Hours Loom 2: Electric Boogaloo

A boat this big should have a name, Twilight thought as she walked along the deck. The top floor of the ship was on the deck, containing the rooms that were used for the week’s guests. Her room was the furthest from everyone else. The second floor of the ship was below deck. It held all the other rooms that were meant for a populated cruise. She wondered if she would have preferred the second level, but after seeing the size she thought better of her decision. A short rest before she met up with the other guests was something she needed. She quickly found her room and went inside, locking both locks and checking each corner of the room. It was a very large and accommodating room, most likely meant for someone with a lot of money or of high nobility, such as herself.

With every inch checked, she laid herself down on the bed, lying on her back. It was uncomfortable on her stub. The bed she had at home was plush foam, folding and molding itself to fit whatever pressed against it. This bed was soft but not foam or plush. Her stub pressed against it like a pencil’s eraser on a piece of paper. She rolled to her right side and sighed, letting the stub breathe. Her remaining wing pressed between her and the bed, ruffling her feathers. The room was stuffy and humid, not unlike Canterlot, only warmer. A large mirror sat to the right of the door near the bathroom. She found herself staring at it from the bed as she contemplated getting up and meeting with the rest of the guests.

Before her body could doze off, she rose from the bed and wandered off to find her parents. She made extra care to lock her room’s door behind her, stuffing the key within her wing. With her room being more towards the bow of the ship, which was close to the control room, she headed towards the stern, which was the opposite way. She walked the deck and came across stairs to the lower levels, though she was unsure what lied beneath the second floor. As she passed the other top floor guest rooms she stumbled upon the other passengers. Lazy chairs, tables with umbrellas, and cushioned benches lined the outside of the dining hall. She passed by Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles, greeting them warmly. They appeared to be chatting with each other and taking pictures as they got comfortable amongst the deck’s furniture.

The dining hall was surrounded by glass windows on two sides. On one side, at the very end of the ship, the glass reflected the large pool that sat outside the hall. More tables lined the pool along with two speakers that sat closer to the windows rather than the pool. The other glass wall held a second set of doors, which she used. Once she entered the hall she could see the opposite side was just a wall, and the final side lead to the kitchen. The aroma of bread baking and soups stirring filled the room, wetting her appetite. An open frame ran along the wall in the kitchen, displaying the chef and waiter inside. The hall was more expansive than it looked on the outside, though it didn’t feel like it. Chairs still sat upside down atop the tabletops. It made sense for the few guests that were aboard the ship, but it made things rather cozy. She didn’t like being cozy with others.

Her parents were sitting with Spitfire, Soarin, and Granny Smith. She took her place next to her mother and listened to their conversation. It was mostly about stuff she already knew, having lived with her parents for some time now. “Of course, I just laughed it off,” Twilight Velvet had said. Her husband then added, “Laughed it off? You were red for a week!” The table laughed and joked and told of their lives. At some point, the topic switched to the other passengers that had come along.

“Why didn’t Applejack want to come?” Twilight Sparkle asked. She never had a full answer but there was no better explanation than the words from Granny Smith.

“Well, that girl’s got a stick up her butt over Hondo and Cookie. Ever since she blew her top at them at Apple Bloom’s funeral she hasn’t had the nerve to face them,” Granny explained. “Or apologize.”

“Eeyup.” The red stallion seemed to appear from nowhere, taking his seat next to Granny Smith.

Blew up at them? the alicorn wondered. “I hadn’t heard about that. What happened?”

Granny Smith removed her dentures and splashed them within her glass of water, getting them nice and soaked before plopping them back in. She grinded her gums for a moment before retelling the tale. “From my understandin’, Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles had attended each of the fillies’ funerals. They seemed polite ‘nuff to me but somethin’ they said set off Applejack worse than a pack of timber wolves. It might have gotten violent had she not still been injured. Since then she hasn’t had the nerve to see them or apologize for her outburst. I don’t know if she would even want to apologize.”

As they spoke of the Element of Honesty, Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles entered the dining hall with Mr. and Mrs. Shy. The two sets of parents sat down at a table together, joking and bantering with one another. All the guests began piling into the hall and the conversation at Twilight Sparkle’s table shifted back into a happier tone. However, she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Hondo and Cookie. Their mouths never once faltered from a smile or a laugh, their eyes bright and gleeful. Was it right to invite them? Applejack should be here, shouldn’t she? It seemed she stared at them for too long as her mother noticed and prodded at her cheek, grabbing her attention.

“Dear, are you feeling alright?” her mother asked.

The alicorn nodded in response. “Just a lot of things to take in, don’t worry. I’ll be alright.”

Soup was served to all the passengers and Twilight Sparkle was the first to finish. Her nerves hadn’t broken her appetite as she pushed the bowl away, happy with the warmth in her belly. The rest of the guests seemed so lively to Twilight, even Zephyr Breeze and Limestone who sat together. It was rare to see Limestone smile but somehow Zephyr had garnered one or two, though, it was mostly from burning his muzzle on the hot soup or spilling some on a wing.

It wasn’t too long before the captain, Starboard, entered the dining hall. He had come to make a few announcements and greet the guests formally. “I hope you all will have a great seven days aboard this vessel,” he had said. “If you have any questions, please, come find me or my first mate Porter in the control room at the bow of the ship.” The captain then left and the rest of the passengers went back to eating.

Twilight rose from her seat and patted her mother and father. They knew where she was going but said nothing to stop her. There was little point in trying to sway her to enjoy herself, she no longer enjoyed crowded groups or parties. The thought of checking every inch of the ship once or twice had crossed her mind as well but she knew that would be too crazy even for her. Instead, this would calm her concerns. “Captain! Captain Starboard!” she called out as she came up behind him.

He turned to face her, his grey beard swaying with the wind coming across the sea. “Hello, Princess Twilight. A little anxious to learn about the ship, aren’t you?” She was surprised he knew exactly what she wanted but nodded anyways. “Come. I’m heading to the control room now.”

They entered the cabin that sat atop the bow of the ship, staring out into the sea. Buttons, knobs, and levers lined panels, and a ships wheel sat in the middle of it all. The room had a single door with large windows lining the front of the space. “Captain Starboard!” the first mate raised his hoof and greeted his superior. “I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve really gotta go!” Porter struggled with his back legs, dancing and trotting in place.

Starboard let out a guffaw. “Relieved! Now go relieve yourself! And hurry back!” Porter rushed out the door, leaving the alicorn and captain to laugh with each other. He began to go over the specifications of the room and the automated system.

“So how did you know I was going to ask to learn more about the ship?” she asked after a few minutes, interrupting his detailing of how the ship ran.

A smug grin appeared between his mustache and beard. “Princess Celestia told us a bit about you and your preferences. We are to be very accommodating to whatever you demand, regardless of how strange it might be. In fact-” He reached down to one of the compartments of the panels “-I’m to give you this. Please don’t lose it as I’ll want it back at the end of the voyage.”

It was a large rolled up document detailing the map of the ship. “Oh my!” Her face lit up as she eyed over the rooms and facilities labeled within the diagram. “Celestia knows me too well,” she murmured more loudly than she meant.

“That seems to be true, but nevertheless, she arranged all this for you. Maybe now you can enjoy yourself.”

“With this-” She rolled the map back up “-I can certainly start. Though, if you see me examining random areas of the ship I have to assume you won’t be surprised.”

He shook his head and grinned. “Of course not. Which is why I may as well tell you how to work the automated system. Maybe whenever you get bored you can run the ship and give me and Porter a break.” He let out another guffaw. He was a bit too cheery for Twilight’s taste but it certainly made her feel more comfortable.

An hour went by before Porter returned. By that time Twilight had already learned how to work the automated system. The captain was impressed by her learning speed and assumed that’s why she was an alicorn and he was not. “Well, I’m going to get some rest. Porter here has got first watch.” He patted the first mate on the shoulder. “Lay off the coffee, boy. Can’t have you relieving yourself over the side of the boat in the middle of the night.” He chuckled all the way out the door, leaving Twilight and Porter alone.

Porter took his paper cup of coffee in both hooves, the smell filling the air of the cabin, choking it like a drowning filly. “Princess Twilight, is there something I can help you with?” he asked, unsure of what she and his captain had been speaking about.

She shook her head and smiled. He was handsome, she’d give him that. His blue hair was a bit curly and a patch of fur was fluffed just below his bottom lip. “I just have a hard time with large groups,” she answered as she moved closer, leaning next to the colt. “I’ll probably be in here most of the time until I feel settled.”

“That’s quite alright. It’s nice to have company. The trips can get pretty boring for me and the captain.” The coffee was still steaming as he sat it down next to the console, still more than half full. “Luckily the captain is pretty fun to be around. Otherwise, I would have quit long ago.” His laugh was sweet, so innocent. “Passengers rarely ever come to the control room except to complain,” he said, continuing into a story of a previous cruise. She listened and laughed, enjoying the recounted tale.

The sun had already begun to set in the horizon before she excused herself from the control room. Porter wished her a good night’s sleep and she was gone. She wandered down the deck towards her room with the map in her grasp. Mr. and Mrs. Shy were holding each other, staring out at the sun. “Are you two having a good time?” she asked as she came across them, only meaning to greet them before continuing on.

“Oh, Princess. Yes, we are,” Mr. Shy said.

“Please, call me Twilight. There’s no need to be so formal, especially since you’re F-” She stopped herself, biting her lip as she thought of the yellow pegasus.

Mrs. Shy patted the railing, calling over the alicorn. “Don’t get upset, dear. It’s okay to speak her name.”

“Right,” Twilight muttered under her breath as she stepped beside the older mare. “How have things been? I can’t believe it’s already been a year and a half since…” she trailed off.

Mr. Shy leaned forward with his head past the railing. His mustache seemed to glow from the light reflecting off the open water, twinkling as his mouth moved. “It’s been hard. However, she had already moved out and been a grown mare for a long while. That doesn’t make it any easier, though.” His arm pulled Mrs. Shy closer, nuzzling their foreheads together.

“We’re just happy for this trip. It’s good to be around others going through the same mourning.” Mrs. Shy smiled and wiped a tear from underneath her glasses. “It’ll be good for you too, Pri… er, Twilight.”

“I hope you’re right,” Twilight replied as she rubbed Mrs. Shy’s back, comforting the mare, and herself. “I’ll catch you two tomorrow. Early to bed, early to rise.” She nervously chuckled and swung a foreleg awkwardly, leaving the two alone as she trotted off.

Her hopes to catch some sleep would become strained as she drew to her door. She lifted her wing, pulling the key from underneath and placing the map in its stead. As she placed a hoof on the knob the door moved. She twisted and pushed, opening the supposedly locked door. The room was dark and silent as she stepped in. I know I locked it. Her teeth gritted as she flipped on the light, preparing for the worst. She checked behind the door, underneath the bed, in the closet, and in the bathroom. There was nothing. Her luggage was unmoved, nothing was stolen, and nothing seemed to have moved. She locked both locks and levitated a chair over, placing it directly underneath the handle just as she did at home.

She threw the map to the counter underneath the giant mirror and flicked the lights off. The bed was softer than earlier, or perhaps she no longer cared how it felt. Her head rested gently on the pillow as thoughts raced through her mind. Why was her door unlocked? Who could have entered her room? Who would have wanted to enter her room and not move anything? It was a strange predicament but the answer could have easily been that the key hadn’t locked like she had thought. She didn’t know what to believe but felt safe enough with the deadbolt and chair. There was always one last thing she did before she fell asleep.

A light flashed from her horn, shrouding the room in a purple glow before fading into the blackness. It was a spell to prevent other magic users from casting anything within the shroud. Her stay in Canterlot had only increased her knowledge in defensive magic, she was prepared at any moment for the inevitable return of her.

With the spell set and the door blocked, her mind finally began to give way to the subconscious, and it wasn’t long before she began to dream. It wasn’t always the same dream she had, there was a rotation, but this one was always the worst. It was the worst because it always started out great. A book in one hoof, a fork in the other. Spike sitting in her lap, her friends all around her. She always got a good look at their smiling faces. There was Fluttershy, so kind. Rainbow Dash, so loyal. Applejack always, always tipped her hat. When it got to Pinkie Pie it would always start to go sour. Her neck would always be twisted and her head was upside down, but she was smiling and carefree.

When it got to her, when it got to Rarity, the dream would turn into a nightmare. Her pretty white face was bruised and bloodied and it would always scream at her. “Why couldn’t you save them!?” As the focus went back to each of the ponies, it would be much worse. Pinkie Pie’s mouth would let a flow of blood while Applejack fought a rope that got tighter around her neck. Rainbow Dash’s eyes were always rolled back in her head, her torso ripped from sternum to stomach. The worst was Fluttershy. She sat in her chair, smiling at Twilight. Nothing was ever wrong with Fluttershy at first. It wasn’t until she stared at the yellow pegasus for a long while before a cut appeared through her throat, pouring blood down her chest. The pegasus just smiled as it happened.

Twilight awoke in a sweat with heavy breathing and her heart racing. She always did whenever that nightmare happened. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sat up in the bed, dripping down her muzzle. Her stub ached and cried out; phantom pains of a wing wanting to be free. After throwing the sheets off and heading for the bathroom, she climbed into the shower. She turned the cold knob on and closed the curtain. The cold water helped. It rained down on her, wetting her fur and hair. She turned her back end to the shower’s head, showering her stub and rump with the coolness.

After the quick rinse, she turned the spigot off and climbed out, toweling off her hair before the rest of her body. As she dried her rear, rubbing the towel back and forth, a strange thump echoed from her room. Slowly and cautiously, she opened the bathroom door, blaring the light of the bathroom into the darkness of the rest of the cabin. With her towel wrapped around her, she once again checked the closet and underneath the bed. No one. A groan echoed from her throat as she slapped her temple with the back of her hoof. She removed the chair and unlocked the deadbolt, throwing the towels on the bed. Levitating the key to the door, she pressed it in and made sure it would lock. After doing this three times in a row, she closed the door and locked it, tucking the key underneath her wing before leaving for a walk.

It was just a dream, she told herself. You’re being stupid. She walked to the stern of the ship, not wanting to alarm Porter or Starboard or any other crew member. The ship wasn’t dark by any means. Lights lit the deck’s paths, making the ship a beacon out at sea. If that wasn’t enough, the full moon gave even more light to the large ship. It was a long, bright walk to the pool, though it wasn’t long enough for her. She barely got herself straightened out as she sat down on one of the cushioned benches against the railing of the ship. Resting both forelegs along the rail, she leaned against them. A slight wind breezed her wet hair and the ocean waves were a pleasant, soothing white noise.

The noise was disturbed by another and she looked to see what it could be. A pony she had seen but didn’t know was exiting the dining hall. His fur was forest green and his hair was pure white. His face was unsightly, matted fur and scars running up and down his cheeks. He was an earth pony like the captain and first mate. A food tray was being carried in one hoof, a meal for the night owl. She thought to speak to him then and there but he had caught sight of her. The curves of his muzzle seemed to frown harder as he saw her. He said nothing, instead, he turned away and left, carrying his tray.

She let a few minutes pass to see if he would return but he did not. What a strange stallion, she thought to herself as she walked along the deck, heading back to her room. Though, perhaps he thought I was just as strange.

As she passed by the stairs to the lower level a voice rang out, startling her. “Boo!” it said. She pressed her body against the railing, standing far enough away from the shadowed pony. Her heart raced as the bright mint colored stallion stepped up from the steps with a smile on his face. “Of all the ponies to be wandering around at night, I wouldn’t have expected you,” Zephyr said, his blonde hair in a bun.

“Zephyr!” she growled and smacked the slacker in his shoulder. “You shouldn’t scare ponies like that!”

“Oh come on. Boo isn’t scary,” he said as he rolled his eyes. “Heck, you’re the one here that should know the most about things that go bump in the night.” A giggle left his lips as if he meant to tell a joke.

“That’s not funny, Zephyr.”

He simply shrugged and then went about his business, heading the way she had just come. His careless attitude was enough to get under her skin, and her heart racing would definitely be keeping her up for the rest of the night. Nevertheless, she returned to her room, her door had remained locked this time. She didn’t feel it necessary to check the closet and bathroom again, she assumed she wouldn’t sleep anyways. The deadbolt and chair were enough to make her feel safe.

It wasn’t long before she did fall asleep, though. This time, there was no dreams. She liked that. No dreams meant no nightmares, and no nightmares meant no waking up in a cold sweat. Unfortunately, she was still woken at an early hour, banging coming from her door. Her stub ached as she rose and removed the chair, unlocking both locks at the same time. The door swung open and a mare in a white outfit stood before her. She was a short mare with brown hair and tan fur. Two wings extended through holes in the outfit. She seemed to be trembling, her hooves wrapped around a broom.

“G-Good morning, Princess Twilight. I, uh, I’m s-sorry to have disturbed you so early,” the mare said.

“It’s alright,” Twilight replied, sternly and sleepily. “What is it you need?”

“We-well, t-the uh, the captain and first mate aren’t in the control room. I was, well, I had hoped you might h-have seen them or knew where they were.”

Starboard and Porter were missing? She didn’t want to show it to the already nervous mare but that made her very worried. They said that there must always be one pony in there, that’s what they said. Twilight waved her hoof at the maid. “I’m sure they’re fine, Porter seemed like the type of colt to drink a little too much liquid. I’ll bet one of them is already back but I’ll make sure.” She gave a reassuring smile, though, she was unsure if it was for the maid or herself.

“Oh! T-Thank you, Princess!” The mare seemed to have calmed down.

“Please, call me Twilight. And what is your name?”

“I’m G-Gale, Gale Wind. It’s an honor to meet you, Twilight.”

“It’s my pleasure as well,” Twilight answered most graciously. The maid walked off and Twilight grabbed her key, closing and locking the door behind her. She quickly made her way to the front of the ship and stepped inside the open control room. The maid had been right, there was no one there. She carefully examined the room, noticing the coffee cup that sat closely to where Porter had it the previous night. It was cold but still half full.

Quickly, she raced down the deck. She knew where the crew’s quarters were and wanted to wake the captain, or at least, that’s what she hoped would happen. As she got to the stairs, her mother and father called to her from one of the tables with the umbrellas. Mr. and Mrs. Shy were sitting with them, enjoying fruit drinks with fancy straws. “Hey, something has gone wrong,” Twilight said as she drew close. “There’s nobody in the control room and even the maid was nervous about that.” She didn’t wait to speak pleasantries, too focused on the absence of two important crew members.

“Twilight, calm down,” Night Light said. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for that.”

“Have any of you seen them?” The four parents shook their heads. The sun had just barely risen from the horizon, too early for some of the passengers. “I’m going to check the captain’s quarters.”

“Twilight!” her mother called out, but it was too late, she had already turned and rushed down the steps to the second level.

It was dimmer in the halls than that on the deck. Rows upon rows of cabins lined the halls. None of these rooms were used for the current passengers, all meant for the regular amount of guests. At the end of the floor was the crew’s quarters. It was a separate wall and hall from the guests but still close enough to be reached if need be. The captain’s was at the very end of the final hall. She rushed up and slammed on the door, removing any courtesy she would have once had.

When the door did not open and no noise came from inside, she teleported into the room. It was dark, incredibly dark. Her horn quickly ignited, brightening the room. She unlocked the door and flipped the switch, giving the rest of the room its light. There was no sign of the captain. The bed sheets hadn’t been moved and the shower and sink remained dry. She did the same for the first mate’s quarters but to the same result. It was as if they fell overboard in the middle of the night, vanishing in an instant.

She trotted back up to the deck, searching for her parents. They had been right where she left them. Their faces and the Shy’s faces looked worried, though, it was only because her own face was panicked. “They’re not in their cabin, they’re not at the control room. I can’t find them!”

“Oh dear, what should we do?” Mr. Shy asked, a lilt of discomfort in his voice.

“Now, calm down. Twilight, you’re sure they’re not in the control room?” Night Light asked as if he didn’t believe his daughter. “They might have been forced to go below deck, they could be back there right now. They might have gone up a different set of stairs even.”

His words did little to comfort the alicorn. “No! I’m telling you something is wrong.”

“Dear, go with her to the control room and have a look for yourself. I’ll take the Shy’s here to the dining hall and we’ll wait with the others till you get back with news, okay?” Twilight Velvet placed her hoof on her husband’s cheek, her eyes saying more than her words. Whether she believed something had happened or not, it did not matter, because her child believed something had.

He gave a sigh and rose from his seat, sipping down the last of whatever he was drinking. “Alright honey, let’s go.”

Twilight led him across the deck to the bow of the ship, entering the control and giving a mocking tone. “See? No pony! They both said that one of them has to be in here at all times in order to make sure the ship is…”

As Night Light examined the room for himself, he asked, “Is what?” He turned to look at her but she was gone. He rushed out of the room and found her staring down over the side of the boat. “Hello? Equestria to Twilight?” He stepped closer. “What do they make sure the ship is doing?”

Her face turned to him, pale and grimacing. Her lips barely moved as she answered through clenched teeth. “They make sure the ship is moving.”