Clickity clack, clickity clack... The wheels on the rails, Twilights soft fur and scent. The last things I remembered as I drifted off than nothing, but only for a moment as I opened my eyes to a sky full of stars and a beautiful little foal on my chest.
"Daddy!"
"Hiya baby..." I pulled her close giving her a kiss before looking around, Twilight and Scootaloo right beside me smiling. And off to the side Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom waiting eagerly to surprise their sisters when they fell asleep, they didn't have to wait for long...
"Hi sis!"
"Sweetie Belle...?! You should be asleep... I should be asleep!" She looked around confused holding her sister tight, Twilight and I smiled to her and gave her a nod.
"Runnin off ta adventure without me again sis?" Apple Bloom accused but still threw herself on her sister hugging her tight.
"You know it ain't like that Apple Bloom, but ah am sorry for havin to leave so soon... Wait a sec, where are we exactly?"
"We're dreaming! I've been here before." Scootaloo piped in before either Twilight or I could answer.
"Well I couldn't leave you three fillies nor my godchild without a proper goodbye, now could I?" Luna sored down smiling to us all.
"Auntie!" Star scrambled up leaping impossibly far through the air into her embrace.
"Hello my special little Star..." She whispered nuzzling her.
"Thank you Luna." Twilight rose bowing to her Rarity and Applejack following suit.
"Yes thank you so much Princess."
"Thank ya kindly Princess."
Luna blushed fetchingly. "No problem at all... I'll let you say your farewells, I shouldn't keep you all connected for long."
I gathered my little Angel up giving her a hug and kiss. "Sorry Angel, looks like we'll be a few days at least..."
"Dad! Why does it always have to be you two? Can't someone else go?"
Her ears drooped and she looked so forlorn breaking my heart thankfully Twilight was there to try to brighten her day... Night. "Honey... We're sorry but sometimes these things will happen, ponies depend on us and we can't let them down. I know you’re on that list too, and we have let you down..."
"Nope. Not even a little, I just get a bit worried when you’re gone but after all you've done for me... For everyone! I'm just proud, proud of my mom and dad ok?"
We held her tightly between us. "Thank you honey, that means a lot to us to hear that. We'll be back as soon as we can but until then we need you to look out for your sister and you'll be staying with Princess Luna."
"Really?! Awesome!" She looked up at Luna in awe.
"Yes you and your friends will be staying with Discord and I, hopefully we'll have lots of fun. Y... You can call us auntie and uncle if you like...?"
"Thanks auntie Luna!"
She smiled widely. "Go let your friends know, would you?"
"Ok!" She took off like a shot troubles for now put aside her sister squirming down to chase after her.
"No..." Luna held up her forehoof stopping us before we could speak. "Thank you. Thank you for trusting me with them, it's been so long since I've had any connection... Any at all, but now with my sister, Discord and even John. My special little Star... She looked back at her playing with her sister and friends smiling. "So much has changed and yet our past keeps catching up to us and endangering everything and everyone who we care for now... Please believe we would take this burden if we could but the torch has been passed to you for the Elements..."
"There’s no need to feel that way Luna, we chose to use the elements... Or maybe they chose us? I'm not sure, but we wanted to help and we'll continue to as long as we're able. Not to speak for everyone but I'm pretty sure they feel the same."
"And you Rick? Can you forgive me for endangering your wife and yourself?"
"There’s nothing to forgive, I don't own Twilight but I'll always stand by her. You and Princess Celestia have put your trust in me and I shall do the same, we'll work together to keep Equestria and each other safe eh?"
"Yes." She smiled sadly letting Twi and I hug her between us a moment. "We'll all play our parts, some of us a thousand times or more..." She whispered.
Suddenly our hug was joined by three giggling fillies and a foal all eager for some attention, we all joined in for a hug before the sky faded away returning each of us to our own dreams...
I jerked awake suddenly, nothing new I usually did once a night at least. It was still fully night out a glance out the window reveled the moon still high in the sky reminding me of the meeting we'd just had. They'd be safe with Luna, the danger we were carrying with us. I scanned Twilight carefully but I couldn't see a thing amiss with her, the same pony I loved. But the Elements... I shook my head gently, too tired to make any sense of things, I let myself relax Twi's soft breathing lulling me back to sleep, still at least a day and a half even at the trains considerable speed then how far to Atlantis? Tomorrow, tomorrow I reminded myself sinking back into sleep.
I woke again but this time to daylight and delicious smells, Twi just settling down with a tray of assorted breakfast goodies.
"Morning."
"Morning love..." I stretched with a yawn. "Did you make all this?"
"No, no..." She blushed slightly settling down beside me, while she could follow a recipe to a tee somehow the intricacies of cooking evaded her. Admittedly she sometimes got distracted, checking through the recipe again while it cooked, noticing an ingredient or even terminology she might not recognize going to look it up and... Well, let's just say I'd found use for my fire extinguishing spell more than once. Not that I was much better, simple stuff only but together we managed to keep our growing filly and foal full.
"The Thestral’s had everything ready for us before they went to bed themselves."
"Well that was nice of them." I helped myself Twi following suit. "we should do something similar for them this evening."
"Definitely, the others are eating in the dining car but I thought I would let you sleep in a bit..."
"How thoughtful..." I reached over to rub her neck a different kind of hunger awakening. "Are you sure you didn't want to be alone for some other reason...?" I asked my hands wandering over her.
"M... Maybe..." She gasped levitating the tray aside meeting my hungry kiss with her own.
We made our way to the dining car after hoping our dalliance went unnoticed but clearly to no avail, between Rarity’s knowing smile, and, Applejack and Pinkies mischievous grins and Fluttershy’s blush... A round of hoof claps later as we took our seats blushing.
"Ok, ok... Nosey mares." I teased back good naturally.
"Who us?" Rarity covered her chest feigning ignorance. "We would have to be up at the engine to remain oblivious... Hopefully you didn't awake the Thestral’s." She grinned with a wink Dash, Pinkie and Applejack bursting out laughing.
Twi recovered quickly no doubt used to a bit of teasing on their many mare nights. "Tisk, what’s the matter girls? Jealous?" She giggled sticking her tongue out.
"J-jealous? Moi? How could you say such a thing?! Of course, I am darling, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash are far more jealous then I."
"What?!"
"Ah recon ah can admit that, seein you an Rick not ta mention Mac an Inkie... Well..."
"Not me!"
"Oh Rainbow Dash honestly, there’s nothing wrong with wanting your special somepony."
"Well... Ya, but I've got plenty of time. Don't need no stallion holding me back!"
"Dash..." I chuckled. "Any stallion holding you back better be one strong son of a bitch!"
"And what about you Fluttershy?" Twilight asked quietly.
"Me? Oh... Yes... Someday, I do miss having someone..." She broke off a little pained everyone quiet suddenly.
"Well..." Pinkie looked around at us all smile breaking through. "That’s ok! There’s someone special for each of us I know it! It may take time to find them, but someday..." She grinned drawing everyone in for one of her many group hugs.
We hugged it out a moment before drawing back. "Okay, so... Does anyone know anything about this 'Atlantis'?" Twilight asked turning to me all the other girls following suit, at least until their heads were pulled back to the north-west, all of them snapping back to me with irritated grunts.
"Oh! Well let’s see... Just myths honestly, fanciful stories told of a race of 'humans' long ago their civilization having highly advanced scientific discoveries and even magic some say, far ahead of all others at the time maybe even now! There has never been any concrete evidence of its existence so far as I know, abandoned villages by the sea, roads and walkways that seem to lead to something lost beneath the waves but with so many searching and the advanced submersibles and diving equipment... Well, nothing even came of it, if it ever had really existed it simply disappeared. Impossible by our logic, but with what I know now... Maybe it's been here the whole time."
"But what about the humans living there?!" Pinkie asked.
"Well, the most portrayed story in books and film was as their civilization grew so did their arrogance, lust for power and control. To that end they developed a power... And here’s where no one can really agree is what it was, a type of magic, weapon possible biological. An army of invulnerable golems, the list could go on and on. One thing though remains consistent, whatever it was they lost control and the resulting backlash was the end of them all..."
"So the Elements..."
"They’re going home...?"
"But why now? The Princess’s had them for so long..."
"They only used them two times, we've used them so much more and remained connected to them... Someone, something must have noticed..."
"Now Twi..."
"Someone?! How could any of them still be there?"
"Pinkie, I don't know. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, there were theory’s that the Atlanteans were immortal but that's just one theory in a million. We'll just have to wait and see with our own eyes."
"Ah recon yer right Rick, still ah wish they wouldn't keep makin me look this way, ah'm gettin a crick in mah neck!"
We all got a good chuckle out of that before looking into the distance together straining to see... Anything, but whatever awaited our arrival was still too far away, only time would tell.
We spent the rest of the day catching up on each other’s lives pointedly ignoring anything to do with Atlantis then in the early evening making supper for us and the Thestral's, Twilight knew a bit about them so we made a meal we hoped they would like. When they awoke, we were on our way to bed, we bid them good night leaving them sleepy and a bit confused at our grins.
Twilight slept soundly but again my mind kept me awake, I'd told them everything that came to mind but still I tried to dredge up more, hell even if I had access to the internet I doubt I could come up with any truly useful information.
I pulled myself away from her gently trying not to disturb her slipping out of our cabin once I've pulled some shorts and a shirt on. We weren't far from the caboose so I made my way there for some fresh air and hopefully clear my mind...
The night air was quite chilly as we had been heading north and even in the summer the nights got quite cool as least until passing through the protective field around the Empire. Despite the cold it was a beautiful night, clear showing the stars and moon clearly reminding me of Luna making me smile. Hopefully she and Discord weren't finding the girls too troublesome, though of the past was any indication... I chuckled at the thought stretching out to grab the roof support bars on either side of the cabin pulling until I felt a few joints pop pleasantly, I cracked my neck and knuckles as well things that helped me relax though as I did so I heard a small squeak above me? Looking up I could just make out the outline of a small pony... No, Thestral head peering down at me the eyes, her eyes were somewhat familiar...
"Malerie?"
"Malone, sir." With a flap of her bat-wings she soared out and around landing gracefully beside me. "You... You should be asleep sir."
"Heh, true." I looked back out at the horizon. "Long way to go into the unknown..."
"Yes sir..."
"You’re the mare who took care of my girls?"
"Briefly sir, just watched them sleep really before Princess Luna dispatched us."
"Never the less I appreciate it."
"Thank you, sir."
"That's not really necessary..."
"Oh the Princess told us you would say as such and that it was very necessary." She smiled. "But it's an honor to make this trip with you, it's only my first year with the Nightguard and Canterlot is quite peaceful... Well until recently."
"Yes..." I chuckled. "If you don't mind me asking where do Thestral's usually live? I mean, I've only encountered them as part of Luna's guard."
"Well most of us are nocturnal so unless you were on a night schedule you likely wouldn't meet many of us but to answer your question we are found all over Equestria in small communities, other ponies find us... Odd, I suppose would be the best way to put it, our nocturnalness and appearance. We tend to keep to our own kind but not entirely I've heard of a few who have good friends even partners outside our race..."
"Only a few? That’s unfortunate..."
"It's not so bad, but in Canterlot we are something more... Special, privileged many might say I guess. As Princess Luna's guards, we're viewed differently, feared unfortunately but also respected, it's a strange situation but we appreciate all Princess Luna has done for us."
"Now that’s something else, how did you... The Thestral's this is become Luna's guards and confidents?"
"Oh, well..."
"I would like to know too..." Twilights voice came from behind us as she stepped out onto the platform closing the door behind her. "I've read a little about it but the subject matter is very sparse..."
"I'm sorry Twi did I wake you?"
"No and Yes." She smiled sitting on the small fold down bench where I joined her. "You didn't wake me when you left but I can't sleep very well without you, you know?"
"You and I both." I chuckled kissing her softly then we looked over to find Malone frozen like a deer in the headlights.
"Magic... I mean, Element bearer!" she bowed deeply stammering. "Princess and friend to Princess Luna!"
"Princess...? Twilight blushed. "Well for all of a few months, really don't worry about it."
"It counts..." She whispered wide-eyed but smiling. "And you can touch the dream..."
"Wow, she wasn't this impressed when she met me but then again I've always said how amazing you are."
She blushed again giving me a gentle shove. "Oh you. Anyhow, please tell us."
"If... If you’re sure?" At our nods, she continued hesitantly at first but gaining confidence as she spoke. "My great-great Gran used to tell me so many stories, long before the Princess’s there were the three tribes though in reality four. The Thestral's, though we shared similarities with each tribe they were welcome in none..."
"What similarity’s?" Twilight interrupted clearly interested.
"Well I'm not sure... But from what she told me we had a portion of the Earth ponies spirit making us robust and strong, the Pegasus’s affinity for flight though perhaps not as skilled as the Wonderbolts we have a few talented flyers among us..."
"And the Unicorns?"
"We have a few spell casters though none that could match your skill Princess..."
"Twilight. Please just call me Twilight, and I'm still learning really." She blushed.
"I... Very well, Twilight..." They smiled together as if sharing a secret, for a pony who's only friends were books for such a long time you certainly have a knack for finding new ones, bringing out the best in them and you...
"But deeper than that was our connection to the Dream, it was also this that caused our ostracization at least partially. Even then the three tribe’s cooperation was only for the sake of survival and we... Well, I guess we didn't fit into that picture."
"Hmm..." My disapproval must have shown as she quickly continued.
"It was a very long time ago, things have changed. But back then... Back then we teetered on the brink of survival, scrounging and scavenging but we did have an edge. Like Princess Luna and you Twilight we can touch the Dream, we can't affect it as you do nor view the dreams of those capable of shielding themselves but most others we can see easily."
"How would that help you?" I asked a bit confused.
"Ponies... And perhaps even you sir, dream of many things often in the same night. Some you remember but others are only fragments of your day, random thoughts... But mixed within are secrets, with patience and time they learned what was important and not. Information about stashes of goods, places of importance, unguarded food stores, secrets so many secrets... I know, they kind of sound like the bad guys here but they were just trying to survive!"
"Fascinating! How did they...? How you do it?! Is it a spirit walk as part of a meditative process? Or more like peering through a window do you have to be close or touching them? What about..."
"Twi... Love, give her a moment to answer." I chuckled as she blushed sitting back leaning against me.
"Right, sorry."
"It's fine! It's difficult to explain... Each of us has over own level of skill but for most I guess it's like ... Watching a movie, you have to know or have closely observed the target then when they sleep by freeing your mind in the correct way concentrating on that one pony we're drawn to their dream and can observe as long as they sleep. We don't do that now! Princess Luna is very strict about such things and rightly so."
She was an apt storyteller and the light hoofclicks I heard above us suggested others were listening to but thankfully they didn't seem to mind her talking to us.
"Everything I know comes from my great-great-gran, when I was young she just told me fanciful tails to entertain a young filly. Then as I got older darker tales and truths to try to prepare me for adulthood, she passed away when I was nineteen..." She hung her head sadly.
"Sorry..."
"My condolences..."
"She had a long full life..." She smiled wiping a tear away. "But I had just truly begun to gain an interest in what she had been telling me, learning about our history. My dream was always to become a member of the Night guard but I also wanted to learn all I could about our past, my gran... All my grans lives to honor them..."
"I'm sure she and they would be proud."
"Thank you sir. Anyhow, the three tribes at first had no clue of our abilities but as time passed and they looked deeper into it they made some discoveries and one pony, a Unicorn named Clover the clever discovered and exposed our secret..."
"What?!" Twilight burst out.
"I don't think she knew what would happen, how badly we needed that edge and she naturally had to answer to her superiors. The word spread though and they were even more hated but at that time there was little they could do about it; the summer had been merger and an even harsher winter loomed..." She smiled and nodded to Twilight. "Yes I've heard the story of Equestria’s founding and I think it lines up with that fateful winter. Truly the Thestral's found the least hardship that winter deep in the caves, they were hungry but safe and warm. Lichen, moss and mushrooms kept them alive and when the spring finally came and they emerged they found the ponies all gone! Homes and fields abandoned, at first they were happy the ponies who looked down on them for so long were no more but before too long it turned to concern. What happened to them? Did they all die off? Attacked?! Enslaved?!"
Twilight tensed against me though she well knew the stories outcome at least so far as the three tribes were concerned it was the story she loved either reading it herself or being well-told like this one she got so into it.
"At the time though they had problems of their own, the monstrous winter had finally given way to a fertile spring and they had to try their own hooves at farming! Though nocturnal the premise remained the same unfortunately few of them had any experience, thankfully some of the orchard trees had survived and as they began to bear fruit things slowly began to get better, the first few years were hard but working together they managed to grow but never really prosper and always in the back of their minds they wondered what became of the three tribes... Finally, five years after that fateful winter they felt self-sufficient enough to begin sending out scouting parties. The trail was long gone but they felt if they could find something, anything!"
"Hmm... Why did they feel such a compulsion?" I wondered aloud.
"Gran never told me but I can guess... The three tribes and us, despite our differences we're joined ponies all of us one way or the other... That’s my theory anyhow."
"I think that’s a great theory Malone." Twilight smiled.
"Thank you." She stopped a moment looking thoughtful perhaps remembering where she left off. "The scouts had to go further and further afield often gone for days at a time but no one protested the use of resources though time and again they came back with no news. But they persisted and months after they had begun they came upon the first of many pony settlements, still small but growing and stranger still was the mixed populations! Before the three tribes kept to themselves with very little intermingling. But now all three tribes were working together, living together, they saw some signs of tension still but clearly something had changed..."
The hearths warming story?
That was a part of it I think but ponies can be just as stubborn as any and I'm sure many of them resisted that change but something else happened... Something big...
Such as?
I've read a bit about it but it's her story to tell remember? Her great-great-grandmother must have lived a long time!
How long do Thestral's live?
Quite a while, sometimes up to two hundred years.
Interesting...
"Once they reported back more and more scouts were sent out finding many small towns and villages all in a short radius and in the center, was a great mountain with several peaks the largest of which had been flattened! Sheared off, removed in some way, the power required... They couldn't even comprehend, all three tribes working in unison even with the magic of the Unicorns it would have taken centuries! And upon that surface they seemed to be building a great walled city and castle, Pegasus seemed to be bringing materials and workers but far below a road was beginning to take shape carved into the mountain itself!"
She's quite the story teller, now if I know you you're memorizing all you can so you can write it down later eh?
Maybe... You have to admit it's fascinating, so much we still don't know and understand.
True, there’s always more to learn.
Isn't it great?!
"This information pushed our ancestors to action! The three tribes must have discovered something immensely powerful to have advanced so far and so fast. They quickly made arrangements abandoning their new homes migrating en-masse under the cover of night taking all they could along with them, they flew on and on the young and old help by those who could. The scouts leading the way, they had found deep caverns in and under that very mountain and those were their target."
"What did they hope to accomplish?" I asked.
"No one knew! There were those who hoped the three tribe’s new harmony would extend to them, others who thought that they might have something worth searching their dreams for and those who just wanted to be free of pony society altogether to live on their own! But every one of them came willingly, no coercion or intimidation... Almost as if they were all of one mind. The caves were beautiful, unmarred with large crystal formations and room for them all a thousand times over! But there was something else as well, waiting for them..."
She paused a moment eyes closed wings wrapped around herself. "I have to remember this right, what my gran told me and hers before her and before her..." She smiled opening her wings hopping up onto the guard rail balancing easily spreading her wings wide. "Taller than any three Thestral's he was, black as deepest night but with silver shot through his flowing mane and tail, his horn and wings marked him as something none of them had any experience with and when he spread those wings..." She gestured out into the night. "Like a sky full of stars, his silver eyes were stern but welcoming and his smile warm. 'My children, welcome. Welcome home.' He said. Naturally there was more than a little confusion and a thousand or more questions but to their immense surprise he sat his horn glowing pulling each and every one of them into the dream with him! There within he answered all questions explaining that he, Night Sky and his wife Solar Wind had come from far, far away drawn by the three tribes and them. They wished only to help them, lead them if they would allow. The three tribes had acquiesced seeing their power and most were quickly won over by their kindness and compassion. But now he put the question to them, would they join? Become a part of the newly created kingdom of Equestria? He could promise them little but fair treatment, there were still dangers aplenty. Neighboring kingdoms that may well resent this new upstart kingdom, the wild tribes of Buffalo to the west, dangerous monsters in the forest, Dragons and more! But he knew and deep down so did they that if they all worked together Equestria would blossom!"
"I wonder how he knew they were there, were coming...?" Twilight mused.
"He was an Alicorn..."
"Still..."
"Maybe the first, he and his wife that is."
"And where did they come from?! I have a few very old books about them but nothing about that."
"I don't know, no one does. Maybe not even Princess Luna or Princess Celestia..."
"I'll have to remember to ask... Oh! I'm sorry, I keep interrupting. Go on please."
"There’s not much more to tell to be honest, our ancestors accepted his offer of course bringing us into pony society, difficult with the three tribes only just beginning to learn to work with each other! Through it all I think we've all grown and become closer, with a few... Hiccups. But now with Princess Luna's return we've again began our re-insertion into pony society."
"That’s right, what happened when she was... Gone?"
"A lot!" Someone must have signaled her from out of view as she hopped down from the railing folding her wings. "But that’s a story for another night, even hero's need their sleep." She smiled.
My interest in the story had kept me awake but now I felt my weariness fall on me like a stone, Twi was the same barely keeping her head up.
"Thank you for the story, I would be very interested in hearing the rest another time if you don't mind?" Twi yawned letting me scoop her up as I rose to head back inside.
"It would be my pleasure." She smiled blushing.
"Thank you, good night. To you all." I managed a short bow then made my way back to our cabin settling down.
So amazing, I wish I could have seen it all.
It would have been something for sure, goodnight love you.
Love you.
The past shapes the future; the future forgets the past then repeats it... We can only hope each new generation retains... Something.