Moonlit Skies

Moonlit Skies

Chapter 2:

Captain Robert looked at his crew

And saw that everyone was new...

Verdant Aurora woke from his pleasant nap with a yawn, then sat upright, squinting in the morning sun. “Well that was a strange dream.”

*Whack*

It took him a few moments to realize that he had just been slapped in the face by the wing of the nonexistent bat-pony that was sitting beside him, glaring. When the thought had finally managed to connect with the rest of his body, he slowly turned his head to look at the mare. “Oh.”

“Where am I!?”

“Um...”

“Who are you!?”

“Well...”

“Who did you steal this ship from!?”

“Steal!? I’ll have you know that I built this ship, thank you very much!”

“Why- Wait what?”

“You are in Equestria, My name is Verdant Aurora, and this is my ship!"

"Oh... Well how was I supposed to know!?"

"Well you could have asked, instead of, you know, beating me unconscious!"

"You had just killed that thing with some sort of thunder crossbow! I was terrified! I- I'm still terrified... I just want to to go home..." She laid down, covered her face with her front hooves, and started sobbing.

'Oh hay... What am I supposed to do now?' "Uh..." He very delicately draped his wing across her shoulders.

She immediately looked up and glared at him. "What are you doing?"

He quickly pulled the wing back. "Well, I'm pretty sure that I was trying to comfort you, but now that you've reacted like that, I have no idea what I was thinking."

After a minute of awkward silence, the mare quietly mumbled, "Thank you..."

Five more minutes passed with the two silently sitting side-by-side before Verdant broke the silence again. "So, what's your name?"

"Violet. Though I don't know why. I'm grey like all the others."

"...Your eyes."

"What?"

"Uh, your eyes are violet. You don't know your own eye color?"

"Everything's kind of... grey... on the moon."

"Then how did your parents know what color your eyes were when they named you?"

"...Huh..."

"Anyways, if you want to get home, Princess Luna will be your best bet. She is the Princess of the moon, so if anypony'll know what happened and how to fix it, it'll be her."

"How long will it take to get to her?"

"Well I was sent way down here to check for atmospheric disturbances. The only one I've really noticed was you, falling from the sky, but that's besides the point. We're currently south of the southern jungles, so going at top speed, and without any more interruptions, we should be able to make it to Canterlot in a little under a week."

"How likely are 'interruptions'?"

"Likely."

She rolled her eyes and gave a sarcastic, “Greaaat.”

"As long there's no more storms over the jungle, we'll be able to see them coming in time to ready the cannons. Don't worry. I'll get you home if it's the last thing I do."

"Which, judging from last night, it very well might be. Seriously, thanks."

"Are you going to start crying again? Because that was really awkward for me to deal with."

*whack*

"Ow! Damn those bat wings hurt..."

"No wonder you have all these crazy inventions! You need them to defend yourself cause you're such a wuss!"

"I resent that comment."

"Yeah? Well I resent your face."

"You have a very pleasant personality. It reminds me of rubbing my eyeballs on sandpaper."

"How do you even know what that feels like?"

"I refuse to continue this conversation."

"Woohoo! I win!"

"Good for you. Now, if you want to get home, I need to go plot a course for Canterlot."

"Pfft... Plot."

"This. Is going to be a long trip..." Verdant gave a resigned sigh, then went to the cabin to plot a course (*snort* Plot).

Violet looked around the ship for a bit before following. "Oh hey! Is this a map of the world?"

Without looking, Verdant answered, "Yes." and continued with with work.

"Hey! I can find Canterlot on here!"

"Yes, that's kinda the point of maps. To find places."

“Oh. Right.”

“...”

“...”

After a full half-hour of silence Violet suddenly screamed, “AAAGH! I’M SO BUCKING BORED!”

*sigh* “I’m fine with you talking as long as you’re not complaining or being annoying.”

“Okay! Hmm... Oh! Are you half bird?”

“What!? Why would you- Oh right, you’re not from around here... I’m what’s called a pegasus.”

“Okay... So what was that thing that attacked me last night?”

“That was a gryphon. They are half bird. They’re also half lion. Don’t ask me how that ever happened because I don’t know, nor do I want to.”

“Cool! Back at home we- back... home...” She burst out crying again, but it quickly turned into laughter. “I’m in a whole new world! This is so AWESOME!”

“Oh I get it. You have an extreme case of emotional instability.”

“That sounds fun!”

“Not for me...”

Violet started bouncing up and down, giggling.

“Yep. Loooong trip...”

That night, Verdant showed Violet to the bedroom, and was about to tell her that she could sleep on the couch when she suddenly hopped onto the bed, and promptly fell over sideways, snoring. Verdant facehooved, then mumbled, “Well I guess that answers the question of whether or not she’s nocturnal...” He proceeded to the couch, flopped down onto the much-too-small surface, and swiftly joined Violet in sleep.

Meanwhile, some number of leagues aft of the Australis, a second airship, lanterns dimmed, followed the drifting research vessel. The entire outer surface of their ship was painted matte black, with an iridescent dark purple sheen, allowing it to blend perfectly with the night sky.

At the bow of this ship, the First Mate approached his Captain, a dark figure, obscured by the shadows. “Do we attack?”

“No. Give them this one night t' recover. It makes it all t' more satisfyin' when we blast them out o' t' sky.”

“Then we attack at first light?"

“Aye, and we can expect t' pay t' be good for takin' this one down.”

“Very well.” The First Mate left the shadowy Captain to his business. Moments later, the ships cannons retracted back into it’s hull, forced to wait the night. The darkened ship floated on, leaving nought but a trail of smoke from the fires of the coal-powered engine.