if we squeeze through there.” Vinyl said pointing at the gap.

“You think we can fit?” Octavia asked worriedly. Vinyl didn’t answer as she started to squeeze through. Octavia sighed as she soon found herself following her sister’s lead pushing herself through the pointy gap as the rock walls scrap and scratch her coat. Vinyl reached the end and pushed out of the opening falling flat on the rocky ground. She looked up and gasped with awe. Octavia pushed through bumping into her rump. She growled spitting out Vinyl’s tail from her mouth.

“Vinyl? What are you . . . Sweet Celestia and Graceful Luna!” Octavia screamed out in shock. Vinyl stood back up on her hooves staring at the landscape before her.

“Oh yeah.” Vinyl replied nodding falling on her haunches. Octavia sat by Vinyl staring in true shock and horror.

The two sisters were standing at an edge of a mountain trail and below them is a deep grass filled valley leading off to some more mountains and forests. In the distance they can see the clouds and in the air were giant birds cawing and screeching. It was beautiful yet terrifying considering that this is a new place and there looked to be no sign of any town nearby.

“Vinyl . . .”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t think this is a tiny island.”

“Nope. It’s a whole damn bigger island.”

Indeed it looked larger than a normal island in the Zebra Keys it seemed a lot more lush in growth but it also has this strange magical feeling. Octavia gulped looking down at the ground to feel a power or some sort of magical essence that only she can feel. Usually Octavia wasn’t a big believer in the belief earth ponies were closer to the earth, she never been a farmer or a fan of the outdoors so she had ignored that part of her heritage, but now that she is standing here feeling the magic through her hooves made her a little nervous.

Octavia shook her head then looked round. “Well we have a long way to go if we need to find any form of civilization. An island this big should hold some pony life.” Octavia followed the trail down the slope. Vinyl sighed and started following her.

“Island? I think this is a continent.” Vinyl said worriedly chuckling trying to make their situation a touch brighter.

Octavia stopped and growled turning to her. “Just shut up.”

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

After their long descent from the mountain cliff, the sisters continued to trek through the giant valley. Their jackets, manes, and tails have been dried thanks to Celestia’s sun high in the sky. They reached a river where they took a quick break looking around. Vinyl trotted to the river’s edge to take a quick drink as Octavia was pacing staring at the sky then at the mountains around them. Finally Octavia groaned.

“This is insane!” Octavia complained looking around. “We have been walking for hours and there is no sign of any civilization. No signs, no roads, not even a path! Not to mention I haven’t seen any ponies!”

Vinyl sighed after taking a quick drink of the fresh water licking her lips. “Look we can just keep going. And stop complaining you’re giving me a headache.”

Octavia sighed as she stood by Vinyl at the river’s edge. The sisters stood there trying to find a way across. Vinyl could see a few giant rocks in the river and started jumping from one rock to another. Octavia jumped behind her.

“But how is this place even possible?” Octavia asked timing her jump before making it. She leapt to the next rock shaking slightly. She looked down at the crystal clean water seeing tiny little fish swimming with the current. “I have never heard of a lost island south of the Zebra Keys.” She called out as she made another leap.

Vinyl nodded leaping off the largest rock and landing on the soft dirt. “Well, whatever this place is, maybe it has to be part of the southern continent?”

Octavia leaped off and landed next to Vinyl. She glared at her coldly not wanting to think of the possibility of being stuck on another continent. “Don’t open your mouth, again.”

Vinyl shrugged innocently. “What? What did I say?”

“Shut your mouth before you say something that will make me hurt you.” Octavia growled threateningly trotting forward. Vinyl sighed leaning against a stone watching Octavia walking away looking around. Vinyl groaned trotting after her totally oblivious to the stone sign she was just leaning on. Revealing some form of writing.

Octavia and Vinyl continued on the rocky ground trail. With an occasional crossing a river or two the sisters had traveled through most of the morning and into the afternoon. As Vinyl turned a corner pas a giant rock she stopped in her tracks. Octavia blinked noticing her pause and turned to her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked. Vinyl pointed in front of them. Octavia looked to where Vinyl was pointing to notice a strange cave like structure against the large rocks. What made it stranger was that the cave entrance was shaped like a large head. And what made even stranger was the fact that it looked like it had eyes and nostrils with the hanging stalactites as sharp teeth.

“What is that?” Vinyl asked with a little fear. The sisters got closer to the strange cave to stare at it. Octavia sat down beside Vinyl, staring at the structure.

“Hmm, I don’t know. Looks pretty creepy. Like a carnivore or something.”

Vinyl shuddered. “Yikes,” She whispered rubbing her arms. She’s happy they haven’t seen any signs of tigers or wolves around here.

Suddenly out of nowhere the cave structure exploded in black smoke and fire. The sisters ducked covering their heads as rocks flew towards them rolling down the hill. When the cracking and rolling was finished, the sisters stood up, coughing and waving the air around them to get the dust away from their faces.

“What caused that?” Octavia asked her voice cracking form coughing. Vinyl sniffed the air recognizing the smell.

“Explosives?” She asked looking at Octavia. Octavia blinked looking at her.

“And how would you know that?” She asked.

“Uh, I helped with making the fireworks show back at home a long time ago.” Vinyl answered giving her a look. Octavia nodded remembering.

“But . . . how would there be explosives in there? And how did they explode?”

Vinyl opened her mouth to make an answer then they suddenly heard coughing from the cave. “I guess we found civilization Octy.” Vinyl said with worry stepping back. Octavia joined her as a shadow came out of the smoke.

“Oh sorry, terribly sorry!” A mare’s voice called out from the cave waving the smoke and dust out of the air with her hoof. Vinyl and Octavia sat up seeing an earth pony mare climbing out of the rubble. She’s dressed the strangest of clothes the sisters had ever seen. A maroon vest with a long sleeved dirty tan jacket that looked well worn. She even had a dirty well-worn belt around her waist. The mare reached into her saddle bags.

“I’m sorry about that I had permission from the Volcanian Council to explore ancient old sites. Finding new places to excavate Sun Stones. Nothing big, don’t even worry about it.” The mare now fully emerged from the smoke revealing herself. She’s a mustard yellow color with a graying messy orange mane and tail. She sat down pulling out the paper unfolding it.

“I got the papers right here and  . . . uh . . .” She paused then her worry filled blue eyes blinked seeing Vinyl and Octavia at her. “Well, well, well. Hello girls. Sorry about that you gave me a bit of a fright there.” The mare said in a light Trottingham accent chuckling sticking her paper back in her bag.

Octavia stared at her oddly. “We gave you a fright?” Vinyl was blinking at the odd choice of words and how odd this mare was.

The mare gave them a searching look. “You two seem oddly out of place. An Earth pony and a unicorn, huh somewhat a rarity. Did you two just arrived?” The mares nodded. The stranger smiled. “Ah yes, I knew it. Hehehe newcomers. You’ll be the talk of the century.” The mares looked at one another then back at her.

“And you are?” Octavia asked with a warning look.

The mare chuckled reaching back into her bags and pulled out a sort of flask. She took a swig of it. She held it out for Octavia. Octavia shook her head politely. The mare shrugged and held it for Vinyl. Vinyl shrugged taking a hold of the flask in her blue magic, levitating it to her mouth and took a swig wincing from the snap it gave her.

“The name’s Crab. Cyrus Crab. And you are?” She asked taking the flask from Vinyl looking at her with fascination. Vinyl smacked her mouth licking her lips. She blinked realizing that their new acquaintance just asked them a question. She pulled her tongue back into her mouth chuckling sheepishly.

“Oh uh I’m Vinyl Scratch and this is my sister Octy.”

Octavia glared at her. She cleared her throat turning to Cyrus. “Octavia Melody, Miss Crab.”

“Huh, interesting. Oh and don’t call me Miss. It makes me sound older than what I am now.” The strange mare said chuckling.

“Hey, do you know where we can find the nearest guard post.” Vinyl asked. Crab looked at them.

“What?” She asked confused.

“You know a guard, pegasi fliers that can go to the ocean and find our mother. We crashed in the ocean in the storm. We need help!”

Crab sighed. “Sorry, don’t know nothing of pegasi fliers. If you need a search and rescue you probably need the Skybax riders.”

“Skybax?” Vinyl and Octavia both asked looking at each other bewildered at the word. Crab started walking away from them looking around at the ground.

“Hmmph, of course, no one will find anything here. This place was picked clean by a tooth pick comb. Everything has already been found by earlier archeologists.” Octavia blinked turning to Crab, suddenly the explosives idea came back in her mind.

“Archeologists? Well you are the first one I have seen that uses dynamite.” Octavia said with a little bite to her words. A little upset that they were almost blown up and crushed thanks to Crab.

The two mares quickly followed her since she was he only civilized pony they have met so far. Crab chuckled.

“I have a many number of different occupations. Something of an independent pony that might get into trouble in such a place like this.”  She said chuckling. “If you want help follow me girls.”

“Where?” Octavia asked.

“Just an outpost nearby.” Crab said climbing up a hill. The younger mares following her like ducklings to their mother.

“So got anything to trade? Rings? Watches?” Crab turned to them to hear no answer. “No? Alright then. If it helps you two I’ll lead you to the nearest outpost where I’ll be catching myself a bus.”

Vinyl smiled. “Hey thanks, dude.”

Crab looked at her for a moment and nodded. “Right, well follow me.”

The three walked through thick bushes and ferns until they reached the end of the trail. Crab pushed through first and sighed. “Ah here we are.” She said smiling as the two mares came out form the forest and stare with awe and confusion. They followed close to Crab as they passed what looked to be a small market in place. It reminded Vinyl of the farmers market at Ponyville. All the stands were built with bamboo and wood with large blankets as roofs over their heads. Octavia was more amazed by the clothes these ponies were wearing.

“Wow, who are these ponies?” Octavia asked. “Just look at their clothes.” She walked past a mare pulling a cart with several foals on the back laughing and playing hoof games. Some of the ponies were dressed in strange rags or in clothing that reminded Octavia of places she had seen in books. Clothes ranging from simple rags to regal suits and dresses that look nothing like the clothes Octavia had seen in Canterlot.

“Yeah, they look like rags put together. Huh, Rarity would have heart attack.” Vinyl joked as they continue to walk down the dirt street. Ponies would look at them some with awe others with confusion.

“This place these ponies . . . where are we?” Octavia asked in awe smiling t a filly who stared at her.

Crab turned to them with a smile. “Dinotopia.”

Octavia and Vinyl both stopped staring at her. “What did you say?” Vinyl asked wondering if she heard that right.

“Dinotopia.” Crab said smiling seeing their reactions.

“Dinotopia?” Octavia whispered looking at Vinyl to see her equally frightened. “Where’s that?” Vinyl shrugged turning back to Crab

“But . . . how big is this pace if we’ve never heard of it?” Vinyl asked.

Crab smiled. “Oh about two hundred miles across.”

“Two hundred miles?” Vinyl asked. “That big?”

Octavia patted Vinyl’s shoulder and pointed up to see a large signs with Equestrian letters and a strange writing that resembled footprints. The signs were huge pieces of wood hanging from two tall wooden towers.

“What does that say? Isn’t that even a language?” Octavia asked. Vinyl snorted as an answer shaking her head. Octavia sighed watching her sister trot after the older mare.

“Well, we’re a bit cut off from the rest of the world.” Crab said as Vinyl and Octavia stared at one another, couldn’t believe where they ended up.

“This is really . . .” Octavia started lamely.

“Weird,” Vinyl answered looking around to see more strangely dressed ponies.

“No, it’s just,”

“What? You don’t think this is weird?” Octavia gave her a glare as Vinyl smirked following the yellow pony around one of the many tall wooden like towers. As they turned the corner, there was a deep grunted roar in the air causing the two sisters to stop stock still, the hairs on the back of their necks shot up with fear.

“What was that?” Vinyl asked, her eyes were wide with fear looking around.

“A scaly dog.” Crab answered with disdain not the least bit afraid.

“A what?” Octavia asked as her ears on the top of her head went flat looking around staying close to Vinyl.

Suddenly there was screaming behind them. The three mares turned seeing earth ponies running out of the market as fast as possible.

“What’s going on?” Vinyl asked just as a roar was heard from the crowd of ponies.

The crowd parted and revealed the source of their running. A strange four legged scaled creature stomped down the dirt road roaring and swinging his giant club like tail into stalls and destroying them. Then it swung its tail to the other side knocking over ponies left and right, throwing them away. Its huge club tail swung and destroyed a bunch of crates and cages filled with parrots and other tiny birds. The birds all flew away squawking with terror. The creature was now making a quick dash down the road towards the sisters. The sisters yelped out running to hide like the other ponies. Crab didn’t run but follow the mares close behind.

“Wait, wait, it’s alright.” Crab said smiling at them walking casually to their hiding spot behind a stair case to a wooden tower. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine.” The mares watched as this creature swung its giant club tail into another stall. The creature roared with anger as it walked forward towards the cowering sisters. Vinyl was shaking her head.

“I don’t believe it!” Vinyl gasped.

“It’s a dinosaur!” Octavia exclaimed pointing at it. “But that’s impossible, dinosaurs are gone, they were wiped out many centuries ago.”

One of the birds flew straight into Octavia’s face knocking her over. The bird squawked and said strangely words as he flew into the jungle squawking. Vinyl quickly helped her sister sit up as Octavia started spitting blue and purple feathers out of her mouth.

Crab shook her head, helping Octavia back on her haunches as she continues to spit out the feathers. “If only my dear, if only.”

“You mean. . .” Vinyl stared pointing back at the dinosaur. There was another crash as every pony turned seeing the dinosaur looking around roaring. Crab chuckled a little worried now as the creature started walking towards them.

“Oh well, it looks like this is where we must part.” She turned around.

“Wait what?” Vinyl yelped out watching their first friendly stranger leave them behind. Crab stopped in her tracks seeing a mare walk past her.

“Oh-ho, there she is.” Vinyl and Octavia turned seeing the young mare no older than them stop in front of them watching the dinosaur. Vinyl blinked looking at her. She’s an earth pony, light cream tan coat, curly dark brown mane and braided tail with a blue ribbon at the end.  She’s dressed in a loose white blouse with a dark brown belt to keep her shirt from getting on the ground. And her cutie mark was strange. It looked like an orb of light, not a sun like Celestia’s cutie mark but some sort of glowing stone.

Crab chuckled. “I knew she would be around in a crisis like this.”

“Who is that?” Octavia asked.

Vinyl gasped staring at the older mare. “You can’t be serious, right?”

“What on earth is she doing?” Octavia exclaimed watching the young new mare to walk out in front of the raving dinosaur.

“Not to worry girls, let her do what she’s good at.”

“Like what getting clobbered to death?” Vinyl asked watching with true fear as this young mare slowly walked in front of the dinosaur.

The mare sat down slowly looking at the dinosaur in the eyes.

“Shh, it’s alright.” She said softly reaching her hoof forward. “What is it, what’s wrong?” She asked almost touching the dinosaur’s face. The dinosaur grunted with a light roar causing the mare to pull back her hoof. She reached her hoof back to the dinosaur’s head again closing her eyes. To Vinyl’s surprise the creature also closed his eyes.

“Wow,” Vinyl whispered. Octavia nodded in agreement.

The mare pulled back her hoof watching the dinosaur pull away from her. The dinosaur then opened his giant mouth. The mare gave him a look curious as to what it wanted. The dinosaur made a small whine sticking out his tongue. The mare looked into his mouth with a look of understanding. She reaches into his mouth with hers. Vinyl and Octavia both groaned with disgust, wondering what the mare was doing.

The mare bit down on something hard in the dinosaur’s mouth and pulled back hard. After two more tugs with the dinosaur squeezing its eyes shut, the mare pulled the item free. She rolled once then twice before landing on her back with something in her mouth. The dinosaur let out a few cries then he started to calm down smacking its mouth with its tongue moving around in his mouth. The mare stood up tossing whatever it was from her mouth to her nose balancing it there smiling at the crowd. She walked up to the crowd smiling prideful. The ponies start stomping with applauds as the dinosaur turned around smiling at the mare before lumbering away.

“Tooth-ache.” The mare said in a nice clear voice as the ponies all around let out sounds of understanding as they continue to applaud her performance. Vinyl and Octavia both watched with awe as the mysterious young mare trotted away from them.

“Who was that?” Vinyl asked with a dreamy look in her eye watching the mare disappear into the receding crowd. Crab smiled.

“Dinotopian, twentieth generation.”

“Hmm,” Octavia thought looking around. Noticing everypony was going about their business as if nothing had happened at all. “Interesting.” She said with a curl of a smile on her lips.

Crab sighed. “Well that was an exciting time. But I really need to catch my bus to Volcanian to speak to the council and reveal to them my findings.” She sighed then gasped at a quick thought. “Oh yes, and one last thing. If you ever need a friendly mare to talk to, here’s my card.” She said reaching into her bag and pulled out a blue calling card. Vinyl levitated the card holding it up. Octavia looked over Vinyl’s shoulder to read it.

“Crab’s Curios and Antiques in Waterfall City. Is that your store?” Octavia asked sitting down. Crab nodded as Vinyl looked at the card a second time flipping it over to the back to find it blank.

“Yes, a humble tiny little thing, just another past time. Collecting old antiques I find on my trips and well, sell them if I can. But here is a tip for you two. Don’t go to any of the other tiny providences, you need to go to Waterfall City. It’s the best place to go.” She said grinning with this strange look in her eye that made Octavia nervous.

Vinyl nodded not even noticing the look as she stuck the card into her jacket pocket. “Well look you up when we get there. Thanks.” Vinyl said smiling as Octavia put up a fake grin. Crab nodded.

“You buy your tickets over there at the ticket office.” Crab said nodding to the large wooden towers where ponies are walking to or out of. Crab sighed with a smile. “Well, good luck, girls. I know future friends when I see them. Cheerio.” Crab turned away smirking to herself. “Something tells me we’ll see each other, again real soon.” She muttered to herself trotting away.

When the mare was far enough away, Octavia dropped her forced grin and shuddered rubbing her arms as Vinyl was looking at the sky seeing that it’s already dusk. “Something about that mare is off.” Octavia said with worry.

Vinyl chuckled. “What do you mean? She’s just a crazy old mare with weird bumps on her back and a few sticks of dynamite.” Vinyl said before trotting away. Octavia sighed rubbing her head.

“That’s what I was afraid of. Who would use dynamite in a very sacred, fragile dig? No pony.”

Vinyl chuckled as her sister caught up with her. Octavia looked around seeing the tiny stalls were closing for the day. Many ponies packed up their products in large carts and baskets and transporting them away to their homes. Octavia sighed trying to think.

“So where can we find some sort of map? I’ll feel better knowing where we are and where this City is.” She stated looking at the signs above her reading the strange words and how many miles it takes to get there. They turned seeing what look to be some sort of kiosk next to the kiosk is some sort of opened window of a shop.

“Maybe up here.” Vinyl said running up the short flight of wooden stairs to the map seeing the whole island. Octavia reached the window when it suddenly the window was shut by a wooden panel with a metal grating. Octavia blinked with surprise as Vinyl jumped hearing the smack of heavy wood on the wall.

“I guess that means it’s closed?” Octavia asked smiling sheepishly. Vinyl looked down at the strange window flap to see small white footprints and under it in larger letters was the word Closed.

“Wow, how could I ever figure that out?” Vinyl deadpanned glaring at the earth pony. Octavia gave her a look causing Vinyl to snicker. Vinyl turned back to the map studying it. The whole island looked like an upside down malfunctioned triangle, by the colors there are grasslands, tall mountains, a desert, even a rainforest near them. Vinyl looked at the strange names she found. Rainy Basin, Vidabba, Volcanian, Canyon City. Octavia raised her hoof and knocked on the screen.

“Excuse me?” Octavia called with care. “Can we get tickets to Waterfall City?” She asked seeing the pony through the grate. The window opened revealing an earth pony stallion with beady eyes behind glasses looking at them dressed in a red silk suit.

“Waterfall City.” He started with a frown. “The next bus is at dawn.” The stallion finished seeing the surprised looks from them. He waved his hooves for them to back up then lowered the window closing the ticket station for good. Vinyl sighed with defeat.

“Great, now what do we do?” she complained looking around. Octavia sighed looking around as well.

“Well, I guess we can stay here for the night.” Octavia mentioned with a shrug. Vinyl snorted.

“Alright, great leader, where can we sleep?” Vinyl asked glaring.

The two sisters heard a door open and close and turned to see the stallion walked out of his tiny room and saw the mares standing before him seeing their surprise looks.

“Oh well . . . don’t you have places to go?” He asked with curiosity.

The two mares shook their heads. The stallion sighed. “Just a moment.” He dropped his bags and trotted inside the small office. He returns with two woolen blankets. “Here, can’t leave you two here in the cold.”

Octavia smiled taking one blanket as Vinyl levitates the other surprising the stallion.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

The stallion blushed clearing his throat. “A unicorn, defiantly a newcomer.” He muttered with awe. He cleared his throat tipping his top hat. “Ahem, well good night, ladies.”

“Night,” the mares replied as the stallion took the stairs and headed off to his home.

Vinyl unfolded the heavy blanket and smirked. “Well, I never had to camp outside of a ticket station since I was in high school.” Vinyl chuckled. Octavia sighed rolling her eyes as she unfolded her blanket and placing on to the hard wooden landing.

“Let’s just get comfortable then. It’s going to be a long night.”

When the sun finally left the sky and Luna’s moon rose high in the sun’s place, the sisters were trying to sleep outside in the shill of a cool spring breeze. Vinyl tossed and turned in her blanket with difficulty sleeping on the hard floor. She looked up to the dark trees in the sky blocking out the dark blue sky and stars. All around them there are torches sticking to the ground, primitive street lights giving the grassy paths light. And giving every surface in the light’s path a shadowy orange–yellow light. Vinyl turned on her side seeing Octavia with her eyes closed.

“Hey Octy?” Vinyl whispered nudging her arm casying Octiava to graon. “Are you alseep?” She asked wihta ntoehr hard poke in the arm.

Octavia growled opeing her eyes glaring at Vinyl rubbing her arm. “What do you think with you poking me like that?” She said with annoyance. Vinyl smiled a touch. After a moment of silence Octavia sat up wrapping her blanket around her body shivering slightly.

“How can such a place like this even exist?” Octavia asked bewildered. Vinyl sighed.

“Look none of that matters, now.” Octavia turned to her blinking. “We’ll go to this Waterfall City find some pegasi and ask them for help and get Mom and go home.” Vinyl said with a nod of determination.

Octavia shook her head. “Vinyl, think about this for a moment.” Vinyl looked up at her. “Do you really think this place has pegasi? I’m sorry, Vinyl but does the way everypony react in seeing you, a unicorn, mean anything to you? It means to me that these ponies have never seen unicorns or pegasi. Just earth ponies.” Vinyl snorted rolling her eyes.

“What are we just going to forget about Mom?” She asked with a glare.

Octavia glared back at her. “No pony is forgetting about mother. We just need to probably understand where we are and how things work around here.”

Vinyl snorted shaking her head leaning against the wooden rail getting comfortable. “You’re not seriously thinking of staying here?” She asked.

“Staying or not, this is a new place and this place has different laws.” Octavia stated firmly. She gasped pointing something behind her. “How about that mare walking up to a creature that’s not supposed to exist. Things are different here, Vinyl and we better start learning and understanding the rules of this place.” Octavia said as she got comfortable on the wooden floor pulling her blanket around her. She pulled the blanket over her head to get her ears warm, leaving her snout the only part of her out form her cocoon blanket.

Vinyl sighed. “Like I would learn this rules of this place.” She growled.

Octavia opened her mouth to make a retort when they suddenly heard a scream in the rainforest. Octavia sat up straight her blanket falling off her back. Vinyl leaped up in the air shivering in her blanket looking around. The sisters looked at one another with wide eyes.

“I think we can both agree on one thing.” Octavia whispered shaking.

“This place scares the shit out of us?” Vinyl asked sliding closer to Octavia. Octavia nodded wrapping her arms around Vinyl.

“Not the choice of words I would have chosen, but yes I am afraid of this place.”