All Of Creation

All Of Creation

Prologue: The Patience of a Saint

The moment of magic was quickly approaching. Seafoam made it a point to never miss it once, even when he was at his busiest. He prepared his own little cloud overlooking the cove, so he could get the best view possible, a ritual he had learned to perform quite well over the past few years. He perched high above upon his ethereal cushion as he anxiously stared towards the horizon. The soft mist of the cloudstuff tickled his belly, eliciting a small giggle from the pony. He watched in silent awe as the sun slowly lowered, disappearing further beyond sight with each passing minute. The rays of light became more pronounced and distinct, until the time was just right, and the moment of magic happened.

When it was just barely dark enough that the town's firefly lanterns lit, but not quite so dark so that light had completely left, that is when one could witness it. Seafoam gazed intently at the rippling sea below. The sun's light began to dance amongst the ice encompassing the cove, refracting throughout its crystalline forms, illuminating the frigid water underneath. The ocean shone with an unearthly, soothing light that glistened in rhythm with the waves. It were as though only during these brief minutes was the sea granted the liberty to live, and decided to use the opportunity to its fullest. How strange that one of the most remarkable miracles of the sun could only be seen in its passing. Soon, the waters became sedate and dark once more as the sun retired for the night, and the shimmering moon took governance of the sky against its familiar backdrop of pitch black. But, Seafoam did not retire to his empty house, as he did every other night. He waited, eyes as wide and eager as before, tail swishing restlessly, as he gazed toward the horizon once more. Tonight was the night when Frostbite would return.

He swooped down to town to borrow a street lantern, and quickly flew back up to his post to search the horizon, trying to act as a pseudo-lighthouse for the very special vessel that should pull into Hippocampus Harbor that very night. Luna's grace was bountiful that night; the radiant moon shone as a beacon to the boundless sea, illuminating further out than normal. The frigid air complemented the skyborne glow to create a pale, muted expanse across the ocean; a visual treat for anypony who was still out at such an hour. The cold air sent a sharp shock up Seafoam’s spine and to his brain, jolting him to keep alert.

He could hardly lay still as he waited for the ship to poke its bow over the horizon. He dreamed about seeing his love again. The simple comfort of his touch as they lie together by the crackling fireplace, his sweet sea air musk, caked on as a permanency from months of travel, and best of all, staring into his passionate eyes. Oh, those steely-grey eyes... whenever he looked into them, he found his nerves getting the best of him, and usually ended up giggling like a schoolfilly.

The moon rose higher in the sky as night progressed. Accompanying it, the air was chilled even further beyond its already freezing bite; it was now directly overhead, shining down onto the villiage. Seafoam was used to the cold. He needed only his trusty sweater to brave the north's iciest winters. It was a gift from Frostbite; from the time he chanced upon a particularly industrious reindeer tribe in one of his expeditions. Even after wearing the garment nearly every day, it hardly showed any signs of wear; an amazing - and frankly welcome - phenomenon, considering how often Seafoam had to work with the rough weather required for coastal towns. Its warmth always was a welcome encouragement whenever he was working late on a large squall at the factory, and helped stave off loneliness during Frostbite’s travels.

The horizon was still barren, instilling a measure of unease in him. As time marched onward that night, the moon and the air began to bear consistently less influence on his alertness. Seafoam lowered his neck so as to rest his head on a tuft of cloud protruding upwards near the edge of the platform. He glanced downward at the waves slowly advancing towards the shore. Each perfectly in tempo in their path towards land, crashing gently against the miniature icebergs and the shore itself. The motion of them all acting as one weighed heavily on Seafoam's eyebrows. Their hypnotic motions fighting against the freezing nighttime air over say in his conscious state. Their imaginary battle raged on as the young stallion drifted indeterminately between asleep and awake. Perhaps a quick nap wouldn't hurt; he certainly would not abandon the wait for his darling, but he knew that he simply could not keep this up for much longer without some kind of shut eye. Seafoam conceded that if he was not here already, then it was not likely for him to be back for some time. Yes, a nap would be a lovely idea. Seafoam ceded victory to the entrancing waves, as he adjusted himself into a comfortable position on his cloud bed, and was soon dreaming happily, high above Hippocampus Bay, waiting for a certain special somepony.

The birds were chirping and singing outside. Hippocampus was cold year-round, so the birds simply learned to cope with the weather rather than migrate. It was a welcome anomaly to the townsfolk, who had the privilege of bearing audience to their symphonies all year-round. Thanks in part to a particularly close performance, Seafoam began to stir from the cloud upon which he had rested. He sniffed his surroundings. It was a pleasing aroma, indeed; one anypony would be delighted to wake up to. However, his mind was yet too groggy to recall it. Upon opening his eyes, he saw a familiar four walls, door, and window. A confusing sight, but a comforting and pleasing one, nonetheless. Turning his head to the side, he saw something even more pleasing. A pair of lovely grey eyes staring back down at him, accompanied by a calm, faint smile adorned the mouth below it.

"Morning, gorgeous. Long time, no see."