//------------------------------// // Vacation Part 1: A Hint of Trouble // Story: Equestria Girls: King of Monsters // by Jongoji245 //------------------------------// Lehua, Northeast of Ni’ihau, Hawaii While our people of the mainland prepared for the fantastic voyage, trouble was already stirring on the islands. The entire island of Lehua was closed off, and it’s inhabitants evacuated to the larger island. Military forces were already making their landing on the beaches and making camp. The most recent of whom being a helicopter; one bearing a familiar dual lightning bolt design. Stepping out was Tempest Shadow and Grubber, a box of donuts under his arm. “Where is it?” She asks. The soldier leads his commanding officers to the source of this commotion. A dead turtle, twenty meters overall, was washed ashore. The stench hasn’t reached the air. But birds and crabs were already pecking and clawing at the three oozing gashes on its neck. A line of flags surround the corpse. Tempest studies the carcass before taking one step. “Ma’am.” An individual in a hazmat suit blocks her way, “please keep your distance.” Seeing the readings spike to uncomfortable levels, Tempest complies and steps back. She continues studying the body. The gashes aside, she notices parts of the shell were chipped away, as if the creature was bitten before being slain. The Mainland The day finally came. Packing the last few things, Sunset carpooled with AJ, meeting up with the other Rainbooms at the airport in Aspen. There were some issues at check up, namely Rarity’s “house” not fitting into the bag chute. When they reached the terminal, they were greeted by classes both theirs and from Crystal Prep. “Flight for San Francisco ready to board.” Announces over the intercom. The classes immediately board the plane. A few first timers hold the arm rests with an iron grip as the plane took to the air. It’s a four hour flight before landing in San Francisco, from their, they took a connecting flight over the Pacific. Kahului, on the Island of Maui It was still afternoon when they touched ground. Everyone looked out of the window, seeing mountains of untouched greenery. “Attention passengers, we have arrived in Kahului.” The pilot announced over the radio, “We thank you for choosing Cloudsdale Airs, and hope you enjoy your stay.” The students, among the other visitors, were gifted with flower necklaces as each of them stepped out. After leaving the terminal, they looked back around constantly. To most, it’s a different world; warmer, definitely. The air certainly moist with a tolerable pinch of salt. Only when they arrive at their residence would this place be judged rightly. The leaders of the band stop and were puzzled. Before them was a massive… Wreck of a school bus. Painted on its side was sentence of grungy yellow. “CH + CP” it reads. With a raised brow, Sunset looked at Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity before looking to her left at Twilight. The purple girl then looks at Rainbow Dash, who then turns to Pinkie. She instinctively looks at the next person, shaking her head before looking at the bus. A moment before Pinkie does a double take. Compared to everyone on the island, this man was clearly lower class. Tall and lean, he wore baggy pants that reached up his bandaged belly, worn sandals, and a large, red coat over his shirtless body. At least his blue hair was kept in a neat cowlick. “Ladies and Gentlemen.” He greeted with a bow, and a gleam in his emerald eyes. “And you are?” Asks Applejack before she is given a business card. A blue piece of laminated paper with a beige cat head with emerald eyes. “Capper's the name. Charming's my game.” He answers, giving a wink, “I believe you hired me for more than my charming looks.” Six of the girls still had doubtful looks on their faces when Capper waves his hands at the entrance to the bus. “Shall we then?” Everyone else shrugs their shoulders before they made their way to the bus. Pinkie Pie lets out a cheery laugh and makes a few hops before she is gripped by the shoulder. “Hold on.” Rainbow Dash and her friends stop everyone from boarding the bus. They join up in a huddle. “I don't know if we should trust him.” Whispers Twilight “I agree,” Adds Sunset, “we’d still have enough money getting the second cheapest route.” At earshot, the good man worried that he would lose his clients. Fortune strikes when Pinkie Pie steps in and whispers, “We could definitely use a friend out here!” “Pinkie Pie,” Applejack argued, “I wouldn’t-” “You know what?” Capper looms over the Rainbooms, and places his finger on Pinkie’s hair, “Little Cotton Candy Hair is right. And, if I do say so myself…” As the song went on, Capper drove the worn bus with the surprising grace of a Porsche. Many kept a tight grip as the man made tight turns. Some of his guests shielded their eyes whenever the vehicle came dangerously close to bumping with another. At least two prayed for dear life. When the bus finally stopped, Bulk Biceps, green to his pale gills, was the first to charge out. Many of the students followed soon after, either catching their breath, saying a mantra, or kissing the sidewalk. Capper, being swav as usual, stepped forward of the crowd. “Welcome, my little people,” He spins around, his arm spread, “to my little manor.” Before them was a large cabana. Composed of nailed plywood and brick, it had a small windmill at the top. Just outside was a courtyard fit for a typical suburban man. Of course, to appeal to the tourists, it has an outdoor pool. Inside, it was arranged like a condo illuminated in yellows and purples, and with numerous knick knacks. “Ooh!” Rarity cooed at the overall design, “A sort of a roco-hobo-Bohemian hodgepodge.” Twilight takes interest in the ceiling high bookshelf. The romantic novels made her cough. “Interesting… library.” She “compliments” with a fidget of her glasses. Among several, Applejack checked out the bedrooms. She presses it, then sits on the furniture. The mattress’ overall plush feeling gave her labored bones. “Really good beds.” Applejack snoozed while Sunset walked past her to the window. She opens the blinds. “Just a street crossing from the beach.” Sunset adds with crossed arms. Indeed, all they would have to do is just cross the street. Pinkie Pie climbed on a step stool to observe some of the knick knacks. “Ooh! So many fun breakables!” She touches some when the stool loses its footing. Rainbow Dash was quick to catch her. “Forgive the quality of my cat box,” Capper lightly apologized, “I wasn’t expecting a party this big.” The Rainbooms looked at each other, sometimes at the their fellow graduates to be as they got comfy, before they shrugged in agreement. “Maybe we’ve been too hard on you.” Twilight apologized. Capper curls a little smile and rubs Spike on the head. Sunset looks at the grandfather clock. Around five o’clock, dinner time. Capper claps his hands together. “So…” Capper rubs his hands together before pulling out a pair of cooking knives, “anyone hungry?” Night comes over to paradise. With Pinkie’s help, dinner was served outside. Marinated meats, sharp cheeses, shrimp and drinks; a meal suitable for a vacation such as this. After having their fill, many of the students went to bed for the evening. Some decided to make the walk to beach in search of crabs. The Rainbooms stayed outside, looking up at the stars. “Gorgeous,” Rarity complemented, “Absolutely gorgeous.” “It’s like so many sprinkles on a blue cake.” Pinkie Pie added, taking a bite out of the finger food. “Well, we polluted the air so much we-” Twilight was elbow bumped by Spike. Slightly embarrassed, Twilight looked over at Sunset, “Do you see this often back at Equestria?” Not taking her eyes away from the heavens, Sunset answers, “Yeah. Very often.” Rainbow Dash made a little yawn before taking a bit of cold steak and stands up. “Whelp,” She rubs her tummy, “I’m turning in. Gotta get ready for tomorrow.” “I’m with you right there.” Applejack agreed, taking one last drink before picking up her dishes. One by one, the remaining Rainbooms put their dishes into the washer before turning in. Sunset still looked at the stars for a while after. She looks at her backpack; the spine of her journal was poking from the flap. She reaches for it, stops for a moment, then lifts up the backpack. Much as she was tempted to write, it could wait. But she doesn’t even get her foot inside when she is engulfed for a brief moment in shadow and hears a loud boom. She looks around the courtyard, then up at the cloudless sky. Sunset shrugs her shoulders and goes to bed. An unknown assailant soars through the tropical skies. He dips down from the clouds, and looks down. A pod of whales have surfaced a long while ago to rest. With their size and political protection, only fools would dare attack them. Still, whatever passed over the island managed to pluck one of the marine mammals like they were sardines. The others were slow to realize what’s going on when another one was plucked from the water. Fearing for their lives, the whales take a deep breath and submerge. But their attacker improvises by diving headfirst like a pelican. A few moments later, it explodes from the water, a dead whale in his sharp beak before being swallowed whole midflight. The sun rises over the great ocean. With window quite large, one couldn’t blame the guests as they woke up at around five AM. Some ate a light breakfast, while others decided to wait until curfew turns over. The morning routine wasn’t a cakewalk either. With a party so big, taking turns at the shower was a handful. A few decided to start it off now and took a dip at the pool. The eighth hour arrived swiftly, and there is much to do. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and several Wondercolts immediately took to the beach. Rarity and a few of her classmates along with several Shadowbolts explored the city. The fashionista and a few found refuge at the Queen Novo Spa. Sunset, Twilight, Fluttershy, along with many took a bus to near the Koolau Forest Reserve. When they reach the top of a mountain trail, they stood in awe as they could see the ocean, and even the town as tiny spec. “Heaven,” Fluttershy invited a butterfly on her finger, “truly heaven.” That they can agree on as they admired the beauty of the mostly unoccupied island. “Ow!” The group turns around. Trixie struggles to get herself up. “What happened?” Sunset asks. “Trixie lost her footing and fell into this big ugly bush,” Trixie yanks some of the plant off her sweater, “And now her clothes are ruined.” Twilight inspects the plant, and her mind clicks into worry mode. “Not just any plant.” Twilight spins around, “This is a pencil cactus plant!” “A what plant?” Trixie sputters, gently scratching her arm lightly. “They’re a common house plant in Hawaii,” Twilight turns around, “but they’re just like poison ivy. I’m surprised there’s one growing-” “Yes, yes. Trixie is pleased to hear this.” Twilight grimaces when she looks at Trixie again, now more red than blue, “Now give me a band-aid!” The group groans at the sight of the tainted magician. The Tropic of Cancer, Late Evening A storm rages on north of the archipelago. And yet, business is to be made in this dangerous weather. A cargo ship, named The Arabus, was making its sixth circle catching a large shoal of fish. So far, it’s a success and just about time to haul up their load. The crewmember monitors the net being hauled when he hears the crank stop. He pulls out his radio. “Captain, we’re having trouble with the crane.” In the pilothouse, Celaeno overhears the conversation and presses a button. “Understood,” She answers, “I’ll send help.” As soon as he clicks off, he makes his way to the controls and examines the problem. “Ah, here we are.” He pulls the lever down to it’s maximum setting. The netting pulls back once more; slow, but still progress. “That bird brain’s gonna-” He and the entire crew are suddenly tossed aside when the net is pulled even harder. The entire barge is tilting to the left. Celaeno manages to get her balance and makes it to the control panel. She notices something very large on the radio, a whale perhaps. She grabs a radio. “Cut the line!” She barks What?!” Her employee exclaimed, “Captain, that’s our-!” “I said cut it!” Without a moment to lose, the remainder of her crew hacked away at the line. The net and their precious catch released, the boat rocked back and forth. Celaeno collects herself before looking at the radar again. The object moves slowly away; not like that for a large whale to cause such a ruckus.