Dota 2

Blue. Dark-blue to be exact. The color stretches to infinity, converging with the also dark-blue ocean. Were it not for the unique motions of the waves, he’d be unable to tell the two apart. A whole eye-full of nothing but dark-blue.

Dark-blue meant it was daytime. Couldn’t see anything? Night time.

And that’s how life has been. For him and for everypony else. Twenty years.

That was about to change. So he hoped. All of his fears yesterday, all of his worries, tucked away. They were still there, of course. Impossible to brush off the fears he has for Calise, Coal, and all of the Shadow Exodus.

But right now, one fear pushes to the front of his mind: the crow’s nest, calling out land.

Let it be day. A fire will burn away the darkness, welcoming them all home with a warm, loving embrace.

Let it be night. Dark lifeless clouds will part, revealing the thriving darkness of the night. A silver carpet will alight the ocean, giving them a return greeting worthy of royalty.

But please, not land. If the Shadow stretches over Equestria as well, that could only mean that—

“Captain! Somethin’ over ta seas! It’s a... it’s like...”

Can’t wait a second more. He leaves the wheel, running to the front of the ship. Dark-blue. Was the crow’s nest playing some kind of cruel joke?

Then it starts. Like a spark leaping onto a pile of dead branches and leaves, a speck of orange, yellow, and red begins lining the eastern horizon.

“Wake ta crew!” The crow’s nest shouts behind him. “Wake ta entire damn fleet and tell ‘em to get topside now!”

The spark grows, seeping out into the rest of the clouds with curious tendrils.

Below, the ship has turned into a ruptured hornet’s nest. Planks shudder underneath him as thundering hooves race up from the cabins to the outside world.

It’s become a wildfire now, untamed and aggressive as it surges towards them. He holds his breath. Where is it?

“Dad!”

Calise. He turns around to a massive crowd of ponies swamping the front deck. His daughter and Sunlight manage to break through, with Coal wading through the crowd after them. They gallop to his side, turning with him to face the spectacle.

It spreads, reaching out to them. Still nothing. Damn the tension. Was it the sun or not? Did they sail into the loving hooves of a long-lost friend? Or that of a raging inferno lurking below the ocean skyline, waiting to swallow the entire fleet whole?

And then he sees it. Peeking up just over the horizon, a hazy dome of pure golden light.

Everypony throws up a hoof to their eyes for cover, still gazing, still silent.

He takes a deep breath, enjoying the moment of peace. This clears up a few things. Only a few.

“The sun!” Somepony finally shouts.

The entire crew erupts into cheer. Coal and Calise both embrace him, rambling nonsense into his ears. The rest of the fleet soon joins them in their elation, the sounds of celebration echoing from ship to ship.

All he can do is smile and try to stay on his hooves.

“Hey!” He shouts to the crow nest. The crowd falls silent once again, awaiting their captain’s words.

A pirate peeks over the edge. “Aye cap’n?”

“Keep both eyes on the horizon. First sign of land, all kegs of rum are stopped up!” A chorus of despair starts up as he turns to the crew before him. “The rest of you, get to the tavern and drink your last ‘fuck you’s’ to the Shadow Lands!”

Sulking returns to cheering. A stampede to the lower deck begins, complete with whooping, hollering, and roughhousing.

Calise, Coal, and Sunlight stay by his side, staring to the east with shaded eyes.

“Bright, isn’t it?” He asks.

Calise scowls. “Too bright. I already hate it.”

“So it’s just a big ball of fire in the sky?” Coal asks, squinting.

“Yep. What do you think?”

Coal shakes his head. “Don’t know. The light looks nice, but staring right at it hurts.”

“Alright, I’ve seen enough,” Calise says. “Sunlight?”

“Eugh. Same. Hopefully the night won’t be such a let down.”

“Lets hit the tavern then before everypony else empties the rum. See ya dad.”

“Remember to keep an eye on your drinks.” He calls as they trot down the steps. Coal remains by his side, head down to the plank. Every once and awhile he would peek up, stealing a glance. “Not going to head down with them?”

Coal looks up once more, searching for something in the distance. “Eh. I don’t feel much like drinking right now.” Big surprise there. “Besides. I want to stay here and see Equestria as soon as it comes.”

“Might be a while. The sun can stretch pretty far from Equestria.”

Coal sits down on his haunches. “That’s fine. I can wait.”

Always the patient one. “Anchor, take the wh—” He stops as he glances over his shoulder. The mare had already taken his place, giving him a small wave. Thank Celestia they were getting off the ship soon. Every night he was almost certain she grew a step closer to murdering him just for that wheel.

He turns back to Coal, sitting down beside him. Together they face the east, looking from the water, to the clouds, to the distant sun.

The silence is nice, the wind relaxing. His curiosity rages. “So how are you? Worried? Excited? Scared?”

“All of the above.”

They both laugh.

He does a double take, just now noticing the shield strung across Coal’s back and the sword sheathed to his left hoof. It’s the first time since they set hoof on the boat that he wears them.

“I see you’re carrying your shield and blade. Any reason in particular?”

Coal withdraws slightly, as if embarrassed. “Haven’t been able to use them all trip. Thought they could use a bit of fresh air.”

It’s always been a bit foreign, the way Coal treats his armaments. Almost as if they were beings in of themselves. “What were the names again?”

His squire taps his sword. “Temper.” Then the shield. “Obsidian.”

“I never asked, but was this something you learned from Smithy?”

Coal looks to the floor. “No sir. He called it naive.”

He grimaces. “I have to agree. They're hunks of metal twisted to do certain tasks, not living beings.”

“I disagree sir.”

A bit of fire in him. A year back and he would have simply bowed, responding with a typical ‘yes sir’.

In a sudden stroke of thought, he reaches his right foreleg across his chest, unsheathing his own blade. He holds it up to the encroaching sunlight. Notches and crevices plague the sharp edge of the sword while rust chips away at the other. The cloth-wrapped handle is stained and ragged. Overall in poor upkeep, especially compared to Coal’s.

“And what did you name mine?”

His squire looks up at the sword, trained eyes scouring the blade’s every scar. “Tidebringer.”

He can’t help but grin. It’s naive, foalish, yet it awakens something within him. Back in Ponyville, in his younger days, when he imagined himself a superhero of some sorts. Captain Pipsqueak and his trusty blade Tidebringer, finally returning home.

He lowers the blade. “Well, we can’t be rude now can we? Let’s introduce them to each other.”

Coal bristles, eyes wide. “A duel?”

“Yes.”

“Using our real weapons?”

“Yes.”

Coal’s hooves tremble as he reaches behind his back with his left foreleg, pulling his shield free. With the other, he unsheaths his sword.

“Lets keep this at a training-level. I know you’re not one for rolling or diving, but if you feel the need, pass on it. Don’t want either us or Anchor here getting impaled.”

“Eh what was tat cap’n?”

“Nothing Anchor,” he calls over his shoulder. “Keep your eyes to the sea.” He turns back to Coal. “Ready?”

His squire takes several deep breaths then nods, going into a ready stance.

Defensive, eyes focused directly on the target yet still a tad loose, always searching for other attackers. His sword is raised while his shield remains lowered, strapped to his leg. At any moment it could be lifted to block an incoming attack. “Good posture. Now follow it up.”

He starts by swinging at the shield. After the obvious block, he curves the blade back around and strikes at the sword. Almost as resilient as the shield.

They strafe each other a few moments longer. Again he swings, this time sending a series of slashes across Coal’s outer shell. While each attack is blocked and parried, a small opening between the sword and shield catches his eye.

In a sudden twist he stabs forward. The edge of his blade is a safe hoof-and-a-half distance from Coal’s chest, yet enough to slip past his defenses.

“I saw you go for the block there,” he says, retreating his sword. “Bit too slow.”

Coal lifts his shield with a frown. “Not used to the weight after having that practice sword for so long. Last time I fought with them was months ago, against a shadow monster.”

Shadow monsters. Could drag a pony from sleep into the darkness, yet rather slow and exposed in a real battle. Not a particularly strong fight to leave off on. “From here on out, avoid using that wooden toy. Get adjusted to the feeling of steel on your hooves.” He lifts his blade once more. “Again.”

He waits for an attack. Coal stares back, unmoving. Not until provoked? Fair enough.

This time he skates around Coal, searching for a potential weak spot as he occasionally lashes out. His squire never falters in his defense, yet never even attempts an offense. Annoying.

The same gap from before shows itself. Instincts tell him to let it go, no way will his squire make the same mistake again. Frustration causes him to jilt forward a second time.

Coal’s shield reels in, blocking the stab and sending his sword to an exposed, lifted position. That’s it. A clear opening. He braces for the slash.

It never comes. Instead Coal rushes forward, slamming into him with his shield. He staggers back a few steps, nearly collapsing to the ground.

He gasps as he regains his hooves. “Good, but a hit like that will only stun your opponent. Why not just use your sword and end the fight there?”

Coal shrugs. “Why risk killing a pony when you can knock some sense into them instead?”

Seize him by the shoulders. Tell him what a fool he is.

He can’t. The worst real fight with a pony Coal’s ever had was a drunken sailor some years back. Pretty sure they’d had a good laugh about it afterwards too.

“That’s very noble of you Coal, but promise me something.”

“Yes sir?”

“Don’t hesitate. If somepony needs to die, kill them."

Coal is in clear shock, sapphire eyes falling to the dock below.

A part of him wants to take it back. He keeps silent.

--

“Every keg!”

“Every keg?”

“Every single damn one of them! Now!”

The last few stallions grumble as they cork up the final barrel of rum. They encircle it, bending their hooves. “Alright ya lads, one... two... three!”

He sighs with relief as they carry it off. There. That’s it. Finally. His eyes dart around the tavern. “Has anyone seen my daughter?”

“Went down to the cabins after a drink with that friend of hers sir,” says a small colt beside him. “Would you like me to fetch her?”

Of all the times. He shakes his head. “No. They’ll be up when their ready. You, get to your parents and stay there. Relay that message to all other fillies and colts you find, understood?”

“Yes sir!”

Giving the tavern one last do-over, he leaves for the main deck. Crew members and family swarm the entire space, screaming to each other. He fights through the crowd and makes his way to the front deck.

Anchor on the wheel, as usual. Coal still sits at the ship’s bow, but joined by another stallion. Posey. He approaches them with caution. Don’t want to interrupt any lessons, especially any by such a learned figure.

“...But how can you be so certain?” Coal asks.

“Because I believe. And I believe because I’m certain. Allow me to say, young master, that when I first set back for Equestria years ago and saw the destruction of Vanhoover, I became disheartened. Where had the love of the land I had cherished for so long disappeared to? Then I stumbled upon something special, something that lit my heart and hope anew.”

“The ponies of Neighfarer’s Port?”

Posey seems to consider the question for a moment, then nods. “Yes, they are a large piece of the puzzle for sure. But only a piece. The entire puzzle is Equestria itself. A masterpiece we will all complete together.” The elderly stallion pauses then smiles. “Ah, we have a visitor. Pipsqueak?”

Damn. Either he wasn’t as lithe as he used to be or Posey used magic to sniff him out. Blame it on the latter. “Sorry for the stealth act, but I didn’t want to interrupt such a nice moment.”

“You only serve to brighten the scene further my friend, as always. Please come join us.”

He sits beside them, sharing their eastward gaze. A thick, blurred line of green, yellow, and white lingers in the distance, shimmering under the sun’s warmth.

“Something’s wrong.”

“And what could you possibly mean by that, Pipsqueak? All is well so far, no?” Posey asks.

He raises his hoof to the sun as both a shield and accusation. “It’s been four hours since the sun popped up and it hasn’t moved since. Should be clear over our heads by now.”

Posey chuckles softly. “My friend, you of all ponies should expect this tumultuous night and day.”

Blunt, yet true. “I know. I guess I had some false hope that twenty years would be enough to set things straight. Then again, I don’t have a fish brain’s of an idea when it comes to magic.”

“And I neither in spite of my age. Truly though, does it matter? We still come home to a loving crowd.”

“Guess I can’t expect everything to be dandy. You’ll accompany me down in the greeting party?”

Posey bows. “Of course Pipsqueak. I have set up this grand arrangement and will see it through.”

“Can I come as well?” Coal asks.

“No. You’ll stay on the boat with Calise. I won’t risk having either of you injured if something happens.”

“Peace, Pipsqueak.” Posey places a reassuring hoof on his back. “Nothing will go wrong, you have my promise. Let your daughter and Coal come to behold their new home.”

He’d already made up his mind days ago. Just him and Posey, maybe a few guards. Then came Posey’s words of reason, Coal’s hope...

“Fine. You’ll stay behind us however and won’t talk unless addressed.”

“Yes sir. Thank you.”

From the corner of his eye he sees Coal give a silent cheer. He’d need to get a leash for him after they landed.

Posey rises and turns. “About an hour from shore, I’d say. Now’s a better time than never.”

Time for what? He motions for Coal to follow as they begin trailing the elder stallion. Posey steps past Anchor and the wheel, stopping at the railings overlooking the lower deck. Throwing his hood back, he raises both hooves above his head. His horn glows a bright green.

“Ponies of the Shadow Lands!” Magic amplifies the voice across the entire ship. Has to be. No way can Posey shout that loud yet still maintain such a soft voice.

Magic or no, every soldier and pirate and family stops, looking up to the emissary. The only sound now is the dull roar of the waves.

“Over twenty years ago, a great war tore Equestria in two. As the chaos grew with no end in sight, a pact of ponies agreed to depart from the shattered shores of their home in search of a temporary peace. Some for their own well-deserved safety. Others for family members, even those yet unborn. And still even others, who came to act as a shield for their brothers and sisters.”

Posey lowers his head, bringing his robe-swathed hooves together. “We did not find peace. Though even as we stumbled upon shadow, we persisted. Up rose our defenses as we sent our first ship back. They never returned. Up rose our barracks and shack houses, made from the cedar of the Shadow Land’s tainted woods. I traveled back to Equestria myself and found only destruction and hate. Finally, just as it seemed Equestria had been wiped from the face of the earth and damned us to our fate, I found a spark of hope.”

The elderly stallion brings his hooves up once again. “Make no mistake, these ponies of Neighfarer’s Port are your family. The love and passion they bestowed upon me will be shared with you, and you will see. You are their light! Their hope! Their promise for a better future! When you trot onto their shore, you will be in no strange land, but home! Work with them, trust in them, so that together, we may build a better future for all of pony kind!”

Cheering erupts as Posey retreats. To his horror, he’s stomping his hooves and whooping right along with them.

Remain cautious. He’s the captain damnit. Don’t fall into the excitement.

He’s managed to settle by the time his friend returns. “Really Posey, I think you’ve made even the most bitter of us into believers.”

“Yet it matters not. The glory that awaits them at shore is far more than I could ever pray to put into words.” Posey’s lips turn up in a warm smile. “I am merely ‘stirring the crowd’, so to speak.”

“Dad!” Calise stomps up the steps, her once brushed mane frazzled and damaged. Sunlight thunders behind her in the same condition. “When the hell are we getting off this hunk of wood? Can’t get a moment of peace without some explosion or rumbling pissing me off!”

“Well, can’t win them all.” Posey chuckles as he shuffles past. “I’ll be awaiting you at the main deck, friend.”

Calise continues a string of curses all the while. Definitely did not inherit his love of the sea.

“Calise.”

She stops but puffs up, offended he had clearly not been listening.

“Would you like to accompany Coal and Posey with me in the greeting group? Sunlight?”

Her anger turns to an elated confusion. “What? What happened to the whole ‘too dangerous’ shit?”

“Posey happened.”

An instant of whispering to Sunlight and they’re both nodding their heads, grinning. “We’ll be there. Gotta have someone down there who can put up a fight, right?”

“No, actually. You’ll be behind me, running back to the boats in case anything goes wrong.”

She laughs. “Like hell!”

His eyes narrow. She attempts to stare back, beginning to squirm after mere seconds.

Her hooves fly into the air. “Alright! Whatever! I’ll be dragging all of you back with me though.”

He watches as his daughter storms off, leaving with the same thundering stomps she had arrived with.

“Coal?”

“Sir?”

"You have my permission to knock her unconscious and drag her back to the boat in case of emergency.”

Coal tries to keep a straight face. A coltish grin manages to breaks through.

“Yes sir.”

--

It’s alluring he admits. Rich healthy grass covers the gentle slope, the hillside dotted with innocent white thatched-roof cottages. It all flows down to a dainty little port, glimmers from the clear topaz water highlighting the miniature fishing boats and pearl walkways. Still small. Can only hold about two of their ships, three of their more smaller type. Yet beautiful.

The largest building towers upon the very top of the hill, overlooking the rest of the town. Four stories high, with a balcony striking out from the fourth floor. Hopefully that was the town center. If it’s the house of the mayor they have a potentially gigantic prick on their hooves.

Overall attractive. Almost too attractive. Where’s the grit? The green slime of vegetation crawling up the docks? The splintered wood, weathered from the constant crashing of waves during a summer storm? Everything looks smooth and polished. Perfect.

He backs away from the bow and heads for the main deck. Now’s not the time to nitpick. The crew had been sailing for weeks and suffered from exhaustion. Please Posey, be right, as you always were. All will be well.

“Anchor, bring us to port and for Celestia’s sake be careful. You land a scratch on that pretty little dock of theirs and I’ll have you be the sole repairmare.”

She waves him off “Ain’t no need for ta harshness cap’n. I got tis.”

The main deck remains crowded, yet now silent. Every stallion, mare, and foal struggles against each other, trying to get a better view of the port. Posey, Coal, Calise, Sunlight, and two shadow guard soldiers stand in their own isolated section in front of the boarding bridge.

“Are those really necessary?” He asks, pointing to his daughter’s signature dual war glaives strapped across her back.

Calise turns her nose up, pulling the glaives tighter with a twinge of magic. “And you were the one saying it was too dangerous to come in the first place. Make up your mind.”

She has a point. Not to mention Coal has his shield and sword still equipped as well, although nowhere near as daunting as two huge blades.

"Fine. Just don’t go twirling them out at a breath’s notice of trouble. Keep it defensive.”

The warning is lost of course, her only response to shrug and look away. A hopeless cause, but it’s his job as a father to try.

“Prepare ship for port!” Pure instinct has him call out as they near shore. The shout starts a chain reaction of others as crew members relay vital information from bow to stern. Drop the masts. Set the rowers. Ready the anchor. Music to his ears. Each piece falls into place until they begin a steady drift to the docking bay.

Another instrument joins the ensemble, distant yet growing. His mind muffles all other noise as he tries to make sense of it. Sounds like the crashing of waves. Impossible though. Weather is much too clear. It evolves into a roar as he realizes it sources from the shore. To hell with formality. He’s too curious now. Propping both hooves upon the ship’s railing, he leans forward and looks to the port. His curiosity is answered.

It’s cheering. A crowd of ponies, perhaps two-hundred-and-half strong, have gathered beyond the docks. Some cup their hooves around their muzzles, whooping and hollering. Others throw their hooves in the air. He can’t help but balk at the site.

“Do you believe now, Pipsqueak?” Posey asks.

His jaw clenches in reflex. Had to admit, after the gloom and depression of the Shadow Lands, this was a hell of a homecoming. “Not yet. Getting close, however.”

“Then come, let us land and seal this pact.”

They’re drifting into place now, Anchor no doubt trying her best to squeeze into the pathetic bay. He runs over his mental checklist one last time. Rum’s stopped, armory’s on standby lock, rest of the fleet... shit.

“Crow!” He calls over his shoulder. The same familiar pirate pegasus sticks his head out from the nest. On second thought, “Nevermind, just keep an eye out for anything weird, both on land and sea!” His frantic gaze lowers, settling upon a nearby Shadow Guard pegasus. “You.”

The slouched pegasi flails as he comes to a hasty salute. “Oh! Sir?”

“I want you to fly to the other ships and remind them of the warning signal. Tell them also to drop anchor for now until they get word back. When you get to ship fifteen, pass the baton onto another pegasus and return here.”

“Yes sir!” Another salute and the pegasus takes off to the nearest ship.

The cheering dies down to a respective dull roar as Anchor brings them to port. Wait. They’re about to meet with the leader of the town. The same town that will serve as their first hoofstep into Equestria. For the first time in years he wishes he’d groomed himself earlier. That’s a good thing, right?

Out goes the bridge, smacking against the prim dock below. He takes a deep breath, peering over his shoulder. Calise is doing her best ‘beautiful-but-deadly’ routine, chest out, head high. Sunlight looks to be suffering from an anxiety attack, a hoof across her chest as she focuses upon in-and-out breaths. Coal is trying his best to remain calm only to be betrayed by his dancing hooves and quivering smile.

“No funny business you three. Got it?” He glances between them, lingering upon Calise.

“Yes sir.”

“Huh? Oh, sure thing Pips.”

Calise says nothing.

“Alright then. Forward we go.”

One hoof onto the bridge. Then the next. He brings his back legs up, then begins the descent. And it’s now that realization begins to seep in. Now, as more than a hundred eyes watch as he trots down this bridge, a bit of a clumsy ‘still-catching-my-land-legs’ limp in his steps, does it finally begin to weigh upon him. This is it. This is Equestria. Past this port, to the east, Canterlot sat upon a tall mountain, shining like a crystal. Ponyville lurked below, a full city now, but still inhabited by the same loving community. Manehattan on the far shore. The lights of Las Pegasus to the south. The mysteries of the Everfree. Baltimare.

By the goddess. He was home. Can twenty years really fly so fast?

They reach the deck, taking a sharp left to face the crowd, the village, the country. An older unicorn stallion, not quite the age of Posey, steps forward as they draw closer. A homely suit and tie adorn his blue coat. It’s been so long since he’s seen such formal wear. It’s almost alien.

Posey passes them, greeting the other stallion with clasped hooves. “Brother Posey,” he hears the other stallion whisper. They part ways, Posey rejoining them.

The stallion greets them with a smile, a few wrinkles forming under the strain.. “At last you’ve arrived. A month of dwelling only upon Posey’s kind words and lively memories was truly a torture in itself. But...” he sweeps his gaze over them then looks past to the fleet in the distance, his smile widening. “Seeing you all here, now, was worth it indeed. My name is Breeze, the mayor of Neighfarer’s Port.”

Almost as good as Posey with the words. Almost. But now is no time to melt. He maintains his rigid stance. “Your kindness is not lost on us, mayor, but before we go any further, I need your sincerity.” He points a hoof back to the ocean. “I have about six hundred and fifty ponies on these boats. Six hundred and fifty.”

He pauses a moment to let it sink in. Still grinning. He continues, “I know we’ve just met, but understand that I won’t send a single pony a mile out of this city without knowing what the hell is out there. That means that every stallion, every mare, and you bet your flank every foal will need to fit inside this town. Now, I have a good number of tents but we’ll most likely need some of your citizens to take in some ponies, especially the mares that are nursing their—”

“Good captain.” Breeze stops him with a raised hoof. “Pipqsqueak, if Posey is correct?”

He nods.

“Bring all your ponies to shore. Although a number of your soldiers must rest in tents, we have a plenty number of homes ready to welcome in new residents.”

Ready? “How? Why would you build so many extra houses that you wouldn’t even use?”

The mayor turns solemn. “As I’m sure you are aware, good captain, there was a war of great destruction merely a generation ago, and although we are but a small port, many of our friends left and fought within it. Most never returned.”

Shit. There was having the steel of a captain, then there was being a complete asshole. He dips his head to the mayor. “Sorry. I know how you feel, having lost friends and loved ones in the same war. Guess I’m just being a bit guarded.”

“I understand completely, captain. Landing upon the same shores you left in chaos...” Breeze closes his eyes. When he opens them again, his smile returns. “But please, let Neighfarer’s Port be the one place where you may rest at ease. Weak as it may be, there is still yet love and peace within Equestria. Let us share that love and peace with you and your troubled people.”

The mayor lends out his hoof. Love? Peace? Words he might associate between members of the Shadow Exodus, but never a location, never a land, and hooves down never a stranger.

Yet this place and these ponies yearn for kindness. No doubt sick of years of hate.

He looks back to his three younger companions, their whole lives nothing but shadow up until this glorious moment.

Sunlight looks upon the buildings and the landscape, breathless.

Coal’s eyes dart from pony to pony in the crowd before them, his knightly demeanor replaced with a big goofy grin.

Even Calise is relaxed.

He extends his foreleg, shaking hooves with the mayor, smiling back. “Posey, I think you’re the best pony for this. Go tell the ponies aboard the ship the good news. Send the pegasi to spread the word. Tell them to unpack their things. Tell them the search is over. Tell them they’re home.”

“At once, old friend.”

Coal, Calise, Sunlight, and the two shadow guards start up a low, excited murmuring. At the same time, the ponies of Neighfarer’s Port erupt into cheer.

“Come, captain, and your friends too.” The mayor motions for them to follow. “There is much I may teach you while your fleet lands.”

As they start down the pearl dock, Posey’s amplified voice rumbles behind them. Another cheer starts, now from the boat. Not long from now the pegasi would reach the other boats, and the cheer would continue, stretching from the seas to Equestria itself.

Funny. Calise had been right. They landed to a party, in a sort of way. Hell, if he closes his eyes...

Chaos. Pure chaos. Not a single inch of the town remained confetti-free nor a single road floatless. Screaming, hollering, laughing came together to create a cheer that no doubt both Los Pegasus and Manehattan would hear.

“Well well well if it isn’t the sea’s justice himself. What’s such a lover of the ocean doing so far inland, all by his lonesome?”

A pegasus stallion clearly his elder came from behind and sat beside him, his stern posture and features a direct contrast to the color and excitement around him. His coat was a deep shade of blue, his blonde mane combed back, short yet fierce. A full set of facial hair sprouted from his muzzle and neck, yet never seemed to grow any further. An ornate silver arrow donned his flank.

“Funny question. Here’s a better one: why are you here? You’re in the middle of a job right now, no?”

A short burst of laughter starts up between them. They never can stay too serious around each other. Not for long.

The stallion clears his throat, resuming the humor. “Security is top notch and the pink one made herself clear that there would be no guardsponies upon the float. Otherwise that’s where you would find me.” A grin forms as the stallion looks to him. “For security purposes, of course.”

Another cough of laughter. This time however, he has to force himself to join in. A shame considering one-sided jokes were rare between them. But sometimes, that’s how things played out. One pony knew something, the other didn’t.

There’s a lull in the sound, a gap in the floats. He shut off his fake chuckling before the silence exposed him.

The stallion falls quiet as well.

Now both are silent, watching the street corner. A resurgence of noise and color begins as a massive float comes into view.

Despite the insanity around them, both are still silent, staring.

His eyes open. Without warning he stops, his daughter cursing as she bumps into his flank.

“Dad! What the hell was that for?”

Her mumbling that follows is intelligible, his eyes cast downward. The end of the dock was a hoofstep away. A single trot forward and he would truly set hoof on the same land he had left so long ago. In Disarray. In Chaos. Weeping. All hopes shattered but one.

“Dad...?” A small pressure starts on his back. His daughter’s hoof, of course.

Coal looks to him, more worried than he’s ever seen the young stallion before.

A young stallion and a young mare now. Their foalhoods had disappeared into time, swept away by fear and survival.

He blinks, taking in deep, gulping breaths.

They’d never have that same innocence as they tasted their first quintuple scoop from Sugarcube Corner, gawked as they walked the streets of Canterlot, peered up with wonder at the towers of Manehattan.

Don’t cry you son of a bitch. Not now. Of all times not now.

And he’d never have the life he’d dreamt of. With the mare he loved, the daughter he loves, the friends he had....

“I’m fine,” he snaps as he shakes the hoof off. Too aggressive, but it has to be for now. He’ll apologize later.

He leaves the deck, his hooves padding softly against the lush green grass.

Just four steps before he collapses to the ground, weeping. The townsponies gasp and back away. Coal and Calise surround him immediately, holding him.

Several bouts later and he allows himself to fall into their hooves. Their faces are still clear as day through the blur of tears.

They deserve so much more. All the joy they had given to him, and all he could do was spout out bullshit wisdom and teach them how to swing a sword. For him, there was no future. His future had died the moment he left this same shore over twenty years ago. Before that, even.

But for them? Their foalhood may have been stolen away, but the future was still there, laid out before them in the form of a twisted and chaotic land.

So he’d fight for that future, their future.

True, nopony can fight forever. But damn if he couldn’t try.