An Experiment

by Kelvin Shadewing

TEST 02: "A SULTAN BATTERY"

TEST 02: "A SULTAN BATTERY"

---

So as it turns out, pegasi have telescopic eyes. Go figure. Daring Do used her raptor vision to home in on certain landmarks and portal us back to town.

The land we were in was a province called Saddle Arabia, a territory of the Equestrian empire. Apparently, the land of Equestria, which as it turns out was largely made up of talking ponies, had territories all over the world. And what was weirder was all their cities were some sort of pony pun, like Trottingham, Manehattan, Los Pegasus, etcetera. The city we were in was called Nagrabah. I don't get the pun on that one.

The last portal came out against a wall facing the street, and we stepped through into the city. Daring tapped my side.

"I gotta head to the palace and let them know I didn't get the Sultan's Scimitar." The pegasus sighed. "My author back home isn't gonna be pleased he doesn't get to write a book on this one. Nopony wants to read about my failures."

I blinked. "You have an author?"

She nodded. "Yeah, this guy named Pen Stroke. Whenever I go on an adventure, I keep a journal, and he writes about my adventures. I've already had a few books published through him."

"Wait, so, back up here. You're not just a skilled treasure hunter, but a famous one, too?" My eyes widened. "Then you're, like... the pony version of Lara Croft. Except without guns."

Daring tilted her head at me. "Who's Lara Croft?"

I shrugged. "Famous treasure hunter back home."

"Ah," said Daring, "Well, let's get this over with so we can catch the first flight back to Equestria."

"Right." I followed her towards the palace that, honestly, looked like it was ripped out of Aladdin. Even the guards around the place had the dark vests and the turbans, along with swords strapped to their sides.

Two of them grabbed their swords out of their sheaths with their mouths and crossed them over the entrance. A third guard stood between them. "Halt. Who goes there?"

"Daring Do," the pegasus replied, "Here to see Sultan Sand Sweeper about the Sultan's Scimitar."

I looked back and forth. "Wait, what did you just say? Seriously, I didn't catch that."

The guard ignored me and nodded at the others who put their weapons away and allowed us to pass.

The stallion we were led to was your usual rich sheik, except that he was a pony. His coat was a sandy tan, and his mane was so blond, it looked like a lemon. I'd have been surprised if not for that fact that such wild colorations were the norm for ponies. He greeted us with an uncomfortably friendly cheer.

"Daring Do!" he shouted, "So good to see to see you!" He turned to me so quickly it made me jump. "Ah, and a friend of the esteemed adventurer! No doubt somepony who helped you retrieve the elusive Sultan's Scimitar, no?"

I could feel myself turning red. "Ah, no, actually."

His smile vanished. "Then who is this in my palace if not a friend of Daring Do's?"

"Oh, I'm her friend alright!" I said hastily, "I just, uh, I didn't help her get the scimitar."

He raised an eyebrow. "Then how are you involved?"

Daring jumped in between us. "He saved my life!" she nearly shouted, then turned her side to him, "And my wing got hurt, and he patched me up. See?"

The sultan glanced from her wing to me. I smiled nervously. "Oh, ha! My apologies! Yes, yes, you are clearly a good friend!" He gave me a half hug and patted me on the back. "Now then, where is the scimitar?"

One awkward explanation and a lot of getting shouted at later, Daring and I were promptly kicked out of the palace. And I mean literally kicked.

I stood up and rubbed my sore bum. "Seriously, how many times am I gonna get bucked in the rear today?"

Daring growled. "That jerk could have at least gone easy on me. I have a broken wing!" She dusted herself off and started trotting away. "Ash, you better hope your luck changes soon, cuz if it doesn't, I'm not letting you stay with me."

I ran to catch up with her. "Hey, what did I do?"

"Between letting Auhizotl get away with the scimitar and me getting thrown out of the palace, lucky it wasn't all of Nagrabah, I'd say being around you is pretty unlucky."

"Oh, come on," I groaned, "I thought we were passed that part."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. But getting your flank kicked by a guy wearing steel shoes isn't exactly my idea of a pick me up."

"Well, maybe things'll be better in Equestria," I said, "How long's it gonna take us to get there, anyway?"

"About three days by airship," Daring said, "longer if the weather's bad. Nopony controls the weather over sea, so you never know."

I laughed half-heartedly. "Aha, that almost sounded serious."

She looked over her shoulder at me. "Why wouldn't I be serious?"

I stared at her. "You mean ponies actually control the weather here?"

"Yeah," she said, "Why? You guys don't?"

"We predict the weather," I explained, "but we don't have the means to control it. I dunno about you guys, but our technology isn't that advanced, and we don't have magic, so controlling it is out of the question."

Daring actually looked sorry for me. "Mare, that sounds rough. Doesn't it get dangerous for people when nopony in your world can stop a severe thunder storm or things like that?"

"Well, first off," I said, "ponies on my world don't talk. Or do much at all, really. Only people there are humans, and we don't have wings or anything. By the way, how do you guys control the weather, anyway?"

"Pegasi can move and stand on clouds," she said, "Many flying races can, in fact. Gryphons, dragons, changelings, all of them."

"Not sure I'm familiar with changelings," I said.

"Trust me," said Daring, "you don't wanna get familiar with them."

I decided I should take her word for it.

We reached the edge of Nagrabah and came to their airport. The airships weren't exactly what I was thinking; I had something like the ships from Final Fantasy in mind. But even with the giant balloons on them, which made them more closely resemble blimps, they were still impressive.

Daring suddenly stopped. "Uh oh."

"What?" I asked.

She turned to me. "You don't have a passport. I dunno how we're gonna get you into Equestria."

I facepalmed and groaned. "Great. This world uses passports and I don't think to bring mine. Shows how prepared I came."

"Now calm down," she said, doing that motion people do with their hands that's supposed to calm you down but looks more like they're trying to push you away. Honestly, I just wonder how she was leaning forward on two hooves. "We'll have to make a stop at the Equestrian consulate and do some paperwork."

I groaned again. "Ugh, paperwork. Fine, fine, where's the consulate?"

She pulled her lips back grimly. "Well, uh..." She chuckled. "You seem to enjoy traveling anyway, so..."

"Just give it to me straight," I said.

"We may be in Saddle Arabia for a couple more days."

Author's Note:

If you'd like to support my writing, please visit my site!

Comments

[RubberBrony]

"We may be in Marabia for a couple more days."

dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png

[Divine Path]

Interesting change in concept.

[Cold Spike]

Wish you could do.... MOAR

[Tri-PonyTrouble]

NEED!!! MOAR!!! NOOOOOAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

[Deamon]

The city we were in was called Nagrabah. I don't get the pun on that one.

I do!