ACT I -- CHAPTER I
A Royal Invitation
In a classy bar in the centre of Manehatten, two stallions were at a table with empty plates and full bellies.
"Hmm... " one of them said, a unicorn, looking thoughtfully at the other who was pulling a long face while stroking his chin with a hoof, as if he had a great deal of facial hair. "Is that... Starswirl? The Bearded?"
"Final answer?" asked the other, a pegasus, holding his pose.
The unicorn paused.
"Final answer."
"Correct!" The pegasus said, and applauded his opponent.
"Your go, then. And try to make it a bit easy this time, please? Not another 'Earth pony #1 from the Hearth's Warming Eve play', please?"
"I suppose it isn't your fault me having seen it a dozen times and knowing every line off by heart." The unicorn smirked. "Very well, how's about this?"
The unicorn sat up in his stool, poised in elegant fashion. He proceeded by lifting his nose in the air, puckered his lips, and flailed his hoof over the top of his mane, miming the essence of the phrase 'Woe is me!' in perfect form.
The Pegasus laid his head low on his side of the table, chuckling under his breath.
"I didn't mean that easy, Bud. Go on, give me another one."
"You haven't answered yet..."
"Oh, all right then. Princess Platinum. Next?"
"Wrong!" Chirped the unicorn.
The pegasus' head bounced back, not believing his ears.
"Wait, What?"
"The look on your face," Laughed the unicorn, rocking in his chair. "Priceless!"
He regained his posture a moment later, careful not to fall off the chair altogether.
"Don't worry, you're right. I don't think anypony could get that wrong, even yourself."
"You trickster," The pegasus said, joining in on the laughter. "If the plays had acting half as decent as yours, I'd probably watch another one. And that's about as likely as you not being a major pain."
Another pony, an earth pony, trotted into the candlelit bar's sitting room. He had three glasses balanced precariously on his back, and a rather large hat sticking out from the top of his head, much like the one the pegasus was wearing, but without a feather.
The two ponies sat down heard him enter the room, and they both gave him a welcoming wave as he moved towards their table.
"Aster! What took you?" The pegasus asked. "The two ponies that came from miles away, and we're the first to arrive."
"Ha, apologies, friends." The earth pony replied. "It actually has to do with the very same reason I sent for you both. Bud, if you'd care to do the honour with the drinks?"
"My pleasure." The unicorn said, using levitation magic moments later to share the drinks around the table. "So what's the occasion?"
"You won't believe your ears, trust me." The earth pony said, positioning himself on a stool. "You know the old hoof-me-down boat I got from my uncle? Tyke, you know the one."
"The Mare's Flank, and a fine name it is," the pegasus answered, grinning shyly.
"Well, a week before today, I was down at the port minding my own business, and you know who was there?"
"Nope." Chirped Bud.
"It was a rhetorical question, Bud..." Aster groaned, placing a hoof to his face.
"Well go on then. I'm on the edge of my seat here, and it isn't exactly comfortable." Tyke said.
"It was the queen, no less!" Aster said. "And in all her glory and grace she was looking at my old boat! She asked, 'Who's boat does this belong to?', and naturally, I stood up in an instant."
"The queen of the earth ponies, eh?" Bud remarked. "What's her name again? Carrot Hoof -- no, Leek Legs, was it?"
"Lettuce Mane." Aster corrected with hidden distaste. "That isn't important, anyway. What is important is that she just so happened to be looking for the owner of my ship, because she had an important task for 'said' owner. She wanted them to go on a trip to explore the seas, and record what 'said' owner finds on his way."
"You got a mission from the queen herself? Well, good for you. Aster. All agreed in a toast to Manehatten's newest adventurer?" Tyke cheered, raising a glass with his mouth afterwards.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm not done just yet." Aster said, interrupting the toast between the other two at mid head-swing. "Now, the queen told me, herself I might add, that an expedition of such magnitude would require the help of not one, but at least three ponies in order to keep the ship sailing and to be able to note down all the new things discovered. And that's why I brought the both of you here, to ask --"
Aster rose, standing up on his stool with his back legs in a heroic pose, wobbling slightly, and put on a voice.
"Would the two of you, Bud Gracehoof and Tyke Soaring, wish to accompany me in a daring quest, to charter new lands and set hoof on foreign soil?"
Aster pointed his hoof towards them and started to lose balance on the stool. Seconds later, he tumbled noisily to the floor, attracting the attention of not only his friends but the entire population of the bar's dining room, most of them raising their eyebrows at the incident.
A somewhat less inspiring way to end his speech.
The other two burst out laughing. Eventually Tyke managed to regain his voice, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Aster, my boy, I think you may be overselling it just a bit."
"Oh, very well." Aster said, brushing himself off. "But in all seriousness, how about it? A couple of weeks out at sea away from work, occasionally exploring the odd island or two, perhaps finding a few exotic mares in distant lands. We can treat it like a true gentlecolts' holiday, all expenses paid by the queen herself."
"You could have told us earlier in advance, Aster." Tyke said, resting his head on his hoof.
"But it does sound tempting. Hmph. I don't see a good reason why not. I mean, we made the trip over here, right? And not having to pay every bit sure makes a welcome change."
"Great!" Aster said excitedly. "How about you, Bud?"
"Hmm... Maybe." Bud replied, frowning.
"I mean, it sounds like a good idea and all. It's just... Maybe."
"Did I forget to mention the six thousand bit reward money to be spread between us when we get back?"
Bud's ears and eyebrows perked up with the least bit of subtlety.
"Six thousand bits, eh? Well, count me in! Just remember to let me have your share, Tyke." Bud joked with a wide grin.
"You wish." Tyke retorted, sniggering at the greedy unicorn.
"We'll be splitting the loot fairly, based on work done and help contributed, isn't that right, Aster?"
"Uh, on second thoughts, how about we just split it fairly at a third each, say?" Squeaked Bud, giving a look of uncertainty.
"Why do you say that?" asked Tyke, leaning in towards the unicorn.
"Well, as it turns out, being from Canterlot, I've uh, never been on a boat before."
"Ha! Well I never. You're more an earth pony than Aster," Tyke roared.
"Now now Tyke, there's a first time for everything" Aster said. "Even if he was meant to have it ten years ago. Now how's about we get a move on? I scheduled the leaving time just after lunch, and we need to get ready!"
The earth pony stood on all fours, and hinted at moving out.
Tyke put a hoof up in protest.
"Hold on Aster. We haven't even finished our drinks yet."
"And we haven't finished our game of charades, either." Said Bud, putting behind his embarrassing scene. "Come join and play a few rounds with us, I'm sure we still have a while."
"We do have a couple of hours to kill, I suppose." Aster said, sitting back on his stool, and grabbing his drink. "Oh, go on, then."
Tyke turned to his horned friend with a look of distrust.
"Now, it was your turn when we left, if I can remember correctly. And this time, make it difficult, would you?..."
