Big Macintosh watched with detached bemusement as the pale grey mare downed her fourth bottle of orange juice in as many minutes. Gilgamesh apparently took her drinking seriously, as she had spiked each bottle with a healthy dose of rum before downing it in one swig. He pushed back a bit moments before Gilgamesh slammed the bottle on the table and took a much needed gulp of air.
“Ahhhhh, I needed that,” she said, her cheeks now flush with a light shade of pink. She reached for another bottle but a blue hoof batted it away.
“If you don’t mind, Trixie would like to get to this proposition you just laid on us. Besides, with how slight you are, you’ll probably pass out from the next one.”
Gilgamesh stared forlornly at the bottle of orange juice just a hoof lengths away. She grunted, sat herself up, and coughed into a hoof. There was a slight slur to her voice as she said, “Forgive my uncouthness, 'tis been so long since I've indulged. My proposition is what it was before. Interested?”
Clearing his throat, Big Macintosh gave Gilgamesh a bored expression. “Before we agree to this, I would like to know something.” Gilgamesh nodded her head, so Big Macintosh continued. “What do you want from the orchard?”
“You need to ask? Castles have treasure rooms, and treasure rooms contain treasures. If the residents are gone it will be an easy plunder.”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “That’s it? You could just rob a store if you wanted gil so bad.”
“But where would the fun in that be?” Gilgamesh said. She splayed out her forelegs as though ready to grab a hoofful of golden coins. “And besides, what could a shop offer Gilgamesh that could compare to the spoils of a castle raid?”
Stardust let out a small laugh. “I don’t know. I can imagine quite a bit.”
Gilgamesh ignored him. “So what do you say? It will be an in and out job and you all can take fifty percent of the treasure.”
“Fifty percent for the rest of us?” Sunset said.
“Fine. Sixty.”
Another cleared throat from Big Macintosh regained the table’s attention. “You’re forgetting one thing. Last I heard, Fillygaro was stuck under the sand.”
“'Tis no concern,” Gilgamesh replied without hesitation.
Big Macintosh’s brow creased. “What do you mean?”
“Don't be hasty, you've not yet agreed to aid me. I can't reveal all my secrets just yet.”
“Fair enough.” He looked over his comrades, meeting each of them in the eye. “What do you think?”
Sunset spoke up first. “I think we need some time to talk it over amongst ourselves before we make any agreements.”
“Trixie agrees.” Trixie paused, looking at Gilgamesh expectantly.
The pale pony stared back, cocking her head to the side. “Do I have something on my face?”
Trixie resisted the urge to facehoof. “That means leave!”
Gilgamesh blinked as understanding dawned on her. “Oh. Yes, of course. I’ll just be over here. Call when you’re done.” She exited her seat, swiped the bottle of orange juice before anypony could stop her, and trotted over to a deserted corner of the pub.
The moment Gilgamesh left earshot, Trixie hunched over the table and hissed, “Trixie doesn’t trust her. Nopony just waltzes up to total strangers and asks to rob a castle.”
“Orchard,” Big Macintosh corrected.
“Whatever.”
“I agree,” Sunset said, keeping her voice down. “I don’t like it.”
Stardust scratched at the floor with a talon. “Yeah, this is a deal I wouldn’t take unless I was desperate.”
A moment passed as the table grew silent. One by one, each pony and chocobo turned to Big Macintosh, who busied himself with staring a hole through the table. The stallion finally looked up at the group, his muzzle a stoic mask. “I say we do it.”
Trixie huffed and fell back into her chair. “Somehow, I’m not surprised. Well, why should we?”
Big Macintosh fidgeted in his chair as he gathered his words. “If what she said is true, this might lead us to information on Applejack. I haven’t seen or heard of her all year. I reckon we could also figure out why Fillygaro got stuck in the desert when it last tried to move. It’s my old home and I don’t want it lost forever like that.”
Sunset raised a hoof. “Um, this might be a dumb question, but why would a cast—I mean, orchard, be under the desert?”
“Fillygaro is set up to travel under the sand. There’s a cave structure that it uses to pass from one side of the continent to the other. But, a year ago when it was moving, something happened and it hasn’t resurfaced.”
“Wow. That’s… pretty impressive, really.”
Absently nodding, Big Macintosh continued, “I know it’s a stretch to trust this Gilgamesh, but right now it’s our only chance to cross the sea. I also think there’s more to Gilgamesh than just being a thief, but I can’t put my hoof on it. I wanna find out for myself.”
“And if she’s not telling the truth?” Trixie asked. “What then?”
Big Macintosh grinned at her. “I’m sure the Great and Powerful Trixie will keep us all safe if the worst should happen.”
Trixie’s muzzle scrunched up in distaste, though she didn’t refute what he had said.
“Sooooooo… are we doing this then?” Sunset said, looking around the table.
Giving an exaggerated sigh, Trixie threw up her forelegs. “Might as well. What’s breaking and entering compared to whatever Dis—” Sunset growled, her horn lighting a dangerous shade of red “—what that guy has done?”
Sunset let her magic fizzle out and gave a sharp nod. “Fine. I’m kinda curious to see what an orchard that can travel underground looks like anyway.”
“Well, as long as I get paid, I’m in,” Stardust said.
Big Macintosh smiled warmly. “Thanks. I guess that settles it then.” He sat up and waved a hoof towards Gilgamesh. She didn’t take notice at first, having just started a long swig from her bottle, but the moment she finished she sputtered a bit and rushed over.
“So, do we have a deal?”
Wearing a happy grin, Big Macintosh said, “We’re in.”
.o.O.o.
The rest of the day was spent purchasing supplies for the trip. Trixie’s funds from Discord were put to use, making the shopping go by without a hitch. Even with all the changes brought upon the world in the past year, Trixie found a small bit of comfort that gil still counted as acceptable currency. Ponies weren’t ready to let Discord disrupt every way of life yet. Once all preparations were made, the group headed towards the docks and to the only ship willing to take them. At least that was what they assumed, but upon finding the correct boat, a familiar scene was already playing out next to the loading plank.
“You’re insane to bring them along! My ship won’t be able to leave port before you-know-who pops in and sinks it!”
“And ponies say I blow things out of proportion. Worry not, sinking ships doesn’t seem to be his style. Turning it into taffy is more likely.”
“Same difference!”
Gilgamesh huffed, giving the boat captain an exasperated look. “I paid you to sail, not to whine. You will take my companions and me to South Fillygaro at once. You did tell me you could do it before the morrow, did you not?”
The captain didn’t bat an eye. “That was before I knew who you’ll be bringing along. Anypony that utters his name won’t set hoof on my ship.”
Smirking, Gilgamesh pointed over the captain’s shoulder. “Too late.”
The captain twisted around, spotting Trixie and the others already boarded and setting down their gear. Panic seized the captain in a way he had never felt before and rushed up the plank. “No! Not going to happen! Off with you, now!”
Trixie broke away from the group and stepped up to the captain, giving him her most winning smile. “Sir, Trixie is going to make this easy for you. You have two options. Either you take us to where we need to go or I summon he who must not be named.”
A heavy sweat broke out on the captain’s muzzle. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me. Dis—”
“Okay, okay! You win! Just please don’t say his name!”
“Trixie knew you would see reason.” With that, she trotted back to her companions.
The captain watched her go, his heart thudding in his chest. He nearly squealed when a hoof touched his back.
“Be at ease,” Gilgamesh said, rubbing his back. “Someday when you hear others talk of Gilgamesh, you will have a tale to tell them.” With one last pat, Gilgamesh sauntered towards her new employees.
“Dead stallions tell no tales…” the captain said under his breath. With a sinking feeling in his gut, he gave orders to shove off. "The sooner these ponies get off my boat, the better."
.o.O.o.
“We're soon to arrive!” Gilgamesh hopped down from the roof of the bridge, peeking in the open door. “You see, captain? All your concerns were for naught. My companions were more than a match for the monsters of the sea.”
The captain briefly glanced her way but otherwise didn’t respond. He pressed a hoof down on the accelerator, the steam engine whirring faster. The ship picked up a knot of speed, closing in fast on its destination.
Seeing that everything was in order, Gilgamesh headed for the small cabin set aside for passengers. Nopony had claimed it, so Gilgamesh had taken it herself. It suited her fine as it gave her the privacy to done her armor without anypony getting in her way. Once she was finished, she grabbed her saddlebags and headed for the deck where everypony else waited. “Greetings! We should be arriving shortly.”
Everypony glanced up at her voice. They all stared upon seeing Gilgamesh’s new attire. She smiled, turning to the side a bit so that her gear was on full display. “You like it? I think it suits me.”
The armor in question consisted of thick metal plates covering her chest and legs, woven expertly with red, yellow, and black bands. Intricately stitched designs covered the bands. Loose fabric flared out from the ends, forming fan-like protrusions over each hoof. Completing the outfit was a helmet that completely covered Gilgamesh’s head, except for an opening for her muzzle to stick out. A thin red cloth covered her mouth and throat, leaving only her nose and eyes exposed. “Well?”
“It’s… exotic,” Trixie said, eyeing the armor with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s genji armor. The warriors of Domare wear them for battle and ceremonies. It’s considered one of the highest honors to be given a set due to how difficult it is to make them. They say that blades cannot pierce them yet are light as a butterfly.”
A collective blink resulted, including Gilgamesh who looked upon the speaker with awe and wonder.
Sunset Shimmer stood staring at the genji armor, her mouth hung open. “... How do I know that?”
Gilgamesh shrugged. “Your wisdom is beyond me. 'Twas gifted to me by a noble who I saved from certain doom. Mayhap he was from Domare, but I cannot say.”
Stardust reached a wing over and waved it in front of Sunset’s face. “You alright in there?”
Frowning, Sunset pushed his wing away. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just… I know I’ve never seen that before and yet it feels familiar.”
Big Macintosh chuckled. “Shucks, looks like Twilight was right. You coming along is helping you remember your past.”
“But… this doesn’t make sense! I’m sure as hay not from Domare… I think.”
“Don’t think too hard on it, none. Just let it come naturally and your memories will sort themselves out.”
Sunset absentmindedly nodded, her mind elsewhere.
Rolling her eyes, Trixie turned back to Gilgamesh. “Yes, well, as lovely as this all is, you were saying that land was nearby?”
“Correct,” Gilgamesh confirmed with a nod. “We need wait only a few minutes more. Get your things together for departure.”
The group did so, Sunset taking the longest due to her throwing everything into her saddlebag and being forced to restart in order to cram all her belongings in. It took her three tries to get it right, seconds before the ship docked. The captain and crew quickly set down the gangplank and practically pushed their clients off the boat. The moment Sunset’s back hooves touched pavement, the gangplank lifted back up, nearly swatting her on her rump.
“Jerks,” she muttered, falling in line with the group. “I know they were scared, but nothing happened.”
“Which is why you shouldn’t put so much stock into saying Discord’s name,” Trixie said from up front, causing Sunset to flinch.
“Great, now we’re going to be shunned in this town too.”
“Actually, you will be surprised,” Gilgamesh said.
Sunset narrowed her eyes at the other mare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
Conversation lapsed as the group made their way through the docks and into the town proper. Evidence of Discord’s influence quickly became apparent as picks, shovels, and pitchforks could be seen dancing on top of buildings, houses that sagged as though made out of taffy, and the occasional pig flying by. Ponies were busy dealing with each crisis in a multitude of ways, though Sunset would freely admit it wasn’t in the way she was expecting. The dancing utensils all wore hats and simple clothes as a pony nearby played a tune on a flute, as though directing the chaos magic himself. A group of foals laughed in delight at the sight while tossing a gil or two into the pony’s open music case. The taffy houses were being cut to pieces and being sold as the confectionery that they were. Even the pigs were given a job, delivering mail above the mess.
Gilgamesh smirked upon seeing Sunset’s slack jawed face. “See? Not all ponies crumble in his presence. The townsponies here haven’t let him rule their lives.”
Sunset didn’t answer and continued staring at the spectacle the city had become. The others similarly didn’t have anything to comment on, though Trixie had a hint of a self-satisfied smirk to her muzzle.
Rushing to the head of the group, Gilgamesh called out, “Allies, I require a single stop before we head to Fillygaro. Follow me, please.” She took them through the streets, avoiding any wandering bits of chaos that happened her way. Her trail led them to the industrial wedge, where fewer and fewer random happenings appeared as they left the central part of South Fillygaro. At last, she came to a stop next to a metal door and pressed a button next to it. The sound of buzzards came from inside.
“Hey, this is—” Big Macintosh began to say.
He was interrupted by the door sliding open, revealing a cranky looking Cranky Doodle.
“Whaddya all want?” he said, his attention on Gilgamesh. His eyes drifted to the others behind her and came to attention upon seeing Big Macintosh. “Well, I’ll be a horse’s ass! Big Mac! Long time no see, son!”
“Boss!” Without needing further encouragement, Big Macintosh ran up to Cranky and mightily shook his hoof. “A long time, eeyup!”
“Honey, who’s at the door?” came a voice from within the house.
With a grin wider than anyone had seen in a lifetime, Cranky called back, “Matilda! Get the fine silverware out! Big Mac’s back!”
.o.O.o.
Less than an hour later, a table was cleared of innumerable gadgets and doodads and replaced with food to fill a herd of ponies. Matilda Doodle practically beamed at the gusto the ponies and chocobo ate, clearing their dishes down to the last crumb. It felt good to see such healthy appetites, allowing herself to daydream about serving her own family.
“Who wants seconds?” She held up a plate filled with apples, bread, and cheese. A half dozen hooves shot up, prompting a chuckle. “Well, I’d better go back after this and dig into our stores.” She set the plate down on the table in which it was immediately set upon.
“Uh, I hope we aren’t imposing,” Sunset Shimmer said, even as she took a big bite out of an apple.
“Oh dearie me, no. There’s plenty. So much so I was worried I’d have to start throwing some of it out.”
Sunset gulped down her food, clearing her mouth before speaking. “Really? If you don’t mind me asking, where do you get all this from? In the zebra village, we have to search pretty hard to find things to eat.”
“Well…” She looked to Cranky, who sat nursing a beer while he conversed with Big Macintosh. The two had a space on the table set aside for piles of schematics and diagrams. Both were deep in technical talk that even a lifetime of living with a tinkerer didn’t help Matilda follow along. She reached over and tapped Cranky’s shoulder, startling him.
“Huh? What?” The donkey twisted around, noticing Matilda’s concerned expression. “Uh, yes dear?”
“The young lady over there was asking where all this food came from. Do you mind if I tell her?”
“Oh. Sure. They can be trusted.” He glanced over at Trixie. “Mostly.”
Trixie tilted her nose up at him and sniffed.
“Very well.” Matilda cleared her throat, gaining the table’s attention. “I’m sure you’re all aware of Discord, right?” She raised her hooves in a placating manner when Sunset’s eyes bugged out. “Don’t worry, I know of the stigma of saying his name. It’s really not a problem here, though.”
Trixie placed down an ale, giving Matilda her full attention. “Yes, Trixie was wondering about that. Every place she’s been to before, the locals get really uptight when he’s brought up. Not that it does anything.”
“Precisely. And that’s why the citizens of South Fillygaro have decided to live with it the best they can. We don’t worship him or anything like that, but we’re a town that prides itself with thinking out of the box. Instead of fearing him, we take advantage of his chaos. Discord took notice very quickly and tried different ways to make our lives… well, for a lack of a better word, interesting.
“He began to test us, seeing what we would come up with to deal with his magic. Once he filled the skies above the town with a swarm of flying pencils. The pegasi just rounded them up and found that they floated on clouds without falling through. So they built a building out of the pencils on a large cloud and now use it for storage away from ground monsters. I remember Discord turning the city roads into soap. The foals figured out how to skate on it, so for a month we all skated to where we needed to go. Turned out to be faster than walking, too.
“There’s more, but I think you get the idea.” Matilda took a sip of water, then continued. “We think he sees it as an amusing challenge. He comes up with something and waits to see what we do. So far, his antics haven’t been that extreme, at least from what we’ve heard him do to other towns.” She spread her hooves, indicating the banquet of food and drink on the table. “That’s where this comes in. Whenever we open up a cupboard or refrigerator, we find it stocked with all of this. We were cautious about eating any of it at first, but nothing bad has happened to us in the long term. I think he likes us and wants us to continue amusing him.”
“But you can’t tell anypony about this,” Cranky said. “If word got out that we get an unlimited supply of food and drink, it’ll be chaos the likes of which we don’t want.”
Sunset looked down, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “Seams rather selfish.”
“Perhaps,” Matilda said with a nod. “But we don’t know what will happen if Discord decides we’re no longer worth playing with either.”
Trixie waved a hoof nonchalantly in the air. “Don’t worry. He’ll be dead soon.”
Before Matilda or Cranky could respond, Gilgamesh wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up from her place at the table. “'Tis a good plan, one you should take full advantage of while it lasts! However, I’d like to get to why I came here. My dog, pray chance?”
“Oh!” Matilda left the table as well. “Sorry dear, I got so caught up with the food that I completely forgot. Follow me, please.” She headed towards the back of the house, working her way past all the spare parts and machinery scattered over the floor with a practiced ease. Gilgamesh followed. A few minutes later the duo returned, Matilda coming in first. “She’s been just a treasure. But, how do you pronounce the name again?”
“Enkidu.”
A large beast stepped out from behind Gilgamesh seconds later. Its appearance matched closer to a wolf than a dog, sporting green fur and wearing threads that matched the coloring of Gilgamesh’s armor. It paused and sniffed the air, then made a direct beeline for the table. It found Gilgamesh’s previous spot and began licking the plates left behind.
Gilgamesh came up from behind Enkidu and lightly rapped her on the back of the head. “Down. You already ate.” Enkidu whined but backed away from the table as ordered. “There, perfect all around. We’ll be heading off now.”
“So soon?” Matilda said, her ears pinned back.
“Alas, it must be. The tide will be going down soon and we need to be at a certain place before then.”
“May I ask where you’re all heading off to?”
Before Gilgamesh could respond, Big Macintosh said, “The orchard. We gotta get in and get what we can.”
Gigamesh frowned, shooting Big Macintosh a dirty look. “Foolishly giving away information like that is folly. If somepony else gets to the treasures before us, I’m not splitting anything with you.”
“They can be trusted.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Enkidu, come!” Gilgamesh headed out the door, her dog obediently following.
As the others rose, Cranky rose with them. “Let me come with you. I helped build the systems in the orchard. I could figure out what made it stop under the desert.”
Big Macintosh shook his head. “Nope. Too dangerous.”
“And Gilgamesh wouldn’t allow it, either,” Trixie added. “She’s our only way in and I can tell she’s already miffed. Having you tag along would mean we lose our chance.” Satisfied she had made her point, Trixie left, the others piling out with her.
Stopping at the door, Big Macintosh looked back at the donkeys. “Thank you for the help. Sorry to eat and run. I’ll be back to tell you all about it.”
“Take care, now!” Matilda called after him, waving her hoof goodbye. She then yanked down on Cranky’s nearest ear as he tried to inch away, causing him to yelp in pain. “You heard them. No following. Besides, it’s well past time we had a talk about having a foal.”
Cranky groaned.
.o.O.o.
With their bellies full and their supplies restocked, Gilgamesh left the chaos ridden, but strangely content, town and led her team of impromptu thieves west, towards the mountains. “I hope you all are good swimmers. It’s going to be getting wet soon.”
“Um, how deep are we talking?” Stardust asked, giving a worried glance to his packs. “These things are water resistant, but not completely waterproof.”
“It should be fine. We’ll be in and out, quick as crickets.”
“Perhaps you could tell us a little more on how we’re getting in?” Trixie said, trotting a few paces behind Gilgamesh. “Trixie would rather not go into this blind.”
Gilgamesh remained silent for a time, maintaining her brisk trot. Just as Trixie readied to ask again, Gilgamesh spoke up. “I uncovered a path but a moon ago through the cave that used to pass through the mountains to the desert. I was befuddled at how it happened at the time, but the female donkey’s talk about Discord shed some light on it. I think all the chaos magic he’s been casting against South Fillygaro has reshaped the underground tunnel. There’s a new path that opened up that will lead us straight into the keep. We’ll need to be right quick about it, as the tunnel is filled up with water during high tide.” Gilgamesh twisted her head around, giving the group a pointed look. “That’s when you lot come in. Once we get there, loot and pillage what you can and then get out. If we tally too long, the tide will come back and we’ll be stuck.”
“I see.” Trixie turned to her comrades. “You all get that?” A round of nods followed. Trixie looked back at Gilgamesh. “Lead on.”
Gilgamesh did so, pushing the ponies and chocobo to make it before nightfall. The dark cave entrance soon came into view, contrasting against the mountain rock. As the group entered, Trixie shivered as a wave of memories of her and Rainbow Dash traversing this cave over a year ago swept through her. So much had happened in such a short time. Trixie doubted her past self would recognize the pony marching through these mountains as herself.
Shaking her head, Trixie banished those memories from her mind. No sense getting distracted just as their mission was starting. Plenty of time afterwards to reminisce.
The cave remained unchanged from what Trixie remembered, though the monsters inside did. Giant, slimy creepy crawlies and small tubby humanoids pestered the group as they made their way deeper in. Trixie, instead of fighting them, herded any monster trying to accost her towards Sunset. A little magical levitation did the trick.
“What’s the big idea?!” Sunset yelled as a convulsing mass of flesh twice as tall as herself plopped down in front of her. She heard Gilgamesh say something about a cruller before Trixie drowned her out.
“Training never ends, Shimmer,” Trixie replied, unable to stop a smirk from forming. “Let’s see if you’ve learned anything from our lessons.”
Sunset didn’t have time to retort as the pulsing blob reached for her with a sticky tentacle. She screeched and scrambled away, her horn blazing bright. A spell shot off from her horn, searing off the tentacle and continuing on to strike the cave ceiling. A small avalanche of broken rocks tumbled down, falling directly on the monster and distracting it.
“Finish it off!” Trixie called to her.
Sunset darted her eyes from Trixie and back to the cruller. It was hurt but not out of the fight, squelching its way towards her.
“Use your sword, dummy!”
Eyes widening, Sunset fumbled with her magic to find Flame Sabre strapped to her side. A bubble formed at the tip of the severed cruller’s tentacle and was flung with a flick towards her. She managed to find the handle and swung wildly. The bubble burst and a wail was heard as the sword cut through the cruller, slicing it in half. The moisture from the broken bubble splashed down, coating Sunset with monster saliva.
Sunset opened her mouth to wail in disgust and instantly regretted it. Some of the fluid seeped into her mouth, causing her to gag and spit it out. The liquid clung to her body like a spider’s web, making her movements sluggish. “Ew! Get it off me!”
Stardust was at her side in an instant. He ignored the mad cackling coming from Trixie who had fallen to the floor and was holding her sides. Uncorking a bottle, he dripped a few drops of blue liquid over her coat. The monster fluid quickly dissolved away, allowing her to move freely again.
The moment she could, Sunset lifted up Flame Sabre and charged at Trixie. “It’s not funny!”
Trixie slipped away from Sunset’s half-hearted swing, still giggling uncontrollably. “It’s hysterical! Trixie wishes she had a camera. Hey Macintosh, build a camera so next time I can show Twilight just how far her student’s come!”
Sunset redoubled her efforts to skewer the unicorn, chasing Trixie down the cave tunnel.
Rolling her eyes, Gilgamesh trotted after the duo. “Rambunctious friends you have.”
“You haven’t seen the half of it,” Big Macintosh said, trying and failing to keep from smiling.
Once Sunset had calmed and settled on glaring at Trixie rather than trying to kill her, the group finally came to a point where Gilgamesh called a halt. She walked up to a nondescript boulder and pushed, revealing a new tunnel. Unlike the rest of the cave, which was rough rocks and dirt paths, this tunnel was perfectly round, as though a large ball of pure energy passed through the rock and left its indentation in its wake. Enkidu stepped up to the tunnel and sniffed, then quickly backed away and began to growl.
“Steady, girl,” Gilgamesh soothed, patting the large dog’s back. Enkidu stopped growling, but kept her ears pealed back against her head. “Nothing to fear here. Mayhap a little scourge of chaos magic still lingers. Let’s hurry.” Gilgamesh trotted into the tunnel, Enkidu and the others following.
The tunnel quickly began to descend with more and more moisture appearing on the smoothed walls and floors. Several times the ponies slipped as their hooves found little traction. Soon, the source of the moisture became apparent as the tunnel continued down straight into a pool of water. Gilgamesh came to a halt at the edge of the water, taking in the scene. “Unfortunately, the water stands taller than I was hoping it would be. The path curves back upwards at some point, but there’s no telling how far it is. Swimming is our course of action to the other side.”
“And what if there is no other end?” Trixie said, eyeing the water with suspicion.
“The great Gilgamesh will not turn back from mere water. Enkidu, come!” With no fanfare, Gilgamesh took a deep breath and dove into the pool. Enkidu whined, pacing back and forth at the edge of the water. Finally, she jumped in, disappearing beneath the water like her owner did before her.
A few moments passed as the remaining group stared at where their employer had just left them. Stardust crept up to the pool, dipped a talon in, then pulled it back and stepped away. “Nope. Not doing it. I’m out.”
Big Macintosh reached over and patted him on the wing. “No worries. We can take it from here.” He walked up to the pool, took a breath, and—
“Wait, I might be able to still help.”
Nearly toppling into the water, Big Macintosh caught himself in time. He turned to Stardust and looked at him expectantly.
Stardust looked away and scratched at the floor. “Well, I’ve been messing around with the magic I got from Palidor and I did something once that was really weird.”
When Stardust didn’t elaborate further, Trixie stomped her hoof. “Well, don’t keep us waiting. The tide is going to get higher the longer we wait.”
Rubbing his head with a wing, Stardust said, “Sorry. I’m just not sure how to explain it. There was this empty bottle rolling around on the ship and I tried casting a spell on it. It… seemed to move faster, but that could've been the boat moving. I’m not sure. I’m thinking that I could cast it on you, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it again.”
Big Macintosh walked up to him and nodded. “Go ahead.”
“You really want me to try it on you?”
“Eeyup.”
“Well, alright. Sorry if I screw it up.” Stardust raised a wing over Big Macintosh’s head, his face set in a determined grimace. Slowly, his wing began to glow white, the magical light flowing over the stallion’s form. What could only be described as a clock ticking faster sounded out in the cave. Stardust lowered his wing, beads of perspiration rolling down his head, and gestured towards the pool. “Better try it out before it wears off.”
Big Macintosh nodded, a motion so fast nopony could follow. He turned in a blur, then jumped like a crossbow bolt into the water.
“Wow… I think it worked.” Stardust looked at his wing as if only now discovering it.
Trixie trotted up next. “Can you cast that two more times?”
“Um, yeah, I think so.” He raised his wing again, the magic appearing at his command.
.o.O.o.
“The cowards have left us, Enkidu.”
Enkidu lifted her head at hearing her name, but otherwise didn’t react.
Gilgamesh stomped a hoof. “Drat, and being so near our treasure, too! A single hour gained and the castle would have been mine. Now I need to wait for this blasted tide to go down before I can find another batch of scound—”
The exit pool burst with expelled water, splattering the tunnel walls with liquid. Gilgamesh squawked in surprise and backed away in time to avoid most of it. A red form touched down next to her and began shaking off excess water at a rate that should have been impossible. Gilgamesh blinked, taking in Big Macintosh’s now dry body. “What…?”
“Spell,” Big Macintosh said, saying it so fast Gilgamesh nearly missed it. Before she could reply, Big Macintosh was next to her and pushing her further up the tunnel. “Otherscomingmove.”
As she tried to parse that statement, Gilgamesh heard another breach of water, followed by another pony landing on the rocky floor. Sunset shook herself off just like Big Macintosh did and darted over to where they were standing. Seconds later, Trixie’s hoof popped up from the pool, latched onto the shore, and hauled the unicorn onto dry ground.
“Dumb… bird…” Trixie coughed and spat out a mouthful of water, taking in deep, heaving breaths.
“Servesyouright,” Sunset blurted out, turning her nose away and sprinting up the tunnel.
“What sorcery is this?!” Gilgamesh managed to say. “Why are the two of you acting a fool?”
Trixie pulled herself to her hooves and gave a shake to rinse off. “The bird knows some kind of hastening spell. He used it on the other two but must have run out of magic when he got to me.” She narrowed her eyes. “At least that better be the reason. Either way, Trixie’s putting him through more training when we’re done.”
“You good to go?” Big Macintosh started, rubbing his throat. “Looks like it wears off in a hurry.”
“Yes, let’s go.” Trixie marched her way up the tunnel, following after Sunset.
Gilgamesh watched her go, then shook her head. “You are all very odd. But, 'tis no matter as we can continue with our quest. What of your chocobo friend?”
Big Macintosh shook his own head. “Not coming.” Taking a moment to make sure his gear was all in place, the stallion trotted up the tunnel.
“Very well,” Gilgamesh called after him, falling into step herself with Enkidu close behind. “Regrettable, as that means we shan’t be able to take as much back, but we can’t wait any longer.”
The pair caught up with Trixie and Sunset at a point where the rock tunnel ended and a patchwork of bricks began. Gilgamesh nodded, taking the lead. “We’re here. Just a little further and we’ll be in the castle, proper.” True to her word, the ponies traveled only a few hundred hooves more and came out into a small enclosure. A row of steel bars barred their path.
“We’re in the dungeons,” Big Macintosh said, taking in a sight he rarely ever indulged in.
“Correct!” Gilgamesh walked up to the bars and pushed. They opened with a squeak, allowing the ponies to pile out. “Head upstairs and begin the plunder. Carry what you can back here and be quick about it. Time is short and I shan't be denied my fortune!” Without further ado, Gilgamesh headed for the stairs leading up, Enkidu following.
Sunset made to go but Big Macintosh held out a hoof to stop her. “Wait a few seconds.”
Raising an eyebrow, Sunset said, “What are you planning?”
“We’re going to go to the engine room, see if we can get this place back to the surface.”
“And Gilgamesh?”
Big Macintosh shrugged. “Deal with her later.” Taking a moment to collect himself, Big Macintosh trotted up the stairs. Trixie and Sunset hurried after, the trio finding themselves at the end of a hallway. Gilgamesh was nowhere to be seen.
“Think there are survivors?” Sunset asked.
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh replied without hesitation. “There are supplies stored in case something like this happens. Should be enough to last even a year.”
“So where is everypony then?”
“Should be in their rooms. During submersion, everypony gets strapped in. In an emergency, only the maintenance crews can move around.”
“So… do we see if they are alright?”
Big Macintosh stood still for several seconds. Finally, he slowly shook his head. “Nope. Gotta get the orchard up first. If we try to check on them, we may end up letting sand leak in. This way.” He headed down the hallway, keeping a stoic expression.
Sunset watched him go a ways before trotting after him. “Jeez, it’s gotta be rough. Being so close to ponies you care about and not knowing if they are okay or not.”
Letting out a snort, Trixie fell in line. “Trixie will have to take your word for it.”
“What, you’ve never felt worried about ponies before? Even for somepony like you I find that hard to believe.”
Trixie didn’t respond other than to shoot a glare at the back of Sunset’s head.
Big Macintosh led them through a series of corridors, knocking on any door before opening them to check for possible buildups of sand. Sunset and Trixie lost all sense of where they were only a few minutes in. Heading back to the dungeon was now out of the question as they would be lost finding their way back. Despite Big Macintosh’s assurance that the orchard’s occupants were still alive, they came across nopony else. The submerged building lay silent, without any hint of life beyond their own.
And there was still no sign of Gilgamesh.
“How long before we get to where we’re going?” Sunset asked, her voice low as a whisper. Speaking any louder felt unnatural to her in a place like this.
Big Macintosh stopped next to a nondescript corner in the hallway they were in. He pointed a hoof at a stack of crates and boxes that seemed to have been set there many months ago due to all the accumulated dust and cobwebs. “Here. Help me clear this away.” He walked up to the nearest crate and began pushing it away from the corner.
Sunset and Trixie shared a glance, shrugged, then started levitating the discarded items further down the hall. It took several minutes, but the last box was set aside, revealing a bare stone corner. The two unicorns stared at the empty space they had helped clear, then as one turned their unamused muzzles at the lone stallion.
Big Macintosh blushed, a feat considering his red coat. “Um… maybe it wasn’t here…”
“What’s not here?” Trixie said, exasperation entering her voice. “What are you looking for?”
“There was supposed to be a trap door somewhere around here that would lead us to the engine room. Suppose I could have remembered wrong.”
“Do you even know where we are?” Sunset asked.
“Well, it’s been a few years since I lived here…”
Trixie whirled on him. “Are you serious?! You’ve been leading us around without a clue?”
Big Macintosh looked up, scratching under his chin. “... eeyup…”
Throwing up her forelegs, Trixie sat down heavily on the brick floor and leaned against the wall. “Wonderful, now we’re lost and with nopony around to tell us how to get—” She shrieked as the wall behind her gave out and she tumbled back.
“Found it,” Big Macintosh said. He trotted through the new opening, finding Trixie in a heap on top of a wooden plank that was flush with the floor. Taking a spot next to Trixie, Big Macintosh ushered Sunset to come in. “It’s an elevator. We’ll take this down.”
Sunset poked her head through the gap in the wall, eyeing the device with uncertainty. Trixie meanwhile picked herself up and occupied herself with boring a hole through Big Macintosh’s head with her stare alone. “Can it hold all of us?”
“Eeyup. C’mon.”
Taking steps gingerly, Sunset joined the other two on the plank. As soon as she was on, Big Macintosh bit down on a rope dangling from the ceiling and pulled. The plank jerked and began to descend. Sunset and Trixie edged away from the sides as the elevator took them down into a cavernous room. Light from the room above spilled over the warehouse sized room, revealing metallic gears, levers, and all sorts of other mechanical wonders. “So what do we need to find once we get down there?”
Big Macintosh pointed a hoof downward. “That.”
The unicorns turned to see two large engines centered in the cavernous room. The single light source was enough to make out the two behemoths, as well as dozens of squirming and writhing yellow tentacles wrapped around them.
“Please don’t tell me we’re going to have to fight those,” Sunset said, feeling nauseous at the mere sight.
Big Macintosh nodded. “They must be what’s keeping the orchard from moving. I reckon they’re attracted to the electricity.” The elevator stopped at ground level, allowing Big Macintosh to hop off. He drew his auto crossbow and notched a round. “I ain’t seen nothing like it. Be careful.”
“Trixie isn’t impressed.” So saying, Trixie drew her sword and joined the stallion. “Start lopping them off and we’ll be done in no time.”
“Maybe we should try using magic first?” Sunset said, still standing on the elevator.
Trixie shrugged. “If it gets the job done, go for it.” Letting out a battle cry, Trixie rushed forward towards the nearest tentacle. A single swipe from Save the Queen severed it clean through.
The reaction from the remaining tentacles was immediate. They untangled themselves from the engines and reached for Trixie with astonishing speed. The unicorn barely had time to let out a startled yelp before three slammed down on her position. Trixie dove out of the way but two more snaked out and battered her in the side. She tumbled over, losing her grip on her sword, and ending up on her back. A single tentacle came down, tip first, towards her unprotected stomach. Trixie screeched, shut her eyes, and blasted out a stream of magic. Ice washed over the descending tentacle and blew it off course. The tentacle tip crashed into the floor inches from Trixie’s body, shattering into thousands of icicle shards. The remaining stump wiggled in the air for a second, then receded back to the engines.
Trixie took the opportunity to right herself and regain her weapon. “A little help would be nice!”
“Coming!” Big Macintosh took aim and let loose a spray of crossbow bolts. The tentacles moved too much for him to get a good shot but several bolts still found their marks. The struck tentacles recoiled but didn’t retreat, instead focusing on attacking the new target. Big Macintosh only had time to lift his auto crossbow up in a desperate attempt at defense before being slammed back by the surprising force of the tentacles. Two gripped the crossbow and ripped it from Big Macintosh’s grasp, followed by them crushing it into useless kindling. In retaliation, Big Macintosh took a few steps back, reached for his pack, and unhooked his portable chainsaw. A quick rev of the engine brought the spinning serrated blade to life and he wasted no time cutting into the advancing tentacles. Severed limbs and sticky ichor splattered everywhere, but Big Macintosh plowed through, forcing the tentacles away.
Sunset meanwhile watched the gruesome spectacle from the elevator, vivid memories of a tentacle monster in the caves sliming her and rooting her in place. It was an experience she didn’t want to relive any time soon. So she stayed put and away from the action. Besides, Trixie and Big Macintosh seemed to have the situation under control.
With another swipe from Save the Queen, Trixie reduced the tentacle’s numbers again. One came up from behind and wrapped around her torso. Trixie gasped as it began to squeeze and could feel energy being sucked out of her and into the offending appendage. “Oh, you want to play that game?” Keeping calm, she lit her horn and her body took on a blue tinge. The tentacle convulsed as ambient magic began to be siphoned out of it and back into Trixie at a much faster rate than it could. Within moments, the tentacle became nothing more than a husk of flesh. Trixie bucked, crumbling the decayed tentacle around her into dust. “Never try to out-osmosis me again.”
Giving a shake to clear the flecks of monster parts off her coat, Trixie took a second to look around. Deducing from the amount of movement she could see in the provided light, there were still about four of the yellow creepy crawlies left. Heading towards one, she let loose an ice spell, but the targeted tentacle retreated, bunching itself around the orchard engine. Trixie tried her sword but the tentacle slipped further away and out of reach.
“They’re getting away!” Trixie yelled over to Big Macintosh. “I can’t reach them without hitting the machine.”
“Over here,” Big Macintosh said, putting away the chainsaw and slipping down a gas mask. He hoofed another mask to Trixie as she came up to him. “Put that on and don’t take it off.” With no further warning, he flipped a switch on his belt and a metal nozzle expanded out of his pack. Trixie got her mask on just as he flicked another switch to activate it, spewing green gas over the engines. A sound that could only be described as wet meat being slapped came from the machine as the remaining tentacles quickly took in the poison through their porous skin. They writhed in agony for less than a minute and then flopped down, remaining still.
Big Macintosh took off his mask, prompting Trixie to do the same. “Huh. Should have done that from the start.”
“Eeyup.”
Turning her head, Trixie sneered and tossed Big Macintosh her mask. She marched over to where Sunset still stood and roughly jabbed a hoof into the other unicorn’s chest. “Where the hell were you through all that?!”
Sunset grimaced from the touch and shoved Trixie back. “I was going to help if you needed it. And you obviously didn’t need it.”
“What, you were going to wait for a big hero’s moment and jump in to save the day? I don’t want heroes, I want warriors who aren’t going to bail on me the moment things get tough!
“I swear that if you do something like that again, I’m shipping you back to Twilight in an ice cube.” Sunset didn’t reply, instead hanging her head towards the floor. Giving one last glare for good measure, Trixie stomped her way towards Big Macintosh. “There, your pretty engine is fixed. Now what?”
Big Macintosh shot his own disapproving stare at Sunset before focusing on their prize. “Need to make sure nothin’s damaged, then we use the master controls to get us back to the surface.”
“Is that what this is?”
Three heads looked up to see Gilgamesh perched on top of a platform just above the engines. She threw her head back and laughed, drawing a katana from her side. The blade swung through the air to rest against a lever below her. “At last, I can shed this mummer's farce of secrecy! For too long has Gilgamesh's blade gone sheathed! Yet you have proven your worth tenfold what I expected. Instead of mere trinkets, you deliver to me the entire castle!” The katana flicked and struck the lever. The entire room came to life, lights flickering on and the engines roaring into motion. The room jostled and the sensation of lift soon followed.
Gilgamesh set the katana onto her shoulder. “You have proven your worth both as warriors and as fools! I’ll be taking all the treasure, I’m afraid. But do not worry, for you shall be given a payment worthy of fighters of your caliber: a death at the hooves of the greatest swordsmare in all of the world!”