//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Secret of the Alicorn // by Magi Tail Welkin //------------------------------// Blueblood and the Captain finished putting the Prince’s apartment back in order. The team stopped in Ponyville to sort out any immediate affairs after getting permission from Princess Celestia to sail to the wreck. Seeing Captain Star properly at the helm this time, and with Blueblood and both Secret Agent Sweetie Drops and Lyra the Princess of the Sun gave them her blessing, with full cooperation from the Royal Navy. They would go to Bridle City Port to meet up Captain Star’s company employees and their flagship in the endeavour. Ten Bits played with Aura downstairs. Blueblood put his typewriter back into place on the desk. Snowy put a magnifying glass on it as well. The Prince wiped his brow and walked into the living room. The Captain gently placed the rediscovered model of the Alicorn. Cobalt did indeed take the model. Aloysius Parker, Captain Star’s butler kept it secret until after they were finished with the scrolls hidden in the ships. They still needed to repair the mast, but it could wait. Blueblood smirked and shook his head “Those ponies of Cobalt were rough, good thing they weren't so thorough or else they might have found the scroll.” They opened the apartment door and walked out onto the staircase. A knock came from the front door. Burning Heart walked out of her apartment followed by Ten Bits, Blake and one the mare’s crows. The older mare opened the door. On the doorstep stood an elderly male Bat Pony, with a greyish brown coat. A three-tone mane of a brownish cream, then a milky tea colour and final coffee brown, the same colour as his small bushy handlebar moustache and pointed goatee beard. He wore green coat, and a green, slightly batter bowler hat. A pair of glasses distorting his pale blue eyes. The stallions on the stairs glanced at each other. Burning nodded “Yes?” The Bat Pony smiled before he spoke “Good day,” with one wing he doffed his hap “I’d like to speak with Prince Blueblood.” Burning nodded “I’ll get him, hang on.” “He’s gone?”, this response made every-pony do a double take. The Bat Pony sighed “Oh dear,” he put the hat back on “maybe another time.” “Wait!” Blueblood called descending the stairs and walked up beside Burning Heart “Can I help you?” The Bat Pony smiled “Prince Blueblood. How do you do?” He stepped into the building, both Burning Heart and Blueblood walked back suprised. The stallion continued “My name is Professor Calculus, I understand you’re off on a treasure hunt soon.” Captain Star walked down and stood with Ten Bits “So?” “Have you considered the sharks?” Ten Bits jumped “Sharks!” Calculus nodded “They are very dangerous creatures you know. That’s why I invented an Anti-Shark Submersible Vessel.” Blueblood spoke up “I’m sorry Professor, but we don’t have the time for this.” Calculus nodded “Yes, tomorrow is fine.” Captain Star blinked. The Prince shook his head “No sir!” He put his hoof to his mouth “I’m sorry but the answer is no!” “Right now?” He turned to the door “Of course!” He trotted out the door “Let’s go. My laboratory and workshop are in Camberwick Green, shouldn’t take us too long.” Indeed not, Camberwick Green, like Huntersfield rested on the outskirts of Ponyville, sometimes ponies call both villages suburbs of Ponyville. Still, Captain Star grumbled with annoyance and Prince Blueblood blinked with bemusement. Burning Heart raised an eyebrow “How ironic, a Bat Pony who’s hard of hearing.” Captain Star sighed and turned to Ten Bits “You’d better tell Miss Bon-Bon and Miss Heartstrings about this. If we’re not back by the time the train departs then keep the crew and ships waiting for us.” Ten Bits saluted “Aye-aye Dad.” And the stallions and Snowy followed the Professor. Calculus opened the door to the workshop “I’m so glad you agree to come gentle-colts.” Blueblood looked about at the different machines and blueprints neatly arranged about the large room “Quite incredible.” He uttered. Captain Star paused at an odd contraption. It looked like a wheel with scrubbing brushes attached with springs. Belts and gears ran around the wooden body. The Captain flicked the switch. The machine whirled and spun violently. Quickly, Star switched it off. “What was that?” He loudly asked as he returned to the others. “It’s a Clothes Brushing Machine.” Calculus said, then he pointed forward with his wing “Here we are.” The two stallions paused, and Snowy growled. In the corner, on two wooden beams sat a small tubular thing. Painted like a shark. Calculus flew up and opened the cockpit window “My Anti-Shark Submersible is an exploring machine. It can dive down to a depth of nine-hundred hooves, travels at up to six Knots and has a two-hour oxygen supply. I’ll show you how it works.” He climbed inside. When he retraced his wing, the submersible creaked. CRASH! Calculus emerged bruised and bemused from the twisted and buckled remains. Blueblood shook his head “I’m sorry Professor,” he said, as he and the Captain help him up “but your machine won’t do.” The Professor shook his head and looked at the Prince “For two? A two-seater?” “No!” Blueblood shouted, “It won’t do!” he turned and hurried out the door “Goodbye!” Captain Star and Snowy follow swiftly behind. Next morning in at the docks of Bridle City they crews started to load the cargo. Without a big crane, like Big Mickey, which collapsed with its jetty during the Great Fire, taking its operator Pulley with it, the Naval Ponies and the strongest of the Star Company pulled the loads up and into the holds. Blueblood walked onto the deck of the flagship vessel, the Sirius. He heard a shout from the quay “Bring it up Big Jock!”, the Prince went to the side and looked down. Two Unicorns with the Star Company neckerchief stood with clipboards and pencils in their magic. One, a tall lanky green fellow with a golden mane, purple waistcoat and glass monocle, his name Top Hat. Blueblood knew of this fellow, for as he discovered, Top Hat and Rarity, of all ponies, knew each other from childhood, their parents being each other’s godparents. The other, a colt, one white with an orange mane, Ten Bit’s friend and usual partner in the Wagonway Company, Sunshine, from up the River Neigh. The stallion called Big Jock, similar in size to Big Macintosh, brown with a black mane, walked forward. His yoke tugged the rope and the load lifted. Some-pony taped him on the shoulder. The Prince turned. A male Unicorn in an ornate naval uniform stood there. His coat a light grey, his curled mane made up of three shades of blue. Each on the different colours of the ocean, the light blue of a calm beach wave in summer, the middle shade of the high sea at day, and the dark and harsh, almost black blue of the deep. Lyra walked up the gangplank, stopped. She straightened up and slowly march towards the naval pony “Hi Dad.” The identified Vice-Admiral Nelson Shrouds turned to her with a smile “Ah, my little bard is finally on a boat.” She feigned and scowl, but blushed “I have been on a ship before.” “I heard.” He chuckled “And you said you took more after your Mother, yet here you are, working with an ex-Royal Marine Officer, and solving just about the greatest mystery in Equestria’s maritime history.” He turned to Prince Blueblood “I was going to say it’s an honour to have you patron his expedition Your Highness.” “My pleasure sir. Although I didn’t expect you of all ponies to be with us.” “And miss out on an adventure with my Daughter? What kind of father would I be?” Blueblood sighed “At lot better than mine, at least you were busy with your duty. I can’t even recall if my father did any real work.” The Star Ponies started assembling on the deck. Captain Star and Ten Bits walked out from setting up their cabin. Blueblood, Bon-Bon and Lyra watched as the company lined up. And they went through the rollcall. In order. Big Jock as Blueblood saw him earlier. An elderly, but still very large and strong Earth Pony stallion, light purple pony with a grey mane and an old clock cutie mark, he identified himself as OJ. Next Top Hat, he raised a hoof “I just want to report that I came across that odd fellow Calculus, he carted in two crates with an image of a shark on it. I made sure to demonstrate we didn’t want him.” The Captain hummed “It wasn’t that we didn’t want his help. It’s more that with his apparent hearing disability he would be quite hard to handle. Still, if you managed to make him see sense then good work Top Hat.” The green Unicorn bowed “Thank you sir.” Beside Top Hat another large brown Earth Pony stallion. Only with a yellow mane. His cutie mark featured a dumbbell and a banana peel. Captain Star stopped at him and spoke clearly “Now Warrior I want you to keep things simple, unless it’s an emergency please stay out of trouble.” “I’ll do me best sir.” Came the, somewhat, dim-wittedly voiced response. The Captain walked along again to the next stallion. A large Pegasus, his coat a dark blue and his mane a dark red, a pair of wings linked in friendship was his cutie mark. “Hercules,” Star began “I want you to help with the quick response team should the voyage hit trouble.” Hercules saluted with his wing “Aye-aye sir.” Captain Star told both Ten Bits and Sunshine to remain on the ship unless allowed otherwise. And told Sunshine to keep Ten Bits from any life-threatening heroic. Finally, at the end stood a small, smaller than Sunshine even, grey Pegasus, “Grampus,” ordered the Captain “I want you on the radio, keep in constant contact with the other vessels of the flotilla as best as you can.” Like Hercules, Grampus saluted with his wing, and responded with his slight lisp “Yes sir.” Bon-Bon looked over the side “Who’s this?” The others of the team turned as a white Pegasus stallion with a blue mane, a filmstrip cutie mark, a fedora with Press stuck in the ribbon and a camera rigged around his neck walked onto the gangplank. He turned to Blueblood and smiled “I got your message Your Highness.” The Prince smiled and introduced the mares “Miss Heartstrings, Miss Bon-Bon, this is Eff Stop, he and I are acquainted through certain circles.” Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow “He’s an Aura Guardian, isn’t he?” Eff glanced both ways and whispered “Not so loud, it’s a secret remember?” He straightened up and projected himself “His Highness hired me to photograph the expedition.” Some-pony cleared their throat, they turned to the gangplank again and found A. K. Yearling with a large suitcase “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to get the story of this adventure from you all.” Prince Blueblood nodded remembering the agreement in the Khedive’s Palace “Alright Miss Yearling.” He glanced back to Lyra and Bon-Bon “We’re going to run out of cabins at this rate.” Vice-Admiral Shrouds walked up to Captain Star “We’re ready to set sail Captain. Princess Celestia put you in charge, are you ready?” The Captain nodded “I am sir.” He charged his horn to make a volume spell “All hooves to stations!” A pony on each of the ships rang the ship’s bell. Shrouds took up the orders “Raise anchor, run the flag, loose the sails.” Lyra rolled her eyes, then she waved her hoof about and mimed her father’s orders. Stifling his laugh, the Prince looked to the flag being raised up to the mainmast. After the unveiling of the Everfree Flag a noble named Tricolour petitioned Princess Celestia to have an official Equestrian Flag made. The one used over the last few years, like the one Princess Twilight and her friends raised in their play of the Hearth’s Warming Tale, the vertical swallowtail, or Gonfalon, as Tricolour called it, is not the official flag of Equestria, Princess Celestia decreed it as the Royal Standard of the Two Royal Sisters. Princess Celestia charged Tricolour with the task of designing the new flag. He asked several subject across the nation to get opinions on the design. Ultimately, after many conflicting ideas he decided to just design it. He did ask Princess Luna her opinion, but she declined being included, since as not a ruling Princess of Equestria, merely her elder sister’s closest advisor she did not feel she needed to be represented in it, not to mention she didn’t yet feel ready for as much a public role as Celestia, she still needed to work on her smile. She did say if her subjects, the Bat Ponies wished their own flag to represent her, she would accept. Tricolour designed the flag with only two colours, white and gold. White representing peace and harmony, and Celestia’s coat, and Gold like the sun and the prosperity and joy she brings to her subjects. He placed the gold in a Y shape, a Pall to use the heraldic term, turned horizontally so the arms of the shape touched the corners of the hoist and converged in the middle of the flag’s white field to become one going the rest of the way to the fly end. No other symbols adorned it. Very plain and simple Captain Star walked onto the bridge and took the helm, he sighed and turned the wheel as the wind caught the sails “Next stop, the Alicorn.” Next morning the team stood on the deck. A couple of the crew mopped the deck and Eff Stop took the opportunity to photograph them at work, and of Snowy and Blake playing “I like the capture the mundane as well as the fantastic, just to show they aren’t so separated. It’s the real story I look for in my pictures.” Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow “Weren’t you one of the Paparazzi ponies chasing Fluttershy about when Photo Finish made her a model?” Lyra turned to her “You were among her fans too.”, Bon-Bon huffed “I was just bending into the crowd, I didn’t mean any of it.” Eff Stop sighed “I’ve got to get Bits somehow and my boss told me to get in on the action, I could tell from her aura the poor filly was destressed but…” he sighed again “Being an Aura Guardian today isn’t as cracked up as it used to be.” He glanced to Blueblood “He’s lucky to be a Prince, he’s had a lot more time to practise, which is why he's much better skilled with his Aura then I’ll ever be.” “I can hear you.” The Prince called “And frankly I prefer being an Aura Guardian than a Prince. I get to travel, it’s my passion and my calling, going wherever I’m needed to help, Aura Guardian are a type of Knight-Errant and that’s what I wanted to be, being a Blueblood means I can’t fully commit myself to it.” “Captain!” called a voice, every-pony turned to the bridge. The chef walked up to the Captain at the helm “I just check the stores, some-ponies being stealing food.” “Sounds like we have a stowaway.” He turned to the elderly Earth Pony “OJ take the wheel, I’m going to investigate.” “Aye-aye sir.” Star looked down to the Prince “Would you like to join the search your Highness?” “I think I’d better.” He turned to the mares and they nodded, Lyra spoke up “You go with the Captain.” “Right.” And he followed Star down to the lower decks. They reached the cargo hold and the Captain stop. Before Blueblood could ask a ticking caught his ears. It came from one crate, their eyes met in worry at the possibility of a bomb onboard. Gingerly they inched towards it and opened the lid. A half circular panel with gauges met their gaze. The clock on the sighed ticked to the twelve, the hour hand went into the red. Alarms went off. Captain Star hit the deck. Blueblood’s aura flared. Nothing. The two sighed and Blueblood switched the alarm off and moved the panel out of the way, “If this isn’t a bomb, what is it?” The Captain stood up and inspected the unassembled parts “Also how did it get onto the ship?” Snowy barked. They looked to the side of the crate and narrowed their eyes. A label stuck to the side showed a black shark with a cockpit, crossed out in pencil. Captain Star turned around “Wait here, I’ll get Top Hat and Sunshine.” He returned with the Unicorns of his company. He showed them the label and tapped his hoof “Well?” Top Hat blinked “Well, sir. I,” he hummed “When Professor Calculus arrived I crossed out that shark to try and tell him we didn’t want him or his submarine onboard. Some-pony handling the loading must have mistook the meaning, and I think I know who.” Sunshine turned to the monocle wearer “Let me guess, Warrior?” Blueblood cleared his throat “There’s no point in arguing who did what, it’s happened, and I have a good idea who our stowaway is.” A knock came from the door and Ten Bits stood there with Blake “Bon-Bon and Lyra said they’ve heard snoring from one of the lifeboats. They want back up.” Captain Star turned to Top Hat “You come with me.” “Yes sir.” Top Hat wearingly acknowledged. On deck the search party surrounded the lifeboat. Blueblood, Bon-Bon, Star and Top Hat undid the cables holding the tarpaulin. They took it off and found a familiar pony asleep with his resting on a tin of biscuits. Captain Star sighed “Calculus.” The change in light stirred the Bat Pony. Sleepily he sat up and took his hat off “Good morning every-pony. Thank you for waking me. I was hoping you could give me a cabin, I slept rather badly last night.” Top Hat held his nose and counted to five, before protesting “A cabin? We ought to throw you overboard! Do you hear me?” “With a view of the sea? Delightful!” Top Hat groaned and collapsed. Calculus bunked up with OJ, the old Earth Pony understood about the Professor hearing trouble, and started communicating to him by notes. It took a couple of days to sail the Undiscovered West, they chattered the route as they went, but no land came into view. Indeed, a fog rolled in. On the deck Sunshine gulped “This reminds me of that winter last year.” Grampus, with a pair of binoculars chuckled “I still can’t believe Top Hat slept out in the streets that night only to be five-hundred yards from the Star Building.” Top Hat grumbled “To quote my dear friend Rarity, I thought we agreed never to speak of that again.” Captain Star shook his head “After hearing about what you saw that night, Windigo and Sea Monsters, I can see why you called it “The fog that nearly sent you crazy”, Celestia only knows what we’ll find in this weather.” From the crow’s-nest, a voice called down “Land ahoy!” A shape emerged from the fog. A jungle island with a small barren mountain range. Captain Star smiled riley “That has to be Sagittarius Island. We’re a little off course, nothing drastic, the Alicorn sunk within sight of the island so three miles at most.” Ten Bits jumped excitedly “I want to go ashore! Stand where Sir Bold did.” Captain Star turned to Blueblood who nodded “I don’t see why not.” Bon-Bon and Lyra shook their heads “We’d like to stay on the ship. We have, things, to do.” Eff Stop picked up his came “I’ll come.” A. K. Yearling nodded “I just need to get changed.” He looked to every-pony “And want this kept secret.” She turned to Eff Stop “Not pictures of me while on the island okay?” “Got it.”, with the assurance of the crew she trotted off to her cabin. The landing party shrugged and began Warrior, one of the Earth Star Ponies chose to row them to the shore. And Sunshine decided to stay with Ten Bits, as the youngest of the Star Ponies the two often worked together and developed quite a friendship and partnership. OJ and Big Jock yoked themselves to haul the lifeboat down. Every-pony clambered into the boat. Warrior and Blueblood took the oars. Eff Stop, readied his camera. Sunshine sat with Ten Bits. They sat in front of Captain Star at the tiller for the rudder. The dogs lay under the plank benches. A throat cleared, they all turned and their eyes widened. A light gold Pegasus mare, with a mane of grayscale colours. Dressed in green khaki with a pith helmet. Sunshine blinked and rubbed his eyes “Miss Yearling?” “Who else?” “But, but, your, your…” Blake barked and Ten Bits jerked his head up and his eyebrows shot up and exclaimed “Daring Do?” Daring smirked “You didn’t think I just made everything up. Princess Twilight and her friend know about it too. They’ve kept it secret, I expect the same from all of you.” Ten Bits nodded “Yes ma’am.”, she smiled and climbed in “Well, are we going to go or not?” Eff Stop put his hoof over the lens “Good thing my friend Big Shot isn’t here. He’d explode at the thought of not being able to reveal this.” Captain Star shook the shock from himself and turned to Big Jock and OJ “Right let us down, slowly.” “Aye-aye sir.” They both responded and slowly walked forward. Blueblood turned to the Captain “Thank Celestia we don’t have the same situation as the last time we were in a lifeboat.”, the Captain hummed his agreement. When they hit the water Captain Star and Eff Stop took the hooks for the ropes off and Warrior and Blueblood started rowing. Eff Stop took a picture. The flash scared a couple of gulls away. Then landed and Warrior pulled the boat onto the sand. Captain Star helped Blake out as the other disembarked. Ten Bit tapped his cane on the shore, to make sure he didn’t get wet. Daring looking about “Come on, let’s look around.” Warrior started walked ahead “I’ll go first,” he turned back to address them “never know what we run into.” He went head first into something. He rubbed his head and looked up “Who put this here?” The this being a mast two-hundred feet tall standing buried in the sand. Warrior looked back to the others “Did any-pony notice this?” Captain Star shook his head “From the Sirius I thought it was a tree.” After Sunshine told him about it Ten Bits tapped his way to it and felt it “Dad, you don’t think this is…” Blueblood finished “The mainmast of the Alicorn?” Ten Bits nodded “Has to be, the story said he drifted to the island on the collapsed mast. Must have taken in ages to dig into sands and get it into place.” “Well,” Captain Star said, “he did have almost two years, he had something to pass the time.” He took out his spyglass and focused on the top. A few faded and tattered flags flew in the breeze. At the top, a pair of Maritime signal flags. The very top one, a blue and white chequered flag, below it, a flag made of five horizontal line, the colours in descending order, blue, white, red, white and blue. Captain Star hummed “November Charlie, I am in distress and require immediate assistance.” Below the signal flags fluttered a swallowtail flag. The image turned sidewise showed a simplified rendition of Princess Celestia on her throne, her wings spread far out, over them, the sun and the moon. The “Royal Standard” before Princess Luna’s return, and the de facto flag of Equestria for one-thousand years. Below the standard a heraldic banner. A blue field, in the centre a golden weighing scales surrounded by eight golden five-pointed stars. Captain Star put his telescope away and chuckled “If that didn’t tell any-pony who Sir Bold was, nothing would have.” Eff Stop took picture of the mast and the flag. Blueblood narrowed his eyes “If the old Royal Standard is flying, then, did Sir Bold make a formal claim of the island for Equestria?” Captain Star shook his head “No record of him doing so exists.” Daring Do looked to the Prince “You can’t just stick a flag in the ground and claim a place. Screaming Lord Sutch made a joke about that.” “I know,” Blueblood said “I heard him say it. But if there’s no-pony, or any other sentient creature living on this island, then we could formally claim it and set it up as a stopping point for any ship wishing to explore the Undiscovered West.” Captain Star hummed “We’ll consider that later.” He looked to the jungle “Right now, we have an island to explore.” He glanced to his son and Sunshine “Stay close to me boys.”, they pair nodded. Warrior and Daring walked ahead and cleared through the vines and scaring a few parrots as they did. Eff Stop stopped every now and then to capture the wildfire but when something possibly dangerous came slivering or crawling it he would flare his aura. They reached the top of a waterfall and Snowy jumped along the exposed stepping stones. Blueblood ran after him. Daring and Eff Stop flew over the rushing waters. Captain Star and Sunshine together carried Ten Bits over with their magic. Warrior stayed on the shore to let every-pony go before him, he then slowly stumbled and slipped on the stone. Sunshine used his magic to make a rope appeared around the large Earth Pony. Daring sliced another vine. A howling came from the path ahead. Blueblood’s eyes widened “Snowy!” he ran to the source. He entered a clearing and stopped in his tracks. Snowy sat and finished his howl before lying on his back. Before him stood a five-foot tall, bipedal, canine creature. With fur predominantly blue and black. It possessed a short, round spike on the back of each forepaw, in addition to a third on its chest. A long snout and equally long and pointed ears. Cream-colored fur on its torso, and thick blue fur on its thighs resembles shorts. A medium length tail of the same blue colour as well. Standing on its toes rather than on its entire foot. And finally, four small black appendages on the back of its head. It looked up at Blueblood and the others as they arrived. The Prince blinked and uttered “An adult Jakhowl!” The Jakhowl raised its eyebrow, his eyes glanced between Blueblood and Eff Stop. Shut its eyes and raised a hand. The appendages rose and seemingly defied gravity. A voice spoke “You show no ill intent, but you have two Guardians with you.” The voice deep and authoritarian simply appeared in Blueblood’s head, without needing to go through his ears. He looked to the others, they show equal surprise and confusion. Daring narrowed her eyes “I hate telepathy.” Deciding not to ask Blueblood walked up and stood before the Jakhowl with Snowy sitting at his hoof “Greetings, I am Prince Blueblood of Equestria.” He introduced to the others “…We are simply exploring.” “Star?” the Jakhowl said looked to the Captain and Ten Bits “We have tales of a Pony called Star.” The Captain nodded “My ancestor Sir Bold,” then he explained both Sir Bold’s reason and their own. The Jakhowl nodded, then glanced to Blueblood “You have considered claiming our Safety for Equestria?” “Safety? And how, wait, telepathy, you read my mind?” “I only caught a small bit when studying your aura. Safety is what we call this island, but Sir Bold’s name for it is fitting if I understand the constellation correctly. But you have yet to answer me, you wish to claim it?” “I considered it.” “Is Equestria safe from Discord now?” “Yes, and Auntie Celestia has made efforts to reform him.” He started explaining about Fluttershy and her friendship with the Spirit. “I see, Celestia believes it best to have the demon as an ally, then be in his path.” He stood straight. Clapped his hand together and bowed “Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am King Fumio of Sasa’e, or East Side.” “East Side?” Daring asked. “We have split the island into two equally sized kingdoms, both in territory and population, five thousand of us Jakhowls in all. My counterpart is King Yukio of Pito’I’sisifo, the West End.” Blueblood’s eyes widened “Interesting.” He cleared his throat and awkwardly continued “How do you feel about becoming a protectorate of Equestria?” “To be known? I don’t quite know, we, the five-thousand Jakhowls here, well need to discuss this.” He turned back to the forest “Return to your quest, inform your leaders if you must, I must return to my kind.” “Of course.” Blueblood bowed. Fumio bowed as he did before, then turned and scurried into the undergrowth. The others filed back the way they came, Daring Do walked the slowest back. Back on the boat Daring and Blueblood couldn’t help but look back at the island. Daring looked back “Very interesting, but how do we know the treasure isn’t buried on the island?” Ten Bits spoke up “The vision and the story say Sir Bold only brought the treasure he had in his hat to the island, and that’s all be brought back with him after being rescued. The rest went down with the ship somewhere on the ocean floor.” Blueblood turned back “On top of finding the wreck we’ll also need to radio Equestria about this.” Sunshine getting bored put his hoof in the sea and splashed the water about. Suddenly, blurred shape formed under the surface. It came closer. A shark! Sunshine jumped back into Ten Bits and Blake. The shark surfaced. Its mouth missed the hoof and snapped into one of the oar. Warrior lost balance. As he got up he watch the shark dive “Nightmare Moon!” he exclaimed, he turned to the colts “You alright Sunshine?” Sunshine shook “He nearly had me hoof off!” Blueblood looked to the Sirius as another black fin surfaced “We seem to be surrounded.” Sunshine charged his horn “This’ll teach them not to attack innocent hooves!” He fired a small beam. It bounced off the fin with a metallic clang. The fin rose further, revealing a cockpit and a familiar pony inside. Captain Star rolled his eyes “Calculus.”, the Professor unsealed the cockpit door and looked about, then he spotted the group and took his hat off “Hello!” he called. Blueblood shook his head as Eff Stop took a picture of the sub. Back aboard the team decided it would be best to explore the ocean in Calculus’s Anti-Shark Submarine. Despite his best efforts the Professor couldn’t redesign the craft for two ponies to sit in one, so decided to bring two, however, Top Hat only marked one of the crates he brought, so could only assemble one. Lyra volunteered to pilot the sub. She climbed in and the Earth Ponies of the crew and Stars readied themselves to lower her and the sub into the water. Calculus went through the controls “Now remember,” he concluded “the clock show oxygen supply and the red button is a smoke flare.” Nelson Shrouds added “For when you find the Alicorn. Good luck girl.” She smiled “Thanks, I’m ready, lower me down.” She closed the cockpit and sealed the locks making the inside airtight and waterproof. OJ, Big Mac and Warrior, slowly feed the ropes around the pulleys and soon the submarine floated. Lyra concentrated on the clatches on the ropes with her magic and they let go. She then dived down and started the engine. She didn’t kind how the hearing-impaired Bat Pony managed it, but the steam turbine engine of this sub used an alchemical spell, like an Auto-magic cart, like Cipher used on his rounds in the areas outside Ponyville, to power it. Bat Ponies were rumoured to have occult knowledge, but both she and Bon-Bon decided not to ask, especially Vigil, the Ponyville Undertaker, maybe Lord Moonlight Spectre. Still, more pressing matters. She drove deeper and deeper, as she continued she noticed a few underwater volcanos, and several coral reefs. A shadow covered the sub, she looked up shocked. A large ray swam over, not a shark. As he eyes followed it she spotted something sparkling in the sunrays. She got closers and a shape started to former from the rocks and reefs. Her eyes widened and her smile grew with delight. Sitting on the seabed, rotted and covered with reefs, a wooden ship. A dull metal figurehead of a pony she most definitely remembered. As she circled around the Alicorn she noticed a scattered trail of jewels, gems and metal coins. However, she wanted one treasure of the vessel above all others. An alarm sounded and she looked at the oxygen gauge. It just entered the red. She stopped the engines and pumped out the ballast tank. On the Sirius Bon-Bon called over “Lyra’s surfaced.” As every-pony rushed to the starboard side of the bow, Calculus turned around “Lyra’s in Stratusburg? How’s that possible?” The Unicorn brad opened the cockpit and used a volume spell “I’ve found the Alicorn! It’s right underneath me!” Vice-Admiral Shrouds smiled “Well done Lyra! That’s my girl.” “Dad!” she called blushing. He chuckled and turned to some of the Naval crew “Get the SCUBA and wetsuits ready.” “Aye-aye sir.” The saluted and ran off. Captain Star turned to him “Scuba?” “Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. The most successful version, the one employed by the Navy was designed by a Pony named French Coast. It allows freedom of movement without the use of pressure suits, hard helmets and long umbilical tubes to pump.” The Captain smiled “That should make the savage and exploration a whole lot easier.” “That’s the idea.” He turned as the sub, and Lyra were hoisted back onto the ship. She looked down “Well, I’m going down again, there’s something I need to find.” Eff Stop nodded “And I came to photograph the search. I’ve got a special underwater rig for occasions like this.” Daring Do walked up determinedly “And you’re not going to deny me the chance of some treasure hunting.” Nelson rolled his eyes “Any-pony else?” Hercules, the large Pegasus of Captain Star’s company walked up smirked “Well sir, was thinking of doing something different to my usual routine. I’m usually up in the air, why not go swimming?” Captain Star chuckled “Very well Hercules.” “Thank you, sir.” He glanced to the others “Forgive the pun my dears, but I hope we get on swimmingly.” Eff Stop groaned, Lyra giggled and Daring rolled her eyes and muttered “This was partly why I worked alone before meeting Rainbow Dash.” Hercules blinked “You know Rainbow Dash? She’s one of my commanding officers.” Daring raised an eyebrow “Commanding officer? To me she’s a, very helpful, if euthanistic fan.” “I’m a Wonderbolt Reserve, and she’s a Wonderbolt.” Lyra glanced to her too “I live in Ponyville, Rainbow’s a common Pony to come across.” Eff Stop “May have ran across her path trying to find Fluttershy, I think I saw her at the Grand Galloping Gala three years ago.” “Huh,” Daring said, “small world.” Hercules smirked “Isn’t it just darling.” Lyra tilted her head confused “Why is it you talk like Rarity?” He shrugged “We probably took lesson in eloquence ma’am. I just think as a colt from Knightsbridge in Trottingham, a Ducal Borough, I should learn to speak properly.” Bon-Bon helped Lyra struggle into the wetsuit “Celestia, you need a large field to get into these.” Daring pulled up her zipper “Your just not used to it that’ll all.” Eff Stop readied his rig but turned to Top Hat standing by Sunshine and Grampus, the small Pegasus set up a radio and began tuning the system. The paparazzi pony walked over to the green unicorn and gave him another camera “This is the camera with all the surface pictures. Would you mind photography us before we dive?” “Certainly sir, as long as I get credited.” Eff Stop nodded and returned to the others. Hercules studied himself “My wings feel a bit tight.” The wetsuit meant he wouldn’t be flying, since they trapped his flying appendages. “Still, I bet I cut a daring and handsome figure. Wait till the mare’s back home see the pictures.” Daring eyed him annoyed “Are you mare mad?” “No sweetheart, I’m just bit of a stallion for the ladies.” Suddenly another pony in a wetsuit pushed his way between the two. A large male Earth Pony given his build. However, no-pony could see his face since he wore a face concealing one-way visor helmet. Bon-Bon narrowed her eyes and turned to Vice-Admiral Nelson “Who’s the fifth guy?” “He’s a member of one of the flotilla vessels, he’s mute, or at least, he hasn’t said anything.” “And what with the helmet?” “His friends said he’s got facial scaring he’d prefer to conceal.” The Grampus spoke up and talked into the microphone “Okay, radio check, are you receiving me?” The divers all wore earpieces to communicate with each other and Grampus on the Sirius, they nodded. “There should be a microphone in your mouthpieces. Let’s test them.” The four ponies put their mouthpieces in and one by one spoke. The voices came a little muffled, but legible, they also hear each other in their earpieces. For some reason when Daring spoke, the helmeted pony flinched and turned away from her. Captain Star address the diving team “Right, you understand that everything you collect is to be put in the collection buckets from the Sirius, the other vessels in the flotilla are simply guarding against any intruders, pirates or any-pony wishing to make away with this Wreck or her treasure, understood?” They all nodded, however Blueblood, Bon-Bon and Daring noticed the helmeted pony’s shoulder bounce slightly as if he laughed. The team walked over opening in the deck and jumped into the brine. The quintet swam down to the seabed and Lyra lead them to the wreck. Daring paused at the figurehead. An octopus briefly latched onto the head of Princess Celestia before swimming off. The helmeted pony quickly began collecting as much of the coins and jewels as possible, filling the buckets he carried. He went into a gap between the two halves. Daring quickly followed. Inside the fish, sponges and other sea life continued their occupation. Eff Stop constantly took pictures. Daring turned to the others “We can’t lift the ship, can we?” Lyra shook her head “We never planned it.” Grampus’s voice spoke “Even if we did, we don’t have anything that could do it, I don’t think any-pony’s come up with something like that.” Hercules meanwhile swam over to the corner of one of the wreak “I think I know who this is.” He said pulling out a rusted cutlass and some torn, faded and most defiantly wet, and clammy suit, and a red bandana. Every-pony, apart from the helmeted one swam over, Lyra picked up the skull with a Unicorn bone horn, “Red Rackham.” She wanted to spit, but firstly she would need to take off her mouthpiece, secondly spitting into saltwater didn’t seem like a good idea and thirdly, spitting would just be vulgar. Eff Stop took another picture “What do we do with her, and presumably the remains of her crew?” Vice-Admiral Nelson took up the coms “When it comes to pirates, those that die at sea, are buried at sea. Sir Bold took care of that.” Lyra sighed and put the skull down “You know Dad, this type of cruelty is why I have a dim view of the Navy.” “It’s not for every-pony, I understand that.” Daring meanwhile swam to the crew’s quarters and notice something on the floor. She picked up a golden cross, with ornamentation and an image of an Earth Pony nailed to it “A Silver Enlightened Crucifix?” The Silver Enlightenment is the largest religion in Equestria, however it is still a small grouping of about one-hundred-thousand practitioner throughout the continent. Captain Star spoke on the radio “If I recall what Parker said, his family, including Sir Bold First Mate on the Alicorn, Mr Nickel was Silver Enlightened. I think that cross should go back to Parker.” Daring nodded and swam back to the others. Hercules put the cutlass in a bucket with a rope attached. Daring put the crucifix in and tugged the rope. The bucket then got pulled up to the surface. A scream shrieked through the earpieces. Every-pony turned as the helmeted pony swam out the other half of the ship followed by a shark. Hercules quickly kicked it in the noise and it swam off. “NO!” The helmeted pony cried pushing the others away “That beast has my treasure!” Daring turned to her “I know that voice.”, the pony turned to her and began swimming away. Lyra charged her horn and teleported in front of the intruder. Hercules tackled him to the seabed and put him in a pinning hold and Daring Do took the helmet off. Revealing a grey stallion with stubble. Daring scowled “Caballeron.” “Dr Caballeron, my enemy.” Hercules tightened his grip over the profiteer. He looked up at the others “I’ll bring him up to the surface.” Blueblood spoke on the coms “We’ll throw him in the brig. Miss Sweetie Drops has given us his criminal record, and those are the only one SMILE could verify.” Caballeron growled and stared hard at Daring “I’ll get you, Daring Do!” Daring just smirked “I’m looking forward to it.”, and Hercules slowly ascended with the villainous archaeologist in tow. Eff Stop meanwhile shot an aura blast into the shark and it fell flat onto the seabed. Cheekily he tied a rope to the tailfin and tugged the rope. After a few moments, they heard a shout over coms “Sweet Celestia! They’ve sent up a shark!”, it sounded like Top Hat. Gradually, the team of four filled and refilled the buckets with the treasure. They even sent the heavy-crossbows and the figurehead up. All the while, Lyra searched the ship. She forced many fallen planks aside, causing a school of fish to swim away. She gasped. Two ornate coffins sat awkwardly, one on its side, the other upside down. Both bore painted faces, human faces. She called the others and together with the crew on deck brought them to the surface. Lyra couldn’t get back onboard fast enough. She glanced between the two “These are supposed to be the sealed sarcophagi of the last King and Queen of the Sun Worshippers.” Captain Star nodded “Hermetically and magically sealed.” The Unicorn brad traced the gap of one of the lids with her horn. She tried her magic. A clank sounded. The face split in two and slide aside revealing a window and inside a skull. Lyra rushed up and look at it. She narrowed her eyes “Judging from the appearance of the skull alone I’d say Humans were a primate species.” Bon-Bon looked at her “That’s it? After years and years of searching, and me thinking you were mad for thinking these creatures were real. And all you can say is that their very tall talking monkeys?” “More likely apes Bon-Bon.” She giggled and jumped up and down “We found them! Humans!” Nelson Shrouds gabbed her shoulders “Calm down Lyra, you’re showing us up!” “Let them stare Dad. I’ve just achieved my life’s ambition! Humans lived in Equus! The legends were true!” Hercules walked up carrying something on his back “I also found this with the pair.” He put a large chest down. Lyra tied her magic again, using a more powerful unlocking spell. The lid flung open revealing books and pages, in Middle Equestrian. She picked one up and blinked “Wow! They even sent music!” she smiled and tilted her head “I think I could adapt this to the harp.” She then put it back and shut the lid “If you don’t mind every-pony.” She picked the chest in her magic “I’m going to my cabin to study these.” And she rushed off. Bon-Bon and Nelson watched her go, and they both shook their head smiling. Nelson then walked over to Professor Calculus and put a volume spell on “I must say Professor; your submarine is quite impressive.” “Yes, it was quite successful, and I’m very pleased with the subs’ performance.” “I hoped you might be willing to sell the design to us at the Navy, we could us it.” “Not a bad idea, although I hoped to sell it to the Navy.” “Done!” Nelson shouted and shock his hoof, but he glanced to OJ “Do you mind helping to negotiate the price with me and Professor?” “Not at all sir.” The artefacts found were brought to Canterlot for study before Blueblood set up a special exhibition and his Auntie Celestia gladly offered the use of the Gala Hall to house the event. Included in the show, the Sagittarius Estate model of the Alicorn, with pictures of its sisters, Blueblood’s and the one belonging to the Khedive of Cartus. The sarcophagi stood proud and opened, showing the two wrapped and dressed skeletons. Lyra also displayed the documents and books, including one of her own possession she bought from the Trottingham Library. The Princess of the Sun looked at the now polished and shining gold figurehead, one of the centrepieces of the exhibition. She smiled “This brings back memories.” She turned to Luna “I remember posing for the pattern to make the mould.” Luna smirked “Did you wonder how Discord felt as a statue?” Celestia rolled her eyes “To be honest after all that time I had quite forgotten about Discord.”, both Royal Sisters glanced about, expecting the Spirit to appear. Blueblood walked up instead “I don’t think he’ll be attending, not with me and Eff Stop here.” He gestured to wall where said paparazzi pony showcased the photographs of the endeavour. Luna nodded “I suppose not.” She then looked to Lyra explaining to a party about the King and Queen of the Sun Worshippers “I find it pleasing to see Miss Heartstrings has fulfilled her dream. Of course, the question of what happens next is hanging in the air.” She glanced back at the figurehead, her eyes narrowed and she glanced to her side, only to find her shadow. A little shaken she walked off. The team, Captain Star, Ten Bits, Lyra and Bon-Bon walked over. Lyra looked at the figurehead too, and then she blinked astonished. She murmured something about a dream, and looked a little off. Blueblood looked at wait the two mares might have seen. In the reflection stood a shadowy figure of a Unicorn stallion. Celestia looked to Captain Star and Ten Bits, and smiled “An impressive display Captain. I’m very pleased to have Sir Bold’s story final out in the open.” Blueblood nodded, he just knew his Aunt knew about the whole thing, but her more off-hoof approach to running Equestria managed to keep the Kingdom working. Lord Shadow Mark of the Necropolis must have taken inspiration from her. Calculus walked up “It was nice speaking to Princess Luna, she same to be the only one who isn’t shy when speaking to me.” “Shy?” Bon-Bon asked. Celestia giggled “The dear Professor seems to only understand things when spoken in the Royal Canterlot Voice.” Captain Star sighed “Oh well, all’s well that ends well.” He projected “Don’t you agree Professor?” “No thank you Star, never between meals.” “No Professor,” Star shouted, drawing a bit of attention “I said ‘All’s well that end well’!” Calculus nodded “Without any doubt. Which reminds me of that old saying, all’s well that ends well, wouldn’t you agree Captain?” Captain Star sighed with a smirk “Without any doubt.” Simultaneously, Blueblood, Celestia, Lyra and Ten Bits burst out laughing.