The group rushed out onto the deck and leaned over the starboard railing in time to see a medium-sized wave crash into the side of the ship. The force of the hit caused the ship to tip a little and its passengers to lose their balance.
When all seemed calm for the moment, Celaeno barked as she raced up to the steering wheel, “Secure the rigging! Tie down every barrel and cannon! Hoist the mainsails!”
Silver Tongue groaned, “Here we go again. Another weird-out courtesy of Paraddock.”
Skater admonished, “Now’s not the time for sarcasm, Silver!”
At the steering wheel, Celaeno gasped when she saw a wave slightly larger than the last one moving towards the ship. She shouted to Mischief and Flurry Heart, “Can you two help me steer the ship before the wave hits us?!”
The couple saluted, “Yes, Captain!”
As Celaeno spun the steering wheel, Mischief and Flurry concentrated their magic on either side of the hull. The ship quickly turned away from the wave and started to sail away. However, the wave gave them chase and crashed against the stern, pushing the ship forward while tipping it a little. The Pegasi twins flew up and used their wings to give wind to the sails, making the ship move faster. As a minute or two passed, the waves continued to grow larger and beat against the stern.
Roller asked, “How much farther till we reach land?”
Celaeno answered, “It’s a sea, not a lake! We’ve got lots of water left to cover!”
Zealot’s eyes widened in fear and his ears flattened as he looked back towards the stern. “And there’s lots of water behind us!”
Everyone looked back and gasped at the giant wave rising and racing towards them.
The adults cried, “Tidal wave!”
Celaeno shouted, “We can’t outrun it!”
Flurry got an idea and said, “Everyone, hold on!”
She cast a bubble force field around the ship and Mischief used his magic to freeze everyone – including himself and Flurry – in place. They braced themselves as the tidal wave crashed onto the protected ship and propelled them amidst the blinding sea spray. Before anyone knew it, the bubbled ship crashed onto land and bulldozed through trees until it slowed to a stop. Flurry lifted her spell and the ship dropped unceremoniously onto the devastated ground. Mischief also lifted his freeze spell and everyone groaned as they wobbled around, trying to recover from the adrenaline of the last few minutes.
Oddball breathlessly smiled, “That…was…awesome.” He then dropped to the floor in dizzy ecstasy.
Silver jumped off the grounded ship and met the ground with pure joy. “Land! Sweet, sweet land! I thought I’d never see you again!”
Flurry apologized as she and the others got down from the vessel, “I’m sorry about your ship, Captain Celaeno.”
The captain responded, “It’s okay. None of us would’ve thought a killer tidal wave would come after us. Besides, if Capri knows where the weapon is, we can restore her powers and she can restore everything on Paraddock to the way it was.”
Mullet then asked, “Just one question: which way do we go?”
Everyone stood in silence until Apple Butter suggested, “Let’s go forward.”
As they walked deeper and deeper into the jungle, they were stunned yet saddened that everything was either brown, sickly green, yellow, or shriveled up.
Skater remarked, “Everything’s so…dead here.”
Her twin agreed, “Yeah. Not much of a jungle, is it?”
Nova said, “If what the snake said was true, then I wonder what kinds of strange plants grew here.”
Blaze answered, “Could’ve been cuddly cactus, roses that smelled bad…Oh! Maybe even –“
“Candy!” Corona interrupted in enthusiasm.
He said while unaware of the kids zipping past him, “Well, I wouldn’t say that, but…” When he looked towards where the kids were, his eyes bulged in surprise. “What the -?!”
The adults were surprised to see the kids wolfing down chocolate truffles that dotted a bush!
Silver Tongue sputtered, “But candy doesn’t grow from bushes! How is this possible?!”
The other adults deadpanned, “Paraddock.”
He said in annoyance, “Right.”
Jam said to the other kids, “Hey, maybe there’s more candy here!”
The kids cheered, “Yeah!”
As the kids ran further into the jungle, the adults ran to catch up with them. As it turned out, the children were right and found a grove filled with all kinds of candy plants! There were candy cane trees, pumpkins that had hard shells and gooey insides, and lollipop flowers. To top it off, there was even a chocolate waterfall, although it seemed thinner than a normal waterfall would be.
While the kids ate every candy within their grasp, the adults uttered in wonder, “Wow.”
Celaeno mentioned, “I think I remember reading about this place in the journals. Some of the Captain Hoofs said something about a jungle filled with candy and confectionary treats. They tried to explore it, but they always ran into quicksand that was mousse instead of…well, you know, quicksand.”
Zealot suggested, “Probably put there by Capri to protect the young children who came here.”
Apple Butter built on the idea, “Or maybe to protect her castle, too!”
Mischief asked, “If that’s the case, then why haven’t we run into mousse quicksand yet?”
Roller answered, “It’s probably gone dry like everything else in this jungle.”
Vapor put her hoof to her chin as she looked at the chocolate waterfall, “Except this grove and the waterfall…” She then gasped in realization, “What if the waterfall starts at the castle? If we go up the waterfall and follow the chocolate river, then maybe it can lead us right to Capri!”
Silver Tongue praised, “Splendid idea, Vapor Trail!”
Mischief smiled, “Then what are we waiting for?”
In a flash of green light, he teleported everyone to the top of the waterfall. The kids, realizing their candy was gone, groaned in disappointment.
Flurry said, “I think you’ve had enough candy for now.” She then smiled, “But maybe Capri has some cool toys for you.”
The kids cheered, “Yay!”
Blaze whispered, “They are so getting spoiled.”
For several minutes, they walked through the nearly-dead jungle with the chocolate river – which was now a steady stream in a bed of fudge chunks – as their guide.
Gabby asked in exhaustion, “Are we there yet?”
Skater answered, “I’ll fly above the trees to see if there’s anything.” The Pegasus flew through the withering branches and vines before emerging through the canopy. Her eyes widened as she excitedly called to the group below, “I see the castle! We’re getting close!”
Sky Stinger asked through the trees, “How close?”
“Um…maybe just a mile or two and we’re there!”
Blaze cried, “Great! Then let’s get going!”
Before he could rush ahead, Nova stopped him, “Blaze, wait! We don’t know what we might run into before we get to the castle. There could be mousse quicksand, dangerous animals, or who-knows-what.”
Skater said as she hovered over the trees, “Maybe if someone parts the canopy all the way to the castle, then maybe I can scout ahead from the air.”
Mischief said, “On it!”
He used his magic on the nearest tree before his green aura jumped from tree to tree in a straight line. As this was happening, each tree that had been enchanted lifted their branches until they touched the sky. Soon, every tree alongside the left of the river held their branches high as if saluting the group. Skater then flew over the opened canopy and disappeared into the horizon. The group waited for a minute or two until Skater flew back over them.
She said, “Okay! It’s all clear!”
The group then ran as fast as they could while Skater flew through the air a few feet in front of them. Just as they were beginning to tire out, they saw more light past the trees several feet in front of them - a sure sign that they were reaching their destination. When they emerged from the jungle, their eyes widened at the spectacles in front of them. Everything about the majestic castle and its grounds made it feel like they were truly in a wonderland. There were multicolored bubbles floating around, northern lights dancing above the castle, and fountains that had fish swimming in circles that defied gravity. Every tree, bush, flower, and stream on the grounds was wild as it was beautiful.
But yet, despite its beauty and untamed nature, there was disrepair that threatened to destroy the wonder of it all. The chocolate river that once surrounded the castle like a moat no longer flowed; the fountains produced less water than usual; many of the plants were dead; and some parts of the castle looked as if they had crumbled, not to mention some of the intact parts looked grayer than others.
Nova uttered in awe, “It’s all so magical.”
Blaze said, “Then we’ve got to save it and everything else in Paraddock.”
Mischief nodded, “Let’s go.”
But before he could take a step forward, a swell in one of the streams traveled from the castle to the group. The adults prepared themselves for a potential fight before the swell burst and water splashed onto them.
A cheerful voice greeted, “Hello, dear visitors!”
They opened their eyes in surprise and saw a purple sea serpent with orange hair and a mustache. To further add to their astonishment, he was smiling!
“I am Steven Magnet! Welcome to the heart of all Paraddock! Please come inside for –“ He trailed off as soon as he saw Mischief. He squealed as he grabbed the colt for a tight hug, “Ooh! Mischief! I’m so happy to see you again!” He looked at Mischief as he continued, “Look how you’ve grown! You’ve become such a strong stallion!” He sniffled in joy as he hugged Mischief again, “My little baby’s all grown up!”
Mischief, who was choking from the suffocating hug, gasped, “No offense, but…how do I know you?”
Steven said in realization as he set Mischief on the ground, “Oh! Forgive me! I forgot that you were just a tiny little baby when I met you. Or rescued you, as the case may be.”
Blaze interjected, “Wait a minute. You rescued Mischief from the blizzard?”
“Yes, I did! He was in trouble and I came to beam him up here.”
Mischief was amazed yet confused at the same time. “So did you create Paraddock, then?”
Steven chuckled, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no. That was my dear friend Capricia. She made Paraddock and all the wonderful things in it.”
Skater asked, “Can you tell us where she is?”
He sighed sadly, “If only I could. You see, she…vanished.”
The group was surprised to learn this.
Roller asked, “Vanished? How?”
Steven answered, “A long time ago, the Eye alerted us to…” He then chortled when he realized something, “Oh-ho-ho, wait. You don’t even know what the Eye is. Well, it’s a mirror that can show you anything anywhere in the entire world. I can show it to you. I want to give you a tour of the castle, anyway. It’s so lovely and exquisite! You’ll love it!”
The group followed him as he swam to the castle doors and then disappeared into the hole in the wall submerged in the moat. Before the travelers could touch the doors, they opened for the ponies, pirates, and griffon. They gasped in wonder of the intricate and colorful designs of the castle interior. Though it had nonsensical features like an upside-down stairway and moving paintings, it was very beautiful to the eye.
Steven then emerged from a waterway beneath the walkway and said, “See this waterway? Capricia created many more like this so I can easily access every part of the castle. Come on. I’ll show you where the Eye is.”
As the sea serpent led them to what he said was Capri’s room of operations, he and the group exchanged stories and many a laugh.
Vapor asked, “So, Steven, how did you end up on Paraddock?”
He smiled, “Oh, that is quite a story. You see, right before she vanished, she saved me from Flash Freeze Lake and nursed me back to health. We became the best of buddies during that short time. She was truly amazing, I can tell you. She could do all sorts of things, like make things appear out of thin air and then disappear into thin air.” He then sighed sadly as tears welled up in his eyes, “What I wouldn’t give to see her one last time.” He whimpered, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! It’s just that the very thought of it distresses me.”
Flurry materialized her handkerchief and gave it to Steven. He blew into it and took a few moments to compose himself.
He said as he gave the hankie back to the alicorn, “Thank you.”
Roller whispered slyly to his friends, “I think someone’s got a crush on Capri.”
Skater jabbed him with her elbow and chastised, “Knock it off. He’s just concerned about her as a friend.”
Nova theorized, “You know, Steven, ‘vanished’ doesn’t always mean…well, ‘gone’. There could be a chance she’s still out there.”
Steven threw his arms up, “I’ve tried to look for her with the mirror, but she’s nowhere to be found! She just completely disappeared!”
Blaze put his hoof to his chin as he said, “Hmm. That’s certainly interesting.”
Steven gestured the group to follow him, “Come on. The room is just ahead. I’ll show you what I mean.”
When the group walked up to a large ornate door, Mischief used his magic to turn the doorknob. The door then opened to reveal a large room with all sorts of knick-knacks, including maps, another moving painting, a large globe, books, and even potions. What intrigued the group most of all was a giant wall mirror with a bejeweled ornament in the shape of an eye perched on its very top.
Gabby asked as she pointed to the mirror, “Whoa. Is that the Eye?”
Steven chortled as he emerged from the waterway in the room, “Oh, of course it is! Capri called it ‘The Roaming Eye’. This baby can tell you whenever and wherever someone is in danger or distress. Capri developed a very complex spell for moving Paraddock anywhere in a matter of minutes. That’s how Paraddock can appear and disappear without anyone knowing.” He then added sheepishly, “Er, that is, because they’re asleep.”
Mischief knew he had to ask his question now rather than later, “Hey, Steven? What happened when you rescued me from the blizzard?”
Steven answered, “I would be glad to tell you this story. After all, I’ve waited years for your return. Back when Capri had mysteriously vanished, the Eye alerted me and showed me a tiny see-through ball with a tiny baby inside. I activated Capri’s moving spell and her beam spell and rescued you before you froze to death.” He then cooed, “You were just so cute and adorable that I wanted to keep you as my own son.” His smile then disappeared, “But…it was a lot of work. I was barely keeping up with raising you and rescuing kids at the same time, so…I made a very hard decision.”
The serpent sighed, “I had to give you your best chance by sending you to be raised by someone on the ground below. When I was finding the right parent for you, the Eye chose a mare who lived in a cottage at the edge of a forest. The day I had to give you up soon came, but just before I sent you off, I gave you Capri’s special box of magic beans so you could come visit me when the time came. And now, here you are at last!”
Blaze said dubiously, “Wait a minute. You gave Mischief a special box of beans that belonged to Capri? Would she have approved of you giving away her possessions?”
Steven’s eyes widened, “Oh, I never thought of that!” He then lamented, “What would she think of me if she came back here and knew?!”
Mischief calmed him, “Steven, Steven, it’s okay, it’s okay! If anything, I’m glad you gave me the beans. They’re how we got up to Paraddock in the first place.”
Flurry nodded, “He’s right. We wouldn’t have gotten up to Paraddock any other way.”
Steven clasped his hands together and smiled, “Oh, I’m so glad to hear that! I have to ask, though: why are all of you here? I thought it would be just Mischief who would use the beans.”
Skater answered, “Well, here’s the thing: you’ve been taking children from their homes every time the Dark Riders come. I mean, they don’t hurt anyone. They just scare the living daylights out of everyone. They haven’t attacked anyone…yet.”
“But they might! Those mean and scary Dark Riders will surely hurt the little children if they stay in their homes! I take them to keep them safe from the Riders. Once I’m sure they won’t come again, I give the kids back to their parents.”
Flurry said, “Our families are getting to the bottom of the Dark Rider situation, so I think the mean and scary soldiers won’t attack again anytime soon.”
Steven asked, “You sure?”
She nodded, “Yes.”
He sighed as he put his hand over his heart, “Oh, what a relief!”
Skater spoke up, “Now that that issue’s settled, it’s time to move on with our other mission. If we can find Capri and restore her powers to her, then she’ll be able to save Paraddock. When was the last time you saw her?”
Steven answered, “Well, I remember the Eye alerting us to Pony Pan being in danger. She told me to stay put and keep an eye on things while she rescued the poor colt. She was then gone in a flash…literally.”
Nova asked, “Do you know which Pony Pan it was?”
“How should I know? I don’t keep track of which Pony Pan it was! Until just now, I didn’t even know there was more than one Pony Pan!”
Celaeno added, “Or more than one Captain Hoof.”
Flurry asked, “Okay, okay, umm…How many years ago did Capri vanish?”
Steven moaned, “Oh, it was so long ago that I don’t remember!” His eyes then flickered with a memory, “Wait. There was something different about the night she left. I think it was something Capri was excited for. Something she called the Double C?”
Boyle asked in confusion, “The Double C?”
Nova gasped as she realized, “The Cosmic Convergence! It happened 70 years ago, right around the time the blizzard wiped out the alicorns and draconequui and Redfeather got his weapon!”
Blaze exclaimed, “Of course! Astrological events such as the Cosmic Convergence are one way to strip a draconequus of their powers! That must be how Redfeather got Capri’s magic!”
Mischief’s eyes then widened with a terrible revelation, “And maybe…the rest of her, too.”