Goodlands and Applejack

"Oh i just cant wait to see Van Hoover. I've only read a few things in my books about it. Did you know..." started Twilight to Spike as the rest quickly lost interest in what she was saying. They mostly stared out the windows and watched as the scenery went by. It was rapidly changing from roaming hills, to flatland's, to forested areas. It was a sight to behold as the girls witnessed places they'd never been before. With the exception of Cloudsdale. They spent a whole day through the Unicorn Range, and then came to Van Hoover. The further they went the more water they had to deal with until finally they couldn't go any further due to the train having problems pushing against the current.
"Last stop ladies. Sorry we cant further, but with all this water its wreaking havoc on our engine." said the conductor as they came to a stop. Many of the worker ponies were trying to push the train back they way they had come. This was taking considerable effort do to them having to manually push the train.
"That's okay. We'll walk from here." said Twilight as the girls got off the train and headed further into Van Hoover. They sloshed their way through the water and debris that was floating away from them, heading towards the opposite side of the city.
They soon came to a small community that was off by itself away from Van Hoover. It had only several buildings, that were mostly destroyed, and a small fishing place.
"We need to find a sea worthy vessel. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, scout the area and see..." started Twilight but was interrupted.
"How but that one over there?" asked Pinkie Pie pointing to a large, rather rickety old ship. Several of them looked at one another in alarm.
"Maybe the captain is still on it and will help us.." said Fluttershy. They all shrugged and headed off towards the old boat.
"Hello.." yelled Spike "is any pony there? We need to get across the ocean and figure out whats going on."
"Doesn't look like anyone is home." said Applejack, her sense of foreboding growing with each step towards the ship. As they came close an older pony came heading out towards the leaving train.
"Excuse me sir." said Twilight to the pony "is this your boat?" she asked.
"Um, yes... Yes it is. If your in need of it, by all means take it. But I'm heading out of here while the trains' still here." he said, and headed off.
"But we need a captain." she said to his back.
"No we don't." said Pinkie Pie "I can steer it."
"Pinkie Pie, when have you ever.. You know what, i think I'll just go with it." said Applejack.
"That's probably for the best.." said Rainbow Dash, as they all started heading off towards the ship.
As they did, Twilight noticed that the name Palomino Hind was written on the stern in white letters.
"I wonder if that means something." she said to Spike pointing it out. He shrugged and they headed up to get on the boat with the rest of the ponies.

It soon turned out that Pinkie Pie did know how to captain a ship, and well. Who knew?
"Rainbow Dash, fly up to the crows nest and give us our heading." said Pinkie Pie pointing up...
"Um, sure." she said flying up to the crows nest.
"You might want this." said Twilight as she held up a spyglass. Rainbow Dash swooped back down grabbed the spyglass and headed back up to the crow's nest.
"Does any pony see a sextant anywhere?" asked Pinkie Pie, looking around.
"Pinkie Pie head in that direction." said Rainbow Dash pointing out directly in front of them.
"That's Captain Pinkie to you, ya LANDLUBBER! And if my natural sense of direction is spot on, that would be NORTHWEST! Onward you scurvy ponies, lets get moving before the sun sets." she said pointing outwards, suddenly sporting an eye patch and rather large hat.
"Um, Pinkie, the sails aren't in great condition, and we're not moving." said Applejack. Pinkie payed her no attention, much to her annoyance. "Ugh.. Captain, we're experiencing some rather motionless problems. Please advise." she said rolling her eyes.
"Well boatswain, why not raise the anchor? Then we should get this Galleon moving. What say you?" she said looking at her with her right eye.
"Um.. Aye aye captain?" she said as she and Rarity went to move the anchor. Applejack pulled at the chain, while Rarity used her magic to pull at it as well. It took them some time getting it up and running, but they managed.
"Ah feel that me hearties? The cool air, mixed with the rush of the sea water." said Pinkie Pie breathing deep as they set out to find what was causing such a disturbance in Equestria. It became harder to continue as they went out further, the water started getting rougher as it was constantly pushing against them. The weather started to get rough, and their boat was tossed this way and that, but Pinkie Pie was quite capable as she kept them on track heading towards the creation of this weird water wonder. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Twilight were all using their wings to push the sails against the oncoming water, which was helped out by Applejack, Rarity, and Spike, who were rowing as best they could.
"My arms are so sore." said Spike who's arms looked three sizes too big for his body after rowing as much as he could.
"Ah there, there little buddy." said Pinkie Pie, patting him on the back. "it'll be night soon and you can rest then. Buuuut until that time comes, HEAVE HO YOU SALTY DOG, OR IT'LL BE BRIG FOR YOU!!" she shouted and Spike jumped, as did Rarity. They continued on for a few more hours, as night had fallen. All of them were exhausted.
"Batten down the hatches, and drop anchor boatswain.." said Pinkie Pie to the crew. All of them just stopped and looked at her, in confusion. "tie everything down, and drop anchor. We're calling it a night. We'll pick up tomorrow when we've fresh sunlight." she said and headed into the captains cabin. They grumbled as they all headed down into the crew quarters. Non of them did much talking as they found a place to lie down, falling asleep almost immediately.
After what felt like mere minutes they were all being woken up by Pinkie Pie, who was yelling something about off yonder, and that they needed to hurry up, lest they never get their sea legs. All of them shrugged but headed up to the top.
"Pinkie Pie, did we have to be up so early? I don't think i even fully closed my eyes last night." said Rainbow Dash hiding a yawn.
"CAPTAIN PINKIE PIE! Now lets get to work every pony, we're making really good time." she said in response to the complaint. They all groaned and headed back to their places so as to continue towards the blip off in the distance.
A short while later Applejack noticed Spike off to the side hanging his head over the railing and looking at the water.
"Rubies? Why is it rubies? I didn’t even eat rubies!" said Spike as he hung his head over the side of the boat.
"Whatcha looking at Spike?" asked Applejack walking over to him.
"Oh nothing. Just not feeling so hot right now." he said lifting his head up looking queasy, he looked at her, his face was the odd shade porridge.
"Oh, is my Spikey wikey sick? We should be there soon enough." said Rarity coming over to comfort him as they continued on their way.
"I'll be fine. We should keep going so that i can get off this wretched thing." his cheeks bulged and he flung his head back over the railing. The two girls looked at one another then went back to rowing.
After another hour or so, they finally came within sight of the blip they'd seen earlier. Its was a strange creature that was massive. Perhaps the size of a castle, or small mountain. With the head of a goat and the hind quarters of a fish it was a strange sight to behold.
"HELLO THERE!" yelled Twilight to the creature.
"Are you sure it can even understand us?" Asked Fluttershy, "perhaps i should talk to it. I'm not sure what kind of creature it is though, to be honest."
"WHO DARES ATTACK ME IN MY HOME?!" it asked in a booming voice.
"I do think it can understand us. I'll see if i can find out whats going on." said Twilight as she flew up to it, to talk directly to it...
"Um hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and I come from Ponyville. Who are you?" she asked speaking directly in front of its face.
"I AM TYPHOON! WHY ARE YOU IN MY HOME?!" his booming voice washed over her as her hair flew back from the ferocity of it.
"Well, my friends and i are wondering why so much water has been flooding Equestria as of late. Would you happen to know of its cause?" she asked.
"I AM TRYING TO FIND MY WIFE MONSOON! I FELT HER PRESENCE NOT TOO LONG AGO, BUT I AM UNABLE TO VENTURE ON LAND! SO I WILL FLOOD IT TO SAVE HER!"
"Oh wow, okay, you might want to take it down a few notches." she said with a small sheepish smile.
"WHY SHOULD I BE QUITE?! SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU COMMAND ME TO?!" he asked his eyes squinting at her.
"Well, I'd like to help you, but you see i will soon be deaf from your, um, amazing voice and all." she said as she straightened her hair back to its original place.
"OH, sorry.." he said in a whisper, which was still loud, but much softer then before.
"I'd like to help you, but I've never met this Monsoon you speak of. What does she look like?" she asked.
"My wife is beautiful, with long flowing green hair and soft as clouds eyes, her skin is a light blue and she of course doesn't have horns as i do." he said looking mournful.
"Oh, she sounds pleasant. What happened? If you don't mind me asking.." she asked.
"Well, my wife and I had an argument. She left some time back and hasn't returned. I would have thought she'd have returned by now, but she hasn't. I thought I'd give her time to cool off and let her have her "space", but that was some time back, I am worried about her, and a few days ago i felt a massive surge of power from that direction." he said pointing towards the direction they'd just came from. "So now I'm going to rescue her, but to do that i need to go in that direction, which i cannot, until i cover it with water. Land and I don't get along well." he said looking angrily in the direction of Equestria.
"Actually Typhoon was it? I believe that the power surge you speak of was in fact caused by my friends and myself back in Ponyville. Their was this monster-mound-thing and we kind of destroyed it, but to do that we had to focus our power on it." she said pointing over her shoulder.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" he shouted "that was my beloved Monsoon, who is trying to tell me she's in trouble, i just know it."
"That's not possible. Up until today I've never seen one of your kind before in Ponyville, and I'm sure that Princess..." she started but his boom cut her off.
"MY KIND?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT LITTLE ONE?!" he shouted again her hair flew back, and became stuck in that fashion once more.
"Nothing ehehe, i didn't mean any offense to you, its just that I've never seen you, or one that looks like you. I'm not even sure what you are to be honest." she said sheepishly smiling again.
"I AM THE GREATEST HIPPOCAMPUS THAT EVER LIVED! FOLLOWED ONLY BY MY WIFE, WHO IS THE FAIREST OF ALL HIPPOCAMPUS OUT THERE!!" again he boomed at her.
At this time Fluttershy came up to him.
"May I?" she asked Twilight who nodded, she looked at Typhoon. "Now you listen here mister. Theirs' no need to yell at Twilight, she's only trying to help, and." she said getting right up close to his left eye "if i were you, I'd keep my temper under control. We help those in need, but we don't like being talked down to just because we're small. So either you handle your temper, or we wont help you find your missing wife." he back away slightly as she spoke to him.
"You'd be willing to help me find my wife?" he asked gently as she stared at him.
"Of course we would, that's what we do, we help others in need." responded Twilight as Fluttershy nodded.
"I don't know what to say." said Typhoon as he scratched his head.
"Thank you would be a nice start." said Fluttershy.
"Tthhaaankk yoouu.." he said with difficulty.
"You're welcome." said Twilight "but i must ask one request." at this he raised an eyebrow "could you please remove the water that's been flooding our lands? Many ponies are now without homes, and some need to rebuild, but cannot until all the flooding has stopped."
"I can do that." he said with a nod.
"Well, i think we'll be on our way. If we come up with anything, we'll send a pony to you with information. Okay?" she asked as he once again nodded, though this time with less enthusiasm.
She flew down to the boat and explained exactly what was going on, though this wasn't needed as everyone on the boat could and did hear what was being said by him.
"its going to take us some time to get back to land, not to mention we'll have to look for her. It could take weeks to find her." said Rainbow Dash.
"For that i have an idea." responded Twilight as she flew back up to Typhoon. "Well this is slightly awkward, do you think you could give us a nudge towards Equestria, so we can get about looking for Monsoon quicker." she said pointing to the boat, again he nodded and breathed in deep.
Twilight landed back on the boat and yelled "HANG ON EVERY PONY!" WOOSH!! they were off with incredible speed towards Equestria. What had taken them considerable time to get to him, only took them minutes to get back to land.
As they arrived they all got off the boat and headed back to the train station that was now deserted and headed inland.
"Oh now how are we going to get back to town? This walk will take forever." asked Rarity.
"I'll fly up and see how far the train is. It shouldn't have made it too far as we've only been gone for a short time." said Rainbow Dash who took off to the sky to see where the train was.
It soon turned out that the train was only off in the distance by a small walk, so she headed down and told them how far away it seemed to be. After walking a little ways they spotted the train sitting idly on the tracks headed towards Ponyville. As it transpired the train had to be repaired due to several components being ruined due to the water. They approached it and Twilight told the conductor what was going on while Applejack and Rainbow Dash helped with the repairs. After another short time they were all off heading back towards Canterlot.
"Ugh, now i can catch up on my beauty rest." said Rarity as she found a compartment and laid down to catch up on the rest she'd lost while on the boat. The rest followed in pursuit and likewise all of them, with exception of Pinkie Pie, laid down and slept most of the trip there.
Once they had awoken, the talked about their next step of the finding of this Monsoon.
"I think we should head up to the castle, and see if Princess Celestia has returned yet or not. Perhaps she has an idea on how we can find her. I've never even heard of a hippocampus, let alone one in Equestria." said Twilight.
"Really, I'd have figured you'd have read something in one of your books about them." said Applejack, Rarity nodded to this.
"I may have, but if i did, their wasn't much, for i don't remember them at all. Perhaps they tend not to deal much with ponies, he didn't seem to know we were ponies.
"Twilight's right. We should head in and talk to Princess Celestia. She might be able to help us. Or have more knowledge of where to start." said Fluttershy nodding towards the original idea.
They all agreed and waited for the train to pull in to the Canterlot station.