Rainbow Dash raced through a maze of empty streets, her wings beating rapidly and her blood flowing excitedly through her veins. The sound of galloping hooves trailed behind her, but they were slowly fading away. She grinned at this; they weren’t able to keep up with her. Veering hard to the right, she rounded a corner onto a road named ‘Market Street’.
She skidded to a halt and began looking for a place to hide. There was no moon out, making it harder for her to see. Stone buildings on either side of the street were awash in shadows, and the alleys between them bled darkness like ink in water. Her mind played tricks on her, making the darkness coil and writhe like snakes. She shook her head to clear it, and the shadows returned to normal. “I had too much cider,” she grumbled.
The sound of hoofsteps broke her from her stupor, and she took off into one of the nearby alleys. A couple of boxes pushed against one of the buildings allowed her a space to remain hidden but still observe the street. There she sat, trying to calm her breathing and slow her pounding heart. She’d nearly succeeded when she felt something touch her back. Rainbow Dash yelped and whipped around, expecting to face her pursuers. What she saw instead was a familiar face. “Fluttershy,” she whispered, releasing a tense breath. “Don’t scare me like that.”
Fluttershy, who backed off several feet after Rainbow Dash’s reaction, quietly replied, “Sorry.”
Rainbow Dash glanced back at the road for a moment before turning her attention back to her friend. “How’d you find me?”
“I-I didn’t. I was here first.”
“Oh.” Rainbow Dash scratched her neck. “Must not have noticed you. Still light headed, I guess.” She offered a small smile.
The two fell back into silence, listening for any sound of movement. When none were heard, Fluttershy spoke up again, “Why’d you pick a fight with them, Rainbow Dash?”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “They started it, acting like they owned the bar and talking smack. If I hadn’t done it then somepony else would have. Besides, how was I supposed to know they were part of Big Bronco’s crew?”
“That doesn’t mean you had to punch him...”
“He had it coming. Things are more exciting like this, anyways. Kind of like the good ol’ days,” she added with a smirk.
Fluttershy frowned sadly and lowered her gaze to the ground. Dash, seeing she’d upset her friend, mentally kicked herself. Note to self, she thought, don’t drink so much.
“Look... I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have—”
She stopped abruptly when she heard galloping from the street come to a halt. Slowly, she poked her head from behind the boxes. Three stallions stood on the street, all of them breathing heavily. One of them, an earth pony with a scar running down his cheek, had a swollen right eye. Rainbow Dash had to stifle a laugh at her handiwork.
“Darn it! Where’d she get off to?” one of the stallions asked.
“Who knows. In this light, I’m surprised we were able to follow her as long as we did.”
“We aren’t giving up, not yet. I’ll make that mare pay for what she did,” said the one with the scar.
“Calm down,” replied the second. “She’s gone. There’s nothing more we can do for now. We can tell the captain what happened, and get the rest of the crew to search tomorrow. Don’t worry, we’ll catch her.”
The third stallion cursed loudly, looking for any excuse to keep searching. When he turned to look down the alley that Rainbow Dash was hiding in, she ducked behind the crates. Her heart skipped a beat; she was certain that she’d been seen. She sat there with Fluttershy, who had her hooves clamped over her mouth, waiting for the stallion to start stampeding towards them. Instead, he grumbled something incoherent and walked off with his companions in tow.
The two waited for the sound of hoofsteps to fade away before exhaling the breaths they had been holding. “What do we do now?” Fluttershy asked. She was still whispering, despite the fact that they were no longer in immediate danger. Rainbow Dash didn’t blame her, though; voices could carry far in a city that had gone to sleep.
“For now, we high tail it back to the ship. Tomorrow, we’ll set sail.”
“What about supplies?”
Rainbow Dash scratched her chin while pondering the question. “We can send Rarity and Applejack into town. Those guys won’t be looking for them.”
Fluttershy solemnly nodded her agreement. She sighed, resting on her haunches, and turned her head to the stars. “I guess that means we won’t be getting a job here, then...”
Rainbow Dash followed her friend’s gaze, resting her head against the wall of the building behind her. The cold concrete sent shivers through her body, but it did wonders for clearing her head. “I really botched this one, huh? Not even a captain for a week and I’m already getting us into trouble. Don’t worry. I’ll get us cargo soon. I promise.”
Fluttershy turned to face Rainbow Dash, offering a small smile. “I know.”
Dash, returning the smile, stood up. “Now come on, let’s head back.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sun floated high in the sky over the wide dirt road. A slight breeze traveled over the hills and sent ripples through the sea of grass that hugged the edges of its well-traveled paths. The high pitched calling of seagulls was the only thing that could be heard in an otherwise silent world.
Twilight Sparkle smiled to herself as the wind rustled her hooded cloak. It was hard to believe she was still in Equestria at all, let alone only a two days' journey from Canterlot. This little meadow was about as far away as you could get from the hustle and bustle of her home city. It smelled faintly of sunlight and seaside, and she enjoyed the quiet that engulfed her.
Then Spike interrupted it all.
“Are we there yet?”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’ve been asking that since the moment we left.”
“Well, I’m bored,” the baby dragon whined, “and riding on your back is starting to hurt my legs.”
“You could always get down and walk on your own.”
Spike scratched his chin, as if actually contemplating the idea. “No, I think I’m good.”
Twilight suppressed a frustrated groan. The truth was that her back hurt, not only from carrying her assistant, but also the heavy saddlebags hanging from her sides. She told herself, though, that he was just a baby and wouldn’t have been able to walk the entire distance anyway.
“Well, I think you’re in luck.” Twilight’s horn glowed brightly as one of her saddlebags opened and a scroll hovered out. The scroll unrolled to reveal a map of mainland Equestria with a simple dotted line leading from Canterlot to one of its coasts. “We should be able to see Baltimare once we crest this next hill.”
Spike bounced up and down on her back, suddenly full of energy. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!”
She shook her head and put the map back in her bag, but nevertheless trotted faster up the hill. Butterflies filled her stomach and her heart picked up just a little. This is it, she thought. The real journey starts here. The pair of travelers reached the top of the hill and gasped at what they saw.
The ocean spread out before them, reflecting the light in such a way that it was both beautiful and painful to look at. A cove formed where land met water and a stone city rested on its borders. Docks, alive and buzzing with activity, ran all along the shoreline, their busy network hosting ships of all shapes and sizes were on the water. Some were heading for port while others departed.
“Wow...” Spike mumbled. He’d slid off Twilight’s back, but she hardly took notice. “It’s amazing.”
“That’s definitely a word for it.”
Spike hopped from one clawed foot to the other, a smile creeping across his face. “Hey, Twilight, can we check out some of the stores? Maybe do some sightseeing?”
“I’m sorry, Spike.” Twilight frowned and shook her head. “We don’t have time.”
It almost hurt to watch the baby dragon’s face fall. “But we just got here.”
“I know, but we need to leave as soon as possible. You read the Princess' letter; it’s going to take almost a six month's voyage to reach Haven.”
“What difference is a couple hours going to make?”
Twilight sighed. “Then how about this: when we find a ship willing to take us, then we can take a look around while they make preparations. Does that sound fair?”
A new light appeared in Spike’s eyes. “What if they’re all ready to go, though?” he quickly added.
She scratched her neck, trying to think of some way to put it that wouldn’t disappoint her assistant. “Just, um, cross your claws and hope that they aren’t.”
“Okay.” He nodded slowly and started walking down the hill.
It took the two of them about five minutes to reach the edge of town. The first thing they noticed was the two guards standing on either side of the path, each holding a flintlock rifle. It was strange for Twilight to see them anywhere outside the royal castle, but she reminded herself that smuggling was a real problem, especially in the port towns. Regardless, they were mostly there as a deterrent than anything else. Twilight offered a subtle nod to them as they approached her.
“How are you today, ma’am?” asked one of the guards.
“I’m fine. Thank you,” she responded.
“What brings you to Baltimare today?”
“I’m hoping to get passage on a ship.” She set her saddlebags on the ground so they could be inspected.
One of the guards opened her bags and began sifting through them. “Is that what all this money is for?” he asked, lifting a burlap sack in his forehooves that jingled when shaken.
“Yes.”
“Well, be careful with that. It’s not a major problem, but we still have some petty thieves around here that’d jump at the chance to take those bits from you. Other than that, everything seems to be in order.” Both guards stepped aside to let her down the path. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”
“And you too,” Twilight responded with a smile. “A quick question, though. Where can I find the dock master’s building?”
“It’s at the very end of Market Street. Right near the dock yard.”
“And where is Market Street?”
“Take a left at the first intersection, then turn right at the next,” said the guard. He chuckled. “Just follow the noise. Good luck.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. She thanked the guards once more and walked into the city.
The stone buildings, most just two stories tall and rectangular in shape, were strange to her. She was much more familiar with the gilded, colorful marble structures of Canterlot. Spike must have been thinking the same thing, because he spoke for the first time since approaching the city. “It’s kind of boring here, don’t you think?”
“Ponies work with what they have, Spike.”
“I know, but it looked a lot cooler from on top of the hill, and where is everypony? You’d think the place was deserted.”
“I don’t know. Maybe nopony is up yet. Wait—” Twilight stopped in her tracks at the intersection. “I think I heard something.” She turned to look left, where she thought she could just make out the sound of ponies speaking.
“He did say to follow the noise,” said Spike.
Twilight turned left onto the new street, the sound of voices growing louder with each step. By the time they reached the next intersection, it seemed like ponies were shouting at each other. The two looked at each other questioningly. Spike shrugged his shoulders and turned right around the corner. He got one step down the street before he went slack jawed.
Twilight’s eyes widened and she stepped toward him. “What’s wrong?” she asked. Spike raised a clawed hand and pointed down the street. Twilight followed his finger and nearly gasped at what she saw.
The street was wide and sloped, with tall buildings that were of a more intricate design than the ones they’d seen before. Looking down the road, they could see the docks and, beyond that, the ocean, but what really surprised them was the horde of ponies that currently occupied the street.
Stalls were set up along the sides of the street as well as in the middle. The merchants that owned them were hailing potential customers and showing off their wares, whether it be exotic clothing, food, or accessories. Ponies looking to buy these things wrestled their way through each other to make their purchases. There wasn’t a single area available for breathing room. It was a frantic buzz of activity the likes of which neither of them had ever seen.
“I think I get why he said ‘good luck’ now,” Spike mumbled.
Twilight inhaled deeply, then released it in a sigh. She levitated Spike off the ground and put him on her back. “Sit still,” she ordered. “I don’t want to lose you in that crowd.”
Spike mumbled an agreement, not wanting to imagine being lost among the mass of ponies. With another deep breath and a nod of encouragement for herself, Twilight shoved herself into the crowd.
It was hard making their way down the street, and Twilight groaned or cursed silently whenever another pony bumped into her. Spike rocked back and forth with each shove, and generally had a hard time holding on to her. Both felt a sweat break out on their foreheads from being surrounded by so much body heat in the middle of the afternoon.
They had made it about halfway down the street when a pony in front of them that was pulling a wagon came to an abrupt stop. Hoof traffic came to a complete halt. It sent a ripple effect through the crowd until it reached Twilight. She was caught completely off guard. She bumped into the pony ahead of her and tripped over her own hooves. Spike was sent flying off her back and straight into the crowd. Twilight scrambled back into a standing position, apologizing to the disgruntled colt she ran into, and quickly began shouting her assistant’s name, desperate to be heard over the crowd.
“Spike! Spike, can you hear me?”
If he responded, she wasn’t able to hear him. Her heart raced. Twilight pushed her way in the direction that he fell, ignoring the angry comments and curses from those around her. She strained to look over the mass of ponies for the baby dragon, but couldn’t find him.
Taking a different approach, she bent down to see if she could catch a glimpse of him. Still, she found nothing. Twilight bit her lip, desperately searching left and right for any sign of her ward. She was hyperventilating now. “Spike!” she shouted again, her voice cracking. Once again, there was no response.
She forced herself to calm down, even though her mind was racing. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Inhale. Exhale. She began to think rationally again. Okay, she thought, screaming isn’t going to get me anywhere. Now think. What can I do instead?
I could go back to the guards. They might be able to help. No... they shouldn’t leave their post. And who knows where Spike could be by the time I get back. I need something more immediate.
Twilight decided a signal would be the best means of finding Spike. Even if he couldn’t see it, it would at least make the crowd go quiet enough for him to hear her calling. Her horn began glowing as she prepared the fireworks spell. She was just about to fire it into the air when she heard something.
“—ilight!”
Twilight cancelled the spell and began looking around again. After a while, she thought she’d been hearing things, but then she heard it again. Just barely discernable over the din of the crowd, she heard Spike calling out her name.
“Twilight!”
“Spike!” she shouted back. “I’m over here!”
There wasn’t a response. Twilight stretched as tall as she could to look over the crowd. At first she saw nothing, and wondered if the voices in the crowd were playing tricks on her mind. But then she caught sight of his dark purple scales and green spines. She was so overcome with relief that she almost didn’t question the fact that he was accompanied by two ponies.
Almost.
Spike also caught sight of her and began jumping up and down and waving his arms. He turned to face the ponies he was with, pointing in her direction. Twilight bit back her confusion and made her way towards him.
When they met each other halfway, Spike quickly scrambled up onto Twilight’s back and hugged her neck. She returned the gesture with one of her forehooves before turning her attention to the ponies that helped Spike.
They were both mares around Twilight’s age. One was a unicorn sporting a white coat with an indigo mane and tail that were both elegantly curled. Her eyes were a deep azure color, and a pair of goggles rested around the pony’s neck.
The other was an earth pony: bright orange with eyes that sparkled like emeralds. Her blonde mane was tied near the end with a red band. She wore a brown stetson atop her head, which elicited a raised eyebrow from Twilight.
“I can’t thank you enough for helping Spike. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the crowd.
The unicorn smiled. “Think nothing of it, darling. The poor dear landed right next to me. I nearly jumped out of my own skin, but I couldn’t possibly have just left him there in the middle of the crowd.”
“You oughta be more careful next time,” said the other mare. “It’s mighty easy to lose somepony in this crowd. ‘Specially one as small as this fella’.”
“I’m sorry. It’s my first time in the city and I... wasn’t really expecting this.”
“A new arrival, eh? What brings ya to Baltimare?”
“Applejack!” the unicorn exclaimed. “That’s their business, not yours.” She turned toward Twilight, smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry about her. She’s just curious—”
“I was just tryin’ to be friendly...”
“— after all, not just anypony is found traveling with a baby dragon. You must be a very important pony.” The unicorn’s smile grew as her eyes started sparkling. She took a step closer to Twilight. “Are you from Canterlot? I’d say you are, judging from your mannerism.”
“And here we go again,” the earth pony, Applejack, mumbled under her breath.
Twilight stepped back. “I’m really not comfortable sharing that informa—”
“Yes, we are,” Spike interrupted. “We came here looking for a ship to travel on.”
Whatever fantasy the unicorn was in, Spike’s words knocked her out of it. Her eyes met Applejack’s, and the two seemed to carry on a conversation in complete silence. Applejack was grinning, but the unicorn shook her head, obviously against whatever her friend had in mind. Applejack responded to this by narrowing her eyes, the determination in them burning fiercely. The other mare bit her lip, shifting her gaze between Twilight and Applejack. Eventually she sighed and nodded concedingly. Applejack, wearing a smirk, stepped forward and cleared her throat.
“Y’all say yer lookin’ for a ship to take ya somewhere? We might be able to help ya.”
A part of Twilight was elated after hearing that—not even in the city for an hour and she may have already found transportation—but something held her back. “Are you a captain?”
“Well... no. She’s still on the ship.”
“She’s hiding out there,” the unicorn added.
“Why?” asked Spike.
“She’s in a bit of a, erm, situation. It’s complicated.”
“But we can get her to meet ya. It’ll be a while, though, seein’ as me and Rarity need to buy supplies still. Tell ya what. Y’all head on over to the Bucking Buccaneer down by the docks in a couple hours and we’ll send her over as soon as we get back to the ship. Her name is Rainbow Dash. Come on, Rarity, we gotta hurry now.”
The mares smiled and waved before melting back into the crowd before Twilight could voice her objections. She tried looking for them, but it was as if they had simply vanished.
“She was pretty,” Spike said with a grin.
Twilight cocked an eyebrow at him, surprised at his words. “Who?”
“The unicorn, of course! What was her name again? Rarity?”
She rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not? Aren’t we going to be traveling with them?”
Twilight shot her assistant a look. “I never said that.”
“But why not?
“They were strange, Spike, and quite unprofessional. Besides, whatever business this Rainbow Dash character is mixed up in, it’s obviously bad. I want no part of it. I’m grateful to them for helping you, but we stick to the original plan.”
Twilight pushed her way through the street with a new determination. Ten grueling minutes later, they emerged on the docks. While it was still crowded here, it wasn’t as confined as the street. The salty breeze offered sweet relief, and Twilight removed her hood to fully embrace it. Spike, meanwhile, was taking in the sights.
The docks were alive with activity. Sailor ponies pulling carts stacked with cargo made their way to the stone warehouses or city merchants. The ships anchored there, once seemingly small from a distance, loomed over the travelers. Their masts pierced the sky like large wooden spears. It was hard to believe that they would soon be traveling on one of these giants.
Twilight shifted her gaze to the right and saw a stone, one-story building with a wooden anchor hanging above the door. “That must be the dockmaster’s building,” she said, trotting over to it. Her horn glowed as she twisted the door handle and pushed the heavy, wooden frame open.
She wasn’t entirely sure what to expect upon walking inside, but one thing was for sure: it was dull. The small room was the same boring grey as the exterior. It was sparsely furnished, with only a ratty couch pushed against the far wall and a desk next to a door that must have led into the dockmaster’s office. A lime green earth pony sat behind the desk, gazing intently into a hoof-held mirror and occasionally fixing her curly yellow mane. The pony didn’t take notice of Twilight, even when she trotted up to the desk. Twilight cleared her throat, causing the mare to gasp in surprise and nearly drop her mirror. Spike chuckled.
“Slow day?” Twilight asked.
The receptionist set down her mirror and flashed a small grin. “Something like that. All the sailors are peddling their cargo to merchants or congregating at the bars. We only have paperwork for the rest of the day. Would you like to speak with the dockmaster?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“He can see you immediately. Just head through this door.”
“Thank you.”
Twilight opened the door to the office and stepped inside with Spike right behind her. The office was much more welcoming than the reception area, albeit smaller. Several pictures of ships and their crews adorned the walls. Shelves and bookcases stacked to the brim with scrolls and record books stood on either side of the room. An old unicorn sat at an oak desk facing the door, levitating several papers in front of him. Behind him, a window spanned across the entire back wall that offered a sweeping panorama of the docks. His eyes locked onto Twilight when she entered the room, and he let the papers fall to the desk.
“Good afternoon,” he said with a smile.
“Good afternoon,” she repeated. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sparkle. How can I help you today?”
“I’m looking for passage on a ship.”
“Ah, I see. I assume that you have the coin to pay for this?”
“Yes.”
“Splendid. Now, may I ask where you are going?” The dockmaster levitated several papers to the desk, scanning them for any ships accepting passengers.
“I’m going past Eternity’s Crossing.”
The dockmaster’s jaw dropped along with his papers. He blinked twice, then scratched one of his ears. “Forgive me,” he said. “My hearing must be getting worse these days. It sounded like you said you wanted to go to Eternity’s Crossing.”
“You heard correctly,” Twilight stated.
The stallion’s eyes widened. He coughed, then collected the papers he had dropped and put them back in their places. When he turned to face Twilight once more, his eyes were grim. “I’m not sure what would possess you to go to that forsaken place, but I strongly advise against it. It’s far too dangerous. There are strange storms out there, and monstrous creatures that could snap a galleon in half.”
Spike poked Twilight’s leg. “Is that true, Twilight?”
“It’s perfectly fine,” she reassured him. “Those are just tall tales told to scare sailors. There’s no actual accounts of those things.”
“That’s because nopony has survived to talk about it,” the old stallion grumbled.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Twilight sighed. “Look, I’m not going out there for a vacation. I’m Princess Celestia’s personal student. I’ve been given a task to go out there and assist in an expedition that has discovered a new island.”
“Then she should have commissioned a ship for you.”
Twilight’s gaze fell to the floor. “Well... It’s complicated.”
The dockmaster sighed. “I’m sorry, Ms. Sparkle, but I can’t help you.”
“Why not?” she exclaimed.
“There isn’t a captain out there that would risk their crew in those waters.”
Twilight groaned. She needed a new approach. Focusing her magic, she levitated her sack of bits from her bag and dropped it on the table. “Two-thousand bits. That’s how much I’m willing to pay.”
The stallion stared at the bag for several seconds before returning his attention to Twilight. “While that is quite a generous sum, I’m afraid my hooves are still tied. The simple fact is that there are no ships traveling out that far, and nopony is willing to risk their lives for it. You can always try your luck in another port.”
“The closest one is a week’s journey away. I don’t have time for that.”
The dockmaster shrugged. Twilight, gritting her teeth, put the sack of bits back into her satchel. “Come on, Spike,” she said. “We’re leaving.”
Spike scrambled onto Twilight’s back as she flung open the wooden door and then slammed it shut behind her. “Where are we going?”
“To the docks. Maybe we can convince some of the sailors to see reason.”
Twilight was met with disappointment. For several hours she scoured the docks, looking for a boat offering passage. When she told the sailors where she was going, however, they all gave her the same answer as the dockmaster. Most were visibly shaken whenever she spoke the words ‘Eternity’s Crossing’, but others were bold enough to laugh in her face and call her crazy. Even when she mentioned how much she was offering in bits, she was eventually politely declined or waved away.
It was late in the afternoon when Twilight finally gave up. Finding an area that was relatively unoccupied, she rested on her back against the wall of a stone storage building. For the next several minutes she stared aimlessly at the sea. Spike was next to her, watching her carefully. He could tell she was racking her brains for a solution to her problem, but was coming up short. He wrung his claws nervously, like he always did when Twilight didn’t have the answers. “Twilight? Are you okay?” he asked.
“Hm? Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. Just wondering what to do next.” She chuckled humorlessly. “This is going to be harder than I thought.”
Spike shifted his feet, unsure of what to say. “Say, Spike,” Twilight continued, “why do you think the Princess sent us on this journey?”
“It’s a test, right? That’s what she said.”
“Right. A test. It’s starting to seem like she was just trying to get rid of me. After all, what use is a student who can’t learn properly anymore...”
Spike stomped a clawed foot on the ground. “Don’t say that! There’s no way she would ever do something like that. Everyone hits a wall at some point, Twilight. All you have to do is keep practicing. Don’t give up yet. We still have one thing we haven’t tried.”
“You mean those ponies from earlier? Spike, I told you, I don’t—”
“I know you think they’re shady, but they helped me, remember? They wouldn’t have done that if they weren’t nice ponies. I’m sure there’s a good reason for all the secrecy.” He tugged at her hoof impatiently. “Now get up, or we won’t make it to the meeting.”
Twilight smiled wistfully at her assistant. She’d never admit it, but she greatly appreciated his optimism, especially recently. He had a very special way of pushing aside her doubts and getting her back on her hooves. “Okay,” she said, standing up. “You win. We’ll go meet this Captain Rainbow Dash. But this is my decision, Spike, and I reserve the right to walk away if I feel I can’t trust her.”
“Okay,” Spike replied, glad she’d regained some of her determination, and climbed onto her back. “Where did they say to meet her again?
“The Bucking Buccaneer. They said it was close to the docks. I’m sure we’ll find it if we search for a bit.”
It didn’t take long for them to locate it. The Bucking Buccaneer, as it turns out, was one of the most visited bars in town, and many sailors had begun making their way there as the day wore on. It was also one of the only remaining buildings built from wood in a city of stone. Twilight and Spike stared at the large, carved sign hanging over the door. On it was the name of the establishment, etched in stylized letters.
“I guess this is the place,” Twilight mumbled. Exhaling deeply, she pushed open the wooden double doors and walked inside.
Never before had she felt so immediately out of her element.
The room she stepped into was large, the majority of it filled with tables of all sizes. Wooden pillars extended from the floor to the ceiling, covered in photographs with no particular pattern. There was a stone hearth against the far right wall, probably for when the sea breezes at night became too cold. The bar itself was directly across the room from the door. A large selection of drinks were on display on the shelves behind it. A bartender walked out from a door that seemed to lead to a kitchen, carrying a plate of food for one of the sailors at the bar.
A cacophony of noises assaulted Twilight’s ears upon entering. A group of musicians played in one of the corners, but it was impossible to judge their merit because they could hardly be heard over the patrons shouting amongst each other. Everypony in the room, whether they sat at tables or the bar, held a wooden mug in their hooves, no doubt filled with hard cider.
One particularly intoxicated customer stumbled his way over to the door, only to trip over his own hooves. He collapsed next to Twilight, who yelped in surprise. The pony lay there for several seconds before grumbling incoherent curses and pushing himself off the floor. She followed him with her eyes until he left, then faced the ruckus in front of her once again.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she said, her voice cracking.
“What? But we just got here,” said her assistant.
“Spike, we don’t even know what the pony we’re meeting looks like. It might be smarter if we just—”
“Isn’t that her over there?”
Spike pointed to one of the smaller tables in the far corner of the bar. Sure enough, a rainbow-maned pegasus sat there, leaning back in her chair with one hind leg crossed over the other. She wore a black sailor’s vest and was fiddling with a matching tricorne hat resting on the table. Her cerise eyes scanned the bar almost nervously.
“She’s certainly as colorful as her name implies.” Twilight sighed, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”
She began the trying task of making her way across the crowded room. It wasn’t nearly as stifling as when she passed through Market Street, but a feeling of claustrophobia still creeped in.
The pegasus locked eyes with her when she approached. “Excuse me,” she said, “but are you Captain Rainbow Dash?”
“The one and only,” Rainbow Dash replied with more than a little gusto. She straightened in her seat and placed the hat on her head. “You’re the pony looking to board a ship?”
“Yes. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“Well, Twilight Sparkle, take a seat. I’ll go get us some drinks.”
Twilight was going to tell her not to bother, but Rainbow Dash was making her way to the bar before she could blink. Groaning, Twilight pulled back a chair and sat down, with Spike jumping up onto the table next to her. Rainbow Dash reappeared moments later carrying two mugs in her hooves. She set one in front of Twilight, then took her place across the table. Twilight glanced at the frothy liquid inside its container and frowned. Rainbow Dash noted her apprehension.
“It isn’t hard cider,” she explained, taking a sip from her own mug. “Business should be discussed with a clear head.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Twilight brought the mug to her lips and took a long drink from it. The sweet liquid was cool and refreshed her as it passed into her stomach. “It’s delicious.”
“Really?” Spike asked. “Could I try some?”
Twilight answered by passing him the mug. He snatched it off the table and chugged it. Rainbow Dash chuckled. “This is the little guy that Rarity and Applejack helped out?”
“I’m Spike,” he said after setting the mug back down.
“That’s a pretty radical name you got there, Spike.”
His embarrassment was obvious in the way he smiled. “Thanks.”
“Captain Dash,” interrupted Twilight, looking to change the subject, “why are we meeting here? Why the cloak and dagger routine?”
Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her neck. “It’s a long story. And one we don’t have time for. What about you? What’s your story?”
“Why do you care?”
“I’d like to know who I’m taking aboard my ship. There’d be trouble for me if you’re a fugitive or something.”
“I’m not a criminal.”
“A criminal would say that.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash. It felt wrong to justify her reasons for traveling, but she couldn’t blame the captain for being careful. “I’m Princess Celestia’s personal student.” She levitated a letter from her saddlebags and placed it on the table, trying not to laugh at Rainbow Dash’s surprised expression. “This is a letter I received from her, asking me to join up with an expedition that left from Canterlot about a year ago. The expedition is being led by Daring Do and was started with the goal of discovering faraway islands. Word was received back from them a week ago that stated they were not only successful, but may have discovered the remnants of an ancient civilization. I’m being sent there as a liaison between the Princess and the expedition, and to assist in any way I can in learning more about the ruins they found on the island.”
Rainbow Dash looked from Twilight, to the letter, and back. “Well... that’s impressive. But can I ask why the Princess didn’t just commission a boat for you to travel on?”
“That’s between me and her.”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “Fair enough. Where is this expedition at now?”
“On the island they discovered. They decided to name it Haven.” Twilight inhaled deeply. The moment of truth. “It’s past Eternity’s Crossing.”
Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. She placed her mug on the table slowly, as if in a trance, and began scrutinizing Twilight. Twilight could feel herself being judged. It was several minutes before the pegasus spoke again.
“You want to go to the sea that every sailor in their right mind would avoid at all costs?”
“Yes.”
“The sea that nopony has ever returned from?”
“Obviously that’s not the case, considering the message we received from the expedition.”
Rainbow Dash held Twilight’s gaze. A wide grin broke out on her face. “That’s awesome.”
Now it was Twilight’s turn to be surprised. She looked to Spike for help, but he seemed as confused as she did. “Excuse me?”
“It’s like you’re going on an adventure. Count me in.”
“Erm... okay then...”
“About how much I’m getting paid, though. The journey is going to take a while.”
“Six months to be exact.”
“Exactly. Not to mention the dangers. Even if we don’t put stock in the stories about the waters past Eternity’s Crossing, we still have to go through the border regions. I’m sure you know that area is filled with pirates and raiders.”
Twilight nodded. “I’m willing to pay you two thousand bits.”
“Sweet mother of... how did you get that much money?”
“This is a government sponsored voyage, Captain Dash. I’ve been given ample funding for any expenses I need to make.”
Rainbow Dash smirked, a fire ignited in her eyes. “I gotta say, meeting with you is turning out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. But just to make sure you aren’t pulling my leg, could I see the money?”
“Of course.”
Twilight opened her saddlebag, replacing the letter and removing the sack of bits. She set it on the table, and the coins inside jingled as they hit each other. Rainbow Dash stared at it. “I’ve got to be dreaming,” she said. She made a move to open the sack and inspect its contents, but stopped short. Her eyes found something across the room and the smile disappeared from her face. “And now it’s a nightmare.”
Twilight and Spike looked at each other questioningly. “What do you mean?” asked the baby dragon.
She didn’t respond directly, instead nodding in the direction of the door. She angled her hat in a way that would hide her face while Spike and Twilight turned to see what she was talking about.
A new group of ponies had entered the bar. There were four of them, the leader of whom was a large stallion with a scar on his cheek and a nasty-looking black eye. Unlike the other ponies visiting the bar, they didn’t look like they were there for the drinks.
Twilight faced Rainbow Dash again. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“Put the bits back in your bag,” she said, not offering any elaboration, “and get ready.”
“Get ready for what?”
Without warning, Rainbow Dash whipped her mug into the crowd of patrons. The wooden-container-turned-deadly-projectile clocked a stallion in the back of his head, burying his face into his bowl of food. The entire room went silent. Very slowly, he stood up. “All right,” he said with slurred words, “who threw that at me?”
Rainbow Dash leapt from her chair and pointed a hoof accusingly at another stallion. “It was him!” she shouted. “I saw it!”
Before that stallion could object, the first one charged at him, bowling over several ponies in his rage. Other ponies began joining in, and soon the entire room was enveloped in violence. Chairs were flung. Curses were shouted. The band in the corner had to fend off a mob of sailors with their instruments. A call rang out from somewhere within the chaos: two words describing what the situation had quickly degenerated to.
“Bar fight!”
While Spike leapt onto her back in fear, Twilight turned her attention to the four ponies that had just entered the bar. They’d taken notice of them when Rainbow Dash had started the fight, and were now trying to force their way through the brawl towards them. Then Twilight was suddenly staring into Rainbow Dash’s eyes, their faces only inches apart. With a smirk, Rainbow Dash whispered a single word to her.
“Run.”
Before Twilight could say anything, Rainbow Dash made a beeline for the bar and dove over it. The bartender was nowhere to be found, probably frightened off by the fight. As quickly as she could, Twilight stuffed the sack of bits into her saddlebag and followed Rainbow Dash. She tried to climb over the bar, which was higher than she’d anticipated, when somepony grabbed her hind leg.
Twilight whipped around to see who it was. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was the scarred stallion. He smiled wickedly, revealing several gold teeth. “Gotcha,” he said menacingly. “You’re with that rainbow pony, aren’t you?”
Her mind shut down. Any spells she may have learned over years of study flew from her mind. Her base instinct’s overruled rational thought, and Twilight did something she never thought she’d do.
She reared her free hind leg and kicked him in the face.
The stallion reeled back, clutching his good eye. Twilight, taking her chance, scrambled over the bar. She caught sight of Rainbow Dash near the door leading to the kitchen and ran over to her. With Rainbow Dash in lead, the trio rushed through the kitchen, ignoring the shouts they got from the chefs.
Rainbow Dash threw open the back door and stepped out into an alleyway. She paused for a moment, getting her bearings, then pointed left. “This way.”
They emerged from the alley onto a street near the docks. Rainbow Dash took to the air, saying, “Follow me.”
A crowd had gathered outside the entrance to the bar. Twilight hoped that would slow down the ones chasing after them, but was hardly surprised when they emerged from the throng of ponies. They caught sight of the trio at the end of the road and began galloping after them.
“Aw, give us a break!” Spike exclaimed.
Rainbow Dash took off down the street. Twilight struggled to keep up with her while being encumbered by both Spike and her bags. Her legs began to burn fiercely, but she didn’t dare slow down.
“Why are they chasing us?” she shouted between breaths.
“Is now really the best time to be asking that?” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.
“You could have told me beforehand.”
“Just shut up and run!”
They arrived at the docks with their pursuers hot on their hooves. They raced down the boardwalk, with Twilight dodging anypony that got in their path.
“We’re coming up on my ship soon,” Rainbow Dash called out. “That’s it right there!”
She pointed to the very last ship on the docks. When she did, Twilight nearly stopped dead in her tracks. It was a small caravel, lateen sails and all, that was dwarfed by the galleons and barques in the shipyard.
“That’s your ship!?” Twilight cried.
“No backing out now. Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash shouted. A yellow, pink-maned pegasus poked her head over the deck of the ship. “Lower the sails and raise the anchor. We’re leaving. Now!”
The pegasus disappeared, and moments later the sails dropped from their masts. The ship began inching forward. Twilight and Rainbow Dash veered to the right, rushing down the dock until they were running next to it. The ponies chasing them, realizing it was a lost cause, slowed down. But now the trio faced another problem: they had to board a moving ship.
Rainbow Dash flew up and over the railing with relative ease. Twilight, though, was having difficulty keeping up with a boat that was gaining speed every second. She galloped as hard as she could, but the lowest part of the ship, the deck, was slipping away from her.
“Jump, Twilight!” Spike shouted.
She did, but not high enough to clear the railing. Her body slammed into it, and only quick thinking allowed her to prevent herself from tumbling back onto the dock. She clutched the railing as hard as she could. “Climb over, Spike,” she said through grit teeth.
“I’m not going to leave you.”
“You’d be doing me a lot more good than you are now!”
“But—”
“Get. Off. My. Back.”
Spike complied, scrambling over the railing and onto the ship. Twilight tried pulling herself over, but her saddlebags still weighed her down. Just as she thought she was going to slip and fall, a pair of hooves grabbed onto her and pulled her onto the deck.
Twilight collapsed there, exhausted. Her breath came in sharp gasps, and she closed her eyes tightly. When her heart rate returned to normal and it didn't feel like her lungs were on fire, she reopened them. She saw that Rainbow Dash was looking down at her, grinning madly.
“Welcome aboard.”