The sound of sailors surrendering their dinner to the ocean didn’t phase Violet anymore - A lifetime aboard ships and a passion for travel had not only steeled her own stomach, but her tolerance to the distinct wet slap of a noise. The experience had done nothing for the smell, however, one that not even the most seasoned Captain could become accustomed to, the Pegasus believed.

Despite her own self confidence, Violet was nothing special. One of too many lawbreakers and bandits proving a scourge upon a world that was so desperate to leave behind the wild ways it had once lived by and push into a golden age of prosperous development between Equestrian and Zebra alike, threatened by the petty wars raging to the West between the Pegasi of the Pega Archipelago and Gryphons from Grifo Imperi. Many a mare like Violet had been unsettled by the wave of poverty effecting the Pegasus race from not only the raging wars taking place amongst the Straight of Feathers, but also the struggle to keep their head afloat from the all too recent Independence Wars against Equestria itself. While the common public of the beautiful islands had suffered for a century now, their bitter and imperialistic nature stood firm, generations being birthed into hatred and warfare, steeling youngsters into hardened warriors in the eyes of Escopir Foc, the Independent Pegasi’s greatest hero turned god. Violet herself had bought into the ideology, but didn’t see herself earning a glorious death in some godforsaken desert for the sake of making 12 yards on the Gryphons. There was so much more to do and see in the world and even more gold to swindle from the unsuspecting!

Violet’s name had come from the distinct streak in her Mohawk like mane, the spiky, thick hair populating between her ears and shaven short everywhere else, the messy hair a natural black otherwise. A small scar ran from cheekbone to chin while her nose showed signs of being broken more than once, a crooked bend towards the middle, despite this she had a certain rugged attraction as any mare with clear skin and no horrendous defections had amongst her usual company... But even then she doubted most would be so picky as to deny their own dogs. Her fur resembled an off-white to grey colour, be it dirt from recent endeavours or the natural shade even the mare herself wasn’t completely certain, the short fur covering all of her 5’3” body, below average for even Pegasi. What the islanders lacked in height, they made up for natural athleticism, a common quip among Equestrians and Zebra alike being that Pegasi were born with abs. Vi was no exception to the stereotype, a stocky and toned muscular structure outlined beneath her short grey fur leading to her distinct wings. While smaller and less powerful than their Gryphon counterparts, the Pegasi boasted an increased agility and top speed over their rivals, despite it taking them many more bursts of the wing to reach top speed. Nevertheless the two species argued their aerial superiority over one another despite having no real distinct measurement of such - There were always going to be this that were better at flying then others despite their species, Vi being the former of the two, a vastly capable mare on both her two feet and wings... A mare of her employment requiring such or finding themselves in an early, shallow grave on the roadside somewhere.

Her hammock swayed gently from side to side in rhythm with the large waves crashing against the wooden exterior of the cargo ship she’d managed to convince her way on to, a popular traders route from the Bay of Unicorns and into the Traders Bay - by far the most prosperous of regions within the known world, home to the seven wealthiest and most influential cities. Traders weren’t hard to convince - They were going between the two locations for work anyway, so the chance to earn a few extra gold atop the pitiful wages the fat cat ship and produce owner paid for the souls to transport their goods was always welcomed. Traders Bay was the definition of ‘winners and losers’, those that were deemed ‘winners’ really did have it all, observing the manic scramble to climb the ladder of wealth over the bodies of the less fortunate just to have a taste of what they had from their havens in Koningsstag - The seat of power in the Zebra Kingdom of Vrystaat, a relatively small city compared to the sprawls in Traders Bay that hid its wealth behind white walls and guarded communities... Close enough to touch their business empires in the bay, but not too close that they had to smell the stench of Congra, Equestria’s hub in Traders Bay and by far the most populous city in the discovered world, and also Vi’s destination. The mare was one of the few creatures that adored the city, from the 2,000,000 creatures prime for exploitation, to the opportunities popping up across the hive of crazy ongoings! To most, Congra was a place you didn’t want to be, but found it necessary for work and progression, but for the lowest in society it truly was a utopia, the Dockyard District a lawless area run by gangs and completely void of Equestrian Guard - A hotspot for transporting illegal and questionable trade into Equestria. A sickly segment of the vast city devoid of riches trickling down the cracks of society and grasped by the opportunistic and crooked to form a hub for criminal activity in the bay, the Dockyard District epitomises the Equestrian Elite’s dangerously thin veil of caring for their citizens and image beyond making profits.

Vi was a simple mare and one that preferred to travel light, just the clothes on her back and the gold in her purse all that she needed... Anything else could be bought, stolen or earned should she need it. Her one treasured possession was the dagger strapped to her thigh, the ornately carved golden hilt depicting a bust of Escopir Foc herself, the eyes of the legendary Pegasus encrusted with emeralds and her trademark smirk filled with platinum. The blade itself was considered a work of art to any knowledgeable blacksmith, forming a slight curve from hilt to tip, the contour like lines within the blade proving its quality - only found in Draconian Steel, a metal forged in the fires from a dragons breath. The dagger was quite the treasure and the reason for Violet’s outcast from her homeland, destined to be a gift for the General of the Pega army yet never arrived from Celeste. Beyond the treasured dagger, Vi possessed a simple hard leather breastplate that was common among Pegasi, providing basic armour against arrows and small arms, but possessing the lightness to allow agility and speed while being worn, Violet’s brand a light brown with the Dio insignia scratched off. The light armour didn’t cover her bare grey arms, her biceps on show and the bottom half of the short armour providing no cover for anything below her knees, a pair of simple plimsoles adorning her feet - A mare much happier to spend riches on the here and now and not one to fear the futures burdens.

The here and now for Violet consisted of a bottle of fine red wine from her homeland, a particular brand that was often offered as gifts between Equestrian and Zebra nobles due to it’s rarity and rich tastes, wine being one of the top exports from Pega due to its volcanic soils. While Vi had come from poor backgrounds and still dwelled in the lower classes of society, she’d developed many expensive tastes in her short 20 years, especially in the last 4 spent travelling the world. Food and drink were her favourite, however, desperate to discover the wonderful combos one could make with these foreign delicacies... There was a certain beauty found from lying in a hammock in cargo class while enjoying wine and cheese that only the richest in Traders Bay could consider purchasing. The light sway of her hammock mixed with the filling foods and gentle sleepy buzz the lightweight was feeling from the rich alcohol was enough to coax her to the edge of slumber, cradling her wine like a child as her eyes grew heavier with each blink...

Suddenly the shrill scream of bells cut through the peaceful night air from on deck, the sounds of heavy boots clattering on the woodwork above Vi’s head like the sound of hailstones on glass. A hand went to her aching forehead to caress the throbbing brain beneath from the beginnings of a hangover forming in her cloudy, sleepless mind while sitting up. The commotion going on above certainly earned the travellers interest, rolling swiftly from her hammock with a grasp to her thigh to ensure her blade remained, jogging to the wooden stairs to the deck while the ship rocked from side to side violently. A flap of her wings prevented a potentially damaging tumble up the stairs, instantly barraged by hefty, ice cold balls of rain lashing down across her front and instantly soaking into her fur and sending a spine tingling cold through her body. The Pegasus’ frazzled brain couldn’t comprehend what her eyes were displaying, walking mindlessly through the centre of the cargo ship as her eyes locked to the impending doom presenting itself on the near horizon. Beyond the lights of the boat the mare stood face to face with the darkness of a sea at night, rain battering her face as she stared off into the distance, squinting her eyes to try and connect the dots from vision through the darkness. The sky cracked with lightning dancing from storm cloud to cloud, illuminating the horizon of swirling clouds and rough waves. Mother Nature had afforded her enough time to stand and stare at the ocean, a wave crashing against the starboard side of the vessel, rocking it violently to the side while drenching the deck, Vi thrown with the momentum as the salt water drenched her fur, crashing painfully into the wooden floor then barrier of the side of the boat, left in a crumpled heap desperately gasping for air through a winded rib cage.

Adrenaline finally kicked in for the Pegasus, a fight or flight nature taking control of her mind - Wings unfurling, the soaked feathers offering nothing but desperate flaps but no lift - Vi clenching her teeth as a panicked sailor threw himself from the boat, desperate to attempt to swim for the departing lifeboat only for Violet to lose sight of the parrot to the dark depths below. It seemed she was one of the last left on the ship now, most of the day-to-day traders making a break in an attempt to preserve their own precious lives - those that hadn’t made the lifeboats were hedging their bets with the unforgiving ocean below, grasping whatever they could that might float and offer some form of support against deadly waves. Lightning cracked across the sky again, Vi’s head snapping back to the starboard side of the boat - instantly regretting it. As a series of cracks illuminated the sky, they slowly disappeared between a dark black wall heading directly for the Pegasus stood alone next to the sail of her small transport ship, a hefty gulp the only instant response she could muster.

“R-Rouge Wave!” Came the cry from the grey mare, lost to the wind in an attempt to reassure her own destiny of a watery grave. It was as if her own body had already accepted its own death while her mind screamed to do something - Anything - her legs didn’t move. Her wings folded snugly back onto her back. Her fighting instinct did result in her slowly unwinding her metallic forearm guards to offer some help against the incoming swim for her own life, but even she didn’t give herself a hope. What was she supposed to do in the last moments of her life? Pray? Laugh? Cry? Vi didn’t have much time to decide, the 80 foot wave plowing through the side of the small ship, shattering wood into splinters while the rest continued over the deck, sweeping the small mare from her feet and enveloping her in the icy currents spinning herd over and over again to the state that she had no clue which way was up nor down, the freezing water like daggers in her chest, the salt stinging her throat and eyes, urging her to gag and vomit - only allowing more of the water to flood her lungs. Vi could swim, but all she could manage was desperate paddling in all directions to try and at least level herself and make a push for the rugged water surface for air, her brain screaming at her limbs to find oxygen but the cold water numbing her hands and feet making them useless to her, fingers shrivelling into claws as the muscles contracted to preserve the heat in her blood, her desperate attempts growing weaker and weaker...

”Capturing the dynamism of the Sea of Fire cannot be done with the stroke of a brush... One must find themselves in the grasp of Mother Nature - A victim of her stranglehold - before appreciating the beauty beyond the brush”

• Grumtus the Elder

Author's Note

Hi,

Author here.

This is an introduction into the story I’m hoping to write, with continued updates from chapter to chapter when I am available to write! I do hope you enjoyed this little insight into what is to come, and again I do urge you to please check the website mentioned in my bio for a highlight on some of the world I have already created.

<3