From what I’d seen from the air, I knew the island was sizeable but it wasn’t until I actually set foot on it and looked around that I was able to fully appreciate the sheer size and scale of the resort…er, resort collection. Then I looked at a holographic map just off of the platform and realized that it was even bigger than that. It was truly the most extensive vacation destination ever conceived. I realized that two weeks just wasn’t gonna cut it, not if I wanted to see everything. I knew I’d have to pick and choose my activities carefully, which meant consulting an expert.

Hmm, I’ll bet Evening Breeze would know all the best things to do around here, I thought as I searched for the Astral Resort on the map. It didn’t really matter where I stayed; every hotel was bound to be incredible, not to mention the fact that I’d likely be spending most of my time out and about anyway. Then again, his earlier suggestion regarding splitting my stay between two hotels/resorts intrigued me as well. What to do, what to do! There was almost too much variety! I hadn’t the foggiest idea of where to even begin…

Wait…

Who…was that?

I didn’t get much of a look, merely a glimpse before she disappeared into the crowd. However, that one glimpse was enough to damn near take my breath away, even with all the breathtaking moments I had already experienced over the course of the day.

A flash of pink and white, and a soft smile complemented by a pair of kind, light-purple eyes.

And with that, my mind found itself just a little more open.

I know it seems quick, premature, or even ridiculous. Believe me, if I hadn’t just accidentally won a radio contest then ridden a flying magic train to a gravity-defying island paradise on an alien planet populated by anthropomorphic ‘ponies’, I would’ve dismissed it as such. But enough had transpired in the last few hours that my mind, while still pretty attached to Earthly affairs, had begun to take another look around.

I guess if a train can fly, aliens can be attractive. I shrugged inwardly while grinning a little outwardly; why not? Besides the fine fur, tall(ish) ears, tails, and slightly-elongated muzzles, they were pretty close to what I was used to. Quite the revelation for someone who up until this point, couldn’t have given less of a fuck about Equis if he tried, huh? Sometimes, all it takes is the right subject to introduce a new and remarkably different culture for one to start appreciating it.

I shook my head; now was not the time to wax philosophical. I had a few decisions to make, the first of which being my accommodations. I made my way over to one of several large holographic maps in the large transit hub. According to the map, the Astral Resort, which Sven had recommended, was located at the northern portion of the island. Further reading revealed it to be a nightlife-themed resort designed for young adults like myself. It featured a suite of nightclubs, cafes, bistros, shops, beaches, and anything else someone my age might enjoy. The map wasn’t especially detailed regarding activities, sticking mostly to notable locations, but I was sure that the kind…thestrals over at the Astral would be more than happy to elucidate.

I guess that settles it, I thought as I shouldered my backpack. The Astral it is. I smiled as I made my way through the crowd in the direction of the northern resort. I can always check out the other places later; for now, I’d rather just rest. I’ve got two weeks, which probably won’t be enough, but I’ll do my best to do and see as much as I can.

As I finally made it out of the general throng of the hub, I found myself at a loss as to how to actually get to the resort. Of course I would forget to check the map like a stupid tourist, I thought, slightly annoyed. You’d think that with all the travelling I do every year to see my scattered family, I wouldn’t make such rookie mistakes. Guess that’s the difference between sitting half-asleep at an airport terminal and gawking in awe at one of the wonders of the modern age. Yeah, we’ll go with that.

“Attention all arrivals; all trams bound for Palacia Crystalia, Six Flags Equis, Thunderhead, and the Astral Resort are now boarding. All trams are now boarding.”

“Thanks,” I muttered to the cheery yet assertive feminine voice over the hub’s intercom. Well, that solves that problem, I thought as I made my way to the…okay, where were the trams, anyway? I looked about, unable to see very far ahead due to the crowd (and my slightly-below-average height), and wondered where…

Ah, there it is, I thought as a skyward glance revealed a sleek, shiny suspended monorail track running almost directly overhead. Now I just have to find a way on…

“Excuse me, sir,” a voice piped up behind me, prompting me to turn around. I beheld a young Equestrian mare possessing a light-blue coat and silver mane, dressed in a cream-white uniform with gold trim, leading me to believe she was one of the island’s many employees. “Are you looking for something?”

“Uh yeah, I am,” I replied, slightly taken-aback. I hadn’t expected someone to come along and offer assistance just out of the blue. Now that’s service, I thought with a small appreciative grin at my good fortune. “I was hoping you could point me in the direction of the monorail entrance? I’m heading to the Astral Resort, gotta check in and stuff.”

“Absolutely,” she said with a warm smile. “Just keep heading that way and you’ll see a large sign that says ‘Helios Xpress’. Follow the arrows and you should be able to board right away.”

“Perfect. Thanks a lot!” I replied with an appreciative nod. Smiling, she returned the gesture.

“It was no trouble at all. I just happened to be on my way to the staff village when I saw you looking like you needed a little help.”

“That’s an understatement,” I admitted. “This place is crazy. If I ever manage to learn my way around, it’ll be a miracle.”

“Just do lots of exploring,” she replied with a laugh. “That’s the first thing I did on my first days off; it’s a big place for sure but you’ll get the hang of everything.” she assured me. “Oh, you could also use the interactive map on the Helios App. I found that one of the best ways to start exploring to do an entire loop around the island on the Helios Xpress. It stops at a lot of different places and passes through every part of the island.”

“Yeah, I’ll definitely do that, sounds like a good plan,” I agreed, earning another laugh from my rescuer. “Hey, listen, thanks again for your help and I’m sorry for holding you up. I’m sure you’ve had a really busy day rescuing stupid tourists like me.”

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” she replied with a friendly laugh. “Everyone’s a little mixed-up when they get here. I can only imagine what it must be like for you and the other humans who come here.” She paused to take out her phone, checking it. “I’m sorry but I’ve gotta get going; I promised my friend I’d take her shift tonight so I have to get back to my flat and change again!”

“Gotta love those double-shifts, huh?” I asked.

“Yep! Anyway, have a great rest of the day and enjoy the rest of your vacation!” With that, she bid me a small wave and disappeared into the crowd.

***

“Cousin Fleur!” An excited greeting punctuated by an equally enthusiastic hug enveloped the mare the moment the hotel room door opened. “It’s so great to see you again!”

“It’s great to see you too, Coco,” the mare known as Fleur replied warmly, smiling down at her younger cousin. “It’s been what…a year now?”

“Since we last got together? I think so!” the younger mare agreed, relinquishing her pink-haired cousin, only to add another squeeze.

“Awe, what’s gotten you so huggy?” Fleur asked, returning the embrace.

“Can’t a girl just be happy to see her family? You’re practically my sister!” Coco exclaimed, earning an appreciative giggle from Fleur.

“Okay, okay, I’ll give you that! And here I thought some cute young stallion had caught your eye!” she teased, waggling her eyebrows at Coco.

“N-no, nothing like that…” Coco replied, and rather bashfully. “N-not yet at least...”

“Well then, this is the perfect opportunity to change that, don’t you think?” Fleur’s suggestion only caused the younger mare’s face to redden further before she let out a laugh and let her cousin off the hook. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of time for that. For now, all I wanna do is throw myself onto one of those amazing-looking beds and take a nap! All that traveling has worn me out.”

“Oh…really?” Fleur couldn’t help but grin slyly at her cousin’s somewhat disappointed reply. She waited until the younger mare was practically standing right next to the bed upon which she collapsed before leaping up and crushing a very surprised Coco in a warm hug.

“Of course not!” Fleur exclaimed, relinquishing Coco before resting her hands on her cousin’s shoulders. “We’ll have plenty of time to sleep when we’re dead. Just give me a couple minutes to unpack and put my stuff away and then we’ll head out, okay?”

“Sounds perfect,” Coco agreed with a smile.

“Good!” Fleur chirped, towing her large wheeled suitcase into her room.

***

It wasn’t long before I found myself soaring over the island on yet another train, one of two that circumnavigated Helios. While it wasn’t exactly the adrenaline-fueled thrill ride of the New Harmony Express, the Helios tram was certainly no slouch. Like the New Harmony Express, the ride was perfectly smooth and provided an incredible view of the island, afforded by the fact that the sides of each tram were almost entirely glass. Believe me, while it was a little unsettling at first, swiftly became a feature I was grateful for.

“Attention all passengers, we are now arriving at Palacia Crystalia. Now arriving at Palacia Crystalia. Enjoy your stay at Helios’ premiere romantic getaway destination.” the same soft voice from before announced over the tram’s audio system.

As we drew ever-nearer to the first stop, I could see very clearly the reasoning behind its name. I stared up at the towering crystal spires and momentarily shielded my eyes from the brilliant light being refracted by the spires. Before I knew it, we emerged into a huge clearing reminiscent of a mountain plateau. Surrounded by massive gardens, canals, and out-of-the-way grottos and pseudo hiding-places (suitable for a romantic getaway, I assumed), a shimmering crystal palace stood tall and proud at the center of the plateau. Like the crystal formations surrounding the plateau, the palace itself looked as if it had been carved from one gigantic piece of crystal. However, its layout was what set it apart; rather than being especially tall, it was rather wide, the tallest part being the central keep.

Must get a lot of visitors looking for that perfect romantic getaway, I surmised as the tram began its approach to the crystal palace’s station. While it wasn’t quite at the top of my priority list to explore (mainly because of time constraints and the fact I didn’t exactly fall into its target demographic at the time), I still couldn’t help but stare in awe at its majesty.

Well, look at that, I thought with a small smile as I looked about from the tram car. Every third or fourth couple I saw seemed to be mixed-race; indeed, I was rather surprised to see so many human and pony pairs. Guess they really were getting more and more common. For a moment, I entertained the notion that maybe, just maybe, the universe was trying to tell me something.

It wasn’t long before the tram began to move again, derailing that particular train of thought. In fact, our next stop was already in sight before my mind had any time to process said train of thought.

Now, I had been to a few theme parks in my time, with notable ones like Disneyworld and Paramount Canada’s Wonderland among them. But as I realized the moment we emerged from the crystal peaks that kept Palacia Crystalia mostly hidden, I had never been anywhere like Six Flags Equis.

Which, given the circumstances, kind of goes without saying.

As the tram carried us over the sprawling park, it was clear that this was the island’s fun center; a place that had something for everyone, whether they were nine or 90. Towering rollercoasters of all shapes and colors dotted the sprawl, while countless smaller rides and attractions filled the massive gaps between their titanic brethren.

In all honesty, all I could think about as we cruised over the park was how badly I wanted to recreate it in Rollercoaster Tycoon.

“Whoa!” I exclaimed as our tram passed right through the center of a large rollercoaster loop. We shared a collective gasp as the one of the coaster’s trains roared up, over, and then blasted under us, blitzing through the loop at a breakneck speed. It was at that moment I decided to dedicate at least a couple full days to exploring this particular part of Helios. We waited for several passengers to disembark before continuing.

“Holy crap!” I exclaimed, nearly jumping out of my skin as a crack of thunder heralded our arrival to a…cloud city? Seriously, what was up with this world and floating buildings…or islands, for that matter? As we neared the tram station, I took in the awe-inspiring spectacle that was Thunderhead. A massive structure stood in the very center of the gigantic cloud and as we got closer, I noticed that the entire building (if you could even call it that) was composed of cloud.

The Parthenon-like structure seemed to climb to the heavens themselves, supported by titanic columns that would’ve been right at home in Ancient Greece. I didn’t need a tour guide to tell me who this place’s clientele was, considering how many flew by the tram, offering waves and various acrobatics, delighting many a small child or…I guess ‘foal’ would be the right word here? Several smaller cloud structures orbited the central one, and I could only guess that each offered a different type of flight-related recreational activity, which I fully intended to find out later.

After a brief stop at Thunderhead’s tram station, we were off once again, this time heading straight for the Astral Resort, my destination. I have to admit that, despite my excitement and desire to see the entire island as soon as possible, my tired body disagreed. I mean, I still had two weeks but…it was only two weeks. Based on what I’d seen during the rather quick tour I’d just about come to the end of, I’d need to be as efficient as possible in order to experience what I wanted to experience.

I shook my head; not worth worrying about at the moment, not until I had had a good rest and was truly ready. And in order for that to happen, I needed to check in.

***

I disembarked and made my way from the station into a sort of village, although it was more like a long line of clubs and chic cafes. Given that it was still late-afternoon, none of the clubs were open yet but I had a feeling that come the night, this place would be insane. And of course, as with everything else I’d seen so far, I did want to check it out…even though I wasn’t much of a nightclub kind of guy.

Which begged the question of what I was doing here. Based on what I’d seen of Palacia Crystalia, Six Flags Equis, and Thunderhead, I would’ve been more than happy to stay at any one of them (although I could give Palacia Crystalia a miss until I was actually married…or at the very least had a hot date)…so why pick this one?

Oh yeah, because Sven told me it was a good idea and that his girlf…I mean marefriend worked there and could show me the ropes. Usually, I wouldn’t be so quick to simply take someone at the word but he hadn’t steered me wrong yet. I mean, I was pretty sure I was gonna die a horrible death via falling train but he assured me I wouldn’t and…well, here I am. That’s gotta count for something, right?

I have to admit that upon entering the Astral Resort’s towering lobby, I wasn’t sure what to think…at first. The building itself was gothic in design, a huge fortress-like structure adorned with luminescent lines and sections. The resort/castle’s walls were solid onyx with each distinct section of the castle divided and categorized by such lines, each a different color to represent the different parts of the resort. I didn’t know what any of the colors meant but it was certainly an intriguing idea, one that was certainly growing on me.

Let me put it this way; aesthetically, it was the love-child of Dracula’s castle and Tron. With more shiny black rock.

“Excuse me, sir,” a light, somewhat husky feminine voice said, bring me back to the real world. I shook my head and focused my attention on the source of the voice. A young-looking thestral mare in a dark-blue uniform, much like the one from earlier at the train station, stood behind the large front desk, her large bright golden eyes regarding me with slight curiosity.

“Oh, uh, hi,” I managed to reply, still trying to come to terms with everything I was seeing.

“Can I help you with something, sir?” she asked politely, giving me a patient smile.

“Yes! I mean, uh yes, please. I’m actually here to check in. I, uh…don’t have a reservation or anything. I do have this, though.” I replied, taking out my phone and showing her my electronic VIP pass. She gently took it and scanned it some sort of device, which emitted a light beep and flashed a green light.

“Oh! You’re Shawn Martin!” she exclaimed. “The human who won the VIP trip.”

“Yep, that’s me,” I acknowledged, nodding my head.

“Well, it’s good to meet you, Shawn,” the thestral replied, holding out her hand. “I’m Evening Breeze, Sven’s fiancé. I’m…assuming he told you about me?”

“He sure did,” I said with a smile, shaking her hand. “He must be pretty proud if he’s comfortable enough to tell someone he’s barely even met that he has a fiancé from Equis. I mean…it’s not exactly super-common yet, is it?”

“You’re right, it’s not.” Evening Breeze agreed. “That’s actually one of the reasons I fell in love with him. He wasn’t afraid to tell everyone, including his family and friends, that he was marrying someone like…well, a thestral from Equis.” She sighed and her face quickly adopted a dopey grin. I couldn’t help but smile a little more widely.

What? It was cute. Sue me.

Unfortunately, all the feels in the world couldn’t prevent my tired body from voicing its displeasure, doing so in the form of a yawn, which seemed to snap the thestral back to reality.

“I’m sorry, it’s been a really long day,” I said quickly, trying to assure her that I didn’t find her boring. “A little overwhelming, actually.”

“It’s okay, I completely understand,” Evening Breeze assured me with a fanged smile.

Wait…fangs? What the heck did these people eat? Meh, whatever. Still, it did pique my curiosity, enough that I resolved to ask about it later if I got the chance. For science.

“On behalf of all of us here at Helios, I’d like to officially welcome you to the Astral Resort, home of Equis’ best nightlife and fine dining. If you like, I can show you to your room,” Evening Breeze offered, handing back my phone. I nodded again.

“Sure, if you wouldn’t mind.” She shot me a kind smile.

“Not at all.”

***

Evening Breeze and I had spent the majority of the journey to my accommodations getting to know each other. I had expected a slew of questions about Earth and humanity but was pleasantly surprised to find out that Sven had given her a very thorough crash-course. Her words, along with the emphasis on the words “very thorough”. This mare, like her husband-to-be, seemed to have no problem sharing the nature of their relationship. It was different from what I was used to but in no way off-putting. In fact, I found her rather charming and was no longer surprised that Sven had chosen her.

Truly more food for thought.

“…and this is your room for the duration of your stay with us,” Breeze added, opening up a large ornately-etched obsidian-black door with her key card. “Shawn Martin, welcome to the Nox Suite.”

It’s safe to say that the next few words spoken were something along the lines of “Holy shit”.

The room was…well, it wasn’t even a room. To call the opulent palace in which we stood a ‘room’ would be tantamount to blasphemy. The layout was essentially that of a large apartment or condo, only much, much larger and much grander. The main room (or ‘section’ maybe) was hexagonal and multi-tiered. Huge windows ran the height and width of the far three sides, which overlooked not only the entirety of the Astral Resort itself but also most of Helios as well.

There were enough couches, coffee tables, and recliners to host 30 and based on the number of additional doors that seemed to connect to the central section, likely sleep that many as well. There was also a large fridge and full kitchen and even laundry machines in an out-of-the-way smaller room, which Breeze explained was to accommodate guests staying for long periods of time who wanted their own personal staff on-hand at all times. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all but decided it wasn’t worth getting bothered over. After all, I was here to relax, not tackle socio-economic issues.

After walking me through all seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, observatory, library/study, and the pool room (swimming, not billiards, although there was one of those too), Breeze finished the tour by showing me the finishing touch; the enormous magical glass dome that made up the suite’s ceiling. A magnificent wrought-iron ‘web’ divided the glass dome into six sections, each section containing a different and uniquely intricate pattern within.

“It’s amazing…” I murmured, marveling at the workmanship.

“And that’s not even the best part,” Breeze added, walking over to a small panel perched on the railing preventing guests from falling down the center of the room to their untimely demises. “Watch this.” With that, she pressed a small button.

“Whoa…” I murmured yet again as the glass suddenly darkened, replacing the waning daylight with an animated night sky.

“As you might have noticed, this resort caters specifically to those who like the night the best,” Breeze explained.

“So…pretty much you guys?” I surmised. Breeze let out a short laugh.

“Of course! Why do you think so many of us thestrals wanted to work here? It’s basically the perfect environment for us. By the way, if you press that button at night, it enhances the stars and constellations. Perfect for stargazing, which is why there’s a huge telescope up on the third floor over there.”

“I…I honestly don’t even know what to say right now.”

“I don’t blame you. It’s a lot to take in.” Breeze agreed, checking her watch. “Well, I should probably be getting back to the front desk. I’m sure they’ll be wondering where I am. If you have any questions or requests at all, don’t hesitate to call the front desk and we’ll do our best to help. The number’s on the information sheet on the counter and on the app as well.”

“Thanks, I should be good for now,” I replied just as my stomach made an angry sound. I reddened slightly as Breeze smirked at me. “On second thought, where’s a good place to eat around here? I’m freaking starving.”

“Well, there’s a lot of great restaurants around the club district but if you want something a little quieter and closer, the Astral Lounge has really good food. Oh, and the hotel kitchens are open from 6 AM to 2 AM every day, so feel free to call concierge if it’s late and you’re feeling peckish.” Breeze explained.

“Thanks but I’ll try not to be that much of a pain in the ass!” I replied, earning another laugh from the thestral. “Anyway, thanks for being so patient with me. I’m gonna learn as much as I can about you guys and about this place. But for now, I’ve gotta eat. Would you mind showing me the way to the Astral Lounge?” I asked. Breeze nodded and smiled courteously.

“It’s no problem at all. Follow me.”

***

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you were starving,” Breeze commented as I finished my plate of over-easy eggs and toast. Having finished her shift early, the thestral had elected to join me for dinner while waiting for Sven to finish his shift, which wouldn’t be much longer. “By the way, what is it with humans and eating breakfast for dinner?”

“You guys don’t do that here?” I asked, wiping my mouth. Breeze shook her head.

“Not really. Sometimes, I’ll have something like that for lunch but that’s about it.”

“Well, to be fair, not all of us do it,” I clarified before washing it down with arguably the best glass of apple juice I’d ever experienced. “Just those of us who like breakfast so much we’ll eat it any time.”

“Fair enough,” the thestral replied with a small shrug. “I just don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who likes eggs as much as you do, even when they’re super-hungry.”

“Just call me the Eggman,” I replied, not missing a beat. To my great surprise, Breeze burst out laughing. “Don’t tell me you got that!” I exclaimed.

“Are you kidding?” Breeze asked, wiping her eyes. “You know how much of a Beatles fan Sven is? We listen to them so much I swear I know the words to their songs as well as he does!”

“Ha, that’s awesome!” I replied excitedly, giving the mare a high-five. “Wow, so the Beatles are getting famous on Equis. John and George would be proud.”

Maybe this place wasn’t so different after all.

Author's Note

I definitely didn't include that last exchange just to make the chapter title a Beatles reference. Nope.

More coming soon!