//------------------------------// // An Island With a Hairy Mystery // Story: The Island of Tambelon // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Advancing through the sky towards Tambelon, the Destiny’s Bounty was sailing calmly through the clouds, while a new day started anew. Moonlight was already awake, seeing the sun rising gloriously. Thanks to her thestral blood, Moonlight didn’t need to sleep that much during the night. She then listened hoofsteps and Star appeared by his side, still a little tired. “Good morning…” he said, giving a kiss on his marefriend’s cheek. “You woke up early.” “I didn’t wanted to get in bed sleeping, mainly with all the snoring” she replied. Star dropped a laugh and said: “Yeah, I get what you mean.” “But you should have stayed in bed a little longer” Moonlight said. “You still may have some residues of Allegro’s magic inside.” “Don’t worry about me” the young prince assured. “You know I can recover quickly… mainly with you by my side.” “Oh, Star…” Moonlight sighed. The two were about to share a kiss, when it happened a big noise, followed by a strong shake. “But what was that?!” Star asked. The noise was such that it awoke all the passengers of the ship. While the others waited on the deck, Lix Spittle went to see what happened. When she returned, she told: “Well, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that one of our stabilizers is dead, maybe because of the damages that it had yesterday. The good news is that we can still fly.” “That is not as comforting as it looks, Lix” Mullet said. “What do ya mean?” Applejack asked. “It means that, although we’re still flying, nothing guarantees that the other stabilizer won’t die as well” Boyle replied. “Does it means we’re all doomed?!” Rarity exclaimed. “Oh no, we’re going to fall! And I that still wanted to create much more beautiful dresses!” Everyone looked at Rarity who said: “What? It may not seem important to you, but the world of fashion would suffer a lot without me. Have you imagined if some aspiring designer would be able to convince ponies to use horrible print fabric and gaudy colours?” “Yeah, Rarity, that would be a catastrophe” Applejack ironized. “The world will end if something like that happens” Rainbow Dash added. And the two bumped their hooves, while they laughed. “Because I am a lady, I will just ignore those rude comments of yours” Rarity replied. But that didn’t stop Applejack and Rainbow Dash from continuing to laugh. “Fortunately to us, Miss Rarity, we can pass to the nautical mode and continue our journey through sea” Captain Celaeno said. “Once we find land, we can moor so we can repair the stabilizer.” “But that will change our itinerary completely” Twilight said. “I’m sorry, princess, but it is safer if we do this” Celaeno answered. "The captain is right, Twily” Blue said. “It’s the safest option we have to take.” Twilight sighed, knowing that Blue was right. It was then that Squabble squawked up there at the crow’s nest, while he looked through the telescope. “What is it, Squabble?” Mullet asked. “You’re seeing land?” He squawked, while nodding with the head. “That is strange” Twilight said, while consulting the maritime map that she had with her. “I don’t have any indication about any land nearby.” “Maybe something has skipped your attention” Fluttershy replied. “We’ve been sailing without stop since we left Allegro’s island.” “Uh, maybe it is a magical island full of monsters that we’ve never heard about and that are just waiting that unwary sailors land at their island to devour their flesh and bones” Pinkie said in her spooky and dramatic voice, causing some shivers at some of her friends, changing quickly to her normal voice. “Or maybe it is a deserted and lost island with nothing special on it. There’s only one way to know.” “Let me guess” Twilight said, with a raised eyebrow. “We have to go there to investigate?” “Yeserooni positooni!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a large smile. “Well, it’s not like we have any other option” Celaeno said to Twilight. “If you really want to get to Tambelon quickly, the best thing to do is to land on that island and fix the stabilizer the best way possible until we can get to a dock.” The princess of the Light Kingdom thought for a while and then said: “I think we have any other alternative.” And the Destiny’s Bounty advanced to the mysterious island, mooring. “As we’re here, we can restock the food” Boyle said, talking to Celaeno. “What do you think, captain?” “Good idea, mate” she replied. “A good way to take advantage of our time while the stabilizer is fixed.” “Ah can help” Applejack said. “After all, Ah have experience in this type of things. We can find food more quickly with mah help.” “I’ll go too” Rainbow Dash said. “We can see who can get more food, AJ.” “Ah accept the challenge, Rainbow Dash” Applejack replied. “Be careful, you two” Twilight advised. “I don’t have to remind you the problems that you get when you compete against one another.” “Please, Twilight, we are grown mares” Rainbow said, while Applejack nodded. “We can control our competitive side really well. Tell us the last time we got carried away.” “At the day before our departure to Tambelon when you tried to see who could drink more pumpkin juice” Twilight answered. That statement caused the two mares to blush and rush to follow Boyle. Star approached his mother with Moonlight and asked: “Mom, can I and Moonlight go explore the island, while the stabilizer is fixed?” “I don’t know, Star…” Twilight replied. “You know Pinkie Pie normally exaggerates in what she says, but, sometimes, what she tells, inexplicably, ends up to be quite real.” “Don’t worry, you know that we can defend ourselves” Star said. “Yeah, and we’ll be careful” Moonlight added. “Beyond that it will be for just a while.” The alicorn princess thought for a while and then replied: “Ok, you can go, but be careful.” The young couple got very happy with the answer and took flight. Seeing them go, Fluttershy said to Twilight: “I don’t think that was a good idea, Twilight. And what if there’s really dangerous monsters at the island.” “I know what you’re feeling, Fluttershy, but Star and Moonlight have a point when they tell they can take care of each other” Twilight replied. “Beyond that we have to belief that’s just Pinkie Pie exaggerating the facts and inventing stories for every occasion as she likes to do.” “Wait, I like to do that?” Pinkie asked, having listened what Twilight said. “Oh, yeah, I do like to do that.” “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’m sure they will be fine” Twilight reinsured. “I agree with Twily” Blue said. “Don’t forget Star has Kurama to help him and Moonlight is not exactly defenseless, having in count how powerful her voice is.” “I know, but…” Fluttershy started. “A mother never stops getting worry.” Although nopony noticed, there was something watching them, hidden in the vegetation. The thing then moved away with heavy steps. Star and Moonlight flew a little over the island, admiring its vegetation. However, for some reason, Star was feeling himself unrested, as if something was bothering him. “This island is really beautiful” Moonlight admired, noticing then the thoughtful look that her coltfriend was showing, asking him then. “Is everything okay, Star?” “Yeah, I think…” he replied. “I don’t know why, but I don’t feel comfortable here.” “Maybe you’re still tired” Moonlight said. “What if you rested for a bit. It can be that you get better.” Star agreed with her and prepared to go down and land with Moonlight. But, when they started to do it, they noticed in two grouping of houses, not very distanced from each other. Those houses were now in ruins. Landing in one of the groupings, Moonlight said to Star: “I didn’t know that there were ponies living here.” “Well, not anymore” Star replied. Now that they were there, the young prince managed to feel that something wasn’t right. Focusing for a few moments, he accessed momentarily to his sage mode and finally managed to know the reason to feel himself quite unease. “This island… is full with wild energy” Star declared with his eyes getting to normal. “You mean there’s a source of wild energy here?” Moonlight asked, starting to get nervous. “Don’t worry, Moonlight, I didn’t felt any wild energy concentration” Star calmed her. “But I can still feel its residues in the air.” “I think it’s for the best if we get back and warn the others” the young half-thestral advised. “First, we need to know with what we are dealing with” Star answered. “Who knows, we may be just making a storm in a teacup.” Although not sure, Moonlight agreed with Star and the two started to investigate the ruins. After a few moments investigating, Moonlight said: “I didn’t find anything. Just everyday objects and things without interest. What about you, Star?” “Well… I did find this” Star said, returning and bringing what looked to be a notebook with his magic. “What is it?” “It looks to be a journal. I found it in the middle of the debris. It may have the answers we need.” Having said that, Star opened the journal and started reading it. After a while, he said: “Interesting… It seems this island was once inhabited by two pony families: the Hooffields and the McColts. This journal belongs to one of the Hooffields. The two families didn’t get along at all, always competing with each other for the resources of the island.” “Really?” Moonlight asked. “I don’t know if I would live in a feud like that.” “Me neither, but you how ponies moved by pride are” Star said, continuing to read. “By what I’m looking here, they involved themselves in fights every other day, until… it happened a disaster.” “What happened?” “The two patriarchs involved in an intense fight that resulted in the death of the Hooffield. His family got so resented that they decided to take revenge.” “That doesn’t sound so good…” Moonlight said. And Star read in high voice: “And with a great thirst for revenge for the death of our father, we, the Hooffields, used a source of a mysterious magic that we have found to make the McColts pay for their heinous crime. Focusing all our magic and hate, all the McColts were affected by our spell and forced to adopt the form of the monsters they were. Their bodies became covered by thick fur and they had five legs getting from them. ” Such description made Moonlight close her mouth with her hooves, full of horror. “That’s horrible…!” she exclaimed. Star continued with the reading: “However, the satisfaction of accomplishment didn’t last long. After our act of revenge, we soon realized the great mistake that we have done. The McColts didn’t have just turned into monsters on the outside, but also in the inside. They turned wild and, with an innate resistance to the majority of spells, started to attack my family, feeding on them. I don’t know if reason had abandoned them or not, but what is certain is that the McColts became our ruin. But a ray of hope appeared on us when we found out that this Quintaped (the name we decided to give to these monsters) had a phobia for water. With this knowledge, we made an escape plan and we hope to be able to abandon this island before it’s too late. However, we’ll leave this journal behind just in case some unlucky one finds this island, with me and my family turning it unplottable. We just hope our greatest shame disappears forever from this world and that nopony comes to have their path crossed with these Hairy McColts.” After reading the last phrase of the journal, Star said: “That’s why there’s residues of wild energy in the air. The Hooffields must have used it to turn the McColts into these… Quintaped. And the reason for my mother not be able to find this island on the map is because it is unplottable.” “Star, when do you think this happened?” Moonlight asked, observing the journal. “I don’t quite know, maybe some decades” he replied. “So, if that’s so, don’t you think…” she started. The young prince realized what she meant to say. “The Quintaped can still exist on this island!” he exclaimed. “We have to warn the others and get out of here!” With this, the two prepared to get out of there, but they found themselves with the exit blocked by what fixed the description of the journal about the Quintaped. It was a beast with a big round body with a feral face at the front, showing extremely sharp teeth, and five legs ended with clubfeet surrounding the body. A thick red-brown fur covering everything. The creature started to approach the two youngsters, while grunting and saliva came out from its mouth full of fangs. “Great…” Star said. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Boyle started heading back to the ship, carrying a lot of fruit. “You see, Rainbow, I told you I could get more fruit than you” Applejack said. “That’s what we’re going to see, AJ” the Pegasus with the rainbow mane replied. “Once we get to the ship and we count the fruit, you’ll see who’s the winner.” “Wow, you really like to compete” Boyle observed. “It’s unbelievable that you are friends despite everything.” “Yeah, we try to not put our rivalry in front of our friendship” Rainbow Dash said. “Although we not always manage tah do that” Applejack confessed. At that moment, a grunting was heard. “Wow, Rainbow, ya mest be really hungry, gal” the earth mare with the hat commented. “Ah, that was not me…” Rainbow replied. “If it was not, ya, then… who…” Applejack started. They turned, while heavy steps were heard. At that moment, two Quintaped immerged, starting heading towards Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Boyle. “Are ya two seein’ what Ah’m seein’?” Applejack asked. “If you’re seeing two enormous five-legged monsters and with an hungry look coming our way, then yes” Boyle replied. “Run!” Rainbow exclaimed. And the three of them started running, while the Quintaped started tailing them. At the ruins, Star casted a magic beam against the Quintaped, but it didn’t caused any scratch on it, causing it only to become angrier. “It really looks like they are invulnerable to magic” he said. The creature jumped to attack Star and Moonlight, but the young alicorn was quick to create a barrier to protect them. The Quintaped didn’t give up and started trying to break the barrier. Star was able to feel the tremendous force that beast had and knew he wouldn’t be able to hold it for long. “What do we do, Star?” Moonlight asked. Star thought and then remembered what the journal said about the Quintaped. In his mind, he said to Kurama: “Kurama, I need you to contact Isobu. We’re really in need of his water nature.” “I’m already taking care of that” the nine-tailed fox answered. While they waited for Isobu’s help, Star continued to defend the Quintaped’s attempts to break the barrier. However, cracks started to appear on Star’s barrier, indicating it was almost breaking. He needed to hold the Quintaped’s attack until he had Isobu’s help. An idea came to him. “Moonlight, I need a sonic scream!” he exclaimed. She nodded and got ready. At the moment the barrier disappeared, Moonlight unleashed a sonic scream that launched the Quintaped back and against a wall. “Great!” the couple celebrated. But the happiness didn’t last long as the Quintaped quickly recovered and restarted its attack. At that moment, Kurama’s voice said: “Isobu’s here, Star.” The young prince gave a sigh of relief and went to the inside of his mind, where he found Isobu, the Three-Tails, beside Kurama. “It’s a good thing you’re here, Isobu” Star said. “We need your help.” “Sure, what do you need?” he asked. “We’re being attacked by some monsters that, apparently, don’t like water very much. I need one of your best water spells.” “Something specific?” “Moonlight told me that her uncle used a water wave against her and Adagio. What about that one?” The three-tailed turtle nodded, agreeing. At the real world, when the beast was about to give the blow on its preys, Star, using Isobu’s energy, charged his horn with magic and stomped with his hooves, yelling: “Take this!” And a great water wave appeared and washed the Quintaped, throwing it away. “You did it, Star!” Moonlight exclaimed. “This is not over yet” he said. “We have to help the others.” The two got out of the house in ruins and took flight. While moving away, Star noted that the Quintaped he had hit was upside-down, clearly affected by the spell. At the Destiny’s Bounty, Lix appeared on the deck and said: “I did my best and I believe that the stabilizer won’t give us any problems for now.” “Perfect!” Celaeno exclaimed, turning to Twilight. “Well, princess, it looks like we’re ready to set sail.” “Okay, then now we just have to wait that the others return” she said. At that moment, Rainbow Dash arrived, completely breathless. “Rainbow, what happened?!” Twilight asked. “We have to go now!” she exclaimed. “Why?” Blue asked. “Because of that!” the blue pegasus replied, pointing. And everyone saw with great horror Applejack and Boyle trying to reach the ship while being pursued by the two Quintaped. “But what are those?!” Rarity asked. “Duh, isn’t it obvious?” Pinkie Pie said. “Clearly it’s a type of monster that we have never heard about and that devours flesh and bones. Who would have guessed they really existed?” “Captain, put the ship working!” Twilight said. Celaeno went to do it, while Twilight, focusing, managed to teleport Applejack and Boyle to the ship safely. “Thanks, Twilight” Applejack thanked. “Yeah, princess, thank you” Boyled said. There was a scream that belonged to Fluttershy and everyone turned, seeing another one of the creatures getting in the deck, while grunting. Its preys get closer and retreated. Twilight and Blue tried to attack with a combination of magic beams, but they got surprised when that didn’t work. The Quintaped was almost attacking when Star landed right in the middle of his friends and the creature and summoned another wave that washed the creature out of the ship. “Star!” Twilight exclaimed, happy to see her son. Moonlight also landed and said: “Don’t worry, Star can handle them.” “Captain, I think you should start getting up” Star said. “I’m already doing that” she replied, while spinning the rudder. The ship started to turn to take flight, but it looked like they wouldn’t be able to get out before the two Quintaped to get them. Knowing that, Star threw another wave, against them, hitting them. Moments later, the Destiny’s Bounty took flight, starting to move away quickly from the island. When they were in the air safely continuing their trip, Star and Moonlight told what they had found. While observing the diary, Twilight said: “Amazing! I knew that wild energy could do unimaginable things, but I never expected it could be used for something like that.” “Mainly when used by regular unicorns” Blue said. “When we get back, I will have to talk with Leaf Mane and Golden Paladin about this.” “Fortunately for us, we had Star tah get rid ov those monsters” Applejack said. “Are you kidding?!” Rainbow Dash asked, while flying. “That was one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen!” Messing Star’s mane, the blue pegasus said to him: “Good job, kid! You really kicked those things’ butts… Well, at least I think so… They have a butt, right?” “Thank you for congratulation, aunt Rainbow, but the credit goes to Isobu” Star said, while arranging his mane. “If it wasn’t for his water nature, I think we wouldn’t be able to escape the Quintaped.” In his mind, Star told to Isobu: “Thank you for everything. You saved us from becoming Quintaped food.” “You’re welcome, boy” the Three-Tails answered. “After what you did for all of us, it was a pleasure. Don’t think twice in calling, if you need help again.” And, having said that, Isobu disappeared. “Well, that was a close one” Kurama commented. “You tell me…” Star said. “But there’s something that is bothering me.” “What?” “That island was unplottable and normally something like that also has a part that prevents it from being found accidentally, like we did.” “I see…” Kurama said. “You think that there’s someone trying to prevent us from moving forward.” “I know it looks like paranoia…” Star said. “No, Star, you do well thinking like that” Kurama replied. “It seems too coincidental we found this island magically hidden soon after our meeting with Allegro. And if there’s really someone conducting us to those obstacles, then there’s only one being that can be behind all of this.” The young alicorn prince didn’t have to think twice to know who Kurama was talking about: “The Lord of Chaos…” Sitting on his throne, the Lord of Chaos was watching the heroes as they continued they journey through one of his mirrors. “I can’t believe the luck those fouls have” he said. “Not even the Quintaped can end them. I have to keep trying to stop them or at least delaying them as much as I can.”