80 Days: Under the Wavesby Sharp SparkChapters.............................................................................Our Story Begins..................................Whoa there! Unlike other stories that you may be familiar with, this is a choose-your-own-adventure, written in a non-linear fashion. Rather than using the previous and next chapter buttons, utilize the links at the bottom of each chapter to explore the story. Let's try that again, shall we...? .I appreciated my mistress’s shrewdness, as we were already behind schedule. The cost of our new course was steep, but it was a much more direct path, and I had no qualms about bypassing Bengal and Lyonmar. “We have dealt with enough predators already,” I expressed to Madame Fog. “It will be nice to get back to a more civilized land.” She smiled back, thin-lipped. My words came back to haunt me only a short time later. It was near noon when we came under attack… .I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths, but my attacker’s grip was like iron. My thrashing only exhausted myself, until I involuntarily gasped for breath, only to choke on seawater. As my body spasmed, screaming for air, I could see the light of the surface receding further and further away, until all that was left was blackness. I awoke to a room not dissimilar from our spartan quarters onboard the freighter, but I could still feel the salty tang of seawater in my mouth as I coughed and gasped. To my bewilderment, my mistress was waiting there, a frown on her face. “Good,” she said. “You’ve come to. They said that you would be fine, but I would appreciate if you would not cause me such concern in the future, Porter.” I nodded, feeling the worry in her words, even if I knew other observers might only see a detached coldness. She explained our situation: the sharkponies had seized us as captives, sensing an opportunity for a sizable ransom. We were prisoners awaiting judgment from their Princess, who was away on a hunt and expected to return a few days hence. Madame Fog seemed to be more displeased with having to wait than with our precarious situation. Our captors allowed us free reign, and I quickly realized the rationale for their largesse; their entire city lay at the bottom of the ocean, constructed out of the remnants of ships that had sunk or been commandeered by sharkpony pirate bands. A glittering dome of magic allowed for breath, to our relief--even sharkponies could not permanently live in water, but required occasional breaths of air. But the water outside of the settlement proper was inky black, and any attempt at swimming away would clearly lead to death. I sought for something familiar in the alien place… I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city… I was overcome with curiosity about their society… .I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water. I expected at any moment for sharp teeth to pierce my flesh and braced myself to strike back in a moment of weakness, but no attack came. Instead, the sharkpony shifted his grip, carefully holding me with all four of his limbs as he used his powerful tail to swim down into the depths. The eerie silence of the water unsettled me as we traveled further and further down. I wondered if he intended on drowning me at the bottom of the ocean, but could not imagine such great expenditure of effort. My lungs were just starting to ache when I saw a light beneath us. A dome of magic flickered with phosphorescence at what had to be the very ocean floor. Countless ships nestled amongst rocks and sand, from ancient triremes to grand galleons to modern steamboats. Lights and movement revealed an entire city bustling with activity deep beneath the waves. It was enough to take one’s breath away--had my own not been so pressingly important, I would have gasped. As we swam further down and crossed the boundary of the dome, I found that the magic dome functioned to preserve air, even at this depth. I greedily drank in the oxygen as my captor gently released me onto a soft patch of sand. When I had recovered, I looked up to find him watching with glittering eyes and the same crooked smile. Madame Fog arrived not long after, deposited onto the same patch of sand at the outskirts of the sharkpony city. Our captors explained: we were prisoners, awaiting a decision from their leader as to the nature of our ransom. Their Princess would return from leading a more distant expedition within a few days. Until her arrival, we were free to explore the city at our leisure--the nature of our confinement made any escape obviously impossible. I sought for something familiar in the alien place… I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city… I was overcome with curiosity about their society… .I tactfully asked about the fate of the ship’s crew, but Sawtooth assured me that they had allowed the vessel to continue, after divesting it of its cargo. “We are smart and patient,” he said. “It is like the kelp weeds. You pull them up at the roots and you have kelp for today. But you leave the roots in place, and there will be kelp for next month.” “If you are weak fish who eats kelp!” one of his friends called out. Sawtooth threw a punch that sent the other sharkpony reeling across the room, but he hopped up again, roaring with laughter. “Then why capture my mistress and myself?” I asked. Sawtooth sized me up, his piercing eyes causing me to look away. “You are important drypony. Brave, strong. I have nose for this.” “Myself? Hardly. But indeed, Madame Fog is a known and respected personage.” Sawtooth didn’t even seem to hear. He slung one foreleg over my withers and drew me close. “Important! Bartender, another round for important drypony friend!” One drink turned into two, and before long I was standing arm in arm with Sawtooth and his pirate compatriots, shouting along to sea shanties despite not having the slightest clue about the words. I still don’t know how I managed to find my way back to the room that had been set aside for Madame Fog and myself. I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up... .Intrigued about my host, I pressed him for more details of himself. More precisely, I boldly declared, "I'd rather know more about you!" It was only after Sawtooth's eyeridges shot up that I realized how forward my words had been. I stammered out an apology, ruing the alcohol that I had already consumed. Sawtooth's drinking companions guffawed loudly, one of them slapping me roughly on the back. But Sawtooth's grin didn't waver, and he was silent for a moment amongst the whistles and catcalls of the other patrons of the bar. "You are strange drypony,” he finally announced. “But strange is sometimes good. And all times interesting.” As the night passed, he explained about his life and work as a pirate. He had been raised in the sharkpony way, though they had been previously far more nomadic, rarely spending more than a fortnight in any one place. When he talked about the days of his childhood, I caught glimpse of a faint wistfulness that seemed at odds with his rough exterior, only making me more intrigued about the sharkpony before me. We talked long into the night, and I was exhausted by the time I stumbled back to the dwellingplace that had been secured for my mistress and myself. To my pleasant surprise, Sawtooth sought me out the next day… .Much to my surprise, one sharkpony was preparing a kettle of tea, suspending the iron pot over a small fire. I paused and inquired whether he had leaves for sale--Celestia knows that my mistress and I have gone far too long without a decent cup, and a taste of home might raise Madame Fog’s spirits and fortify her for our travels. As it turned out, the concoction wasn’t tea at all, but a form of concentrated algae, boiled and refined into a hot beverage. Against my better judgment, I accepted a taste of the liquid and found it to be surprisingly good, even if a little strong in its salty flavor. After some haggling, I purchased several packets of the dried components. I felt certain that Madame Fog would turn her nose up at the idea of drinking algae, but it would certainly do in a pinch, and make an interesting souvenir of our journey besides. My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers... Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed... .Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed--hardly my preference, but certainly acceptable fare. If I could arrange for a source of fire and some cooking implements, I felt confident that I would be able to prepare a proper meal that would raise my mistress’s spirits. When I sought to pay for the goods, I realized that my stock of bits had diminished to almost nothing. Luckily, I still possessed a rather motley collection of coinage from our travels thusfar, and the seller proved quite happy to take my money. A glance at the other transactions going on revealed that the sharkponies had no obvious coins of their own, but used all manner of foreign currency, perhaps due to how much of their trade relied on piracy of passing vessels. Satisfied with my purchase, I left the market, happy to get away from its pervasive stink. Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest... .“Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired. She smiled, though any warmth in the expression was eclipsed by the sight of a mouthful of wickedly-pointed teeth. “Of course. Our theology is simple. Unlike the obedient and submissive drylanders, we recognize no higher power enacting laws or dictating our course. The way of the sea is to swim forward and seize fate, ere it slips away.” “I see,” I said. “But surely, you must have some sense of common ritual or worship? Something that orders and binds your society together?” “Our people are united in the frenzy and the flow. The only rite that we require is the taste of warm blood in the water, fresh and sharp. When we seize our prey and--” “I think I understand,” I hastily cut in. “Really. Thank you.” “What is this stone?” I asked… “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said... “I must be going,” I explained... .“We must bide our time, Madame. When their Princess has returned, we may be able to reach an agreement that allows for our departure.” Though her countenance appeared as detached as ever, I could sense her disappointment, a feeling that cut me to the heart. “If we must,” she said, and retired to her room. It would be three more days before the sharkpony pirate band returned, and even upon the arrival of their Princess Blackfin, we were told that we would not be able to meet to discuss our release for another day. It was that night that the invasion happened... .It was that night that the invasion happened. I was in a restless slumber, plagued by unfortunate dreams until a scream awakened me to a nightmare much more real and immediate. “Gather our things,” Madame Fog said, standing at the porthole window and looking out into the city. I could smell smoke in the air, along with an unidentifiable acrid stench. I quickly packed our meagre possessions, and joined my mistress to peer outside. Orange flames licked at the bones of the derelict ships of the settlement. Strange figures coursed over and through the structures in a preternatural fluidity. They were equine in form but strikingly pale, and when one looked up at me, I shuddered to realize that it had no eyes, only a smooth expanse of rubbery skin where they would have been. A forked tongue hissed out of the creature’s gaping maw, but then a sharkpony galloped into view, and the creature and several of its kind turned as one to rush at the poor mare. They caught up to her in an instant, and I turned away, trying to block the screams from my ears. “What do we do?” I asked, helplessly. “Where do we go?” My mistress paced back and forth, thinking, pausing only to stare out at the city. Suddenly she halted, as something caught her eye. “Follow me.” We fled through the streets... .We fled through the streets, and I cannot recount the horrors I witnessed there. The invaders were everywhere, and many times I thought they would set upon us next, only for a contingent of pirate defenders to trot into view and engage them in battle, or for a fleeing civilian to catch their eye as more tantalizing prey. We ran and ran, until we reached an odd, bell-shaped vessel. “Inside,” my mistress barked out. “And hurry!” I clambered inside the small craft, and Madame Fog followed, closing a hatch behind us. I could still hear muffled shrieks from the chaos outside. “Are we truly safe here?” I asked. My mistress did not answer, simply staring forward with her lips pressed into a line. Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise... .I was overcome with curiosity about their society and wandered for a time among the patchwork metropolis of dilapidated sea vessels. The only differentiation between private homes and public enterprises were colorful symbols painted upon walls and doors in an unfamiliar language of thorny symbols. I knew there had to be some order to the chaos, but could not discern any planning, and the tendency of the sharkpony inhabitants to constantly move from place to place reminded me of a hive of swarming ants. The sharkponies spoke in a tongue of their own as well, a raspy whisper incomprehensible to my ears. The majority appeared friendly and interested in me, but were unable to answer my inquiries, as it appeared that only the members of raiding parties had any need of Equestrian on a regular basis. Nonetheless, I finally found one to direct me to points of interest within the settlement. I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself… Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest... .I inquired about the sharkpony Princess who was currently away, only for a flicker of apprehension to briefly darken Sawtooth’s expression. “Blackfin is good Princess,” Sawtooth declared. “He is good sharkpony. Do not listen to rumors and superstitions.” “But… Princess?” I was understandably confused. “Yes, this is word dryponies use for leader, protector. Blackfin likes the name, so he takes it.” “But there’s more to it than that. Princess implies a certain set of… physical characteristics. If you’re following me?” The quizzical look on Sawtooth’s face implied that he wasn’t. I decided to be more candid, deciding that a literal dive bar was not an environment that necessitated tact and etiquette. “Wings,” I said. “And a horn. How is he supposed to be a Princess without those?” Sawtooth roared with laughter. “What use are wings in the water? Blackfin has strong fins. And he has sharp teeth, that can crunch through bone and horn. Better than drypony Princess.” I let the comment slide with a wan smile, and reached for another drink. It would only be several hours later that I realized just how little sharkponies slept and just how potent their drinks were. I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up… .With that, we crept inside the shrine, cautious of any worshippers or clergy remaining within. The shrine was silent and empty, though I nearly jumped at the sight of the twisted bone statuary, which in the dim light took on unsettling forms. We approached the floating stone at the center of the dais, and after once again peering around to determine that we were alone, I retrieved the hammer and chisel from my saddlebag and set to work. A golden aura enveloped the stone as Madame Fog cautiously shielded it in her magic, though I do not know to what ends - either to silence my efforts, or stabilize the stone under my hooves, or some other arcane purpose beyond my understanding. It took an agonizing expanse of time before I was able to break off sufficiently large fragments for Madame Fog and myself. We stole away from the sanctum, still alert for anypony who had taken notice of our theft, but no shout of alarm or cry of horror came. Scarcely an hour later, we walked out of the eastern bounds of the city... .I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up at our temporary dwellingplace. At first I could hardly differentiate the pounding on the door from the pounding in my head, but when I opened it to check, he stood outside, looking irresponsibly chipper. “Come, drypony!” he growled. “Let us go on our hunt.” Rubbing my eyes blearily, I made an attempt to protest, but he assured me that I had agreed to accompany him at some point the night previous. When I brought up my unsuitability for ocean travel, he produced a mask-device that had been enchanted to provide oxygen. I was left without any firm excuses. Putting aside my hangover, I agreed to go... Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity... .“I must be going,” I explained. “I have to look after my Mistress, but I thank you for your kindness in answering my questions.” The priestess pulled her hood back over her head, shrouding her face in darkness. It suddenly seemed much colder in the room, and the scrimshawed bone statues cast eerie, alien shadows. “Take care, Porter Stout,” she said. “Darkness awaits. Take care, lest it swallow you and your mistress both.” “Yes, of course,” I said, backing away. I didn’t turn around until I had made it to the door, and I quickly retreated down the street, still unsettled about the priestess’s final words. I resolved to return to my Madame Fog immediately. I found her impatiently awaiting my arrival. “Where have you been, Porter?” she said. “Have you secured for us a means of transportation?” I hesitated, pondering my reply. “We must bide our time, Madame.” “I may have an idea, but it is likely to be risky.” .To my pleasant surprise, Sawtooth sought me out the next day, with a rather interesting offer. He explained that he wished me to accompany him to an unknown destination, to show me some kind of surprise. The vagueness in his description left me both wary and unmistakably curious. Of course, I pointed out that surviving outside the city would be rather difficult for an earth pony such as myself, but he proudly grinned as he presented a mask, with glass protecting the eyes and a series of tubes around the mouth. It had been crafted by a friend, he explained, and enchanted to transmute ocean water into oxygen for its wearer. Had it been any other sharkpony, I likely would have dismissed the offer out of hoof--they certainly had already demonstrated a predilection for piracy, though I likely did not have much more for them to steal. But Sawtooth struck me as a creature of a different sort. I saw a certain kind of nobility and strength in his character. I eagerly accepted his proposition... Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity... .Putting aside my hangover, I agreed to go. Sawtooth grinned toothily and assured me I would not regret my decision. He led me to the western edge of the city, and strode boldly through the demarcation between air and water. Securing my mask, I more hesitantly followed. The mask, however, performed flawlessly, and despite some brief discomfort I quickly adjusted to breathing the transmuted air that it provided. Accustoming myself to moving in the water proved more difficult, and my attempts to swim were awkward and ineffective. Sawtooth rasped out a deep chuckle, the sound burbling oddly through the water. With a sweep of his powerful tail, he swam around me and I felt his forelegs tuck under my own, wrapping around my barrel. And then we launched forwards, with his strength easily managing to carry both of us along. Travelling through the dark ocean bottom was frightening, but exhilarating. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, as well as the deeper, slower thrum of Sawtooth’s heart through his chest pressed tightly against my back. Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef... .I protested the exorbitant cost, noting that our funds were rapidly dwindling, but my mistress assured me that we would be able to wire for more once we had reached our destination. She retired to our meagre quarters to rest, leaving me pacing the deck. The crew took to the change of course without any argument, but I thought I could sense fear in their dark and piercing eyes. I cornered one of the marsupials and pressed him for details. In a surprisingly deep voice for a creature of his size, he gave me further cause for concern. “Pirates,” he said. “This is not a fast ship, but we’re prepared to fight any who would seize our cargo. And we are small enough that we may yet slip through undetected.” For the next few days, I spent most of my time on deck, watching the horizon for any sign of approaching vessels. It was near noon when we came under attack… .Ensuring my mistress’s safety was the most pressing matter, particularly as I was unarmed and unprepared. I galloped away from the melee, only to nearly crash into her as she emerged from belowdecks. “What’s all this about, Porter?” she asked, but upon looking past me, her curiosity resolved into grimness. I turned to see a sharkpony advancing on us both, a muscular male whose razor-sharp teeth formed a crooked grin. “Stand back, you!” I called, trotting forward in front of my mistress. “Madame Fog has no part of this! Take the cargo that you came for, but leave us be.” His head tilted back and forth, as he sized me up, still advancing. Then he sprung forward, grabbing me with both forelegs as his momentum sent me stumbling backwards. The rail of the ship crashed into my back and then I was falling, the both of us tumbling towards the dark waves. I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths… I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water… .I caught sight of one of the nearby fish and gulped, steeling my nerves. I felt it necessary to make an effort for Sawtooth, the better to help understand his people and ways. Yet I didn’t want to spend any more time contemplating taking a life than necessary. A brilliant blue fish swam up, curiously eyeing us. Its mouth bobbed open and closed, and I hesitated but for a moment before striking out with the trident. Unfortunately, the difficulty of moving in the water and the agility of the tiny fish meant my clumsy attempt fell dispiritingly short. The fish bolted, diving into a crevice between coral outcroppings, and I could feel the rumbles of laughter from Sawtooth, still holding me. I decided that I had tried enough at this task… I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely... .“I may have an idea, but it is likely to be risky.” “Had I required safety, I would not have left Canterlot,” Madame Fog said. I explained my plan, and quickly left to gather our necessities. By the time I had secured the required tools, night had fallen, a difference only distinguishable in our underwater prison by a change in the flickering magic light that lit the streets. I met up with my mistress again in an alley between two ships, across from the shrine that I had previously visited. “You are quite certain?” she asked. I nodded. “Is anypony inside?” “Not as far as I am aware. One of these sharkponies departed shortly ago.” With that, we crept inside the shrine... .I threw it down, unwilling to disturb the beauty around me, and Sawtooth abruptly dropped me to float freely as he darted down to catch the implement before it sunk into some crevice in the reef. He looked up at me with a mixture of concern and questioning, as if I were some kind of puzzle that he had yet to figure out. I looked away, choosing instead to stare at some nearby coral. My head was full of complicated feelings… I felt understandably disgusted... .I decided that I had tried enough at this task, and hoofed the trident back up to Sawtooth. He grinned back with a kind of amusement that felt ever-so-slightly condescending. I shook my head to clear it of the doubts, and tried to focus on the beauty around us. Yet I couldn’t help but feel annoyed at the way things had turned out, and found myself growing tired of the garish colors and strange shapes of the coral reef. Eventually sensing my frustration, Sawtooth turned us around and we bade the reef farewell. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city... .I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings, deciding that hunting one of the eels or crustaceans would be preferable to the more beautiful and vibrant sealife in the upper reaches of the reef. When we drew near to a foreboding cavern, I began to reevaluate the wisdom of my choice. Sawtooth gently let go of me, and I drifted close down to the opening. I could see something moving within, slithering in dark shadows. Yet I would not be dissuaded from my task. I waited, peering closely until I thought I could discern the right place to strike, and then moved with speed and precision. Unfortunately, I missed entirely, and the trident struck rock, jolting me back. Glowing eyes lit up in the cavern, and I would have let out a shriek had my mask not prevented such. Some kind of bulbous multi-armed creature surged outwards, right at me. Apparently it was as scared as I was, however. It let loose a dark, inky cloud right in my face, and then shot away as I flailed wildly. Finally, the cloud dispersed and I wiped the liquid away from my mask, only to see Sawtooth laughing uproariously. I crossed my arms, frowning at him behind my mask, but he swam up behind me, catching hold again to bring me up and away from the bottom of the reef. I decided that I had tried enough at this task... I caught sight of one of the nearby fish, and gulped, steeling my nerves… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely... .My head was full of complicated feelings as I turned back to Sawtooth and motioned at the reef around me in some frustrated, wordless kind of explanation. I don’t know that he understood, but he gave me a slow nod in return as I swept a foreleg across at the beauty and tranquility surrounding us. Letting out a deep breath, I relaxed, floating in the water, and he swam up to take hold of me again, albeit somewhat gingerly. From there, he allowed me to direct our journey onward. We spent quite a time exploring the vibrant locale, and the awe-inspiring sights in the place cheered me tremendously. It seemed as if some new wonder lay around every corner that we turned, and Sawtooth eagerly led me to all manners of delights throughout the beautiful reef. When we finally, reluctantly left, I turned my head back for one last glimpse. Sawtooth noticed my motion and turned. For a moment, we hung there in the water together, enjoying the peaceful moment as we drank in the beautiful vista. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city... .It was late by the time we arrived back at the city. Sawtooth accompanied me back to my temporary quarters, where the lack of a light indicated my mistress had already retired for the night. For a moment, I thought that he had something further to say, but he turned away, giving me a curt nod before trotting off. I stood there for a moment, reflecting on my time and experiences here, a place that I had never imagined even existing. When I went inside, I found my mistress sleeping, and before long, I had joined her. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later... .I responded with actions, not words. After a long moment, our lips parted once more, and I drank in breath, caught off guard even by my own forwardness. I looked back up into his eyes, so close to my own. “Porter,” he said again, mouth twisting into a grin as he said the word slowly. “Do you--?” I did. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later... .I smiled, and thanked him in turn, raising a hoof to meet one of his. My loyalty remained with my mistress and our mission, but I knew that I had found in Sawtooth an enduring friendship, all the more remarkable for the brevity of our time together. Our journey had brought us halfway across the world thusfar, and I knew that we had another half yet to go. But more than anything else, I had already discovered how even in the most unfamiliar and alien places, even with strange and occasionally fearsome creatures, we could still discover a commonality of spirit and understanding. Should our journey take eighty days or one hundred and eighty, such a realization was nonetheless invaluable. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later... .“I’m sure he’s fine,” I said. My eyes focused on where the line disappeared into the darkness in front of us. The only sound was the high-pitched whirring as the line rapidly reeled in. When I saw a hazy figure move in the darkness, at first I relaxed in relief. Then I saw that it wasn’t Crankshaft at all. A pale figure, equine in shape but eyeless and alien in features swam rapidly towards us. Minnow let out a shriek, but the creature swam right over us. A moment later it was followed by a second, and then a third. By the time Crankshaft appeared, limbs flailing as the line pulled him closer, countless of the horrifying creatures had passed us by. And I knew the only place they could be going was the city. When he stumbled out of the airlock and jerked his helmet off, I worried that we would already be too late. “We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!” .I turned wordlessly away, fumbling to open the door. When I glanced back over my shoulder, Sawtooth had already vanished. I let out a breath, feeling sick to my stomach with emotions that I could not name--or perhaps, simply did not want to recognize. My mistress was fast asleep in bed, much as I had expected. It took a long time before I was able to do the same. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later... .The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later, but a functionary quickly informed us that we would not be able to meet with her until the following day. Despite some rather heated words from my mistress, this schedule was immutable. Unfortunately, we would never have that audience. That very night, a scream jolted me awake. I hastily climbed out of the bed and rushed to the window to see ships and buildings set aflame. Strange white figures swarmed in the smoke and I quickly realized the situation: the city was under attack. I immediately leapt to defend the citizens… My mistress was my sole concern... .“Uh-huh,” I protested. “Nuh-uh,” she objected. “Uh-huh,” I countered... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .“I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said. Her face darkened. “The shrine belongs here. The city does not.” “I don’t know that I follow.” “Our people are nomads. We must travel to stay alive. Our leader”--she practically spat the word--”has broken from this tradition to live as the dryponies do. To stay in one place, no longer a predator but a pile of barnacles clinging to a rock.” “But the shrine has always been here?” She glanced over to the floating stone. “This has long been a place of rest and safety.” “Because of the stone?” I blinked. “Of course. It must be what sustains the pocket of air down here.” She ignored me, resuming her pacing around the stone as her voice grew more aggrieved. “But this place is safe no longer. The waves have been cold of late. A new current flows from the deep. Blackfin has upset the balance, and he will pay for this transgression. I pray that our people will not all suffer for his mistake.” “Your words are ominous,“ I said. "Is that prophecy or simply ill feeling?" She remained silent, circling the stone with her head bowed low. “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “What is this stone?” I asked… “I must be going,” I explained... .Sawtooth and I moved as one to attack. I lashed out with my hooves, barely avoiding the creature’s sharp teeth. It gave Sawtooth the opening he needed, and with vicious precision, he tore out the creature’s throat. I was moving on instinct and adrenaline, some of my old military training animating me. It was too late for the guard who had been attacked, but Sawtooth picked up his weapon and tossed it to me. I caught it--a pike, with a serrated blade for its head--just as we heard scream from nearby. “Find somewhere safe,” I crisply said to Madame Fog. She nodded, lips pressed together in a grim line. The rest of the night was a blur of violence and chaos... .The rest of the night was a blur of violence and chaos, as Sawtooth and I fought from one street to the next, waging war against a seemingly endless wave of unearthly creatures. Most were the pale, eyeless equines that we had first seen. They fought with an astonishing lack of self-preservation that made every encounter dangerous. The beasts would accept any wound, no matter how mortal, if it allowed them the opportunity to draw blood in their headlong attacks. Even stranger monsters roamed the streets, with tentacles and claws and bulbous malformed bodies. I could not stop to analyze or comprehend our enemies. I simply fought on, and on, even as exhaustion set into my very bones. At times Sawtooth would be at my side, and then he would vanish, pulled away into the darkness to pursue a foe or rescue a friend. And yet, just as I found myself outmatched and on the verge of despair, he would reappear again to jump into the fray and together we would overcome the most dire of odds. An eternity of hours later, I heard a piercing, otherworldly scream, and all of the invaders halted, freezing in place. In pure shock, I found myself doing the same for a fraction of a second, but then the creatures retreated, fleeing headlong with the same singularity of purpose that they had previously put to murder. I slumped back against Sawtooth, my hide slick with ichor and blood. “We… we did it,” I gasped out, as black spots spun in my vision. My exertions had caught up to me in full, and I felt consciousness quickly slipping from my grasp. I looked over, searching out Sawtooth’s uneven grin, but I could sense something else lurking in his eyes. My vision trailed down, to see a horrendous jagged wound stretching down his right foreleg. And then I fell headlong into unconsciousness. I awoke in yet another unfamiliar place... .It took significant more discussion and negotiation to convince Crankshaft, but he eventually agreed to transport us to Koala Lumpur. I pressed him to leave as soon as possible, knowing that my mistress would dislike any undue delay, but he insisted on one final trip to check on some project of his prior to our departure. “You will come too,” he announced. “That way you will understand the importance of my work.” I begrudgingly agreed, but pushed for him to make his trip a few days earlier than he had planned. He set to preparing the submersible, which he had named the Hippocampus, while I returned to inform Madame Fog about our plans. She was so pleased at the news that I saw a brief smile cross her face. Unfortunately, she also immediately expressed interest in accompanying us on the preliminary trip. Nonetheless I convinced her to stay, concerned about her safety... I acceded to her desires, and the next day we boarded the Hippocampus... .I immediately leapt to defend the citizens, rushing to the streets and seizing the weapon of a fallen pirate guard. The pale invaders were monsters from a nightmare, eyeless equines with gaping, slavering voids for mouths. They pursued anything that moved with a relentless fervor, including even fleeing children. I fought as best as I could, interposing myself between the vulnerable and their attackers to try and buy time for the civilians to flee. Alone, however, I found myself hopelessly outmatched, and many times I saw my life pass before my eyes. Somehow, however, I held on, fighting a rearward retreat that followed the fleeing populace. Only when I found my back to the wall of seawater did I realize my mistake; while the sharkponies dove into the ocean to flee into open waters, I had no similar capability. I was weighing my possibilities when rescue arrived in the form of Madame Fog. While I had been waging a valiant but hopeless war, she had used the time to seek help. Thus she arrived with a weary band of sharkpony guards, nursing a wide variety of wounds. “We are escaping, Porter,” she commanded, and I had no remaining strength to argue. I clung to the back of one of the sharkponies as we swam away… .I clung to the back of one of the sharkponies as we swam away. Yet I could not resist looking over my shoulder at the city as we fled. The glowing dome that had once held such a thriving metropolis was darkened and cloudy, the swirls of smoke from burning structures trapped within. I dared not imagine the fate of the equines who were trapped there as well. My lungs were burning and crying out for oxygen by the time we finally breached the surface. Above us, countless stars shone down from a cloudless night sky. We floated for a moment, bobbing between gentle waves as my mistress negotiated with the leader of the small sharkpony band. “They will take us east,” she finally said. “But we must move slowly, and watch for other survivors as we travel.” “We are lucky to have survived.” “We are over a week behind schedule,” she coldly informed me. “We will require more luck still.” [ENDING C] .My mistress was my sole concern, and we fled, galloping past unimaginable horrors in streets that I had walked only hours previous. I cannot speak of the carnage I witnessed, as alien beasts set upon unarmed sharkpony civilians, even mares and foals. Those who stood and fought back only drew the attention of more of the seemingly unending invaders, who attacked savagely with no sense of self-preservation. It dwarfed even my own darkest memories of my time in the changeling invasion of Canterlot. Even in the worst of the bloody fighting in the streets it had been war. This-- this was simply slaughter. We did not have a destination, and rationally, we knew that we could not leave the city. Only upon spying a bell-shaped iron vessel did I regain some composure and direct my mistress in that direction. I had to struggle to turn the rusty wheel on its hatch, but we hastily climbed inside and sealed the door shut. All we could do is pray for some miracle. Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise... .“Yes,” I lied, unwilling to let an obvious opportunity pass. “Get lost!” he barked out, and slammed the door in my face. I stood outside for a moment, nonplussed, before knocking again. He didn’t answer. I was debating whether to leave or to try a third time, when a young sharkfilly trotted up. “Hi, Mister!” she chirped out. “Are you here to see Dr. Crankshaft? “I suppose so,” I said. “What can you tell me about him?” Her eyes grew round, as she hopped in place. “Only that he’s the bestest smartest scientist and inventor in the entire world!” Still a little irked, I felt the need to be pedantic… “Then I certainly need his help,” I declared... .“Uh-huh,” I insisted. “Nuh-uh,” she argued. “Uh-huh,” I elucidated... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .“Uh-huh,” I parried. “Nuh-uh,” she riposted. “Uh-huh,” I said... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .I hesitated. “Some say a great dragon sleeps below, and that our earthquakes and volcanoes are a result of its tossing and turning in slumber.” “Mmm.” Crankshaft nodded. “The truth may be closer than you imagine. I don’t know about dragons, but there’s something of great power beneath us. Something that generates such strong magic that even the ambient fields are supernaturally charged, the closer you get.” “And you’re making use of that magic? How?” “You’ll see,” he said. The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend... .“Uh-huh,” I said. “Nuh-uh,” she said, but louder. “Uh-huh,” I insisted... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .“Okay, sure,” I grumbled. She beamed at me, relishing her rhetorical victory. “He can make anything in the whole world! It’s like magic, but only better.” “Then I certainly need his help,” I declared... .“Then I certainly need his help,” I declared. “My mistress and I are seeking passage to the east. We’re on a journey, you see, to travel around the entire world in less than eighty days.” The filly’s eyes lit up. “Wow! Well, I bet Dr. Crankshaft can figure something out.” She brushed past me and opened the door, trotting blithely inside. Just as I was about to follow, her head popped back out, and she chirped out, “Oh, and I’m Minnow! Come on in!” The interior of the galleon was a vast space, filled with haphazardly organized technological detritus. The cogs, springs, sprockets and other unidentifiable scraps of metal looked to be haphazardly organized at best, but Minnow made a beeline for a heap of insulated wire and began rooting around within. “My buddy and I are making a telegraph,” she said proudly. “Go ahead, I bet the Doctor’s in the back.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk... .I pointed out that Minnow seemed like a strange name for a sharkpony, at least as far as I could tell. The little filly made a face at me. “I know, I know, but I’m almost old enough to go on my first real hunt. Then I’ll finally get a way better one. I’m still deciding on it though... What do you think about Gorefin Bloodripper the Great?” “That’s certainly vivid,” I noted, at a loss for more… “Perhaps a little more subtlety is called for?” I suggested... .“That’s certainly vivid,” I noted, at a loss for more. She beamed at me. “Right? Oh, if you’re looking for Dr. Crankshaft, he’s probably in the back working on the Hippocampus.” “I’m sorry?” “It’s--” she abruptly stopped, her grin widening. “Actually, you just gotta see it for yourself.” “I see,” I said, pursing my lips. “Thank you.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk... .“Perhaps a little more subtlety is called for?” I suggested. “Gorefin Bloodripper the Subtle?” “Ah, no,” I said. “Not exactly.” She frowned. “Aw, beans. Maybe I shoulda listened to Ripple and borrowed a thesaurus from the library after all.” “I would love to help you workshop it," I said, "but I have some pressing business to attend to." “Oh, right! I bet Dr. Crankshaft’s in the back, working on the Hippocampus.” “The what?” She smiled broadly. “I don’t wanna ruin the surprise. Go and see.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk... .“Uh-huh,” I elucidated. “Nuh-uh,” she demurred. “Uh-huh,” I protested... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .Then I saw a light far below us, steadily growing closer. As we descended, I could make out more and more of a small metallic structure, lit by magiflourescent lamps on stakes. The building was barely big enough for a pony, with the top concave and ridged. Cables stretched out from its base into the darkness. “We’re here,” Crankshaft announced. The Hippocampus drew closer until directly over top of the structure, and then with a minor jolt, we settled into place. I realized the purpose of the cradle as Crankshaft turned to another part of the submersible, flipping down a panel to reveal a system of readouts. “This is where you generate the power?” I asked. “Store,” he grunted. “Even now we’re not close enough for optimum gathering efficiency. I have mobile condensers mounted on extraction units that drill down. I just store accumulated energy here. But--” his hooves ran across a series of switches, flipping some and ignoring others. “We have a problem with one of the extractors.” “So, what, we need to go fix it?” I let out a sigh. “How long will that take?” “I’ve had them slowly drilling into the bedrock, utilizing their own power. This one has stopped, which means something has broken… Or that it ran out of bedrock.” He prodded the diving suit that Minnow had been hiding with. “I’ll need to go check and make sure.” “I’ll do it,” I said... “Just hurry,” I said... .The line connecting Crankshaft to the vessel suddenly went slack. “Take us out of here,” Madame Fog said. “Now.” Minnow burst into tears. I pushed the throttle forward as far as I could, and we began to move upwards, towards the surface of the crevasse. I saw more pale figures on all sides of us. Countless numbers of the creatures swam alongside, and I knew with a sick feeling in my stomach where they had to be headed. When we got out of the crevasse and could see the city, I knew that it was already too late. My mistress reached out a hoof to shield Minnow from the sight, bringing her into an uncharacteristic hug. “Should we--” “No,” Madame Fog said. “Take us away from here.” She bent down to get to eye level with the little sharkfilly. “It’s going to be fine,” she said, in a softer voice than I had ever heard before. “But I need you to be strong, okay? Do you know a place that’s far away but safe? Where your family would go in an emergency?” Sniffling, Minnow nodded. “Th-- there’s another place we go in the summers sometime. I can show you where.” As we set off, the lonely submersible traveling through the wide and open sea, I couldn’t help but look back one last time at the burning city behind us, at the bottom of the ocean floor. It had been a strange place, a sight that few ponies would ever see. And as the dome of magic abruptly winked out and the ocean came crashing in to reclaim its place, I realized that I might be the last pony to have ever had that chance. [ENDING H] .I knew that greed motivated all ponies, whether or not they’d admit it. Crankshaft would be no different. “Bits,” I said. “Research and development certainly doesn’t come cheap. If you bring us the distance to Koala Lumpur, or even Maneila, then Madame Fog can arrange to have you thoroughly recompensated. Think of what further funds would allow you to accomplish!” He shook his head. “I’m doing just fine already. I’m not going to go out of my way and waste my time. How can I even trust you to follow through? You paying in advance?” “No,” I admitted. “Right now our funds are limited. We just need to find somewhere with a proper bank, though, and arrange for them to wire--” “No deal,” he said, firmly. I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride... I chose to call upon his sense of honor... .I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride. As I pondered how best to state my case, I caught ahold of a spiderweb of an idea. “You asked if I was from the Canterlot Artificer’s Guild,” I said slowly. He looked up sharply. “So?” “So you know them. Probably worked with them, lived there, given your accent.” I kept my eyes on him, studying his face for a reaction, but he remained silent. “Then why are you here, in the middle of nowhere? What exactly are you doing? Something they wouldn’t approve--” “They’re all shortsighted fools,” he barked out. “Standing in the way of progress and common sense both, because they won’t recognize the importance of my work.” “What if that could be changed?” I mused. He let out a huff of bitter laughter, but I could see the interest in his eyes. “Madame Fog certainly has connections to the Guild, as well as broader academia. What if she were able to arrange to have your work published, somewhere where everypony would see?” “Hm,” he said. “I’m listening.” It took significant more discussion and negotiation... .I chose to call upon his sense of honor, hoping he’d see the nobility of our cause. “Truly, you must understand the importance of our journey.” “From what you’ve said, it just sounds like bored nobles making foolish wagers,” he growled out. “I’ve no use for it.” “It’s so much more than that, though. This is a task never before accomplished. A great step forward for equinity!” “No,” he said, jabbing a hoof at his workbench. “The work I’m do is what’s going to change the world. You’re just tourists who are even more oblivious and in the way than usual.” I knew that greed motivated all ponies... I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride... .Minnow was oddly quiet and still, staring out into the ocean. “Everything okay?” I asked. “They really do say not to come down here,” she said. “And not like… ‘don’t go out to the reef on your own’ or ‘look both ways before you cross a current.’ The grownups always look a little scared when they talk about here.” “I see,” I said. “Well, it can’t be that dangerous, right? Dr. Crankshaft can take care of himself.” She shuffled her hooves. “I hope so.” I occupied myself with familiarizing myself with the dials and readouts. One of them looked to be the submersible’s charge, and I could see it slowly tick up as we remained connected to the cradle below. Then the line connected to Crankshaft jerked twice, twanging hard. I hesitated, and then moved to the lever, but Minnow had already jumped to pull it down. She was breathing heavily. “I’m sure he’s fine,” I said… “We… We should go,” I abruptly decided... .I acceded to her desires, and the next day we boarded the Hippocampus. I could not help but notice my mistress brought along the entirety of our meagre possessions. I did not know if such actions were prudent or overly optimistic. I focused on watching Crankshaft pilot the submersible, trying to understand its workings. “Tell me,” my mistress said. “What exactly is your research concerned with?” “Power,” Crankshaft said, “and lots of it. You’re familiar with the steam engine?” She nodded, not making any further comment. His question seemed patently rhetorical to me; nopony could be ignorant of the drastic changes that the steam engine had wrought upon our world. “It’s outdated. The future is in magikinetics.” Madame Fog narrowed her eyes. “I fear that technology has proven to be resolutely impractical. No known source of magic could sustain a magikinetic generator at any reasonable efficiency.” “Yes, no known source. But what if I had found one? Tell me: what lies at the center of the earth?” My mistress looked at Crankshaft sharply... .I felt understandably disgusted at the entire endeavor, and the colors and sights of the coral reef took on an unpleasant texture to me. It was a place of life, yes, but the sharkponies had made it a place of death as well, and I could not stomach that transformation. I pushed Sawtooth away, and awkwardly tried to make my own way through the water. I assume he went to hunt on his own, as he was gone when I looked back. I tried to explore the reef further, but found my attempts to be frustrating and ineffective. My flailing attempts at swimming disturbed the marine life and sent them all into hiding, leaving me stumbling through a lifeless forest of garish rocks. Finally, Sawtooth returned, and wordlessly took hold of me again, as we swam away. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city... .“Wow, yeah!” a voice chirped from inside a locker. I grimaced, and opened it up, Minnow tumbled out, tangled up in the diving suit within. She looked up at Madame Fog and cheerily waved. “Hi, I’m Minnow!” “I thought I told you you couldn’t come,” Crankshaft growled. “Oh did you?” she answered sweetly. “I guess it’s too late now though.” While they argued, I caught sight of a light far below us. As we drew closer, I could see a metal structure with a concave, ridged top. Cables snaked out from its base, disappearing into the darkness of the crevasse. As we settled onto the top of the structure, I heard a metallic clank and realized that it served as a docking station for the Hippocampus. Crankshaft pulled down a panel, revealing more gauges and dials. “The extractors are located a short distance away,” he said distractedly. “I didn’t want them interfering with one another. But it looks like one is broken. They’re set up as drills, self-powering to slowly bore deeper into the bedrock. Something went wrong with one though. Or… it ran out of bedrock.” “Then go check on it,” my mistress said... .“Then go check on it,” my mistress said. “Take the little one too. She can swim, so you can send her back if you run into trouble.” Crankshaft frowned, but nodded. He began struggling into the diving suit, while Minnow hopped around, overcome with excitement. Finally, he put on the large circular helmet, connecting it up to the oxygen tanks on his back. He clipped a line onto the suit and then he and Minnow stepped out into the airlock. I watched them disappear into the murky darkness, following one of the cables snaking out in that direction. “Porter,” my mistress said, as she ran a hoof across the control board, “can you pilot this vessel?” “Of course,” I said. “Shall we be off?” I grasped her meaning. “Yes, but…” .“Of course,” I said. “Shall we be off?” A wan smile crossed her face. Retrieving a pocketknife from her person, she cut through the cable connecting to Crankshaft. A moment later, I had worked out how to disengage us from the cradle below, and we began drifting upwards. “Crankshaft will be fine,” I said, more to reassure myself than anything else. “He had enough oxygen to last for some time, and we are not far from the city. Minnow can guide him back.” My mistress did not answer. She had spread out a chart, and was determining our course from here. It took a little time to adjust myself to the controls, but before long we had left the crevasse. I directed us to the east... .I directed us to the east, and we set off, making quite good time. Unfortunately, it was on the third day when I realized what dial represented the submersible’s charge, and only then when the controls abruptly ceased working. Thankfully, we could still force the vessel to the water’s surface, but we were unquestionably stranded. Madame Fog concerned herself with working out our exact position. “I believe us to be on a major trade route,” she assured me. “We shall simply flag down a passing ship.” That’s when I saw the fins break the surface of the waves, moving in our direction from the west. [ENDING G] .I grasped her meaning. “Yes, but...” “Mmm,” she said. “I was simply inquiring, as to be prepared for all eventualities.” We waited in silence, watching the cable stretch out into the gloom of the crevasse. “Could his plan work?” I eventually asked. Madame Fog shrugged. “Potentially. If he is correct about the source of the magic. And if he could find a way to actually convey that power to somewhere useful. I have some doubts about both. Steam power is useful because it’s reliable and safe. Magic has a tendency to come alongside unexpected dangers.” “Like what?” She didn’t answer. A moment later, I saw a flash of movement in the darkness... .A moment later, I saw a flash of movement in the darkness. I peered forward, to see Minnow swimming towards us, as fast as she possibly could. More alarmingly, I saw something pale behind her, in close pursuit. “Open the airlock,” my mistress crisply ordered, and I fumbled with the controls, trying to comply. The external door slid open just in time for Minnow to dart inside, and I slammed a hoof down to close it again. An unearthly screech shook the entire vessel. When the interior door opened, and Minnow stumbled in, I was already working to disengage us from the docking station. “Monsters,” she croaked out. “Monsters!” The pale creature swam right in front of the glass and I caught a better sight of it. Even so, my mind didn’t quite know how to process its alien features. “You gotta save Dr. Crankshaft,” Minnow said, nearly hysterical. “He-- He--” The line connecting Crankshaft to the vessel suddenly went slack... .The Hippocampus tilted downwards and we began to descend, entering the darkness of a jagged crevasse. Crankshaft reached up to flip a switch, and lights attached to the submersible flicked on, illuminating the water in front of us. “Oh, gee, they always tell us not to go down here,” a voice chirped from behind me. With a clank, the door to a locker swung open, and Minnow fell out, tangled up in a pony-sized diving suit. She wiggled her way out and trotted forward, rearing back and craning her head to look out into the water. “I thought I told you that you weren’t allowed to come,” Crankshaft growled. “Too late now!” Minnow’s hoof jabbed at the glass. “Whoa, look at that!” We all peered forward into the murky water. A strange, sinuous fish drew close to peer at us. Its body was eel-like, but covered in spiny protrusions. A glowing pink orb dangled from a tendril in front of a assymetrical fanged maw. It paused, considering us, but then turned in a flash and darted away. “The creatures down here are affected by the magic leakage,” Crankshaft said. “There’s a lot of weird things out there, but most of them are just as scared as us as we would be of them.” “I sure hope so,” I murmured. Then I saw a light far below us, steadily growing closer... .7:20PM, Day 66 On this eve we have made a most troubling and soul-shaking discovery. The world we live on is not a sphere. Circumnavigation – in any span of time, let alone a mere eighty days – was folly from the start. I am not sure where our journey shall proceed from here. It will surely take some time for Madame Fog to recoup from this... setback. Even now, from the safety of the small island we escaped to, we watch the remnants of our ship slip over the edge of the abyss. It is a sight as profoundly magnificent as it is heartbreaking. [ENDING Q?] .We made for Crankshaft’s lab at the city’s outskirts, as I knew of no other place to go. To my surprise, Madame Fog was waiting there for us. “We have to warn the city,” I gasped out, as soon as I had gotten out of the submarine. A scream sounded, along with several other cries of alarm in the distance. “Too late,” my mistress said, grimly. Another shriek came, much closer. I turned to see Minnow staring in horror at the end of the line. Crankshaft wasn’t there. The line ended clipped to a torn and bloody piece of material--what had once been part of the diving suit. “We have to go,” Madame Fog said. “Now.” I dared not disagree. Minnow fought me as I picked her up and forced her back into the submarine. I would not leave her behind to this. With any luck, we could make contact with other evacuating sharkponies and try to get her back to her family. For now, all we could do was flee. Behind us, the city burned. [ENDING F] .“I’ll do it,” I said. I raised a hoof to forestall his objections. “Look, you probably need to see to the Hippocampus here and check the rest of them, right? Let me go look into the broken one. I can at least let you know what’s wrong and how bad it is.” “Hmph.” “I’ll go with him!” Minnow sang out. “I don’t think so,” Crankshaft said. His gruff face softened slightly. “I need my best assistant here with me to check everything else.” I smiled as I put on the diving suit. The helmet was a big round metal piece, but it connected to oxygen tanks on my back. The whole outfit was sturdy, if bulky. I walked over to the airlock, but Crankshaft stopped me to clip a line to the harness I was wearing. He reached up and turned on a light on the helmet. “Be careful,” he said. “We’ll keep an eye on the line. Pull twice, very hard, and we’ll try to reel you in.” I nodded, and stepped back into the airlock... .“Just hurry,” I said. He nodded, and donned the diving suit as I scrutinized the submersible controls. It appeared to be fairly simple to pilot, should the need arise. Crankshaft clipped a line to his belt. “Keep an eye on the line. If I pull twice, hard, then pull this lever to reel me back in.” I nodded, and he entered the airlock. A moment later, I could see him out the front of the submersible, trotting off into the darkness. Minnow was oddly quiet and still, staring out into the ocean... .They were like lice, I realized, parasites feeding off of a larger host. But lice were not the size of ponies, and as they left the surface below and swam in my direction, I saw something fearful in their pale eyeless faces and gaping mouths. I hastily jerked on the line connecting me to Crankshaft back at the submersible, as hard as I could. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards... .They must be protecting the being below, I thought. As the body has white blood cells that fought disease and eliminated foreign viruses and bacteria, the creature must have its own defense system. And as they began to converge on my position, swimming in unison, I realized that I was the intruder in this situation. I pulled on my line, hard, hoping and praying that Crankshaft was paying attention. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards... .I wondered what creatures could survive at this depth, in such an environment. They certainly had to have been affected by the magic. In fact, they may actually have fed on it, drawing sustenance from the charge in the water around them. But when I saw them swimming towards me, their gaping mouths lined with teeth I knew that they must have a taste for flesh as well. I tugged at the line insistently, even as I began to struggle to propel myself upwards and away from the rapidly approaching creatures. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards... .“We… We should go,” I abruptly decided. I began to fiddle with the switches, and on my third try found the ones that detached us from the cradle with a lurch. “We have to wait for him!” Minnow exclaimed. “We can’t just leave!” “We’ll pull him along with us,” I countered. The line kept spinning as it reeled in. I focused on getting us ready to head away. Minnow leapt on my back trying in vain to keep me from pushing the lever to move forward. Then a pale, eyeless figure darted out of the darkness. As it swam past, undulating unnaturally, I could see sharp teeth in a gaping hole of a mouth. Minnow froze, and then hugged me tightly. More of the creatures appeared on all sides, racing us as we fled back upwards towards the city. I lost count of how many there must have been. The line abruptly went taut, having entirely retracted. But we couldn’t open the airlock while we were moving. I just hoped that Crankshaft understood. We made for Crankshaft’s lab at the city’s outskirts… .I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself, a little fearful of just exactly what I would find. I could smell the open-air plaza long before I found my way through the winding streets to enter it directly. An overwhelmingly pungent tang of salt hung in the air, and I gagged as I trotted through the crowds. Of course, when I saw the market’s primary wares, the source of the smell became quite clear. Small carts and repurposed rowboats held fish of every hue and description, and sharkponies wandered from stall to stall, haggling in their raspy tongue over the bulging-eyed creatures. Some of the fish, I noticed with a shudder, were alive, still twitching and gasping. My goal of finding acceptable provisions seemed unattainable, but I kept my mind and eyes open as I explored. Much to my surprise, one sharkpony was preparing a kettle of tea... My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers... Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed... .The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later, and Sawtooth arranged for my mistress and I to have an audience with him as soon as possible. As it turned out, that meant appearing before the Princess late that night, but even so, Madame Fog appreciated the immediacy. Sawtooth escorted us, along with a small contingent of guards--or pirates, I could not distinguish. It was on our way to the meetingplace that we came under attack. I was in the midst of sharing some quiet words with Sawtooth when a pale figure leapt from the roof of a nearby ship and tackled a guard. I heard a horrific ripping sound, and when the creature looked up I saw the face of a nightmare. Pale skin stretched across the expanse where eyes should have rested, slits made up the only form of a nose, and its jagged gaping maw still dripped with the gore of its attack. Sawtooth and I moved as one to attack... My mistress was my sole concern... Our Story Begins...3:00PM, day 49. Given our ill-fated excursion through the jungles, my mistress was quite disinclined to further delay. We sought the first passage we could find heading east, on a old freighter crewed by small fuzzy marsupials, who clambered over the ship with remarkable agility and a distressing lack of concern for their own wellbeing. Shortly after we left, Madame Fog sequestered herself away with the ship’s captain, emerging to announce that our route had been altered. Instead of hugging the coastline on a long curve that brought us considerably far north, we would sail directly southeast to Koala Lumpur. I protested the exorbitant cost... I appreciated my mistress’s shrewdness... .It was near noon when we came under attack, and at first I didn’t even realize what had prompted the booming shouts from the crew. The horizon was an unbroken line of blue, and I didn’t notice the dark shapes just under the surface of the waves until one breached the water, leaping up to land on the deck of the ship. It was a pony, yet like none others that I had ever seen. Rather than fur, his gray skin was smooth and slick, and he had a long tail that was finned like that of a fish. Most distressingly, as he grinned around the haft of a harpoon, I could see rows of jaggedly sharp teeth. The marsupials leapt into the fray, taking up daggers and clubs in their strange tiny claws, but more and more sharkponies leapt onboard. The invaders moved with a frightening speed and efficiency, taking no quarter as they incapacitated the crew. Without a second thought, I leapt into the fray... Ensuring my mistress’s safety was the most pressing matter... .Without a second thought, I leapt into the fray, seizing a nearby boathook as a rudimentary weapon. With my first charge, I tripped one of the pirates and shoved him roughly off the deck, to land in a loud splash below. The sharkponies gave way, not expecting to face such fierce opposition, and I quickly rallied the marsupials behind me. Together we held our ground, pausing to see whether the sharks would attack or flee. Then the shark I had shoved overboard resurfaced, leaping back onto the deck. He was a muscular beast, and from the deference the other invaders granted him, I realized that he must be their leader. He sized me up cautiously, and then a crooked grin broke out over his face. I barely had time to prepare myself before he was upon me, fighting with the strength and tenacity of a demon. I tried to bring my improvised weapon to bear, but he caught hold of the shaft in his jaws and with one terrific crunch, shattered the wood in twain. Undeterred, I fought back, but his strength was more than I could bear. He forced me over to the rail of the ship, as if I were a mere colt, roughhousing with a stallion. “I must repay you,” his deep voice rasped out, in accented Equestrian. And then, wrapping his forelegs around my torso, he leapt overboard, dragging me down with him. I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths… I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water… .Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts, making a circuit around the remarkable wall of water shimmering in place behind some kind of magic field. I could see fish darting back and forth right outside, not seeming to notice or care about the oddity of a bubble of air here at the bottom of the sea. Midway around the city, the soft sand of the ocean’s floor abruptly dropped off into a deep chasm. Jagged rocks lined the edge of the crevasse, and the interior was such an inky black that I could not tell how deep it went. Overwhelmed with curiosity, I kicked a small rock inside, counting under my breath as I listened for the sound of it striking bottom. After thirty seconds, and nothing but eerie silence I backed away. Something about the place left me ill at ease, and I trotted back towards the city, abandoning my plans for a walk all the way around the border. I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest... .My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers. Personally, I was quite fond of cucumbers on dry land, and certainly assumed that a saltwater variety would be quite different, but still adequate for consumption. Oh how wrong I was! I knew something was up as soon as the sharkpony trader handed me the basket with my purchase, his smile sparkling with amusement. Nonetheless, I held my head high and trotted over to a nearby alley to inspect the wares. What I found inside weren’t cucumbers in any sense of the term, but rather wriggling wormy creatures, slimy to the touch! I could not tell if a prank had been pulled on my behalf, or if the nomenclature of the deep truly was so backwards as to be totally unrecognizable. Either way, I was too disgusted to return and complain, and after depositing the basket in a nearby garbage bin, I hastily left the market behind. Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest... .“What is this stone?” I asked. “A relic from the Upper Currents,” she said, bowing her head momentarily at the words. “Upper Currents?” She glanced up to the ceiling. “Here, we swim and hunt in the Lower Currents, in this sea below. Yet one day all of us, from mighty warrior to smallest child, will see our body grow Still. The spirit moves onwards, passing higher and higher, through the great Expanse, the void which you dryponies scrabble at the bottom edge of. And then, the spirit reaches the beyond, living anew as a light among the dark depths of the Upper Currents.” Realization dawned. “You mean the sky. The stars. Like how some ponies believe the soul goes to the Elysian Fields after death.” “Perhaps.” Her hoof reached out to gently tap at the stone. “But, as you see, our destination is quite real.” I had heard of starstones falling from the night sky, blazing trails as they passed. Yet, ever since the Ruler of the Night had been banished from her duties regulating the stars, such occurrences were rare and unpredictable. As the priestess watched me with narrowed eyes, however, I felt no need to argue theology. “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said... “I must be going,” I explained... .“Uh-huh,” I countered. “Nuh-uh,” she counter-countered. “Uh-huh,” I parried... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise. I felt the briefest crackle of magic across my coat and realized what had happened, just as a crashing, rushing boom flung our vessel back and forth. “Mon Soleil!” I cried out. “The magic is failing, and the sea is coming in!” Madame Fog braced herself against the door, as we tumbled end over end, thrown hither and yon by the force of the ocean currents. When the tumult ceased, I was on my back, upside down. We were still bobbing up and down, but it appeared that the danger had passed. Madame Fog paused, and then gingerly opened the hatch. We were at the surface, floating in our small diving bell. The stars above glittered, mirrored in the surprisingly calm surface of the sea. In all directions, water spread out uninterrupted as the dark sea and the horizon merged into one. “What do we do now?” I wondered out loud. “We press on,” my mistress said grimly. [ENDING A] .Scarcely an hour later, we walked out of the eastern bounds of the city. With the starstone’s fragments on a cord around each of our necks, a wobbly bubble of air formed around each of us. “That was simpler than I expected,” I said. “We are not to land yet, Porter,” my mistress said, gravely. She looked out into the darkness of the sea and I knew that our journey had only just begun. We began our trek, picking our way across the floor of the ocean, as darkness intensified all around us. More than once, a rocky outcropping or jagged coral reef forced us to reconsider our path. Days later, as we rested in the cleft of a stony cliff, I noticed something odd. Behind us, a pinprick of light floated on the very edge of my vision. Curious, I retrieved the spyglass that I had picked up weeks ago in Istanbull, and peered back at the apparition. I saw a dome, encompassing roiling flames and smoke. There was nothing in that direction save the city we had fled, and I could not imagine what danger could have befallen it in such a short time. Just as I paused to rub my eyes before taking a second look, the light winked out, leaving nothing but darkness behind. I told Madame Fog what I had seen, disconcerted with the implications. “Best not to worry,” she replied. “We have far to go, and little time. Let us press onwards.” [ENDING B] .I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city, and to my surprise inside I found the sharkpony that had snatched me from atop the deck of our ship. He looked equally bemused by the coincidence, and asked in raspy, accented Equestrian if I would join them for a spell. “Does the drypony drink?” were his exact words, elbowing one of his comrades as he flashed his smile. “I assure you, I can hold my own.” I did not find it necessary to mention my heritage. The Stouts have a long and storied tradition of brewing, and though my own talents manifested in a different manner--as my cutie mark of a valise can attest--I nonetheless grew up with plenty of exposure to both the finer and baser points of alcohol. However, their drink of choice was new to me. It was a black, viscous liquid with a bitter taste and the burn of potent liquor. The sharkponies drank it as if water, carousing and mock fighting in equal measure, always in motion. I discovered that my grinning companion’s name was Sawtooth, and that he was the leader of a small gang of local pirates that had only happened upon our vessel because we were passing almost directly above the city. I tactfully asked about the fate of the ship’s crew… I inquired about the sharkpony Princess who was currently away… Intrigued about my host, I pressed him for more details of himself... .A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest. From the outside, it looked like one more cargo steamer, overgrown with algae and studded with barnacles. But upon entering the vessel, I immediately recognized the iconography on display as religious, as foreign as the sight may have been. The interior of the ship was one cavernous room, with a single raised dais at the center. Elaborate statuary ringed the dais and hung suspended from the ceiling, formed of spirals and abstract shapes. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the white colors indicated not stone or coral, but rather bone, carved into their elaborate shapes. At the very center, a rounded stone floated in the air, glowing with a telltale aura of magic. A single figure paced slowly around the circumference of the dais, intoning something in the rough language of the sharkponies. As I stepped forward, she ceased her revolution and turned to me, pulling the hood back from her head. The priestess--if indeed that was what she was--was surprisingly young, and her eyes were bright but guarded. “Welcome, visitor. What brings you to my sanctum?” “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “What is this stone?” I asked… “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said... .Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity. “I must tend to my mistress here,” I explained. “And what if your Princess returns early?” Sawtooth looked disappointed, but accepted my decision without argument. The last I saw of him was his fin, disappearing into the crowd of sharkponies who had already begun another busy day in their normal lives. True to my word, I returned to my mistress, but she was distant and irritable, unhappy with the continued wait for the sharkpony Princess and potential continuation of our journey. I can’t say that my mood was much better. “Have you not found us alternate transit?” she testily inquired, later that day. I shook my head. “We must bide our time, Madame.” .I eagerly accepted his proposition, and peppered him with questions as we walked to the western outskirts of the city. He deftly parried my attempts to discern our destination, demonstrating a wry wit. When we reached the boundary of the city’s dome of air, he boldly strode out into the water, and I had to hastily secure my mask before following. The device worked wonderfully, despite some minor discomfort, but I found adjusting to moving in the water far more difficult. Sawtooth watched my flailing attempts at swimming with his crooked smile, and when he held a reached a hoof out questioningly, I nodded with relief. The next thing I knew, he effortlessly surged through the water, coming up behind me to wrap his forelegs securely under my own. I barely had time to gulp a breath before he pushed forward and we were off, traveling at a remarkably high speed through the water as he used his powerful tail to propel the both of us together. I suppose in some ways it might have been embarrassing, having to be cradled like a foal as my own form was far too ill-equipped to deal with life at the bottom of the ocean. But rather than a hindrance, Sawtooth swam with a confidence and power that instead made me feel at one with the sea. I felt like I realized some fraction of the connection the sharkponies had to this place, but even that shadow of a feeling brought me a tremendous sense of wonder. Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef... .Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef, and my awe and wonder increased tenfold. Sawtooth first took us around in a long sweeping arc that showed off the remarkable extent of the formation. It was an underwater forest, painted as if by an eager foal in a veritable rainbow of colors. At first, I thought a silvery cloud to be one more feature of the landscape, but then it turned and moved towards us, and suddenly scores of tiny fish enveloped us in a breathtaking swirl, coursing around and over Sawtooth and I as we swam down towards the reef. When they were gone, we were down in the midst of the coral, amongst all manner of formations in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some ridged spheres resembled glowing brains, while others possessed spindly protrusions like carrot-colored arms. One ruby-red lump looked soft and inviting to the touch, but when I reached for it, Sawtooth abruptly pulled me away, swimming back. Life teemed throughout all of the coral forest. Tiny fish competed with one another to put the colors of their home to shame, banded and striped with neon hues. Eels and crabs and other stranger creatures lurked in the many holes and shadows, scuttling away as our shadow passed by. I had my mask and my air, but the sight truly took my breath away. Then Sawtooth, reached around to hoof me over something. I looked down to see that it was a trident, and understood his purpose immediately. I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings… I caught sight of one of the nearby fish, and gulped, steeling my nerves… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely... I threw it down, unwilling to disturb the beauty around me... .I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely. I had little experience with hunting prey--what earth pony would? But I was determined not to let my unfamiliarity hinder me. If I truly intended to do this thing, I would do so with caution and purpose. Unpleasant as it seemed, I knew how the circle of nature flowed, and that taking a life in this nature would only be so that Sawtooth and his people could in turn survive. The real cruelty would be to wound some creature unduly due to my inexperience. Thus I bided my time, letting Sawtooth carry me through the reef past all number of amazing sights. Finally, I saw my opportunity, and motioned for him to turn aside. It was a tuna, I think. A fat, silver fish that was nibbling on some kelp at the outskirts of the reef. I didn’t trust myself to target anything smaller or more agile. I felt Sawtooth tense ever so slightly as he tightened his grip and swam forward with a minimum of disturbance. The fish didn’t even notice us until we were within a few hoofsbreadths, and then I jabbed forward with all my might. I confess, my eyes were screwed shut, but I still felt the resistance as my trident sunk into something. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the fat tuna staring back lifelessly. I felt a thrill at my success… I felt understandably disgusted... .I sought for something familiar in the alien place, unsettled by strange city of sunken ships. As I wandered through the streets, the sharkpony residents paid me no mind, but I couldn’t help but see danger in each sharp fin or fanged smile. I was so preoccupied with keeping an eye alert for trouble that I almost ran right into another pony. Only after he brushed past me, irritably muttering, did I realize that he had in fact been a pony from above the water, and not a shark. A dark brown pegasus, in fact, with a pair of goggles perched atop his thatchy mane. Frozen for a moment in surprise, I almost lost sight of him as he threaded his way through the streets. I hastily galloped after, but he was moving with purpose and clearly knew his way around. Every time I thought I would catch him, I would round a corner, and his tail would disappear behind another ship. Nonetheless, I hastily followed, until he left the city proper and arrived at a large building constructed out of an old Maneila galleon that sat half inside and half outside the dome of air that held the city. I cantered up just as he vanished inside, and promptly knocked at the door. It swung open again, and he peered out, looking me up and down. “Did the Canterlot Artificer’s Guild send you?” he asked gruffly. “Yes,” I lied, unwilling to let an obvious opportunity pass... “No,” I admitted, hoping he would let me explain further… .I felt a thrill at my success that was perhaps slightly unbecoming. Ponies such as myself saw themselves as civilized and above the base instincts that drove carnivores, yet I recognized that such views were limiting in their own right. Ponies quarreled, and fought, and killed, just as any other species. I knew that this was no murder but a necessity of life for the sharkponies. I do not know that I could survive and live by such means, but I felt like I understood Sawtooth and his people, particularly in seeing the care and respect he showed when dressing the fish and securing it in a pack on his back. When he looked back at me, I could read something in his eyes, a kind of newfound respect that made me look away, my face hot. We did not hunt any more after that point, but simply swam throughout the reef, exploring in depth the beauty and wonders therein. I found a kind of peace and oneness in a place of such beauty, particularly with a guide who made our presence feel effortless and integrated into the vibrant environment. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city... .It was late by the time we arrived back at the city. As soon as I had removed my mask, it was as if the floodgates had opened, and I could not help but gush about our journey and the sights we had seen. Sawtooth weathered my storm of chatter with an easy smile as we walked through the streets of the city. By the time we reached my temporary quarters, I had run out of steam and we had settled into a comfortable silence. I hesitated, standing outside the door. No light shone through the window, indicating that my mistress had already retired for the night. I certainly could have quietly entered without disturbing her, but something held me back. I looked back at Sawtooth, who for the first time I had ever seen him appeared to be nervous. “Drypony--” He shook his head. “No. Porter. Thank you.” He frowned and stared past me, his tail lashing. The personality of my mistress had long ago taught me to interpret silences and actions just as clearly as words, and I saw a deeper meaning in the brief hesitance we both shared at this parting. I responded with actions, not words... I smiled, and thanked him in turn… I turned wordlessly away... .I awoke in yet another unfamiliar place, as a great lurch sent me sliding sideways and throwing my still bruised shoulder into a hard surface. I cried out and leapt to my hooves, only to almost fall over. I was in a small rowboat on the open ocean, with Madame Fog sitting nearby and watching me warily. Above us, a canopy of stars stretched over a cloudless sky. We were travelling at a tremendous speed, and only upon leaning upon the bow of the vessel did I see the sharkponies pulling our craft with ropes wound around their bodies. “What-- Where are we?” I said. “Continuing our journey,” Madame Fog stated. “You did well, Porter.” “Then the city…?” I drew in a sharp breath. “Sawtooth?” My mistress pursed her lips. “The city has been damaged, with many killed. Even now, preparations continue for an evacuation to safer waters. I’m told there are many hunting grounds where the sharkponies had previously stayed temporarily. Nonetheless, in gratitude for your role in averting greater loss, their Princess granted us expedited passage the remainder of the way across the ocean.” “But Sawtooth-- The sharkpony I was with. Is he okay?” I heard a splash, and a small, grey-streaked sharkpony climbed aboard the rowboat. I recognized her as one of the ponies that had been in Sawtooth’s band. “Sawtooth left words for you, drypony. He says that he is sorry to not be here, but he must go with the many to the Upper Currents. Even still, he will not forget your name.” My shoulders sagged, and I slumped to rest against the rough wood of the boat. Every part of my body seemed to ache. I stared up at the stars above, wondering if somewhere out there, Sawtooth was doing the same. Before exhaustion overtook me again, I thought I saw one lone shooting star streak across the sky. [ENDING D] .Still a little irked, I felt the need to be pedantic. “I somewhat doubt he’s achieved anything on the level of Gallopleo or Aristrotle. And more modern artificers like Farrierday or Nickerla Tesla are only hastening the advance of technology. I hardly think a pony out here at the bottom of the sea is on the cutting edge of anything.” She frowned sternly. “I’ve never heard of any of those dumb names.” “Well, you can take my word that there are plenty of historically important figures that would outclass your Doctor.” “Nuh-uh!” she proclaimed. “Uh-huh,” I insisted… “Okay, sure,” I grumbled... .“No,” I admitted, hoping he would let me explain further. He stared at me, awaiting a response. “I’m-- Well, my mistress and I have found ourselves stranded here, and are seeking a means of travel to the east. Seeing you here, I wondered if you might know of a way out of the city.” “Mmm,” he said. “Come in.” Leaving the door ajar, he trotted away, and I hesitated briefly before stepping within. The interior of the ship was cavernous, and all the more remarkable for being so full of junk. Piles of mechanical debris stretched almost to the ceiling, with only a few benches clear enough to discern as workspaces. I had never seen such an assortment of devices, even though the vast majority were clearly rusted, broken rubbish. I wondered if the pony had scavenged such things as salvage from the same shipwrecks that made up the homes and businesses of the city. “I’m Crankshaft,” he announced before trotting out of sight behind a stack of battered metal plating. “And I’m Minnow!” another voice chimed in from behind me. I whirled around to see another visitor: a small sharkfilly grinning from the doorway. She trotted in, clearly familiar with the place, and hopped up on a workbench to root around in one of the toolboxes on it. I pointed out that Minnow seemed like a strange name… I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk... .The sight left us speechless, and unwilling to break the eerie silence as we watched destruction fall upon the city. Crankshaft brought us around to his lab, on the outskirts of the city. A ragtag group of sharkponies had taken shelter there, as the invaders seemed to be concentrating on the city proper. To my great relief, Madame Fog also waited within. “Just on time,” she said. “I think we should be leaving.” “I-- We--” I gazed out of a window at the rapid ruin of the city. “I suppose we have no choice.” Minnow had galloped over to the sharkponies, and was speaking rapidly in the shark language that I could not understand. Crankshaft was standing oddly still, in the center of his workspace. Minnow rushed back to me. “We’re evacuating,” she said. “You should too. It’s not safe here.” Crankshaft looked up at us. “Go. I agreed to the deal. You can take the Hippocampus.” “What about you?” I asked. “I can’t leave my work behind.” He stomped a hoof down. “I have to protect my research. I’m staying here, no matter what.” “But--” My mistress silenced me with a hoof to my withers. “Porter. We must go.” I reluctantly boarded the Hippocampus, and the sharks flanked us as we traveled away out into the open water. Piloting the submersible was relatively simple, but my mind was still on the strange underwater city as we left it behind. I knew the scene would haunt me for many nights to come. [ENDING E] .I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk, but the sight on the other side left me speechless. The galleon indeed straddled the boundary between water and air, where whatever magical barrier preserved this place came to an end. And on the other side of the abrupt wall of sea, a strange submersible vessel gently bobbed in the water. The craft was bulbous, with a glass dome in the front revealing a small cockpit crammed full of controls and indicators. Still, the submersible looked easily large enough to hold three or four ponies. Nearby, Crankshaft was tinkering with a disassembled engine, a screwdriver clamped in his mouth. Seeing me, he spat it out. “Huh? Oh, you’re still here. What do you want?” I explained the circumstances of Madame Fog’s wager, and our imminent need for transportation. Crankshaft didn’t appear particularly interested. He leaned across his workbench, peering at me. “Yeah, but what’s in it for me?” I paused, musing the question. I was familiar with ponies of his type. I knew that greed motivated all ponies... I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride... I chose to call upon his sense of honor... .“We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!” A pale figure slammed into the cockpit of the Hippocampus, clinging to the outside of the glass. Minnow screamed, and Crankshaft immediately moved into action, hooves on levers and switches. With a jolt, we disconnected from the docking station, and began floating upwards. The creature on the glass pressed its face against the surface, showing an orifice that was more of a gaping hole than a mouth. I could see teeth lining the entirety of the thing’s throat, and it shrieked, the piercing sound reverberating inside the submersible. I thought I saw a spiderweb of a crack in the glass. “I don’t think so,” Crankshaft muttered, and flicked another switch. The lights came on at full strength, right on the creature. It shrieked again and reared back, losing its grip. We surged forward, the submersible pointing nearly straight up as we made for the surface of the crevasse. All around us I could see pale creatures keeping pace, undulating through the water. When we came out of the crevasse and caught sight of the city, it was a scene right out of Tartarus. The lurking creatures swept through the city without mercy, setting everything into absolute chaos. I could see some of the ships already on fire, dark smoke pouring out as sharkponies tried to flee. The sight left us speechless... .Nonetheless I convinced her to stay, concerned about her safety. Something in Crankshaft’s words concerned me; rogue tinkerers of his sort were often removed from society for a reason, and I did not want to expose my mistress to whatever half-baked experiments he had been working on. I waited until we had both clambered into the Hippocampus and set off to delicately broach the subject of his research. “Power,” he said, “and lots of it. You’re familiar with the steam engine?” “Of course. The revolution of the century, and in fact the very reason why Madame Fog recognized the potential to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days’ time.” He snorted. “Burning coal for power is foal’s play. The future is in magikinetics.” “Impossible,” I said. “Nopony has ever produced a working model. I’ve read of attempts, but translating magic energy into power is tremendously wasteful. The amount of magic needed would be immense.” “That’s true. But what if we had access to a new, untapped source? Tell me: you’ve been all over the world. But what lies straight down? What’s at the center of the Earth?” “Stone and rock, what else?” I said, shaking my head... I hesitated. “Some say a great dragon sleeps below...” “An empty void,” I offered. “Perhaps with ponies living on the inside as well…” .My mistress looked at Crankshaft sharply. “You’re talking about the embryonic monomyth.” “Hmph.” A flash of begrudging respect crossed his face. “Exactly.” “The… what?” I cut in. Madame Fog glanced at me sidelong. “Several cultures possess quite similar mythological constructs, positing the existence of a planet-sized creature incubating at the center of the earth. It’s often tied to eschatology, with its awakening corresponding to the destruction of the world.” “All fairly far-fetched,” Crankshaft said. The Hippocampus turned its nose down, and we began descending into a deep crevasse. With a flick of a switch, the submersible’s headlights came to life. “But there’s a kernel of truth. The deeper you go, the higher the readings of ambient magic. The strength increases exponentially this far down.” “So you’re condensing this ambient magic and using it to power a generator,” Madame Fog mused. “Clever.” “Wow, yeah!” a voice chirped from inside a locker... .“Stone and rock, what else?” I said, shaking my head. Crankshaft raised a hoof to his chin. “Perhaps. And perhaps a Roc of a different plumage.” “I’m sorry?” “The griffons have a legend of a great being known as the Roc who is bigger than the universe itself. According to this myth, our Earth is not a mere planet, but an egg, and we simply live on the shell. At the end of millennia, the embryo underneath will come full-grown and hatch.” I snorted. “And you’re saying this is true?” “Perhaps. Perhaps not. What I am saying, however, is that a great power lies at the center of our world. The reserves of magic are seemingly limitless.” The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend... .“An empty void,” I offered. “Perhaps with ponies living on the inside as well. A star of their own at the center, providing light during the day.” Crankshaft laughed. “You’ve got a big imagination, Mr. Stout. But you’re not wholly wrong.” “Really?” “There’s certainly some kind of space down there. But I think it’s full-- full of some giant magical entity. Ambient magical readings sharply increase the further down you go-- quadratically, not linearly. Anything able to produce that level of power is functionally infinite; even if we were to power the entire world, I doubt we would consume more than a fraction of its reserves.” “I see,” I said, though I still felt firmly in the dark. The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend... .I nodded, and stepped back into the airlock. A moment later, I was out, walking on the ocean floor--or in some sense, far below the ocean floor. The first thing I noticed was how warm the water was down here. The second was the tingle of the hair on my neck standing on end. Crankshaft was right about the ambient magic too. Moving slowly but steadily in the water, I set off following the cable that Crankshaft had told me. I was careful not to lose sight of it-- even though the crevasse meant that I couldn’t get too far off track, the extreme darkness made me not want to risk getting lost. It was closer than I expected when I came across the extractor. A stubby metal scaffolding clung to the ground, with the cable terminating in some kind of transformer box. I couldn’t see the drill itself, just a hole stretching down into the rock, the size of a well. I swam inside, slowly sinking further and further down into the depths. I had no idea how far I had to be from the surface now-- miles, perhaps? The further down I got, the more the feeling of freefloating magic intensified. I was glad not to be a unicorn; even still, I could feel the power thrumming in my bones. The everpresent darkness subsided, as the magic that suffused the water produced its own eldritch glow. And then I came to the end of the tunnel… .And then I came to the end of the tunnel. I was expecting just a rocky dead-end. Instead, the passage opened into an incredibly vast cavern. Far, far below, I could see where the drill head had fallen, to land among rocky outcroppings below. Ever so slightly, one of those outcroppings moved. I blinked, unsure if I had seen it right. I couldn’t see walls to the right and left, just water stretching out. If the terrain below was the body of a creature, it was immeasurably vast and terrifying--perhaps a gargantuan serpent coiled upon itself, or some even more strange and otherworldly being, beyond the knowledge of ponykind. Or perhaps my imagination was simply running wild in the moment. Then, I noticed movement below. Tiny creatures streamed over and through the outcroppings below--or rather, they were so distant as to appear as ants. They were pale and sinuous, despite having roughly equine forms. One stopped, looking upwards, and I realized my light was still on. I fumbled with it, trying to switch it off. When I looked back down, they were all staring at me. They were like lice, I realized, feeding off of a larger animal… They must be protecting the being below, I thought… I wondered what creatures could survive at this depth... .By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards through the tunnel. I kicked my legs out, trying to go faster. Every time I snuck a peak downwards, I could see sightless faces growing closer and closer. When I abruptly tumbled out onto the rocky surface of the crevasse, I didn’t stop and neither did the line, jerking me further back towards the submersible. The creatures burst out of the tunnel behind me, seemingly without end, swimming upwards and away. I was glad to see them go, until reflecting on where they could be headed. As soon as the line had pulled me back to the Hippocampus, I jumped into the airlock, twisting at my helmet to try and get it off. The door opened, and Crankshaft and Minnow both stared at me in curiosity. “What’s going on?” “We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!”
.Whoa there! Unlike other stories that you may be familiar with, this is a choose-your-own-adventure, written in a non-linear fashion. Rather than using the previous and next chapter buttons, utilize the links at the bottom of each chapter to explore the story. Let's try that again, shall we...?
.I appreciated my mistress’s shrewdness, as we were already behind schedule. The cost of our new course was steep, but it was a much more direct path, and I had no qualms about bypassing Bengal and Lyonmar. “We have dealt with enough predators already,” I expressed to Madame Fog. “It will be nice to get back to a more civilized land.” She smiled back, thin-lipped. My words came back to haunt me only a short time later. It was near noon when we came under attack…
.I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths, but my attacker’s grip was like iron. My thrashing only exhausted myself, until I involuntarily gasped for breath, only to choke on seawater. As my body spasmed, screaming for air, I could see the light of the surface receding further and further away, until all that was left was blackness. I awoke to a room not dissimilar from our spartan quarters onboard the freighter, but I could still feel the salty tang of seawater in my mouth as I coughed and gasped. To my bewilderment, my mistress was waiting there, a frown on her face. “Good,” she said. “You’ve come to. They said that you would be fine, but I would appreciate if you would not cause me such concern in the future, Porter.” I nodded, feeling the worry in her words, even if I knew other observers might only see a detached coldness. She explained our situation: the sharkponies had seized us as captives, sensing an opportunity for a sizable ransom. We were prisoners awaiting judgment from their Princess, who was away on a hunt and expected to return a few days hence. Madame Fog seemed to be more displeased with having to wait than with our precarious situation. Our captors allowed us free reign, and I quickly realized the rationale for their largesse; their entire city lay at the bottom of the ocean, constructed out of the remnants of ships that had sunk or been commandeered by sharkpony pirate bands. A glittering dome of magic allowed for breath, to our relief--even sharkponies could not permanently live in water, but required occasional breaths of air. But the water outside of the settlement proper was inky black, and any attempt at swimming away would clearly lead to death. I sought for something familiar in the alien place… I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city… I was overcome with curiosity about their society…
.I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water. I expected at any moment for sharp teeth to pierce my flesh and braced myself to strike back in a moment of weakness, but no attack came. Instead, the sharkpony shifted his grip, carefully holding me with all four of his limbs as he used his powerful tail to swim down into the depths. The eerie silence of the water unsettled me as we traveled further and further down. I wondered if he intended on drowning me at the bottom of the ocean, but could not imagine such great expenditure of effort. My lungs were just starting to ache when I saw a light beneath us. A dome of magic flickered with phosphorescence at what had to be the very ocean floor. Countless ships nestled amongst rocks and sand, from ancient triremes to grand galleons to modern steamboats. Lights and movement revealed an entire city bustling with activity deep beneath the waves. It was enough to take one’s breath away--had my own not been so pressingly important, I would have gasped. As we swam further down and crossed the boundary of the dome, I found that the magic dome functioned to preserve air, even at this depth. I greedily drank in the oxygen as my captor gently released me onto a soft patch of sand. When I had recovered, I looked up to find him watching with glittering eyes and the same crooked smile. Madame Fog arrived not long after, deposited onto the same patch of sand at the outskirts of the sharkpony city. Our captors explained: we were prisoners, awaiting a decision from their leader as to the nature of our ransom. Their Princess would return from leading a more distant expedition within a few days. Until her arrival, we were free to explore the city at our leisure--the nature of our confinement made any escape obviously impossible. I sought for something familiar in the alien place… I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city… I was overcome with curiosity about their society…
.I tactfully asked about the fate of the ship’s crew, but Sawtooth assured me that they had allowed the vessel to continue, after divesting it of its cargo. “We are smart and patient,” he said. “It is like the kelp weeds. You pull them up at the roots and you have kelp for today. But you leave the roots in place, and there will be kelp for next month.” “If you are weak fish who eats kelp!” one of his friends called out. Sawtooth threw a punch that sent the other sharkpony reeling across the room, but he hopped up again, roaring with laughter. “Then why capture my mistress and myself?” I asked. Sawtooth sized me up, his piercing eyes causing me to look away. “You are important drypony. Brave, strong. I have nose for this.” “Myself? Hardly. But indeed, Madame Fog is a known and respected personage.” Sawtooth didn’t even seem to hear. He slung one foreleg over my withers and drew me close. “Important! Bartender, another round for important drypony friend!” One drink turned into two, and before long I was standing arm in arm with Sawtooth and his pirate compatriots, shouting along to sea shanties despite not having the slightest clue about the words. I still don’t know how I managed to find my way back to the room that had been set aside for Madame Fog and myself. I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up...
.Intrigued about my host, I pressed him for more details of himself. More precisely, I boldly declared, "I'd rather know more about you!" It was only after Sawtooth's eyeridges shot up that I realized how forward my words had been. I stammered out an apology, ruing the alcohol that I had already consumed. Sawtooth's drinking companions guffawed loudly, one of them slapping me roughly on the back. But Sawtooth's grin didn't waver, and he was silent for a moment amongst the whistles and catcalls of the other patrons of the bar. "You are strange drypony,” he finally announced. “But strange is sometimes good. And all times interesting.” As the night passed, he explained about his life and work as a pirate. He had been raised in the sharkpony way, though they had been previously far more nomadic, rarely spending more than a fortnight in any one place. When he talked about the days of his childhood, I caught glimpse of a faint wistfulness that seemed at odds with his rough exterior, only making me more intrigued about the sharkpony before me. We talked long into the night, and I was exhausted by the time I stumbled back to the dwellingplace that had been secured for my mistress and myself. To my pleasant surprise, Sawtooth sought me out the next day…
.Much to my surprise, one sharkpony was preparing a kettle of tea, suspending the iron pot over a small fire. I paused and inquired whether he had leaves for sale--Celestia knows that my mistress and I have gone far too long without a decent cup, and a taste of home might raise Madame Fog’s spirits and fortify her for our travels. As it turned out, the concoction wasn’t tea at all, but a form of concentrated algae, boiled and refined into a hot beverage. Against my better judgment, I accepted a taste of the liquid and found it to be surprisingly good, even if a little strong in its salty flavor. After some haggling, I purchased several packets of the dried components. I felt certain that Madame Fog would turn her nose up at the idea of drinking algae, but it would certainly do in a pinch, and make an interesting souvenir of our journey besides. My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers... Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed...
.Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed--hardly my preference, but certainly acceptable fare. If I could arrange for a source of fire and some cooking implements, I felt confident that I would be able to prepare a proper meal that would raise my mistress’s spirits. When I sought to pay for the goods, I realized that my stock of bits had diminished to almost nothing. Luckily, I still possessed a rather motley collection of coinage from our travels thusfar, and the seller proved quite happy to take my money. A glance at the other transactions going on revealed that the sharkponies had no obvious coins of their own, but used all manner of foreign currency, perhaps due to how much of their trade relied on piracy of passing vessels. Satisfied with my purchase, I left the market, happy to get away from its pervasive stink. Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest...
.“Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired. She smiled, though any warmth in the expression was eclipsed by the sight of a mouthful of wickedly-pointed teeth. “Of course. Our theology is simple. Unlike the obedient and submissive drylanders, we recognize no higher power enacting laws or dictating our course. The way of the sea is to swim forward and seize fate, ere it slips away.” “I see,” I said. “But surely, you must have some sense of common ritual or worship? Something that orders and binds your society together?” “Our people are united in the frenzy and the flow. The only rite that we require is the taste of warm blood in the water, fresh and sharp. When we seize our prey and--” “I think I understand,” I hastily cut in. “Really. Thank you.” “What is this stone?” I asked… “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said... “I must be going,” I explained...
.“We must bide our time, Madame. When their Princess has returned, we may be able to reach an agreement that allows for our departure.” Though her countenance appeared as detached as ever, I could sense her disappointment, a feeling that cut me to the heart. “If we must,” she said, and retired to her room. It would be three more days before the sharkpony pirate band returned, and even upon the arrival of their Princess Blackfin, we were told that we would not be able to meet to discuss our release for another day. It was that night that the invasion happened...
.It was that night that the invasion happened. I was in a restless slumber, plagued by unfortunate dreams until a scream awakened me to a nightmare much more real and immediate. “Gather our things,” Madame Fog said, standing at the porthole window and looking out into the city. I could smell smoke in the air, along with an unidentifiable acrid stench. I quickly packed our meagre possessions, and joined my mistress to peer outside. Orange flames licked at the bones of the derelict ships of the settlement. Strange figures coursed over and through the structures in a preternatural fluidity. They were equine in form but strikingly pale, and when one looked up at me, I shuddered to realize that it had no eyes, only a smooth expanse of rubbery skin where they would have been. A forked tongue hissed out of the creature’s gaping maw, but then a sharkpony galloped into view, and the creature and several of its kind turned as one to rush at the poor mare. They caught up to her in an instant, and I turned away, trying to block the screams from my ears. “What do we do?” I asked, helplessly. “Where do we go?” My mistress paced back and forth, thinking, pausing only to stare out at the city. Suddenly she halted, as something caught her eye. “Follow me.” We fled through the streets...
.We fled through the streets, and I cannot recount the horrors I witnessed there. The invaders were everywhere, and many times I thought they would set upon us next, only for a contingent of pirate defenders to trot into view and engage them in battle, or for a fleeing civilian to catch their eye as more tantalizing prey. We ran and ran, until we reached an odd, bell-shaped vessel. “Inside,” my mistress barked out. “And hurry!” I clambered inside the small craft, and Madame Fog followed, closing a hatch behind us. I could still hear muffled shrieks from the chaos outside. “Are we truly safe here?” I asked. My mistress did not answer, simply staring forward with her lips pressed into a line. Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise...
.I was overcome with curiosity about their society and wandered for a time among the patchwork metropolis of dilapidated sea vessels. The only differentiation between private homes and public enterprises were colorful symbols painted upon walls and doors in an unfamiliar language of thorny symbols. I knew there had to be some order to the chaos, but could not discern any planning, and the tendency of the sharkpony inhabitants to constantly move from place to place reminded me of a hive of swarming ants. The sharkponies spoke in a tongue of their own as well, a raspy whisper incomprehensible to my ears. The majority appeared friendly and interested in me, but were unable to answer my inquiries, as it appeared that only the members of raiding parties had any need of Equestrian on a regular basis. Nonetheless, I finally found one to direct me to points of interest within the settlement. I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself… Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest...
.I inquired about the sharkpony Princess who was currently away, only for a flicker of apprehension to briefly darken Sawtooth’s expression. “Blackfin is good Princess,” Sawtooth declared. “He is good sharkpony. Do not listen to rumors and superstitions.” “But… Princess?” I was understandably confused. “Yes, this is word dryponies use for leader, protector. Blackfin likes the name, so he takes it.” “But there’s more to it than that. Princess implies a certain set of… physical characteristics. If you’re following me?” The quizzical look on Sawtooth’s face implied that he wasn’t. I decided to be more candid, deciding that a literal dive bar was not an environment that necessitated tact and etiquette. “Wings,” I said. “And a horn. How is he supposed to be a Princess without those?” Sawtooth roared with laughter. “What use are wings in the water? Blackfin has strong fins. And he has sharp teeth, that can crunch through bone and horn. Better than drypony Princess.” I let the comment slide with a wan smile, and reached for another drink. It would only be several hours later that I realized just how little sharkponies slept and just how potent their drinks were. I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up…
.With that, we crept inside the shrine, cautious of any worshippers or clergy remaining within. The shrine was silent and empty, though I nearly jumped at the sight of the twisted bone statuary, which in the dim light took on unsettling forms. We approached the floating stone at the center of the dais, and after once again peering around to determine that we were alone, I retrieved the hammer and chisel from my saddlebag and set to work. A golden aura enveloped the stone as Madame Fog cautiously shielded it in her magic, though I do not know to what ends - either to silence my efforts, or stabilize the stone under my hooves, or some other arcane purpose beyond my understanding. It took an agonizing expanse of time before I was able to break off sufficiently large fragments for Madame Fog and myself. We stole away from the sanctum, still alert for anypony who had taken notice of our theft, but no shout of alarm or cry of horror came. Scarcely an hour later, we walked out of the eastern bounds of the city...
.I had scarcely recovered the next morning when Sawtooth showed up at our temporary dwellingplace. At first I could hardly differentiate the pounding on the door from the pounding in my head, but when I opened it to check, he stood outside, looking irresponsibly chipper. “Come, drypony!” he growled. “Let us go on our hunt.” Rubbing my eyes blearily, I made an attempt to protest, but he assured me that I had agreed to accompany him at some point the night previous. When I brought up my unsuitability for ocean travel, he produced a mask-device that had been enchanted to provide oxygen. I was left without any firm excuses. Putting aside my hangover, I agreed to go... Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity...
.“I must be going,” I explained. “I have to look after my Mistress, but I thank you for your kindness in answering my questions.” The priestess pulled her hood back over her head, shrouding her face in darkness. It suddenly seemed much colder in the room, and the scrimshawed bone statues cast eerie, alien shadows. “Take care, Porter Stout,” she said. “Darkness awaits. Take care, lest it swallow you and your mistress both.” “Yes, of course,” I said, backing away. I didn’t turn around until I had made it to the door, and I quickly retreated down the street, still unsettled about the priestess’s final words. I resolved to return to my Madame Fog immediately. I found her impatiently awaiting my arrival. “Where have you been, Porter?” she said. “Have you secured for us a means of transportation?” I hesitated, pondering my reply. “We must bide our time, Madame.” “I may have an idea, but it is likely to be risky.”
.To my pleasant surprise, Sawtooth sought me out the next day, with a rather interesting offer. He explained that he wished me to accompany him to an unknown destination, to show me some kind of surprise. The vagueness in his description left me both wary and unmistakably curious. Of course, I pointed out that surviving outside the city would be rather difficult for an earth pony such as myself, but he proudly grinned as he presented a mask, with glass protecting the eyes and a series of tubes around the mouth. It had been crafted by a friend, he explained, and enchanted to transmute ocean water into oxygen for its wearer. Had it been any other sharkpony, I likely would have dismissed the offer out of hoof--they certainly had already demonstrated a predilection for piracy, though I likely did not have much more for them to steal. But Sawtooth struck me as a creature of a different sort. I saw a certain kind of nobility and strength in his character. I eagerly accepted his proposition... Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity...
.Putting aside my hangover, I agreed to go. Sawtooth grinned toothily and assured me I would not regret my decision. He led me to the western edge of the city, and strode boldly through the demarcation between air and water. Securing my mask, I more hesitantly followed. The mask, however, performed flawlessly, and despite some brief discomfort I quickly adjusted to breathing the transmuted air that it provided. Accustoming myself to moving in the water proved more difficult, and my attempts to swim were awkward and ineffective. Sawtooth rasped out a deep chuckle, the sound burbling oddly through the water. With a sweep of his powerful tail, he swam around me and I felt his forelegs tuck under my own, wrapping around my barrel. And then we launched forwards, with his strength easily managing to carry both of us along. Travelling through the dark ocean bottom was frightening, but exhilarating. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, as well as the deeper, slower thrum of Sawtooth’s heart through his chest pressed tightly against my back. Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef...
.I protested the exorbitant cost, noting that our funds were rapidly dwindling, but my mistress assured me that we would be able to wire for more once we had reached our destination. She retired to our meagre quarters to rest, leaving me pacing the deck. The crew took to the change of course without any argument, but I thought I could sense fear in their dark and piercing eyes. I cornered one of the marsupials and pressed him for details. In a surprisingly deep voice for a creature of his size, he gave me further cause for concern. “Pirates,” he said. “This is not a fast ship, but we’re prepared to fight any who would seize our cargo. And we are small enough that we may yet slip through undetected.” For the next few days, I spent most of my time on deck, watching the horizon for any sign of approaching vessels. It was near noon when we came under attack…
.Ensuring my mistress’s safety was the most pressing matter, particularly as I was unarmed and unprepared. I galloped away from the melee, only to nearly crash into her as she emerged from belowdecks. “What’s all this about, Porter?” she asked, but upon looking past me, her curiosity resolved into grimness. I turned to see a sharkpony advancing on us both, a muscular male whose razor-sharp teeth formed a crooked grin. “Stand back, you!” I called, trotting forward in front of my mistress. “Madame Fog has no part of this! Take the cargo that you came for, but leave us be.” His head tilted back and forth, as he sized me up, still advancing. Then he sprung forward, grabbing me with both forelegs as his momentum sent me stumbling backwards. The rail of the ship crashed into my back and then I was falling, the both of us tumbling towards the dark waves. I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths… I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water…
.I caught sight of one of the nearby fish and gulped, steeling my nerves. I felt it necessary to make an effort for Sawtooth, the better to help understand his people and ways. Yet I didn’t want to spend any more time contemplating taking a life than necessary. A brilliant blue fish swam up, curiously eyeing us. Its mouth bobbed open and closed, and I hesitated but for a moment before striking out with the trident. Unfortunately, the difficulty of moving in the water and the agility of the tiny fish meant my clumsy attempt fell dispiritingly short. The fish bolted, diving into a crevice between coral outcroppings, and I could feel the rumbles of laughter from Sawtooth, still holding me. I decided that I had tried enough at this task… I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely...
.“I may have an idea, but it is likely to be risky.” “Had I required safety, I would not have left Canterlot,” Madame Fog said. I explained my plan, and quickly left to gather our necessities. By the time I had secured the required tools, night had fallen, a difference only distinguishable in our underwater prison by a change in the flickering magic light that lit the streets. I met up with my mistress again in an alley between two ships, across from the shrine that I had previously visited. “You are quite certain?” she asked. I nodded. “Is anypony inside?” “Not as far as I am aware. One of these sharkponies departed shortly ago.” With that, we crept inside the shrine...
.I threw it down, unwilling to disturb the beauty around me, and Sawtooth abruptly dropped me to float freely as he darted down to catch the implement before it sunk into some crevice in the reef. He looked up at me with a mixture of concern and questioning, as if I were some kind of puzzle that he had yet to figure out. I looked away, choosing instead to stare at some nearby coral. My head was full of complicated feelings… I felt understandably disgusted...
.I decided that I had tried enough at this task, and hoofed the trident back up to Sawtooth. He grinned back with a kind of amusement that felt ever-so-slightly condescending. I shook my head to clear it of the doubts, and tried to focus on the beauty around us. Yet I couldn’t help but feel annoyed at the way things had turned out, and found myself growing tired of the garish colors and strange shapes of the coral reef. Eventually sensing my frustration, Sawtooth turned us around and we bade the reef farewell. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city...
.I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings, deciding that hunting one of the eels or crustaceans would be preferable to the more beautiful and vibrant sealife in the upper reaches of the reef. When we drew near to a foreboding cavern, I began to reevaluate the wisdom of my choice. Sawtooth gently let go of me, and I drifted close down to the opening. I could see something moving within, slithering in dark shadows. Yet I would not be dissuaded from my task. I waited, peering closely until I thought I could discern the right place to strike, and then moved with speed and precision. Unfortunately, I missed entirely, and the trident struck rock, jolting me back. Glowing eyes lit up in the cavern, and I would have let out a shriek had my mask not prevented such. Some kind of bulbous multi-armed creature surged outwards, right at me. Apparently it was as scared as I was, however. It let loose a dark, inky cloud right in my face, and then shot away as I flailed wildly. Finally, the cloud dispersed and I wiped the liquid away from my mask, only to see Sawtooth laughing uproariously. I crossed my arms, frowning at him behind my mask, but he swam up behind me, catching hold again to bring me up and away from the bottom of the reef. I decided that I had tried enough at this task... I caught sight of one of the nearby fish, and gulped, steeling my nerves… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely...
.My head was full of complicated feelings as I turned back to Sawtooth and motioned at the reef around me in some frustrated, wordless kind of explanation. I don’t know that he understood, but he gave me a slow nod in return as I swept a foreleg across at the beauty and tranquility surrounding us. Letting out a deep breath, I relaxed, floating in the water, and he swam up to take hold of me again, albeit somewhat gingerly. From there, he allowed me to direct our journey onward. We spent quite a time exploring the vibrant locale, and the awe-inspiring sights in the place cheered me tremendously. It seemed as if some new wonder lay around every corner that we turned, and Sawtooth eagerly led me to all manners of delights throughout the beautiful reef. When we finally, reluctantly left, I turned my head back for one last glimpse. Sawtooth noticed my motion and turned. For a moment, we hung there in the water together, enjoying the peaceful moment as we drank in the beautiful vista. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city...
.It was late by the time we arrived back at the city. Sawtooth accompanied me back to my temporary quarters, where the lack of a light indicated my mistress had already retired for the night. For a moment, I thought that he had something further to say, but he turned away, giving me a curt nod before trotting off. I stood there for a moment, reflecting on my time and experiences here, a place that I had never imagined even existing. When I went inside, I found my mistress sleeping, and before long, I had joined her. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later...
.I responded with actions, not words. After a long moment, our lips parted once more, and I drank in breath, caught off guard even by my own forwardness. I looked back up into his eyes, so close to my own. “Porter,” he said again, mouth twisting into a grin as he said the word slowly. “Do you--?” I did. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later...
.I smiled, and thanked him in turn, raising a hoof to meet one of his. My loyalty remained with my mistress and our mission, but I knew that I had found in Sawtooth an enduring friendship, all the more remarkable for the brevity of our time together. Our journey had brought us halfway across the world thusfar, and I knew that we had another half yet to go. But more than anything else, I had already discovered how even in the most unfamiliar and alien places, even with strange and occasionally fearsome creatures, we could still discover a commonality of spirit and understanding. Should our journey take eighty days or one hundred and eighty, such a realization was nonetheless invaluable. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later...
.“I’m sure he’s fine,” I said. My eyes focused on where the line disappeared into the darkness in front of us. The only sound was the high-pitched whirring as the line rapidly reeled in. When I saw a hazy figure move in the darkness, at first I relaxed in relief. Then I saw that it wasn’t Crankshaft at all. A pale figure, equine in shape but eyeless and alien in features swam rapidly towards us. Minnow let out a shriek, but the creature swam right over us. A moment later it was followed by a second, and then a third. By the time Crankshaft appeared, limbs flailing as the line pulled him closer, countless of the horrifying creatures had passed us by. And I knew the only place they could be going was the city. When he stumbled out of the airlock and jerked his helmet off, I worried that we would already be too late. “We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!”
.I turned wordlessly away, fumbling to open the door. When I glanced back over my shoulder, Sawtooth had already vanished. I let out a breath, feeling sick to my stomach with emotions that I could not name--or perhaps, simply did not want to recognize. My mistress was fast asleep in bed, much as I had expected. It took a long time before I was able to do the same. The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later...
.The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later, but a functionary quickly informed us that we would not be able to meet with her until the following day. Despite some rather heated words from my mistress, this schedule was immutable. Unfortunately, we would never have that audience. That very night, a scream jolted me awake. I hastily climbed out of the bed and rushed to the window to see ships and buildings set aflame. Strange white figures swarmed in the smoke and I quickly realized the situation: the city was under attack. I immediately leapt to defend the citizens… My mistress was my sole concern...
.“I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said. Her face darkened. “The shrine belongs here. The city does not.” “I don’t know that I follow.” “Our people are nomads. We must travel to stay alive. Our leader”--she practically spat the word--”has broken from this tradition to live as the dryponies do. To stay in one place, no longer a predator but a pile of barnacles clinging to a rock.” “But the shrine has always been here?” She glanced over to the floating stone. “This has long been a place of rest and safety.” “Because of the stone?” I blinked. “Of course. It must be what sustains the pocket of air down here.” She ignored me, resuming her pacing around the stone as her voice grew more aggrieved. “But this place is safe no longer. The waves have been cold of late. A new current flows from the deep. Blackfin has upset the balance, and he will pay for this transgression. I pray that our people will not all suffer for his mistake.” “Your words are ominous,“ I said. "Is that prophecy or simply ill feeling?" She remained silent, circling the stone with her head bowed low. “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “What is this stone?” I asked… “I must be going,” I explained...
.Sawtooth and I moved as one to attack. I lashed out with my hooves, barely avoiding the creature’s sharp teeth. It gave Sawtooth the opening he needed, and with vicious precision, he tore out the creature’s throat. I was moving on instinct and adrenaline, some of my old military training animating me. It was too late for the guard who had been attacked, but Sawtooth picked up his weapon and tossed it to me. I caught it--a pike, with a serrated blade for its head--just as we heard scream from nearby. “Find somewhere safe,” I crisply said to Madame Fog. She nodded, lips pressed together in a grim line. The rest of the night was a blur of violence and chaos...
.The rest of the night was a blur of violence and chaos, as Sawtooth and I fought from one street to the next, waging war against a seemingly endless wave of unearthly creatures. Most were the pale, eyeless equines that we had first seen. They fought with an astonishing lack of self-preservation that made every encounter dangerous. The beasts would accept any wound, no matter how mortal, if it allowed them the opportunity to draw blood in their headlong attacks. Even stranger monsters roamed the streets, with tentacles and claws and bulbous malformed bodies. I could not stop to analyze or comprehend our enemies. I simply fought on, and on, even as exhaustion set into my very bones. At times Sawtooth would be at my side, and then he would vanish, pulled away into the darkness to pursue a foe or rescue a friend. And yet, just as I found myself outmatched and on the verge of despair, he would reappear again to jump into the fray and together we would overcome the most dire of odds. An eternity of hours later, I heard a piercing, otherworldly scream, and all of the invaders halted, freezing in place. In pure shock, I found myself doing the same for a fraction of a second, but then the creatures retreated, fleeing headlong with the same singularity of purpose that they had previously put to murder. I slumped back against Sawtooth, my hide slick with ichor and blood. “We… we did it,” I gasped out, as black spots spun in my vision. My exertions had caught up to me in full, and I felt consciousness quickly slipping from my grasp. I looked over, searching out Sawtooth’s uneven grin, but I could sense something else lurking in his eyes. My vision trailed down, to see a horrendous jagged wound stretching down his right foreleg. And then I fell headlong into unconsciousness. I awoke in yet another unfamiliar place...
.It took significant more discussion and negotiation to convince Crankshaft, but he eventually agreed to transport us to Koala Lumpur. I pressed him to leave as soon as possible, knowing that my mistress would dislike any undue delay, but he insisted on one final trip to check on some project of his prior to our departure. “You will come too,” he announced. “That way you will understand the importance of my work.” I begrudgingly agreed, but pushed for him to make his trip a few days earlier than he had planned. He set to preparing the submersible, which he had named the Hippocampus, while I returned to inform Madame Fog about our plans. She was so pleased at the news that I saw a brief smile cross her face. Unfortunately, she also immediately expressed interest in accompanying us on the preliminary trip. Nonetheless I convinced her to stay, concerned about her safety... I acceded to her desires, and the next day we boarded the Hippocampus...
.I immediately leapt to defend the citizens, rushing to the streets and seizing the weapon of a fallen pirate guard. The pale invaders were monsters from a nightmare, eyeless equines with gaping, slavering voids for mouths. They pursued anything that moved with a relentless fervor, including even fleeing children. I fought as best as I could, interposing myself between the vulnerable and their attackers to try and buy time for the civilians to flee. Alone, however, I found myself hopelessly outmatched, and many times I saw my life pass before my eyes. Somehow, however, I held on, fighting a rearward retreat that followed the fleeing populace. Only when I found my back to the wall of seawater did I realize my mistake; while the sharkponies dove into the ocean to flee into open waters, I had no similar capability. I was weighing my possibilities when rescue arrived in the form of Madame Fog. While I had been waging a valiant but hopeless war, she had used the time to seek help. Thus she arrived with a weary band of sharkpony guards, nursing a wide variety of wounds. “We are escaping, Porter,” she commanded, and I had no remaining strength to argue. I clung to the back of one of the sharkponies as we swam away…
.I clung to the back of one of the sharkponies as we swam away. Yet I could not resist looking over my shoulder at the city as we fled. The glowing dome that had once held such a thriving metropolis was darkened and cloudy, the swirls of smoke from burning structures trapped within. I dared not imagine the fate of the equines who were trapped there as well. My lungs were burning and crying out for oxygen by the time we finally breached the surface. Above us, countless stars shone down from a cloudless night sky. We floated for a moment, bobbing between gentle waves as my mistress negotiated with the leader of the small sharkpony band. “They will take us east,” she finally said. “But we must move slowly, and watch for other survivors as we travel.” “We are lucky to have survived.” “We are over a week behind schedule,” she coldly informed me. “We will require more luck still.” [ENDING C]
.My mistress was my sole concern, and we fled, galloping past unimaginable horrors in streets that I had walked only hours previous. I cannot speak of the carnage I witnessed, as alien beasts set upon unarmed sharkpony civilians, even mares and foals. Those who stood and fought back only drew the attention of more of the seemingly unending invaders, who attacked savagely with no sense of self-preservation. It dwarfed even my own darkest memories of my time in the changeling invasion of Canterlot. Even in the worst of the bloody fighting in the streets it had been war. This-- this was simply slaughter. We did not have a destination, and rationally, we knew that we could not leave the city. Only upon spying a bell-shaped iron vessel did I regain some composure and direct my mistress in that direction. I had to struggle to turn the rusty wheel on its hatch, but we hastily climbed inside and sealed the door shut. All we could do is pray for some miracle. Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise...
.“Yes,” I lied, unwilling to let an obvious opportunity pass. “Get lost!” he barked out, and slammed the door in my face. I stood outside for a moment, nonplussed, before knocking again. He didn’t answer. I was debating whether to leave or to try a third time, when a young sharkfilly trotted up. “Hi, Mister!” she chirped out. “Are you here to see Dr. Crankshaft? “I suppose so,” I said. “What can you tell me about him?” Her eyes grew round, as she hopped in place. “Only that he’s the bestest smartest scientist and inventor in the entire world!” Still a little irked, I felt the need to be pedantic… “Then I certainly need his help,” I declared...
.I hesitated. “Some say a great dragon sleeps below, and that our earthquakes and volcanoes are a result of its tossing and turning in slumber.” “Mmm.” Crankshaft nodded. “The truth may be closer than you imagine. I don’t know about dragons, but there’s something of great power beneath us. Something that generates such strong magic that even the ambient fields are supernaturally charged, the closer you get.” “And you’re making use of that magic? How?” “You’ll see,” he said. The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend...
.“Uh-huh,” I said. “Nuh-uh,” she said, but louder. “Uh-huh,” I insisted... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled...
.“Okay, sure,” I grumbled. She beamed at me, relishing her rhetorical victory. “He can make anything in the whole world! It’s like magic, but only better.” “Then I certainly need his help,” I declared...
.“Then I certainly need his help,” I declared. “My mistress and I are seeking passage to the east. We’re on a journey, you see, to travel around the entire world in less than eighty days.” The filly’s eyes lit up. “Wow! Well, I bet Dr. Crankshaft can figure something out.” She brushed past me and opened the door, trotting blithely inside. Just as I was about to follow, her head popped back out, and she chirped out, “Oh, and I’m Minnow! Come on in!” The interior of the galleon was a vast space, filled with haphazardly organized technological detritus. The cogs, springs, sprockets and other unidentifiable scraps of metal looked to be haphazardly organized at best, but Minnow made a beeline for a heap of insulated wire and began rooting around within. “My buddy and I are making a telegraph,” she said proudly. “Go ahead, I bet the Doctor’s in the back.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk...
.I pointed out that Minnow seemed like a strange name for a sharkpony, at least as far as I could tell. The little filly made a face at me. “I know, I know, but I’m almost old enough to go on my first real hunt. Then I’ll finally get a way better one. I’m still deciding on it though... What do you think about Gorefin Bloodripper the Great?” “That’s certainly vivid,” I noted, at a loss for more… “Perhaps a little more subtlety is called for?” I suggested...
.“That’s certainly vivid,” I noted, at a loss for more. She beamed at me. “Right? Oh, if you’re looking for Dr. Crankshaft, he’s probably in the back working on the Hippocampus.” “I’m sorry?” “It’s--” she abruptly stopped, her grin widening. “Actually, you just gotta see it for yourself.” “I see,” I said, pursing my lips. “Thank you.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk...
.“Perhaps a little more subtlety is called for?” I suggested. “Gorefin Bloodripper the Subtle?” “Ah, no,” I said. “Not exactly.” She frowned. “Aw, beans. Maybe I shoulda listened to Ripple and borrowed a thesaurus from the library after all.” “I would love to help you workshop it," I said, "but I have some pressing business to attend to." “Oh, right! I bet Dr. Crankshaft’s in the back, working on the Hippocampus.” “The what?” She smiled broadly. “I don’t wanna ruin the surprise. Go and see.” I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk...
.“Uh-huh,” I elucidated. “Nuh-uh,” she demurred. “Uh-huh,” I protested... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled...
.Then I saw a light far below us, steadily growing closer. As we descended, I could make out more and more of a small metallic structure, lit by magiflourescent lamps on stakes. The building was barely big enough for a pony, with the top concave and ridged. Cables stretched out from its base into the darkness. “We’re here,” Crankshaft announced. The Hippocampus drew closer until directly over top of the structure, and then with a minor jolt, we settled into place. I realized the purpose of the cradle as Crankshaft turned to another part of the submersible, flipping down a panel to reveal a system of readouts. “This is where you generate the power?” I asked. “Store,” he grunted. “Even now we’re not close enough for optimum gathering efficiency. I have mobile condensers mounted on extraction units that drill down. I just store accumulated energy here. But--” his hooves ran across a series of switches, flipping some and ignoring others. “We have a problem with one of the extractors.” “So, what, we need to go fix it?” I let out a sigh. “How long will that take?” “I’ve had them slowly drilling into the bedrock, utilizing their own power. This one has stopped, which means something has broken… Or that it ran out of bedrock.” He prodded the diving suit that Minnow had been hiding with. “I’ll need to go check and make sure.” “I’ll do it,” I said... “Just hurry,” I said...
.The line connecting Crankshaft to the vessel suddenly went slack. “Take us out of here,” Madame Fog said. “Now.” Minnow burst into tears. I pushed the throttle forward as far as I could, and we began to move upwards, towards the surface of the crevasse. I saw more pale figures on all sides of us. Countless numbers of the creatures swam alongside, and I knew with a sick feeling in my stomach where they had to be headed. When we got out of the crevasse and could see the city, I knew that it was already too late. My mistress reached out a hoof to shield Minnow from the sight, bringing her into an uncharacteristic hug. “Should we--” “No,” Madame Fog said. “Take us away from here.” She bent down to get to eye level with the little sharkfilly. “It’s going to be fine,” she said, in a softer voice than I had ever heard before. “But I need you to be strong, okay? Do you know a place that’s far away but safe? Where your family would go in an emergency?” Sniffling, Minnow nodded. “Th-- there’s another place we go in the summers sometime. I can show you where.” As we set off, the lonely submersible traveling through the wide and open sea, I couldn’t help but look back one last time at the burning city behind us, at the bottom of the ocean floor. It had been a strange place, a sight that few ponies would ever see. And as the dome of magic abruptly winked out and the ocean came crashing in to reclaim its place, I realized that I might be the last pony to have ever had that chance. [ENDING H]
.I knew that greed motivated all ponies, whether or not they’d admit it. Crankshaft would be no different. “Bits,” I said. “Research and development certainly doesn’t come cheap. If you bring us the distance to Koala Lumpur, or even Maneila, then Madame Fog can arrange to have you thoroughly recompensated. Think of what further funds would allow you to accomplish!” He shook his head. “I’m doing just fine already. I’m not going to go out of my way and waste my time. How can I even trust you to follow through? You paying in advance?” “No,” I admitted. “Right now our funds are limited. We just need to find somewhere with a proper bank, though, and arrange for them to wire--” “No deal,” he said, firmly. I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride... I chose to call upon his sense of honor...
.I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride. As I pondered how best to state my case, I caught ahold of a spiderweb of an idea. “You asked if I was from the Canterlot Artificer’s Guild,” I said slowly. He looked up sharply. “So?” “So you know them. Probably worked with them, lived there, given your accent.” I kept my eyes on him, studying his face for a reaction, but he remained silent. “Then why are you here, in the middle of nowhere? What exactly are you doing? Something they wouldn’t approve--” “They’re all shortsighted fools,” he barked out. “Standing in the way of progress and common sense both, because they won’t recognize the importance of my work.” “What if that could be changed?” I mused. He let out a huff of bitter laughter, but I could see the interest in his eyes. “Madame Fog certainly has connections to the Guild, as well as broader academia. What if she were able to arrange to have your work published, somewhere where everypony would see?” “Hm,” he said. “I’m listening.” It took significant more discussion and negotiation...
.I chose to call upon his sense of honor, hoping he’d see the nobility of our cause. “Truly, you must understand the importance of our journey.” “From what you’ve said, it just sounds like bored nobles making foolish wagers,” he growled out. “I’ve no use for it.” “It’s so much more than that, though. This is a task never before accomplished. A great step forward for equinity!” “No,” he said, jabbing a hoof at his workbench. “The work I’m do is what’s going to change the world. You’re just tourists who are even more oblivious and in the way than usual.” I knew that greed motivated all ponies... I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride...
.Minnow was oddly quiet and still, staring out into the ocean. “Everything okay?” I asked. “They really do say not to come down here,” she said. “And not like… ‘don’t go out to the reef on your own’ or ‘look both ways before you cross a current.’ The grownups always look a little scared when they talk about here.” “I see,” I said. “Well, it can’t be that dangerous, right? Dr. Crankshaft can take care of himself.” She shuffled her hooves. “I hope so.” I occupied myself with familiarizing myself with the dials and readouts. One of them looked to be the submersible’s charge, and I could see it slowly tick up as we remained connected to the cradle below. Then the line connected to Crankshaft jerked twice, twanging hard. I hesitated, and then moved to the lever, but Minnow had already jumped to pull it down. She was breathing heavily. “I’m sure he’s fine,” I said… “We… We should go,” I abruptly decided...
.I acceded to her desires, and the next day we boarded the Hippocampus. I could not help but notice my mistress brought along the entirety of our meagre possessions. I did not know if such actions were prudent or overly optimistic. I focused on watching Crankshaft pilot the submersible, trying to understand its workings. “Tell me,” my mistress said. “What exactly is your research concerned with?” “Power,” Crankshaft said, “and lots of it. You’re familiar with the steam engine?” She nodded, not making any further comment. His question seemed patently rhetorical to me; nopony could be ignorant of the drastic changes that the steam engine had wrought upon our world. “It’s outdated. The future is in magikinetics.” Madame Fog narrowed her eyes. “I fear that technology has proven to be resolutely impractical. No known source of magic could sustain a magikinetic generator at any reasonable efficiency.” “Yes, no known source. But what if I had found one? Tell me: what lies at the center of the earth?” My mistress looked at Crankshaft sharply...
.I felt understandably disgusted at the entire endeavor, and the colors and sights of the coral reef took on an unpleasant texture to me. It was a place of life, yes, but the sharkponies had made it a place of death as well, and I could not stomach that transformation. I pushed Sawtooth away, and awkwardly tried to make my own way through the water. I assume he went to hunt on his own, as he was gone when I looked back. I tried to explore the reef further, but found my attempts to be frustrating and ineffective. My flailing attempts at swimming disturbed the marine life and sent them all into hiding, leaving me stumbling through a lifeless forest of garish rocks. Finally, Sawtooth returned, and wordlessly took hold of me again, as we swam away. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city...
.“Wow, yeah!” a voice chirped from inside a locker. I grimaced, and opened it up, Minnow tumbled out, tangled up in the diving suit within. She looked up at Madame Fog and cheerily waved. “Hi, I’m Minnow!” “I thought I told you you couldn’t come,” Crankshaft growled. “Oh did you?” she answered sweetly. “I guess it’s too late now though.” While they argued, I caught sight of a light far below us. As we drew closer, I could see a metal structure with a concave, ridged top. Cables snaked out from its base, disappearing into the darkness of the crevasse. As we settled onto the top of the structure, I heard a metallic clank and realized that it served as a docking station for the Hippocampus. Crankshaft pulled down a panel, revealing more gauges and dials. “The extractors are located a short distance away,” he said distractedly. “I didn’t want them interfering with one another. But it looks like one is broken. They’re set up as drills, self-powering to slowly bore deeper into the bedrock. Something went wrong with one though. Or… it ran out of bedrock.” “Then go check on it,” my mistress said...
.“Then go check on it,” my mistress said. “Take the little one too. She can swim, so you can send her back if you run into trouble.” Crankshaft frowned, but nodded. He began struggling into the diving suit, while Minnow hopped around, overcome with excitement. Finally, he put on the large circular helmet, connecting it up to the oxygen tanks on his back. He clipped a line onto the suit and then he and Minnow stepped out into the airlock. I watched them disappear into the murky darkness, following one of the cables snaking out in that direction. “Porter,” my mistress said, as she ran a hoof across the control board, “can you pilot this vessel?” “Of course,” I said. “Shall we be off?” I grasped her meaning. “Yes, but…”
.“Of course,” I said. “Shall we be off?” A wan smile crossed her face. Retrieving a pocketknife from her person, she cut through the cable connecting to Crankshaft. A moment later, I had worked out how to disengage us from the cradle below, and we began drifting upwards. “Crankshaft will be fine,” I said, more to reassure myself than anything else. “He had enough oxygen to last for some time, and we are not far from the city. Minnow can guide him back.” My mistress did not answer. She had spread out a chart, and was determining our course from here. It took a little time to adjust myself to the controls, but before long we had left the crevasse. I directed us to the east...
.I directed us to the east, and we set off, making quite good time. Unfortunately, it was on the third day when I realized what dial represented the submersible’s charge, and only then when the controls abruptly ceased working. Thankfully, we could still force the vessel to the water’s surface, but we were unquestionably stranded. Madame Fog concerned herself with working out our exact position. “I believe us to be on a major trade route,” she assured me. “We shall simply flag down a passing ship.” That’s when I saw the fins break the surface of the waves, moving in our direction from the west. [ENDING G]
.I grasped her meaning. “Yes, but...” “Mmm,” she said. “I was simply inquiring, as to be prepared for all eventualities.” We waited in silence, watching the cable stretch out into the gloom of the crevasse. “Could his plan work?” I eventually asked. Madame Fog shrugged. “Potentially. If he is correct about the source of the magic. And if he could find a way to actually convey that power to somewhere useful. I have some doubts about both. Steam power is useful because it’s reliable and safe. Magic has a tendency to come alongside unexpected dangers.” “Like what?” She didn’t answer. A moment later, I saw a flash of movement in the darkness...
.A moment later, I saw a flash of movement in the darkness. I peered forward, to see Minnow swimming towards us, as fast as she possibly could. More alarmingly, I saw something pale behind her, in close pursuit. “Open the airlock,” my mistress crisply ordered, and I fumbled with the controls, trying to comply. The external door slid open just in time for Minnow to dart inside, and I slammed a hoof down to close it again. An unearthly screech shook the entire vessel. When the interior door opened, and Minnow stumbled in, I was already working to disengage us from the docking station. “Monsters,” she croaked out. “Monsters!” The pale creature swam right in front of the glass and I caught a better sight of it. Even so, my mind didn’t quite know how to process its alien features. “You gotta save Dr. Crankshaft,” Minnow said, nearly hysterical. “He-- He--” The line connecting Crankshaft to the vessel suddenly went slack...
.The Hippocampus tilted downwards and we began to descend, entering the darkness of a jagged crevasse. Crankshaft reached up to flip a switch, and lights attached to the submersible flicked on, illuminating the water in front of us. “Oh, gee, they always tell us not to go down here,” a voice chirped from behind me. With a clank, the door to a locker swung open, and Minnow fell out, tangled up in a pony-sized diving suit. She wiggled her way out and trotted forward, rearing back and craning her head to look out into the water. “I thought I told you that you weren’t allowed to come,” Crankshaft growled. “Too late now!” Minnow’s hoof jabbed at the glass. “Whoa, look at that!” We all peered forward into the murky water. A strange, sinuous fish drew close to peer at us. Its body was eel-like, but covered in spiny protrusions. A glowing pink orb dangled from a tendril in front of a assymetrical fanged maw. It paused, considering us, but then turned in a flash and darted away. “The creatures down here are affected by the magic leakage,” Crankshaft said. “There’s a lot of weird things out there, but most of them are just as scared as us as we would be of them.” “I sure hope so,” I murmured. Then I saw a light far below us, steadily growing closer...
.7:20PM, Day 66 On this eve we have made a most troubling and soul-shaking discovery. The world we live on is not a sphere. Circumnavigation – in any span of time, let alone a mere eighty days – was folly from the start. I am not sure where our journey shall proceed from here. It will surely take some time for Madame Fog to recoup from this... setback. Even now, from the safety of the small island we escaped to, we watch the remnants of our ship slip over the edge of the abyss. It is a sight as profoundly magnificent as it is heartbreaking. [ENDING Q?]
.We made for Crankshaft’s lab at the city’s outskirts, as I knew of no other place to go. To my surprise, Madame Fog was waiting there for us. “We have to warn the city,” I gasped out, as soon as I had gotten out of the submarine. A scream sounded, along with several other cries of alarm in the distance. “Too late,” my mistress said, grimly. Another shriek came, much closer. I turned to see Minnow staring in horror at the end of the line. Crankshaft wasn’t there. The line ended clipped to a torn and bloody piece of material--what had once been part of the diving suit. “We have to go,” Madame Fog said. “Now.” I dared not disagree. Minnow fought me as I picked her up and forced her back into the submarine. I would not leave her behind to this. With any luck, we could make contact with other evacuating sharkponies and try to get her back to her family. For now, all we could do was flee. Behind us, the city burned. [ENDING F]
.“I’ll do it,” I said. I raised a hoof to forestall his objections. “Look, you probably need to see to the Hippocampus here and check the rest of them, right? Let me go look into the broken one. I can at least let you know what’s wrong and how bad it is.” “Hmph.” “I’ll go with him!” Minnow sang out. “I don’t think so,” Crankshaft said. His gruff face softened slightly. “I need my best assistant here with me to check everything else.” I smiled as I put on the diving suit. The helmet was a big round metal piece, but it connected to oxygen tanks on my back. The whole outfit was sturdy, if bulky. I walked over to the airlock, but Crankshaft stopped me to clip a line to the harness I was wearing. He reached up and turned on a light on the helmet. “Be careful,” he said. “We’ll keep an eye on the line. Pull twice, very hard, and we’ll try to reel you in.” I nodded, and stepped back into the airlock...
.“Just hurry,” I said. He nodded, and donned the diving suit as I scrutinized the submersible controls. It appeared to be fairly simple to pilot, should the need arise. Crankshaft clipped a line to his belt. “Keep an eye on the line. If I pull twice, hard, then pull this lever to reel me back in.” I nodded, and he entered the airlock. A moment later, I could see him out the front of the submersible, trotting off into the darkness. Minnow was oddly quiet and still, staring out into the ocean...
.They were like lice, I realized, parasites feeding off of a larger host. But lice were not the size of ponies, and as they left the surface below and swam in my direction, I saw something fearful in their pale eyeless faces and gaping mouths. I hastily jerked on the line connecting me to Crankshaft back at the submersible, as hard as I could. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards...
.They must be protecting the being below, I thought. As the body has white blood cells that fought disease and eliminated foreign viruses and bacteria, the creature must have its own defense system. And as they began to converge on my position, swimming in unison, I realized that I was the intruder in this situation. I pulled on my line, hard, hoping and praying that Crankshaft was paying attention. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards...
.I wondered what creatures could survive at this depth, in such an environment. They certainly had to have been affected by the magic. In fact, they may actually have fed on it, drawing sustenance from the charge in the water around them. But when I saw them swimming towards me, their gaping mouths lined with teeth I knew that they must have a taste for flesh as well. I tugged at the line insistently, even as I began to struggle to propel myself upwards and away from the rapidly approaching creatures. By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards...
.“We… We should go,” I abruptly decided. I began to fiddle with the switches, and on my third try found the ones that detached us from the cradle with a lurch. “We have to wait for him!” Minnow exclaimed. “We can’t just leave!” “We’ll pull him along with us,” I countered. The line kept spinning as it reeled in. I focused on getting us ready to head away. Minnow leapt on my back trying in vain to keep me from pushing the lever to move forward. Then a pale, eyeless figure darted out of the darkness. As it swam past, undulating unnaturally, I could see sharp teeth in a gaping hole of a mouth. Minnow froze, and then hugged me tightly. More of the creatures appeared on all sides, racing us as we fled back upwards towards the city. I lost count of how many there must have been. The line abruptly went taut, having entirely retracted. But we couldn’t open the airlock while we were moving. I just hoped that Crankshaft understood. We made for Crankshaft’s lab at the city’s outskirts…
.I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself, a little fearful of just exactly what I would find. I could smell the open-air plaza long before I found my way through the winding streets to enter it directly. An overwhelmingly pungent tang of salt hung in the air, and I gagged as I trotted through the crowds. Of course, when I saw the market’s primary wares, the source of the smell became quite clear. Small carts and repurposed rowboats held fish of every hue and description, and sharkponies wandered from stall to stall, haggling in their raspy tongue over the bulging-eyed creatures. Some of the fish, I noticed with a shudder, were alive, still twitching and gasping. My goal of finding acceptable provisions seemed unattainable, but I kept my mind and eyes open as I explored. Much to my surprise, one sharkpony was preparing a kettle of tea... My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers... Eventually I stumbled across a trader who specialized in kelp and seaweed...
.The sharkpony Princess returned a few days later, and Sawtooth arranged for my mistress and I to have an audience with him as soon as possible. As it turned out, that meant appearing before the Princess late that night, but even so, Madame Fog appreciated the immediacy. Sawtooth escorted us, along with a small contingent of guards--or pirates, I could not distinguish. It was on our way to the meetingplace that we came under attack. I was in the midst of sharing some quiet words with Sawtooth when a pale figure leapt from the roof of a nearby ship and tackled a guard. I heard a horrific ripping sound, and when the creature looked up I saw the face of a nightmare. Pale skin stretched across the expanse where eyes should have rested, slits made up the only form of a nose, and its jagged gaping maw still dripped with the gore of its attack. Sawtooth and I moved as one to attack... My mistress was my sole concern...
Our Story Begins...3:00PM, day 49. Given our ill-fated excursion through the jungles, my mistress was quite disinclined to further delay. We sought the first passage we could find heading east, on a old freighter crewed by small fuzzy marsupials, who clambered over the ship with remarkable agility and a distressing lack of concern for their own wellbeing. Shortly after we left, Madame Fog sequestered herself away with the ship’s captain, emerging to announce that our route had been altered. Instead of hugging the coastline on a long curve that brought us considerably far north, we would sail directly southeast to Koala Lumpur. I protested the exorbitant cost... I appreciated my mistress’s shrewdness...
.It was near noon when we came under attack, and at first I didn’t even realize what had prompted the booming shouts from the crew. The horizon was an unbroken line of blue, and I didn’t notice the dark shapes just under the surface of the waves until one breached the water, leaping up to land on the deck of the ship. It was a pony, yet like none others that I had ever seen. Rather than fur, his gray skin was smooth and slick, and he had a long tail that was finned like that of a fish. Most distressingly, as he grinned around the haft of a harpoon, I could see rows of jaggedly sharp teeth. The marsupials leapt into the fray, taking up daggers and clubs in their strange tiny claws, but more and more sharkponies leapt onboard. The invaders moved with a frightening speed and efficiency, taking no quarter as they incapacitated the crew. Without a second thought, I leapt into the fray... Ensuring my mistress’s safety was the most pressing matter...
.Without a second thought, I leapt into the fray, seizing a nearby boathook as a rudimentary weapon. With my first charge, I tripped one of the pirates and shoved him roughly off the deck, to land in a loud splash below. The sharkponies gave way, not expecting to face such fierce opposition, and I quickly rallied the marsupials behind me. Together we held our ground, pausing to see whether the sharks would attack or flee. Then the shark I had shoved overboard resurfaced, leaping back onto the deck. He was a muscular beast, and from the deference the other invaders granted him, I realized that he must be their leader. He sized me up cautiously, and then a crooked grin broke out over his face. I barely had time to prepare myself before he was upon me, fighting with the strength and tenacity of a demon. I tried to bring my improvised weapon to bear, but he caught hold of the shaft in his jaws and with one terrific crunch, shattered the wood in twain. Undeterred, I fought back, but his strength was more than I could bear. He forced me over to the rail of the ship, as if I were a mere colt, roughhousing with a stallion. “I must repay you,” his deep voice rasped out, in accented Equestrian. And then, wrapping his forelegs around my torso, he leapt overboard, dragging me down with him. I struggled valiantly as we plunged into the depths… I froze, clutching my assailant as we hit the water…
.Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts, making a circuit around the remarkable wall of water shimmering in place behind some kind of magic field. I could see fish darting back and forth right outside, not seeming to notice or care about the oddity of a bubble of air here at the bottom of the sea. Midway around the city, the soft sand of the ocean’s floor abruptly dropped off into a deep chasm. Jagged rocks lined the edge of the crevasse, and the interior was such an inky black that I could not tell how deep it went. Overwhelmed with curiosity, I kicked a small rock inside, counting under my breath as I listened for the sound of it striking bottom. After thirty seconds, and nothing but eerie silence I backed away. Something about the place left me ill at ease, and I trotted back towards the city, abandoning my plans for a walk all the way around the border. I headed to the market to procure provisions for my mistress and myself… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest...
.My spirits were lifted as I discovered one stand selling so-called sea cucumbers. Personally, I was quite fond of cucumbers on dry land, and certainly assumed that a saltwater variety would be quite different, but still adequate for consumption. Oh how wrong I was! I knew something was up as soon as the sharkpony trader handed me the basket with my purchase, his smile sparkling with amusement. Nonetheless, I held my head high and trotted over to a nearby alley to inspect the wares. What I found inside weren’t cucumbers in any sense of the term, but rather wriggling wormy creatures, slimy to the touch! I could not tell if a prank had been pulled on my behalf, or if the nomenclature of the deep truly was so backwards as to be totally unrecognizable. Either way, I was too disgusted to return and complain, and after depositing the basket in a nearby garbage bin, I hastily left the market behind. Eschewing the city proper, I explored the outskirts… A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest...
.“What is this stone?” I asked. “A relic from the Upper Currents,” she said, bowing her head momentarily at the words. “Upper Currents?” She glanced up to the ceiling. “Here, we swim and hunt in the Lower Currents, in this sea below. Yet one day all of us, from mighty warrior to smallest child, will see our body grow Still. The spirit moves onwards, passing higher and higher, through the great Expanse, the void which you dryponies scrabble at the bottom edge of. And then, the spirit reaches the beyond, living anew as a light among the dark depths of the Upper Currents.” Realization dawned. “You mean the sky. The stars. Like how some ponies believe the soul goes to the Elysian Fields after death.” “Perhaps.” Her hoof reached out to gently tap at the stone. “But, as you see, our destination is quite real.” I had heard of starstones falling from the night sky, blazing trails as they passed. Yet, ever since the Ruler of the Night had been banished from her duties regulating the stars, such occurrences were rare and unpredictable. As the priestess watched me with narrowed eyes, however, I felt no need to argue theology. “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said... “I must be going,” I explained...
.“Uh-huh,” I countered. “Nuh-uh,” she counter-countered. “Uh-huh,” I parried... “Okay, sure,” I grumbled...
.Then came a terrible silence, followed by an even more terrible noise. I felt the briefest crackle of magic across my coat and realized what had happened, just as a crashing, rushing boom flung our vessel back and forth. “Mon Soleil!” I cried out. “The magic is failing, and the sea is coming in!” Madame Fog braced herself against the door, as we tumbled end over end, thrown hither and yon by the force of the ocean currents. When the tumult ceased, I was on my back, upside down. We were still bobbing up and down, but it appeared that the danger had passed. Madame Fog paused, and then gingerly opened the hatch. We were at the surface, floating in our small diving bell. The stars above glittered, mirrored in the surprisingly calm surface of the sea. In all directions, water spread out uninterrupted as the dark sea and the horizon merged into one. “What do we do now?” I wondered out loud. “We press on,” my mistress said grimly. [ENDING A]
.Scarcely an hour later, we walked out of the eastern bounds of the city. With the starstone’s fragments on a cord around each of our necks, a wobbly bubble of air formed around each of us. “That was simpler than I expected,” I said. “We are not to land yet, Porter,” my mistress said, gravely. She looked out into the darkness of the sea and I knew that our journey had only just begun. We began our trek, picking our way across the floor of the ocean, as darkness intensified all around us. More than once, a rocky outcropping or jagged coral reef forced us to reconsider our path. Days later, as we rested in the cleft of a stony cliff, I noticed something odd. Behind us, a pinprick of light floated on the very edge of my vision. Curious, I retrieved the spyglass that I had picked up weeks ago in Istanbull, and peered back at the apparition. I saw a dome, encompassing roiling flames and smoke. There was nothing in that direction save the city we had fled, and I could not imagine what danger could have befallen it in such a short time. Just as I paused to rub my eyes before taking a second look, the light winked out, leaving nothing but darkness behind. I told Madame Fog what I had seen, disconcerted with the implications. “Best not to worry,” she replied. “We have far to go, and little time. Let us press onwards.” [ENDING B]
.I stumbled across a bar when exploring the city, and to my surprise inside I found the sharkpony that had snatched me from atop the deck of our ship. He looked equally bemused by the coincidence, and asked in raspy, accented Equestrian if I would join them for a spell. “Does the drypony drink?” were his exact words, elbowing one of his comrades as he flashed his smile. “I assure you, I can hold my own.” I did not find it necessary to mention my heritage. The Stouts have a long and storied tradition of brewing, and though my own talents manifested in a different manner--as my cutie mark of a valise can attest--I nonetheless grew up with plenty of exposure to both the finer and baser points of alcohol. However, their drink of choice was new to me. It was a black, viscous liquid with a bitter taste and the burn of potent liquor. The sharkponies drank it as if water, carousing and mock fighting in equal measure, always in motion. I discovered that my grinning companion’s name was Sawtooth, and that he was the leader of a small gang of local pirates that had only happened upon our vessel because we were passing almost directly above the city. I tactfully asked about the fate of the ship’s crew… I inquired about the sharkpony Princess who was currently away… Intrigued about my host, I pressed him for more details of himself...
.A nearby ship described as a cathedral drew my interest. From the outside, it looked like one more cargo steamer, overgrown with algae and studded with barnacles. But upon entering the vessel, I immediately recognized the iconography on display as religious, as foreign as the sight may have been. The interior of the ship was one cavernous room, with a single raised dais at the center. Elaborate statuary ringed the dais and hung suspended from the ceiling, formed of spirals and abstract shapes. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the white colors indicated not stone or coral, but rather bone, carved into their elaborate shapes. At the very center, a rounded stone floated in the air, glowing with a telltale aura of magic. A single figure paced slowly around the circumference of the dais, intoning something in the rough language of the sharkponies. As I stepped forward, she ceased her revolution and turned to me, pulling the hood back from her head. The priestess--if indeed that was what she was--was surprisingly young, and her eyes were bright but guarded. “Welcome, visitor. What brings you to my sanctum?” “Can you tell me about your faith?” I inquired... “What is this stone?” I asked… “I hadn’t expected to see such a shrine in your city,” I said...
.Nonetheless, I declined the opportunity. “I must tend to my mistress here,” I explained. “And what if your Princess returns early?” Sawtooth looked disappointed, but accepted my decision without argument. The last I saw of him was his fin, disappearing into the crowd of sharkponies who had already begun another busy day in their normal lives. True to my word, I returned to my mistress, but she was distant and irritable, unhappy with the continued wait for the sharkpony Princess and potential continuation of our journey. I can’t say that my mood was much better. “Have you not found us alternate transit?” she testily inquired, later that day. I shook my head. “We must bide our time, Madame.”
.I eagerly accepted his proposition, and peppered him with questions as we walked to the western outskirts of the city. He deftly parried my attempts to discern our destination, demonstrating a wry wit. When we reached the boundary of the city’s dome of air, he boldly strode out into the water, and I had to hastily secure my mask before following. The device worked wonderfully, despite some minor discomfort, but I found adjusting to moving in the water far more difficult. Sawtooth watched my flailing attempts at swimming with his crooked smile, and when he held a reached a hoof out questioningly, I nodded with relief. The next thing I knew, he effortlessly surged through the water, coming up behind me to wrap his forelegs securely under my own. I barely had time to gulp a breath before he pushed forward and we were off, traveling at a remarkably high speed through the water as he used his powerful tail to propel the both of us together. I suppose in some ways it might have been embarrassing, having to be cradled like a foal as my own form was far too ill-equipped to deal with life at the bottom of the ocean. But rather than a hindrance, Sawtooth swam with a confidence and power that instead made me feel at one with the sea. I felt like I realized some fraction of the connection the sharkponies had to this place, but even that shadow of a feeling brought me a tremendous sense of wonder. Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef...
.Then we arrived at his destination, a coral reef, and my awe and wonder increased tenfold. Sawtooth first took us around in a long sweeping arc that showed off the remarkable extent of the formation. It was an underwater forest, painted as if by an eager foal in a veritable rainbow of colors. At first, I thought a silvery cloud to be one more feature of the landscape, but then it turned and moved towards us, and suddenly scores of tiny fish enveloped us in a breathtaking swirl, coursing around and over Sawtooth and I as we swam down towards the reef. When they were gone, we were down in the midst of the coral, amongst all manner of formations in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some ridged spheres resembled glowing brains, while others possessed spindly protrusions like carrot-colored arms. One ruby-red lump looked soft and inviting to the touch, but when I reached for it, Sawtooth abruptly pulled me away, swimming back. Life teemed throughout all of the coral forest. Tiny fish competed with one another to put the colors of their home to shame, banded and striped with neon hues. Eels and crabs and other stranger creatures lurked in the many holes and shadows, scuttling away as our shadow passed by. I had my mask and my air, but the sight truly took my breath away. Then Sawtooth, reached around to hoof me over something. I looked down to see that it was a trident, and understood his purpose immediately. I motioned for him to bring me closer to one of the dark openings… I caught sight of one of the nearby fish, and gulped, steeling my nerves… I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely... I threw it down, unwilling to disturb the beauty around me...
.I waited and watched, choosing my time wisely. I had little experience with hunting prey--what earth pony would? But I was determined not to let my unfamiliarity hinder me. If I truly intended to do this thing, I would do so with caution and purpose. Unpleasant as it seemed, I knew how the circle of nature flowed, and that taking a life in this nature would only be so that Sawtooth and his people could in turn survive. The real cruelty would be to wound some creature unduly due to my inexperience. Thus I bided my time, letting Sawtooth carry me through the reef past all number of amazing sights. Finally, I saw my opportunity, and motioned for him to turn aside. It was a tuna, I think. A fat, silver fish that was nibbling on some kelp at the outskirts of the reef. I didn’t trust myself to target anything smaller or more agile. I felt Sawtooth tense ever so slightly as he tightened his grip and swam forward with a minimum of disturbance. The fish didn’t even notice us until we were within a few hoofsbreadths, and then I jabbed forward with all my might. I confess, my eyes were screwed shut, but I still felt the resistance as my trident sunk into something. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the fat tuna staring back lifelessly. I felt a thrill at my success… I felt understandably disgusted...
.I sought for something familiar in the alien place, unsettled by strange city of sunken ships. As I wandered through the streets, the sharkpony residents paid me no mind, but I couldn’t help but see danger in each sharp fin or fanged smile. I was so preoccupied with keeping an eye alert for trouble that I almost ran right into another pony. Only after he brushed past me, irritably muttering, did I realize that he had in fact been a pony from above the water, and not a shark. A dark brown pegasus, in fact, with a pair of goggles perched atop his thatchy mane. Frozen for a moment in surprise, I almost lost sight of him as he threaded his way through the streets. I hastily galloped after, but he was moving with purpose and clearly knew his way around. Every time I thought I would catch him, I would round a corner, and his tail would disappear behind another ship. Nonetheless, I hastily followed, until he left the city proper and arrived at a large building constructed out of an old Maneila galleon that sat half inside and half outside the dome of air that held the city. I cantered up just as he vanished inside, and promptly knocked at the door. It swung open again, and he peered out, looking me up and down. “Did the Canterlot Artificer’s Guild send you?” he asked gruffly. “Yes,” I lied, unwilling to let an obvious opportunity pass... “No,” I admitted, hoping he would let me explain further…
.I felt a thrill at my success that was perhaps slightly unbecoming. Ponies such as myself saw themselves as civilized and above the base instincts that drove carnivores, yet I recognized that such views were limiting in their own right. Ponies quarreled, and fought, and killed, just as any other species. I knew that this was no murder but a necessity of life for the sharkponies. I do not know that I could survive and live by such means, but I felt like I understood Sawtooth and his people, particularly in seeing the care and respect he showed when dressing the fish and securing it in a pack on his back. When he looked back at me, I could read something in his eyes, a kind of newfound respect that made me look away, my face hot. We did not hunt any more after that point, but simply swam throughout the reef, exploring in depth the beauty and wonders therein. I found a kind of peace and oneness in a place of such beauty, particularly with a guide who made our presence feel effortless and integrated into the vibrant environment. It was late by the time we arrived back in the city...
.It was late by the time we arrived back at the city. As soon as I had removed my mask, it was as if the floodgates had opened, and I could not help but gush about our journey and the sights we had seen. Sawtooth weathered my storm of chatter with an easy smile as we walked through the streets of the city. By the time we reached my temporary quarters, I had run out of steam and we had settled into a comfortable silence. I hesitated, standing outside the door. No light shone through the window, indicating that my mistress had already retired for the night. I certainly could have quietly entered without disturbing her, but something held me back. I looked back at Sawtooth, who for the first time I had ever seen him appeared to be nervous. “Drypony--” He shook his head. “No. Porter. Thank you.” He frowned and stared past me, his tail lashing. The personality of my mistress had long ago taught me to interpret silences and actions just as clearly as words, and I saw a deeper meaning in the brief hesitance we both shared at this parting. I responded with actions, not words... I smiled, and thanked him in turn… I turned wordlessly away...
.I awoke in yet another unfamiliar place, as a great lurch sent me sliding sideways and throwing my still bruised shoulder into a hard surface. I cried out and leapt to my hooves, only to almost fall over. I was in a small rowboat on the open ocean, with Madame Fog sitting nearby and watching me warily. Above us, a canopy of stars stretched over a cloudless sky. We were travelling at a tremendous speed, and only upon leaning upon the bow of the vessel did I see the sharkponies pulling our craft with ropes wound around their bodies. “What-- Where are we?” I said. “Continuing our journey,” Madame Fog stated. “You did well, Porter.” “Then the city…?” I drew in a sharp breath. “Sawtooth?” My mistress pursed her lips. “The city has been damaged, with many killed. Even now, preparations continue for an evacuation to safer waters. I’m told there are many hunting grounds where the sharkponies had previously stayed temporarily. Nonetheless, in gratitude for your role in averting greater loss, their Princess granted us expedited passage the remainder of the way across the ocean.” “But Sawtooth-- The sharkpony I was with. Is he okay?” I heard a splash, and a small, grey-streaked sharkpony climbed aboard the rowboat. I recognized her as one of the ponies that had been in Sawtooth’s band. “Sawtooth left words for you, drypony. He says that he is sorry to not be here, but he must go with the many to the Upper Currents. Even still, he will not forget your name.” My shoulders sagged, and I slumped to rest against the rough wood of the boat. Every part of my body seemed to ache. I stared up at the stars above, wondering if somewhere out there, Sawtooth was doing the same. Before exhaustion overtook me again, I thought I saw one lone shooting star streak across the sky. [ENDING D]
.Still a little irked, I felt the need to be pedantic. “I somewhat doubt he’s achieved anything on the level of Gallopleo or Aristrotle. And more modern artificers like Farrierday or Nickerla Tesla are only hastening the advance of technology. I hardly think a pony out here at the bottom of the sea is on the cutting edge of anything.” She frowned sternly. “I’ve never heard of any of those dumb names.” “Well, you can take my word that there are plenty of historically important figures that would outclass your Doctor.” “Nuh-uh!” she proclaimed. “Uh-huh,” I insisted… “Okay, sure,” I grumbled...
.“No,” I admitted, hoping he would let me explain further. He stared at me, awaiting a response. “I’m-- Well, my mistress and I have found ourselves stranded here, and are seeking a means of travel to the east. Seeing you here, I wondered if you might know of a way out of the city.” “Mmm,” he said. “Come in.” Leaving the door ajar, he trotted away, and I hesitated briefly before stepping within. The interior of the ship was cavernous, and all the more remarkable for being so full of junk. Piles of mechanical debris stretched almost to the ceiling, with only a few benches clear enough to discern as workspaces. I had never seen such an assortment of devices, even though the vast majority were clearly rusted, broken rubbish. I wondered if the pony had scavenged such things as salvage from the same shipwrecks that made up the homes and businesses of the city. “I’m Crankshaft,” he announced before trotting out of sight behind a stack of battered metal plating. “And I’m Minnow!” another voice chimed in from behind me. I whirled around to see another visitor: a small sharkfilly grinning from the doorway. She trotted in, clearly familiar with the place, and hopped up on a workbench to root around in one of the toolboxes on it. I pointed out that Minnow seemed like a strange name… I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk...
.The sight left us speechless, and unwilling to break the eerie silence as we watched destruction fall upon the city. Crankshaft brought us around to his lab, on the outskirts of the city. A ragtag group of sharkponies had taken shelter there, as the invaders seemed to be concentrating on the city proper. To my great relief, Madame Fog also waited within. “Just on time,” she said. “I think we should be leaving.” “I-- We--” I gazed out of a window at the rapid ruin of the city. “I suppose we have no choice.” Minnow had galloped over to the sharkponies, and was speaking rapidly in the shark language that I could not understand. Crankshaft was standing oddly still, in the center of his workspace. Minnow rushed back to me. “We’re evacuating,” she said. “You should too. It’s not safe here.” Crankshaft looked up at us. “Go. I agreed to the deal. You can take the Hippocampus.” “What about you?” I asked. “I can’t leave my work behind.” He stomped a hoof down. “I have to protect my research. I’m staying here, no matter what.” “But--” My mistress silenced me with a hoof to my withers. “Porter. We must go.” I reluctantly boarded the Hippocampus, and the sharks flanked us as we traveled away out into the open water. Piloting the submersible was relatively simple, but my mind was still on the strange underwater city as we left it behind. I knew the scene would haunt me for many nights to come. [ENDING E]
.I cautiously proceeded through the maze of junk, but the sight on the other side left me speechless. The galleon indeed straddled the boundary between water and air, where whatever magical barrier preserved this place came to an end. And on the other side of the abrupt wall of sea, a strange submersible vessel gently bobbed in the water. The craft was bulbous, with a glass dome in the front revealing a small cockpit crammed full of controls and indicators. Still, the submersible looked easily large enough to hold three or four ponies. Nearby, Crankshaft was tinkering with a disassembled engine, a screwdriver clamped in his mouth. Seeing me, he spat it out. “Huh? Oh, you’re still here. What do you want?” I explained the circumstances of Madame Fog’s wager, and our imminent need for transportation. Crankshaft didn’t appear particularly interested. He leaned across his workbench, peering at me. “Yeah, but what’s in it for me?” I paused, musing the question. I was familiar with ponies of his type. I knew that greed motivated all ponies... I decided the best approach was to appeal to his pride... I chose to call upon his sense of honor...
.“We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!” A pale figure slammed into the cockpit of the Hippocampus, clinging to the outside of the glass. Minnow screamed, and Crankshaft immediately moved into action, hooves on levers and switches. With a jolt, we disconnected from the docking station, and began floating upwards. The creature on the glass pressed its face against the surface, showing an orifice that was more of a gaping hole than a mouth. I could see teeth lining the entirety of the thing’s throat, and it shrieked, the piercing sound reverberating inside the submersible. I thought I saw a spiderweb of a crack in the glass. “I don’t think so,” Crankshaft muttered, and flicked another switch. The lights came on at full strength, right on the creature. It shrieked again and reared back, losing its grip. We surged forward, the submersible pointing nearly straight up as we made for the surface of the crevasse. All around us I could see pale creatures keeping pace, undulating through the water. When we came out of the crevasse and caught sight of the city, it was a scene right out of Tartarus. The lurking creatures swept through the city without mercy, setting everything into absolute chaos. I could see some of the ships already on fire, dark smoke pouring out as sharkponies tried to flee. The sight left us speechless...
.Nonetheless I convinced her to stay, concerned about her safety. Something in Crankshaft’s words concerned me; rogue tinkerers of his sort were often removed from society for a reason, and I did not want to expose my mistress to whatever half-baked experiments he had been working on. I waited until we had both clambered into the Hippocampus and set off to delicately broach the subject of his research. “Power,” he said, “and lots of it. You’re familiar with the steam engine?” “Of course. The revolution of the century, and in fact the very reason why Madame Fog recognized the potential to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days’ time.” He snorted. “Burning coal for power is foal’s play. The future is in magikinetics.” “Impossible,” I said. “Nopony has ever produced a working model. I’ve read of attempts, but translating magic energy into power is tremendously wasteful. The amount of magic needed would be immense.” “That’s true. But what if we had access to a new, untapped source? Tell me: you’ve been all over the world. But what lies straight down? What’s at the center of the Earth?” “Stone and rock, what else?” I said, shaking my head... I hesitated. “Some say a great dragon sleeps below...” “An empty void,” I offered. “Perhaps with ponies living on the inside as well…”
.My mistress looked at Crankshaft sharply. “You’re talking about the embryonic monomyth.” “Hmph.” A flash of begrudging respect crossed his face. “Exactly.” “The… what?” I cut in. Madame Fog glanced at me sidelong. “Several cultures possess quite similar mythological constructs, positing the existence of a planet-sized creature incubating at the center of the earth. It’s often tied to eschatology, with its awakening corresponding to the destruction of the world.” “All fairly far-fetched,” Crankshaft said. The Hippocampus turned its nose down, and we began descending into a deep crevasse. With a flick of a switch, the submersible’s headlights came to life. “But there’s a kernel of truth. The deeper you go, the higher the readings of ambient magic. The strength increases exponentially this far down.” “So you’re condensing this ambient magic and using it to power a generator,” Madame Fog mused. “Clever.” “Wow, yeah!” a voice chirped from inside a locker...
.“Stone and rock, what else?” I said, shaking my head. Crankshaft raised a hoof to his chin. “Perhaps. And perhaps a Roc of a different plumage.” “I’m sorry?” “The griffons have a legend of a great being known as the Roc who is bigger than the universe itself. According to this myth, our Earth is not a mere planet, but an egg, and we simply live on the shell. At the end of millennia, the embryo underneath will come full-grown and hatch.” I snorted. “And you’re saying this is true?” “Perhaps. Perhaps not. What I am saying, however, is that a great power lies at the center of our world. The reserves of magic are seemingly limitless.” The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend...
.“An empty void,” I offered. “Perhaps with ponies living on the inside as well. A star of their own at the center, providing light during the day.” Crankshaft laughed. “You’ve got a big imagination, Mr. Stout. But you’re not wholly wrong.” “Really?” “There’s certainly some kind of space down there. But I think it’s full-- full of some giant magical entity. Ambient magical readings sharply increase the further down you go-- quadratically, not linearly. Anything able to produce that level of power is functionally infinite; even if we were to power the entire world, I doubt we would consume more than a fraction of its reserves.” “I see,” I said, though I still felt firmly in the dark. The Hippocampus tilted downwards, and we began to descend...
.I nodded, and stepped back into the airlock. A moment later, I was out, walking on the ocean floor--or in some sense, far below the ocean floor. The first thing I noticed was how warm the water was down here. The second was the tingle of the hair on my neck standing on end. Crankshaft was right about the ambient magic too. Moving slowly but steadily in the water, I set off following the cable that Crankshaft had told me. I was careful not to lose sight of it-- even though the crevasse meant that I couldn’t get too far off track, the extreme darkness made me not want to risk getting lost. It was closer than I expected when I came across the extractor. A stubby metal scaffolding clung to the ground, with the cable terminating in some kind of transformer box. I couldn’t see the drill itself, just a hole stretching down into the rock, the size of a well. I swam inside, slowly sinking further and further down into the depths. I had no idea how far I had to be from the surface now-- miles, perhaps? The further down I got, the more the feeling of freefloating magic intensified. I was glad not to be a unicorn; even still, I could feel the power thrumming in my bones. The everpresent darkness subsided, as the magic that suffused the water produced its own eldritch glow. And then I came to the end of the tunnel…
.And then I came to the end of the tunnel. I was expecting just a rocky dead-end. Instead, the passage opened into an incredibly vast cavern. Far, far below, I could see where the drill head had fallen, to land among rocky outcroppings below. Ever so slightly, one of those outcroppings moved. I blinked, unsure if I had seen it right. I couldn’t see walls to the right and left, just water stretching out. If the terrain below was the body of a creature, it was immeasurably vast and terrifying--perhaps a gargantuan serpent coiled upon itself, or some even more strange and otherworldly being, beyond the knowledge of ponykind. Or perhaps my imagination was simply running wild in the moment. Then, I noticed movement below. Tiny creatures streamed over and through the outcroppings below--or rather, they were so distant as to appear as ants. They were pale and sinuous, despite having roughly equine forms. One stopped, looking upwards, and I realized my light was still on. I fumbled with it, trying to switch it off. When I looked back down, they were all staring at me. They were like lice, I realized, feeding off of a larger animal… They must be protecting the being below, I thought… I wondered what creatures could survive at this depth...
.By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards through the tunnel. I kicked my legs out, trying to go faster. Every time I snuck a peak downwards, I could see sightless faces growing closer and closer. When I abruptly tumbled out onto the rocky surface of the crevasse, I didn’t stop and neither did the line, jerking me further back towards the submersible. The creatures burst out of the tunnel behind me, seemingly without end, swimming upwards and away. I was glad to see them go, until reflecting on where they could be headed. As soon as the line had pulled me back to the Hippocampus, I jumped into the airlock, twisting at my helmet to try and get it off. The door opened, and Crankshaft and Minnow both stared at me in curiosity. “What’s going on?” “We have to go,” I gasped out. “Back to the city. Hurry!”
