On a beach earlier one morning, a yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane and tail was walking along the coastline of her island with some of her little animal friends running alongside her while some of them were carrying picnic supplies. She kept to herself most of the time and was known as an animal whisperer due to her unique talent of being able to talk with animals. Even though she was a pegasus, she preferred to walk with her little friends, and they ran and jumped around her like children.
“Oh, please do be careful, everyone. We don't want anyone to get hurt,” She told her furry friends as they played. She doesn't get much time off to head to the beach with her friends, but she enjoys every minute of it when she does. Once she finds the perfect spot, she sets up a picnic area for them and starts to brew some tea.
She smiles softly, listening to the sounds of the coastline and her furry friends. Once the tea was ready, she called out for them and poured tea for everyone. Half through her second cup, she heard some seagulls flying overhead. Before she could say hello, one of them came crashing into her picnic and caused her to drop her tea.
“Oh no!" She said as she picked up the seagull forgetting about her tea, "Are you alright, Mr. Sea Gal!?”
*caw*
“You should be more careful.” She gave the bird a look, finding nothing serious had happened to him. “It is only a bump. Get some rest, and you should start feeling better in the morning.”
*caw*
“Huh! You saw something washed up on the beach?”
*caw*
“And it looked like a pony! Oh, dear, quickly take me there!” She follows the seagull with her companions right behind her.
They soon came across what the seagull was talking about. It was an orange unicorn mare with a red and yellow mane holding on to a piece of wood as the waves washed over the lower part of her body. Quickly the yellow mare pulled her away from the water and onto the shore. She notices some busing along the hind legs and forelegs. There is also a large bump next to her horn. Most likely, the reason why she passed out. She can hear a heartbeat by placing her head on the mare’s chest. But it is weak. She turns to her furry friends.
“Quickly, you two go find Mr. Bear and bring him here,” she told some rabbits. “And the rest of you head back home and prepare a place for her to rest. I will stay here and see if she wakes up.” the animals nodded and took off. The yellow mare turned back to the unconcise unicorn and shook her gently. “Hello, can you hear me!”
*groan*
“Hang in there. Help is on the way.”
Earlier,
The storm rages around Sunset as the ship goes over another huge wave causing everyone to loose their footing as a loud sound of breaking wood echoes everywhere. Sunset looked up and barely got out of the way as a selection of the mainsail snaps in two landings where she was earlier. "The ship is done for!" A crewmember said, tending to an injured crewmember.
"Get to the lifeboats!" Another crewmember said while fighting something she had never seen before. It was black with red and blue fire where a pony mane and tail would be. Whatever it was. Its fire was covering the ship as Sunset could see Twilight and Spike on the other side of the ship being pulled overboard by somepony.
"Twilight, Spike!" Sunset called out to her friends before was an explosion erupted from inside the ship, and everything went dark.
Present,
All I can see is darkness. What happened? I can feel a sharp pain coming from my head. But my hooves are too weak to move to give it comfort. I can't remember what happened after the explosion. Did I survive? Where am I?
She tried to open her eyes but couldn't see anything.
Am I bind now? No. I can see some light coming through a white cloth. Bandages? Am I in a hospital? And how badly am I injured? I can feel the pain coming from all my limbs, which means there are still there. At least that is a good thing. But I don't like the idea of my eyes being bandaged up.
Hold on a second; I can hear something. It sounds like a mare?
"Oh, I hope she is feeling better today." The voice said. Sunset felt something moving on the bed, getting closer to her. "Now Angel bunny, be careful. We are only changing her bandages." The voice said. Who is she talking to? "Now, now Angel, if she were that injured, I would have taken her to the hospital. But her injuries were ones that I could handle." Wait, I am not in a hospital but somepony's house? Well, at least she knows what she is doing. At least, I hope she's doing. And who is Angel?
I can feel her removing the bandages around my head. I can see! I can see... I see too much light. Squint my eyes as the bandages come off. I blink, trying to see again as a groan leaves my body.
"Oh, you're awake. Can you hear me miss?" The voice cried out.
"Yes. Ooow, my head." Sunset said, trying to lift a foreleg, but her caretaker gently pushed it down.
"You mustn't move so much. You still haven't recovered from your ordeal."
"What happened?" Sunset asked slowly starting to see again,
"I don't know. You were washed up on the beach holding on to a piece of wood when I found you."
Sight returns to Sunset as she gets a good look at her caretaker and a small white bunny next to her. "That right. I was sailing somewhere. I was on a boat wi-" Sunset shot up but regretted it. *Gah* Sunset fell back down to the bed, holding onto her sides.
The yellow mare moves closer to her and gently rubs Sunset's side, "Please lay still, or you will hurt yourself more."
"Twilight! Spike! The crew! Where are they!"
"I don't know. You were the only pony I found. Please stay down. You don't want to become bed written much longer than needed."
"Okay. But are you sure there was no pony else? I was with them before the ship went down."
The mare gives Sunset a sad look, "If that is the case, I must give you my condolences."
"Your condolences; what are you," Sunset stops realizing what she meant, "No."
"Miss, most boats that go down. Usually, they don't have that many survivors. You should consider yourself lucky to have made it back to an island and not lost out at sea."
Sunset started to breathe faster. She couldn't believe it. "No," Her friends were gone. "It can't be."
"Miss. Please calm down. Hurting yourself isn't going to help anypony." She tried to comfort the mare but wasn't very successful. She thought of an idea of how to calm her down, "But if you made it. I am sure your friends did too."
That work, Sunset started to calm down. Now that she can think straight, she has to ask, "Where am I?"
Back at Canterlot Castle in a private meeting chamber
Princess Celestia is getting ready to talk to various representatives and rulers. Form the North, A Crystal Pony, Queen Ambre Leaf of the Crystal Empire. From the west, A Griffen, Steward Graff of Griffen Stone. From the east, the Dragon Princess Ember of the dragon lands. And from icy south, A Yak, Prince Rutherford of Yakyakistan. These four make the most powerful rulers alongside Canterlot.
Princess Celestia has been trying for years to get their cooperation. All she has to show for it is a neutral pact with each one of them. Each of them has firmly refused to help others who are not part of their lands or species. As she gets ready to speak, she is interrupted by Steward Graff.
“I hope your Highness knows that even during a hard time. We of Griffin stone don’t forgive debts on your loans.”
“Steward Graff. Please rest assured that your money will be paid back in one year.”
“Now, that is something I would like to see.” He smirks as he drinks from his cup. “Four ships are not something one can forget so easily.”
“Can we please move on with the meeting?” Queen Ambre says. “I have a kingdom to run after all.”
“Likewise. What do you need this time, your Highness?” Princess Ember says.
“I wish to establish a free trade route between our nations.”
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“Seas are dangerous. Tariffs help pay for crewmembers and ships.” Prince Rutherford said,
“Your Highness.” Princess Celestia pleads, “Without a standard tariff, merchants will be more willing to make the journey and greatly increase our land's economics. Supplies will be more plentiful if sailors only had to deal with shipping cost without worrying about paying more for the supplies they are carrying.”
Graff huffs, “As the steward of Griffin Stone. I will have to decline.”
“Please, Steward. So long as the tariffs are in place. My merchants are unwilling to bring supplies to our other lands due to high tariffs on needed supplies.”
“Well, they can purchase what they need from our vendors and suppliers since they are in our waters.”
Before the Princess could protest, a pony ran into the room but was blocked by the guards.
"Halt, state your business here!"
"I need to talk to the Princess! It is urgent!"
Celestia called out to the guards. "It is okay. Let him come forward." The guards look at her before standing down, letting the pony pass. "Now then, my little pony, what troubles you?" She asked the young stallion.
"Yes, my name is Professor Whooves. I am part of research and development for Canterlot's shipping management. Are you aware of Project Red Glare?"
"Yes, It is an experimental signal flare that is to be used when a ship is in trouble. But last I check, it is still in the prototype stages."
"Well, yes, it is. But the latest model was on board the last ship sailing to Las Pegasus, and earlier this morning, the coast guards reported seeing a large red glare being spotting in the direction of the Las Pegasus. As we all know, Harmony magic cannot be used at sea, so sending a message of help would be impossible. That is what project red glare was made for. And that glow in the distance could have only come from Project Red Glare. I fear that something has happened to ship, your Highness."
“How tragic.” Steward Graff said,
"Could it be possible that the project was miss fired and nothing is truly wrong?" Queen Ambre added.
"No, your Highness. When developing Red Glare, we ensured that it could only be activated if the main section of the mass was completely underwater or destroyed."
"I see your concern." Celestia turned to her court assistant Miss Inkwell, "How much time has passed since the ship has set sail?"
Miss Inkwell looked over her notes, flipping a few pages to find the answer. "Four days ago."
"If the wind was with them, they should have made it to Las Pegasus by then. I can only hope for the safety of the crew." She turns to face one of the room entrances, "Captain Shining Armor!"
Shining Armor enters the room. He was a white unicorn stallion with a dark blue mane and tail. She was dressed in purple Armor, showing that he was the guard's captain. He stops in front of Celestia and gives her a salute. "How can I serve you?"
"Prepare a search and rescue ship to depart Las Pegasus seas immediately."
"At once, your highness." He saluted and left the room.
"I apologize for that, but it was a matter I had to deal with." As the meeting continued, Celestia couldn’t focus clearly as a thought flowed through her mind.
"Please be alright, my students."
Entry scribes and watermarks,
So, the mare that is looking after me, for the time being, is known as Fluttershy. She is a caretaker of the animals in her hometown of Appleloossa. Did you know that Appleloosa used to be a desert plane, and now it is a grassland filled with hundreds of animals? It is a beautiful place to be at. However, you have to be careful of the sudden flash floods now and then.
As for my injuries, I suffered from mild dehydration and bruising to the left side of my body. I can't remember much of what happened during my last moments on the ship. Everything is a bur expect for that explosion. I wonder what caused it?
Fluttershy has taken very good care of me. However, I don't know why she put bandages on my eyes, but I can see, so it is no longer important, whatever the reason. But, I can't walk for long periods with my body as it is, but I am getting better. And for some reason, my
diaryJournal was found not that far from where Fluttershy found me. This is why the pages are wrinkly and hard to write on. But I can make due. Now I wish I had paid the extra five bits to make this waterproof when I bought this thing. But I thought, who needs waterproof paper in Canterlot when you will never go out to the sea?In any case, the important thing is at the moment is to get word back to Canterlot. With the cargo lost at sea and the ship's crew is missing in action. And as much as I don't want to admit it. I don't think Twilight and Spike are coming back. I barely survived what happened, and there is no guarantee that they made it to one of the islands, let alone one that is in friendly territory. But I know that they are alive. I know it.
However, questions still gnaw at me. Who was that black fire pony? And why did that pony pull the others overboard? And how am I going to tell Twilight’s Parents what happen?
Sunset then closes her journal as Fluttershy comes into the room.
"How are you feeling, Sunset?"
"Better. Is there any way of getting word back to Canterlot?"
"I am afraid that the only way of doing that would be going there in pony, and nopony is heading to Canterlot anytime soon."
"What about the mayor? Doesn't she have a dragon to use dragon fire to contact them?"
"Ah... he sends a letter or goes there himself. However, we did have a dragon who would help us, but he left the island months ago. Something about the Dragonlord call for him. And sending a letter takes two weeks to reach Canterlot."
"What? Why so long?"
"Well, no direct shipping line can make it over there. The sea between here and Canterlot is too dangerous to sail, and not to mention that the seas nearby are owned by the Sirens. Nopony wants to get caught up with them. So we only have a small window of sailing safely every eight days."
"You know a lot about the sea in this area."
"Oh... it's just common knowledge here. Everypony knows when the ships leave and come to the island."
"Fluttershy. Is that common knowledge to all ships that pass by here?"
"I am not sure, but I pretty sure every captain should know when it is safe to sail the sea. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
Somewhere in the Sirens seas,
Two seaponies were swimming to the Siren's seas or the Siren’s Graveyard. One was a light blue sea-mare and the other a dark green sea-stallion.
Seaponies call this part of the sea a Graveyard for all the unfortunate ships lured here. These two seaponies were nearby when they heard the Sirens' song and hoped to find anything from the surface world in the vessel.
"I don't know about this, Coral." The sea mare said, looking around a boat. "What if the Sirens see us?"
"Relax, Melody." The sea-stallion said, nudging her to swim forward. "As long as we stick close to the bottom of the wrecks. They won't see us." Coral said, reassuring his friend as they continued to search the wreckages. When they find something interesting, they will put it in their bags, after finding some treasures from above. They were going to head back when Melody saw something inside one of the sunken ships. She covered her mouth and tapped the top of Coral's head. A sign they both made when one of them sees any danger.
Coral nods his head, and they both slowly swim to the hole to see what is nearby. And to Coral's surprise, it of one of the Sirens. The purple one, Aria Blaze, if he remembers correctly. He couldn't understand it. They were nowhere near the site of the latest wreck. So why was she here?
"NOTHING!" Aria said, coming out of the holes in one of the ships. "Anything over there, Sonata?"
"No..pe.. noonthing hair." Sonata replied like her mouth was full.
Aria moved out of view of the two seaponies only to hear a loud smack in the direction where she went.
"OW!"
"Food from the surface world counts as something Dummy. Give me that!"
"No! Finder keepers!" Coral saw the two sirens chasing each other, with one of them holding a bag of goods.
"This is getting out of hoof here, Melody. I think you are right. We better... Melody?" Coral noticed that Melody wasn't next to him. He could see her near a large wooden box caved in on itself after busting through the ship's ceiling. Coral moves to her side and grabs her foreleg. "Come on, Melody. Let's get out of here!"
"Wait, there's something under here."
"Where?"
"See that? There that blue glow? There between the crakes."
Coral could see the glow staring in amazement. “What is that?”
“Not sure, but if it can glow in these seas. Then it is valuable.” Melody said while moving around the woodpile to see if there was a way to get it. “Maybe we can get a thousand bits for it!”
“Well, hurry up. Who knows how long before those two find us.”
Meanwhile, the Sirens were starting to make a ratchet nearby, reminding them that there might be a fight happening soon.
"That doesn't sound good."
"Here, I found a way to reach it. Coral, help me move this panel." They grabbed the panel's side and started to pull it with all their might. When they got halfway there, a loud commanding voice sounded nearby.
"WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF!"
That voice could only belong to one creature of the sea. Adagio Dazzle, the leader of the Sirens. Both seaponies stop to look in the voice's direction and notice that the rucks outside have stopped. The seaponies looked at each other before pulling the panel even harder.
Meanwhile outside. Adagio has taken the bag of goods from the others.
"She started it," Aria said, pointing at her teammate.
"No way you did!" Adagio has had enough of this and hits both of them on top of their head.
"Now listen, you two. We have already gone through this. And we all agree to bring everything we find back to the lair and then divide amongst ourselves. It is safer that way, remember?"
Sonata rubs the back of her head in embarrassment. "Right. I forgot about him. But I thought he was asleep."
"Not if you two keep making this racket, he won't be. I rather not mess with him again."
"Yeah, we barely got away with our shards still around our necks," Aria said, which caused all of them to rub the red shards in their necklaces.
"Anyways. We need to find out what happened to the cargo of the last ship we sank. It wasn't with it that it sank, so it must have been thrown overboard at one point. Keep searching. It is close; I can feel it."
As they continue their search. Two seaponies saw the opportunity to leave and left the site with a small glowing blue in one of their fins.
On an unknown beach,
"Twilight! Twilight! Twilight Wake Up!" Twilight can feel life returning to her body as she hears somepony calling out her name. The voice sounds familiar.
*Goan* "sp...Spike?" Twilight then feels somepony, or in this case, some dragon hugging her.
"Oh, Twilight! Thank Celestia, you're alive! I thought I was going to be alone here!" She smiles as she hugs Spike back.
"Spike, calm down. I am fine. And I am glad to see that you are alright as well." Twilight then breaks the hug to have a look around. They appear to have landed on one of the islands in the Siren territory. As far as she can see, it is midday, and there is no sign of the ship or its crew. They are on a long sandy beach with a vast forest behind them. "So this is where we end up."
"Yeah."
"Any sign of other ponies from the ship or at least a wreckage?"
"No, but we better get going. I don't think we are welcome here."
"What do you mean-" At that moment, a spear struck the ground between them. "I will take your word for it!" Twilight said, grabbing Spike with her magic and placing him on her back before making a break for it as more spears land where they once stood.
Spike turns around to see that the spears are coming from the tree line of the island. They run on the beach for about three minutes at full sprint. But that is when Spike notices that they stop.
"Hay, Twilight, stop for a second."
"Now is not a good time Spike."
"But Twilight-"
"Later Sp-" Spike then pulled back on Twilight's mane, causing her to stop for some unknown reason. Twilight is confused as to what just happened and looked at Spike with an irritated look. "What was that for?"
"They stop."
"What?" She looks back and notices that the spears aren't raining death upon them. "That is odd. Maybe we left their territory?"
"Yeah, and into who's?" They both look at each for a second, then around them to see anything that might want to kill them. Seeing nothing, they relax their muscles for the time being.
"Whatever may be the case. It's safer here for the time being. We better find somepony that can help us. Along with anypony or creature from the ship." Twilight started walking toward the island's forest, and Spike pulled on her mane again, stopping her.
"Woah! We are going inside the creepy forest!"
"You got a better idea of finding something to eat around here?"
"We could... no, that won't work... How about... no, that no good... Fine into the creepy forest. You do know what is editable in this forest, right?"
"As much as you do."
"We are going to die!" Twilight hits Spike with her head to snap him out of his panic state. "Ow,"
"That for not studying those books I gave you on island survival."
"What! When did you do that?"
*groan* "The night we left Canterlot, I gave you a copy of Darring-Do survival tactics on 'lost at sea' and 'shipwrecks.' It would appear that some dragon has been avoiding their studies again."
"How was I supposed to know that we would be in a shipwreck on the way home? More importantly, how did YOU know we would be shipwreck!"
"I was just taking some precautions in case of the worst-case scenarios."
"Why?"
"Simple, if I was going to head out to the sea with no experience on a boat or going anywhere away from Canterlot Island. I wanted to make sure that I came back home alive."
"So, did you read them?"
"Of course I did. I read them at least three times before we even left Canterlot."
"Well, it looks like your obsession with books will come in handy now."
"I am going to ignore that comment."
"Sorry." They enter the forest, not knowing of a pair of eyes looking at them from the sea.