//------------------------------//
// Once Upon A Time... 
// Story: Pinkie Tales: The Little Mermare 
// by Magpiepony 
//------------------------------//

Once Upon  A Time…
Long ago, before the creation of Equestria, there was a vast cloud kingdom called Skyvale. It was the single-largest pegasus kingdom in the world, and it produced the weather for all neighboring earth and unicorn kingdoms. The pegasi worked tirelessly creating rainbows, wind, and rain-clouds that would then be traded away in exchange for food. The city itself hovered over a great blue ocean so that it could use the water for weather production. Ships of food and supplies had to sail over this ocean to reach Skyvale. However, over a short span of time less and less ships were able to reach their destination. Surviving sailors told tales of mystical singing voices that would lure the supply ships to their doom, sinking to the bottom of the ocean crew and all. Scholars and skeptics ruled these tales as myths denying knowledge of any known creature able to pull off such a feat.
Unbeknown to the pony world above, an underwater city called Aquatica lay directly beneath the pegasi. It was inhabited by all the creatures of the ocean, including the fabled merponies. The wise and benevolent King had forbidden his subjects to swim to the surface world lest they be caught by the pony races above. He feared those ponies would invade his kingdom and take their resources for their own greedy purposes.
This, however, did not stop the curiosity and adventurous spirit of the King’s daughter Partiel. Against her father’s wishes, she would swim to the surface to learn of the world she was forbidden to see.
One particular afternoon, Partiel made the journey towards the surface in search of something special. Her faithful friend Floundershy followed nervously, despite her growing anxiety of being caught.
“Partiel are you sure we should be going this way? Somepony might see us…” Floundershy cautioned, darting her eyes as she swam.
“Ah you’re just being a scared-y fins Floundershy! Besides, I have to find something special for Maud Cod’s birthday, remember?” Partiel protested. “Get it? Maud COD because cod is type of fish!”
“I know but… you never know what might be lurking… waiting for us!”
“I thought you loved all kinds of fish and animals?” Partiel asked.
“Oh, I do! I love sea stars and… sea sponges… and Nemo… and even a nice shark but… but have you SEEN an octopus trap its prey? All those arms… WHY DOES IT NEED ALL THOSE ARMS?!” Floundershy whimpered.
“Hahaha you’re silly Floundershy, there’s no octupusususes here, come on! It’s not much farther!”
Partiel giggled at the silliness of her friend’s phobias and continued towards the surface. It wasn’t long before she broke through the waves smiling at the sunlight overhead.
“Ahhhhh nothing like breathing in the dry salty air. I guess that means the pony part of me still has air-type lungs and the fish part of me has gills… *gasp* I can breathe from my flank?!”
Let’s try to not question the logistics of merpony anatomy, Pinkie.
“Ugh you’re one of THOSE narrators? Sayin’ big ole icky words I can’t understand. What are you, a Twilight wanna-be?”
Partiel scanned the waves looking for a little island that she wanted to visit in order to meet up with a strange sky-dweller friend.
“Are you ignoring me?”
“Oh Partiel, is that you darling?” A familiar voice called.
Partiel smiled and swam to greet her friend; Floundershy trailing after her just beneath the waves.
“Partiel, what brings you up he--”
“Hang on Birdity. Hey! You! Don’t you ignore me! I have a legitimate question and you just shirk me off just like that?”
The other narrators warned me about you. They said if you get out of line I can send you to the bad Pinkie corner.
“But… but I’m the star! You can’t punish the star or the story won’t continue!”
Then I guess you’d better behave or Pound and Pumpkin will be very disappointed won’t they?
“You don’t play fair! … but that’s really smart. I like you. We’re gonna get along just fine you and me.”
“Er… so… Partiel, what brings you up here on this glorious day?” Birdity asked. Birdity was a seagull, and the first and only friend of Partiel’s who lived above the ocean. She would spin marvelous tales of her travels and show her little trinkets she had acquired from the ponies in the cloud kingdom.
“I’m here for a super special reason! My sister’s birthday is today and I wanna get her something extra super duper amazingly specialrific!” Partiel exclaimed swishing her tail excitedly in the water.
Floundershy took a deep breath then popped her head above the water to join in the conversation.
“Won’t your father be suspicious if you bring her something from the pony world?”
“Oh please, he doesn’t know his pearls from his dinglehoppers, how would he find out?” Partiel laughed.
Birdity smiled and displayed an array of gemstones she had collected over the years and stashed on her little island.
“Alright, let’s see what I have here for your sister… hmmm… an emerald perhaps or a ruby, I suppose it would depend on her colors. Tell me, is she a ‘winter’ or a ‘summer’ it makes all the difference darling.”
“Ooo! That one that one!” Partiel shouted, pointing her hoof at a dull and unremarkable stone that had washed ashore.
“That? But that’s just… a rock.” Birdity said disapprovingly.
“Aren’t all of these rocks?” Floundershy asked.
“Well, technically I suppose they could be classified as rocks but these are gemstones, far more valuable than any washed-up little pebble. I thought you were looking for something a little more exotic. Why bother coming to shore if you’re going to pick something that can be found anywhere in the ocean.”
“Nuh uh! This rock looks JUST like a seacake! You can’t find that on the ocean floor, it’s super-duperly special and Maud Cod is gonna love it! Can I have it Birdity? Can I Can I?” Partiel squeed.
“Oh alright if you insist.” Birdity said with an exaggerated eye roll.
“Thanks Birdity I--”
Partiel started, but was cut off when she noticed a strange array of colors pass overhead from one cloud to the next. Partiel had never seen a rainbow before and its beauty had left her speechless.
“Oh my, looks as if the Prince is at it again.” Birdity commented with an eye roll.
“The… Prince?” Partiel said, still enchanted by the sight.
“Oh yes, the Pegasi Prince has a habit of taking the rainbows from production and flaunting them about when he flies. It is rather lovely though, isn’t it?”
“Rain-bow… that’s what that is?” Partiel said reaching out her hoof in bewilderment.
“Speak of the stallion, here he comes now.” Birdity said, pointing her wing towards the Prince flying overhead. The blue pegasus with a mane that matched the brilliance of the rainbows he carried was flying fast and freely overhead and…
“And what? AND WHAT?”
Do you mean to tell me the Prince is Rainbow Dash? Again?
“UM Excuse me, but THIS is Prince DASHIE, totally different Prince and a totally different story.”
No, it’s Rainbow Dash, and she was already a Prince in Cindershy.
“Look, I can’t go around making everypony think I’m a FlutterDash shipper, alright? It’s Prince DASHIE and she-- I mean HE is TOTALLY different from that other Prince.”
Okay so Rar-- er, ‘Birdity’ is a mare, ‘Floundershy’ is a mare, but ‘Prince Dashie’ is a stallion...
“Don’t question my logic! We’re all playing a role here, genders mean nothing!”
As the Prince flew, a colorful rainbow would follow like a streak of light in the sky. Partiel could only catch glimpses of the Prince as he flew quickly from one cloud to another. She sighed and put her hooves to her chest, looking down at it in confusion.
“That’s strange… I feel all tingly inside…” Partiel said.
“Partiel! Do you have feelings for the Prince?”  Birdity said with a laugh.“A mermare with a crush on a pegasus? How ridiculously… romantic! You must find a way to speak to him, you must!” Birdity said gleefully.
“But… how? The pegasi live too far above the water to reach.” Floundershy pointed out.
“Love will find a way, won’t it Partiel? Ooo I’m so excited! Tell you what, why don’t you swim down and write him a letter and I’ll deliver it to the Prince myself!” Birdity said.
“You’d do that for me?” Partiel smiled.
“Of course darling! What else do I have going on? I’m an annoying-squawking little bird with no social standings. Go on! Hurry home with you, and be back with that letter before sundown!”
Partiel squeed and dove back under the waves swimming as fast as her fins would take her. Floundershy had to grip onto the base of Partiel’s tail just to keep up.
“But what about your sister’s party?” Floundershy said shakily as she was thrashed back and forth in the water.
“Don’t worry Floundershy, I can do both! I’ll write the letter, give Maud Cod her present, and sneak back to the surface before sundown!”
“You’ll… do… WHAT?!” a new but familiar voice called. Partiel gasped and stopped mid-swim inadvertently slinging Floundershy off her tail (scream of surprise) (scream of shock) and into her crustaceous friend.
“Sorry Twibastian.” Floundershy said swimming away from the crab to hide behind Partiel.
“Did I hear you say you’ll sneak BACK to the SURFACE?” Twibastian scolded. “Partiel, your father has STRICTLY forbidden you to--”
“But Twibastian, you don’t understand, it’s love!” Partiel said dreamily, taking the crab by the claws and spinning him around joyously.
“What?!”
“Um… Partiel may have seen the pegasus Prince and um… she has kind of… a crush on him.” Floundershy explained.
“Oh it’s much more than that! I’m an impulsive teenager with single-minded determination to get what I want, and have set my sights on something that I can’t have. It must be… fate!” Partiel sighed blissfully.
“Partiel this has gone too far! If your father found out that I let you swim to the surface again he’d have my head! You’re coming with me right now and you’re never to speak of this nonsense again, understand?” Twibastian said firmly.
*~*~*
When Partiel returned to the Aquatican palace her cheerful disposition quickly faded as she was met with the disapproving glare of King Crankyton.
“Where have you been?”
“Just… finding a present for Maud Cod of course… hehe…” Partiel said, placing the small stone in her sister’s hoof. Maud stared at it incredulously.
“Metamorphic, combination of granite and cloudcrete commonly found in the construction of pegasi dwellings.” Maud Cod said, examining the gift.
“PEGASI DWELLINGS?”
“But look how it’s SHAPED! Doesn’t it look like a seacake to you?” Partiel asked nervously trying to divert her father’s attention.
“It looks like a rock. Thank you Partiel, I love it.” Maud Cod said montotone in response.
“You went to the surface again, didn’t you?!” Crankyton demanded.
“W-well… I-I…” Partiel started.
“She was only trying to find the right gift for Maud Cod your majesty Crankyton… sir…” Floundershy said, attempting and failing to help the situation.
“Partiel I have told you again and again NEVER to go to the surface world! They’re a greedy, vile, untrustworthy race only out for themselves! If they discovered we were beneath these waters merponies and creatures alike would be in danger! Don’t you understand that?”
“But Doodle-daddy how do you KNOW they’re bad? Have you ever even MET one?!”
“That’s enough! You will swim to your room and stay there for the rest of the night without joining the festivities of your sister’s birthday.”
“WHAT?! But…”
“Twibastian! YOU will guard her in her room.”
“Me!?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“No sir. No problem.” Twibastian grumbled.
“Good. I don’t want to hear another word about this surface nonsense ever again!” King Crankyton exclaimed, pointing his hoof in the direction of the palace. Partiel held back tears as she swam to her room in defeat.
*~*~*~*
While the uncertainty of the surface world was a danger to merponies, there was a far more present evil lurking under the waves. Just outside Aquatica lived three dark and magical creatures known as the sirens. Unlike regular merpony kind, these creatures harnessed a strange magic that allowed them to affect the pony world above. Using their red crystals they would sing captivating songs to pony sailors, guiding their ships into the rocks to drown them. Although some merponies were grateful that the sirens kept the land ponies at bay, King Crankyton feared their magic and banished them away from the city. Over time, their home became littered with the debri of the ships they sank causing it to be named the Sunken Ship Graveyard.
The sirens kept to themselves and did not converse with many sea creatures; only those who dared to enter their domain. Their magic allowed them to keep an eye on both pony and merpony worlds. Until now, their efforts to achieve their goal had been futile. However, the sudden romantic interest from the merpony Princess gave the sirens an opportunity too perfect to resist.
“A merpony in love with a pegasus…” the eldest siren Adagio Dazzle chuckled, gazing into an enchanted bubble that reflected an image of Partiel singing happily to her friends about her love for the Prince.
“So what?” Aria Blaze, the middle siren said uninterested.
“This could be exactly what we need to finally take control of Skyvale.” Adagio smiled, pushing the bubble aside.
“I thought we just wanted Prince Dashie’s medallion thingy.” The youngest, Sonata Dusk asked obliviously bobbing her head in tune with Partiel’s song.
“Duh, the medallion is what controls the weather. And whoever controls the weather, controls Skyvale.” Aria replied curtly.
“Oh yeah.” Sonata added with a smile.
“Our crystals combined with the Prince’s pendant will give us all the power we need to control every ship that dares set sail on our ocean.” Adagio clarified with a smirk.
“Why do even bother sinking ships anyway? The fear we collect from the pony sailors is never enough to satisfy our hunger… what makes you think adding more shipwrecks will do anything?”
“We can sink them all at once by conjuring up the greatest storm this planet has ever seen. It’ll be so epic that fear will be struck in the hearts of all pony kind!” Adagio announced.
“Except the merponies, merponies don’t worry about storms.” Sonata pointed out.
“Merponies don’t even have magic to steal Sonata.” Aria countered
“Yeah they do!”
“Do not!”
“Do too!”
“Do not!”
“ENOUGH!” Adagio screamed, effectively silencing the pair of them. “I want you two to follow that little mermare Princess… convince her that she might need a little help getting the pony of her dreams, for the right price.”
“And what exactly are YOU going to be doing?” Aria asked.
“I’ll be conjuring up a spell of course, something we can use to trap that little Princess into doing what we need her to do.” Adagio answered.
“(singing the song) I dream of living in the clouds and flying freely with him…” Sonata sang along with the image of Partiel.
“Will you shut it already?!” Aria snapped.
“What? It’s catchy!” Sonata shrugged.
~*~*~*~
While Partiel sulked and the sirens schemed, Prince Dashie was in the sky struggling to pay attention to a very important lesson. His mentor, Daring Duke was attempting to teach him how to use the Skyvale pendant to send storm clouds to the north.
“Dashie! Are you listening?” Daring Duke asked exasperated.
“The royal pendant… blah blah blah... big responsibilities… yadda yadda.” Dashie said lounging on the cloud with his hooves behind his head.
“That ‘blah blah blah’ is very important! You’re the Prince for Skyvale’s sake, and your father has given the pendant to you for a reason. You and you alone have the power to send the weather across the world!” Daring Duke said in a huff.
“Thanks mister exposition, I think I got that.” Dashie replied.
Daring Duke growled under his breath then attempted to regain his composure.
“It’s very important that you check with the pegasi cloud keepers to make sure the right kinds of weather are sent to the right places. The biggest problem you’re going to have is starting up the storm clouds.” Daring Duke explained.
“What do you mean ‘starting up’? Doesn’t this magic do-hickey do all that?” Dashie asked.
“Yes, but only on a cloud-by-cloud basis. After you use the pendant to send them on their way, it’s your duty to start the lightning and thunder for each storm cloud. You have to be very careful, though, lightning is still unpredictable… are you sure you can handle this?” Daring Duke asked.
“Ah quit your worrying Dukey Do, I’ve been trained for this my whole life! When do I start?” Dashie said, excited to give his first storm a try.
“Right now. We’re set to send this storm to the unicorns in the north, I’ll go with you this time so you can--”
“Ready set go!” Prince Dashie announcing, zooming past Daring Duke in an array of colors.
“You’ve been using the rainbows again to show off?! UGH... Dashie, we’ve talked about this!” Daring Duke called, flying after Prince Dashie.
~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, under the waves Princess Partiel and Floundershy had managed to slip away from Twibastian’s watch. As soon as she was sure she hadn’t been followed, she swam towards the surface hoping to see more rainbows and possibly a glimpse of her beloved Prince. Floundershy didn’t protest this time, knowing that it was imperative they swim as quietly as possible.
Partiel could tell by the flashes of light above her head that a storm was brewing in the sky. She frowned, knowing that a rainbow and her Prince wouldn’t be around for such poor weather. She turned tail in defeat and resolved to swim home when she heard a mighty crack of thunder followed by loud splash. Partiel looked in horror to see a slightly-charred and wounded Prince Dashie sinking in the ocean .
“Dashie!” Partiel shouted, swimming after him. She didn’t hesitate, scooping up her Prince in her hooves and attempted to keep his head above the water. Shouldering his weight, she swam towards the only piece of land she knew existed: Birdity’s island. By the time she reached it, she slumped the Prince’s body on the sand and tried to catch her breath.
“Wake up… please wake up!” Partiel whispered, unsure how to help him breathe. She shook him gently once, then again, pleading for him to open his eyes.
“You have to wake up Dashie, you just have to! You can’t leave me.. That’s not how the story goes! You’re supposed to be okay! Please Dashie you’re scaring me!”
Partiel continued to panic and ramble until at last Prince Dashie coughed and sputtered the water that had been in his lungs.
“You’re okay! Oh Dashie you’re okay!” Partiel exclaimed happily, throwing her hooves around him.
“Wha-what? Who… who are you… so… pretty...” Dashie mumbled in a voice barely over a whisper.
“Dashie! Where are you? Dashie, answer me!” Daring Duke called from somewhere in the sky. Partiel gasped and dove back under the waves, not wanting to be caught.
“Dashie! Hang on, I’m coming!” Daring Duke cried with a mixture of relief and panic in his tone. He landed on the beach near the Prince and pulled him further away from the water.
“Who… who was that… that mare… she saved me…” Dashie muttered.
“Hang on, Dashie! You’ll be alright” Daring Duke said, pulling the Prince onto his back. With some struggle he took off in flight towards the palace.
Partiel watched the exchange just below the water a few feet away. Her mind was buzzing with the words he had said.
“I don’t think he’s coming back, Partiel.” Floundershy said putting a fin on her friend sympathetically.
“He said I was pretty, he looked so… happy. Even though he almost died he… he looked at me like he loved me.” Partiel said, with a mixture of happiness and sadness in her tone. “I can’t go on without him, Floundershy… I just have to know what he thinks of me!”
“But… how? You don’t even know where he lives.” Floundershy said sadly.
“I guess that means you’ll have to fly there.”
Partiel and Floundershy turned around sharply to see where the third unfamiliar voice had come. Two strange merpony creatures had joined them, both looking friendly and still frightening at the same time.
“Fly there?” Partiel asked.
“Well, that’s the only way you can get to Skyvale isn’t it?” One of the two creatures said.
“And it just so happens that we know how you can do it.” the other replied.
“Who… who are you?” Partiel asked cautiously, Floundershy hiding behind her fin in the process.
“We’re the sirens of course.” the first said.
“You have heard of us, haven’t you?” the second added.
“Well… yeah…” Partiel said uncomfortably.
“Then you must know that we have access to some powerful magic.” the first creature said.
“And we’re totally willing to share it with you too!” the second added cheerfully.
“But… why?” Partiel asked.
“Follow us, we’ll explain it on the way.” the pair of sirens said, swimming away and expecting Partiel to follow.
“I don’t think we should do it… let’s just go home.” Floundershy cautioned.
“But they said they can help… they said I could see my Prince again…” Partiel said resolving to follow them.
Floundershy grimaced in disagreement. Following her gut instinct, she slipped away from the Princess and the sirens when they weren’t looking. She swam as quickly as her little fins would take her back towards Aquatica.
*~*~*~*
“Come in, Princess.” Adagio said, beckoning Partiel forward. Partiel noted that they were in a particularly large sunken pony ship. Spells and dangerous-looking objects lined the shelves, nooks, and crannies of what was once the captain’s quarters.
“Wow… you REALLY have evil-bad-guy lair down to an art!” Partiel said, slightly impressed.
“My fellow sirens here tell me you have a bit of a problem… a pegasus problem to be exact.” Adagio said, disregarding Partiel’s remark.
“I… I want to be a pegasus so I can fly up and find my Prince.” Partiel reaffirmed.
“Well, we can certainly help you with that.” Adagio said, gathering magical supplies while the other sirens kept a close eye on Partiel.
“You will? But… why?” Partiel asked.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard about us sirens, but I assure you it isn’t all true.” Adagio said.
“We’re merponies, just like you.” Aria added.
“We just want to belong.” Sonata said.
“So… you’re not villains? You’re just… shy magical mermares who sink ships and happen to live in a really spooky graveyard?” Partiel asked confused.
“Nopony is ever harmed, the sailors merely fly away when the ship sinks…” Adagio pointed out.
“Or use their magic to teleport somewhere else.” Aria added.
“Or flail about in the water and scream like little guppies because they never learned to swim.” Sonata added, to which Aria gave a dark glare. “What?”
“We only mean to protect the merponies. Perhaps if they understood us poor sea creatures they could keep other ponies from trying to hurt and use us.” Adagio said.
“So you can make me a pegasus?” Partiel brightened.
“Well… yes…”
“But?”
“We may be good merponies, but we don’t work for free you know.” Aria said.
“I… don’t have any money with me…but I guess I could swim back and get some if you REALLY wanted me to. It’s not like I’m hurting for riches since, you know, I AM the Princess and all…”
“No, we don’t want your--”
“But then again what would you want with money? Oh! I know! Maybe you just want to be friends! Is that it? I mean, if I were a misunderstood pony who lived in creepsville I would just want somepony to be my friend and maybe teach me how not to seem so dark and mysterious all the time…”
“But you--”
“And if you befriend the Princess, well, then you’ve REALLY got a good chance impressing other ponies because, I mean, who doesn’t love the Princesses, am I right? And I’m sure--”
“YOUR VOICE! We want your annoying never-ending high-pitched-squeaking voice so we don’t have to listen to it anymore!” Adagio said seething with anger.
“Make it stop!” Sonata wailed in the corner while Aria covered her ears.
“But… if I don’t have my voice, how can I tell Dashie that I was the one who saved him… and that he was all wrong about merponies and--”
“You’ll figure it out, I’m sure. Do you really think he won’t love you if you don’t talk? Trust me; we’re doing you a favor here.” Adagio muttered.
“Oh… well… then you’ll make me a pegasus for my voice, right?” Partiel asked softly.
“Our spell will work for three days. You have until then to get Prince Dashie to say ‘I love you’. If he does, you’ll remain a pegasus forever and live happily ever after.” Adagio said.
“But what if I don’t?”
“Then you’ll have to come back and serve us.” Aria said.
“Forever.” Sonata added.
“Forever and… ever?”
“Yes!” all three sirens said angrily.
“Oh… well… I dunno.”
“The clock is ticking, Partiel. This offer won’t last forever.” Adagio said impatiently.
Partiel bit her lip and mentally weighed her choices. She heaved a sigh and nodded softly.
“Alright. Turn me into a pegasus and I’ll give you my voice… and if I fail, I’ll work for you for ever and ever and ever. I… pinkie promise.”
“Pinkie… what? What is that?” Aria asked.
“Look, just, sign this magic parchment and the deed will be done.” Adagio said gritting her teeth.
Partiel took the magic quill from beside the parchment and carefully scrawled her name on the dotted line. As soon as the quill left the parchment, it disappeared and the three sirens laughed in unison. They used their crystals to conjure a magical beam of red light. It hit Partiel directly in the chest and traveled up to her throat.
“Wait! I didn’t get to say goodbye and--” she started, but the magic pried the voice from her body before she could finish. Adagio smiled, engulfing the magic with her crystal and directing a second beam of light towards the mermare’s chest, Sonata and Aria quickly following suit. In a red flash of light Partiel’s body began to change.
“No!” Floundershy shouted from the entrance to the lair.
“You’re too late.” Aria said with a dark smile.
“Let her go!” Twibastian demanded swimming at the sirens in anger. “The King will be furious!”
“Too bad, so sad.” Sonata said.
The magic from the sirens’ pendants let out a final burst of light and Partiel re-appeared. Somehow in the transformation her mane and coat color had changed along with her body. Her once bright pink complexion was now a pale white with a yellow bouncy mane and tail. She didn’t have long to admire her new flank, hooves, and wings however, before she began choking on the lack of oxygen.
“If we were you, we’d high-tail it up to that little island before your Princess drowns.” Aria said.
“This isn’t over!” Twibastian called, assisting Floundershy as they carried Partiel away quickly. The sirens giggled to themselves as they watched the trio of friends struggle to the surface.
“Our plan is in action, g--” Adagio started, but stopped mid-sentence when she realized the voice coming from her throat was no longer her own.
“Wait…”
“Oh my gosh!”
“No! This can’t be happening!” Adagio screamed. “The magic wasn’t supposed to do that!”
“Oh GREAT now we HAVE to listen to that high-pitched whine all the time?” Aria grumbled.
“This is the funniest thing I have EVER seen like… EVER!”
“NO!!!!” Adagio screamed again in anger, the other sirens having to stifle their laughter in response.
*~*~*~*
“What were you THINKING?!” Twibastian raged, pacing back and forth on the little island while Partiel attempted to use her back hooves. “The King is going to kill me… I am a dead crab!”
“Maybe we should have brought him to the sirens instead…” Floundershy said sadly.
“What?! Are you CAH-RAZY? He would have been even MORE mad! I was supposed to watch her! Not only did I fail, but now she’s gone and made a deal with the SIRENS? She’s a pegasus now! She’s the very thing the King hates the most! I… am… SO… DEAD!”
Partiel rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to talk but no sound came.
“And, of course, you can’t even TALK now! How in the hay are you supposed to do anything if you can’t even talk!? Obviously you had to promise something to the sirens in order for them to give you this spell… if the price was your voice, then what’s the catch?” Twibastian asked aloud.
Partiel scrunched her face and put a hoof to her mouth, trying to think of a way to convey her message. She brightened when she met Floundershy’s gaze and waved her hooves to get her attention.
“Oh… I think she’s trying to tell us something…”
“You think?” Twibastian grumbled sarcastically.
Partiel moved her hooves dramatically and changed her facial expressions, not dropping Floundershy’s gaze.
“Let’s see… uh… I get to be a pegasus for three days… and have to make the Prince say ‘I love you’ before time is up or else I turn back into a mermare and have to serve the sirens forever.” Floundershy interpreted. Partiel smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
“You got all of that from her hoof flailing?” Twibastian asked incredulously.
“I guess so, yeah.” Floundershy said with a shrug.
“A lot of good that will do us, Floundershy can’t exactly follow you to Skyvale and interpret. Besides, I don’t think ponies can understand animals. Well, not many of them anyway.” Twibastian pointed out.
“Then what are we going to do?” Floundershy asked.
“The only thing we can do. I’ll have to go with Partiel to Skyvale and you will have to stall the King until this whole mess is sorted out.” Twibasitan said defeated.
“Me? Stall the KING?” Floundershy said in amazement.
“Unless you have a better idea?” Twibastian said.
Partiel attempted for a second time to remain on her hooves but continued to fail falling back on the sand and sending it toppling over her friends in the process.
“I… guess not.” Floundershy said, shaking the sand from her gills.
“Alright then. First thing’s first, we have to figure out how to get you to stand on those things.” Twibastian said, Partiel nodding enthusiastically in response.
*~*~*~*
Meanwhile, Daring Duke and Prince Dashie were wandering the beaches below Skyvale in search of the mysterious mare who had saved the Prince’s life. Daring Duke was unconvinced that such a mare existed, claiming that she was a figment of Dashie’s imagination.
“I’m telling you Dukey Do--”
“Please stop calling me that. You know I hate that.”
“That’s why I do it.” Dashie said with a small smirk. “But, listen, I KNOW that mare is out here somewhere… there’s no other way I could have survived this without her.”
“Wait… is that her?” Daring Duke asked in shock, pointing a hoof at a clumsy-looking pegasus who couldn’t seem to fly straight.
“No, the mare I saw was pink… but it looks like she needs some help.” Prince Dashie noted, flying to help the poor filly.
“Left! No, not right! Up!” Twibastian said in exasperation. He was hidden somewhere in Partiel’s mane near her ear getting land-sick from Partiel’s amusing attempts at flight. Partiel didn’t give up, keeping her sights set on the castle ahead. She didn’t realize Dashie was flying to her aid, and before the Prince could say a word Partiel collided into him. The pair of them tumbled to the ground.
“Woah! Are you okay miss?” Dashie asked, righting himself.
Partiel looked up and beamed from ear to ear: she had found her Prince at last. She leapt from the ground and tackled him in a hug, catching the Prince off guard.
“Uh… n-nice to meet you too…” Dashie said, trying to pry himself from the hug and failing. “What’s your name?”
Partiel released him from her embrace and moved her lips to respond, forgetting that she was without a voice. The Prince looked at her both confused and slightly amused as she flailed her hooves and attempted to convey her name.
“You… can’t talk can you?” Dashie asked.
“It took him how long to figure that out?” Twibastian muttered from Partiel’s mane.
Even so, Partiel’s over-exaggerated movements and infectious smile struck a chord with the Prince. He giggled at her attempts to communicate and noted the striking blue color of her eyes. This mare was so close to the one he was seeking that her felt drawn to her.
“You’re new to Skyvale, aren’t you?” Dashie asked.
Partiel nodded enthusiastically.
“Do you… need some kind of help? My uh… friend Dukey Do and I saw you struggling to fly. Here, take my hoof, we’ll get you back to the castle so you can rest. I have excellent staff who can make sure you’re alright.”
Partiel’s heart lept and she reached out her own hoof to his. However, she failed to remember how to keep her balance on three hooves and toppled over again. Prince Dashie laughed as he helped her back onto her wobbly hooves.
“You certainly know how to surprise a pony… since I don’t know your name, can I call you that? Surprise?” Dashie asked.
“He didn’t even attempt to learn your name so he just… names you? THIS is the pony you want to be with?” Twibastian whispered to Partiel. Partiel ignored him and nodded, happy just to be in her Prince’s presence again.
*~*~*~*
That afternoon, Partiel had been given a clean bill of health by Prince Dash’s staff. Once he was sure, Prince Dashie offered to tour the kingdom together. He showed her how they made the weather and how his pendant was the key to activating-- you know what? This Pinkie Tales has already gone on for a good chunk of time I think I might just skip ahead to the romantic sunset part.
(Pinkie’s eyes widen)
Any objections?
(Pinkie scowls and shakes her head points to the story and tries to object)
No? No objections? Cool. Maybe we can cut out that other song too, save some time.
(Pinkie really goes crazy trying to object)
Great. On with the story then.
*~*~*~*
“One more hour… only one more hour! You HAVE to get him to say it, Partiel!” Twibastian cautioned from Partiel’s mane. Partiel was too preoccupied staring lovingly into Prince Dashie’s eyes to pay the crab any attention. The pair of them were snuggled on a blanket atop the sand of a beach just below Skyvale. Prince Dash had wanted to watch the sunset with her and reminisce the fun and frivolity of the days they had spent together. Partiel had had the time of her life with Dashie and each day her love grew stronger. Twibastian was the only voice of reason to remind her of the situation at hoof. Every passing hour he became more frantic in his attempts to get Dashie to say the magic words.
“You know… a few days ago I would have done anything to find the mare who saved me. I thought I was in love with her but… I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you, Surprise. You’re so fun and random! And those pranks you pulled? Classic! Though I doubt Dukey Do will be very happy with you for a while.”
Partiel smiled again and snuggled closer to the Prince.
“This sunset is really pretty isn’t it?” Dashie said pointing to the sparkle of sunlight on the water.
Partiel’s eyes widened at the mention of the sunset and her entire demeanor changed. She quickly pulled away from the Prince and put a hoof on her chest, then pointed to Dashie. She did the same to him, trying to get him to understand.
“Oh so NOW you listen to me!” Twibastian said bitterly.
“What? What’s wrong?” Dashie asked alarmed. Partiel continued the cycle, touching her chest then the Prince, touching his chest then herself. Unfortunately, the Prince wasn’t catching on.
“You uh… have… heart burn?”
Partiel shook her head.
“You’re… trying a secret hoof shake?”
Partiel shook her head again, glancing at the sunset in panic.
“Oh COME ON it’s not THAT difficult!” Twibastian exclaimed from within Partiel’s mane.
“Who… who said that?” Prince Dashie said, examining Partiel’s head curiously. Twibastian gasped and popped out of the hair in bewilderment.
“You can understand me?! YOU COULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD ME THE WHOLE TIME?!” Twibastian called.
“Uh… I can talk to any animal, it’s part of my Princely teachings, though I still have a difficult time speaking monkey… Wait so who are you?”
“There’s no time to explain!” Twibastian said, leaping from Partiel’s mane into her open hoof. “Quick, tell Partiel you love her before the sun sets!”
“I… uh…” Prince Dashie started. Partiel looked at the Prince with wide pleading eyes, and though he didn’t understand he took the little crab’s instruction.
“I… I guess I do love you Surprise er… Partiel, was it?”
The sun set over the water as soon as the words escaped his mouth. Twibastian gave a loud cheer in celebration.
“You did it Partiel! You--”
But before Twibastian could finish his victory, Partiel vanished into thin air leaving a confused crab and Prince behind.
“What happened? Where did she go?” Prince Dashie asked.
“To fulfill her part of our little bargain of course.” A new voice said as the three sirens emerged from the sea. Their crystals were glowing and a trapped pink mermare hovered above the water beside them.
“Partiel!”
“Let her go!” Prince Dashie demanded, attempting to fly to Partiel’s aid but was instead repelled by the sirens’ magic.
“He said he loved her; that was the deal!” Twibastian cried in anger.
“Did you really expect us to be honest? If Partiel had read the contract rather than prattled on she would see that she would end up our slave anyway.” Aria said with a smirk.
“And why didn’t you say it to her sooner? I mean… Partiel can still read and write… right? She signed her name on the contract. Is the Prince illiterate or something?” Sonata asked.
“Girls, you’re getting off track. We have a little deal to strike with the Prince here. Now that we know you’re in love with this pathetic little mermare we’re willing to bet you’ll do anything to save her.” Adagio said with Partiel’s voice.
“Wait… that voice…” Prince Dashie said, recognizing it immediately.
“Are you just figuring everything out now? Your precious mermare Princess traded her voice to Adagio so she could be a pegasus for you. Duh.” Aria said rolling her eyes.
“Then it was you who saved me! I knew it!” Prince Dashie exclaimed happily as Partiel nodded her head. His excitement was short-lived; however, realizing the danger Partiel had gotten herself into on his behalf. He turned to face the sirens with a dark glare.
“What do you want?”
“Your pendant of course. Give it over or Partiel will serve us for the rest of eternity as a…”
“Taco cart!” Sonata chimed in.
“A… Taco cart?” Aria asked.
“What? I always wanted one of those.” Sonata smiled.
“Fat chance!” Prince Dashie shouted, holding the pendant in the air and summoning a storm cloud. He flew to the top of the cloud and kicked the side, sending bolts of lightning to the sirens and the containment field around Partiel. The sirens growled and their crystals grew brighter, deflecting the lightning and sending it back towards Dashie. The Prince dodged and kicked the cloud towards the sirens to distract them. While they thrashed their hooves trying to dissipate it, Prince Dashie was flying circles around them, his pendant glistening as he did so. Soon after, a tornado formed around the sirens that sent all three of them spiriling into the air.
Dashie flew to Partiel’s aid, beating his hooves against the bubble around her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out!” Dashie said, putting his hoof against the bubble, Partiel doing the same.
Unable to pop it on his own, Dashie refocused his attention on the sirens. Their various screams of protest came from the tornado he had created.
“The crystals! Destroy the crystals and you destroy the sirens!” Twibastian called from the shore.
“Of course!” Dashie answered. He flew towards the tornado, using all of the strength in his wings to keep from being pulled into it. Aiming his pendant just right, Dashie sent a bolt of lightning into the jumbled sirens hitting Adagio’s crystal. He gave a victorious cheer when he saw a pink ray of magic escape the tornado. The magic flew directly at Partiel, bursting the bubble that contained her. Partiel splashed back into the sea, and when she emerged her voice had been fully restored.
“Partiel! You’re okay!” Prince Dashie cried flying into her open hooves
“I’m fine… but I think we have a biiiiiiiiig problem!” Partiel cried, pointing her hoof at the sirens who escaped the tornado with smug grins on their faces. They flew above the ocean, their crystals each glowing brighter than they had before.
“Did you really think you had won, little Prince? Now that you have restored my true voice we can unleash our magic on you! That pendant will be OURS!” Adagio announced with a cackle. She and the other sirens turned their attention to the Prince and began to sing (SIRENS SING). Their hypnotic spell was drawing the Prince towards them and he was helpless to stop it.
“Dashie, no!” Partiel cried, holding him back as best she could. Twibastian aided the Princess, jumping from Partiel’s mane onto Prince Dashie’s back and crawling up to cover his ears.
“Don’t listen! If you don’t listen, they can’t control you!” Twibastian called.
The sirens’ singing grew stronger and it proved too powerful for Dashie to resist. He mindlessly pulled away from Partiel and flew towards the sirens, holding out his pendant as he did so.
“I don’t think so!” Daring Duke called, flying directly into Dashie and sending him to the ocean where Partiel was waiting. She caught him, putting her hooves over his ears and making sure he was unable to turn back to the singing villains.
Daring Duke had swiped the pendant from the Prince long before he hit the waves. The sirens, undeterred, began their hypnotic spell on the Duke. They soon learned, however, that their song was unheeded. Daring Duke had pre-emptively plugged his ears, effectively blocking their magic. He unfurled a whip that had been wrapped around one of his wings and with one mighty crack he bound all three sirens together by their tailfins.
“Now it’s my turn!” King Crankyton said, emerging from the water in a magnificent display. The crown atop his head was glowing; and from the pearl embedded within, a great flash of light shot magic through the air towards the unsuspecting sirens. A great swirling vortex appeared before them. Daring Duke smiled and nodded, whipping the sirens around in the air for a moment before slinging them into the portal.
The sirens’ screams echoed as the portal closed around them, forever trapping them on the other side.
“Woah… didn’t know you had that in you Dukey Do.” Prince Dashie said shaking his head to clear the trance he had been under.
“I haven’t really been honest with you, your highness, I’m not really a Duke. I’ve been hunting those sirens long before I got to Skyvale. I knew they’d be after the pendant, so I masqueraded as a Duke in an effort to keep it safe.”
“Oh so you only like me for my pendant, huh?” Dashie said jokingly shoving his friend.
Daring Duke sighed and rolled his eyes.
“You’re not half as incompetent as I thought. The pendant will be safe with you, Dashie. Though I have to admit, that portal of yours sure was useful.” Daring said, directing his comment to the Merpony King.
“I thought merponies didn’t have magic.” Twibastian said looking at the King with wide eyes.
“Oh we’ve had it, but I don’t like to use it! No self-respecting pony relies on magical nonsense unless it’s absolutely necessary.” King Crankyton muttered.
“Where did they go?” Floundershy asked, finally feeling brave enough to swim out from her hiding place behind the King. Partiel smiled, knowing that Floundershy had been the one to alert her father what was happening. Ultimately, she had saved her life. Partiel swam into her and hugged her tightly before answering her question.
“Canterlot High. Alternate universe us-es will take care of them, with alternate ALTERNATE universe pony Twilight.” Partiel explained.
“Partiel! You are in WORLDS of trouble! When we get back to the palace you will be grounded for the rest of your life and--”
“Please Doodle Daddy! Please let me stay with Prince Dashie! I love him!” Partiel pleaded. Prince Dashie joined her, flying just above the waves.
“And I love her too.” He said, smiling at the mermare Princess who blushed profusely.
“No! Absolutely not!” King Crankyton declared. “No daughter of mine will marry a pegasus!”
As the King ranted on, a white bird swooped in and stole the crown from atop the king’s head. His wig fell into the ocean in the process.
“Ha ha!” Birdity cried placing the crown on her own brow. “My ship will live on!”
The magic of the crown activated and Partiel’s fins began to change. In a burst of bright light she turned back into a pegasus and jumped into the hooves of her Prince. Satisfied with herself, Birdity returned the crown to the king, still perched upon it in case he got any ideas about changing her back.
“You’re… BALD?” Twibastian asked.
“You know… if you let Partiel stay with the Prince I’m sure we could all forget that we saw that.” Floundershy said with a smile.
“UGHH Alright. Fine. You can stay with the pegasus. But if this true love thing doesn’t work out you can bet I’ll be back here to take you home!” King Crankyton grumbled.
“Hehehe don’t worry, that’ll never happen!” Partiel said embracing her Prince. Prince Dashie leaned towards her smiling.
“…Okay, everypony can go away now this part of the story is just too good to share” Partiel said with a wink.
The End