Stars twinkled over a calm, rocky shoreline, where the lapping waves were interrupted only by tightly packed sandbars and tiny offshore islands.
The assortment of sand, boulders, and hardy plants stretched for miles along the shore to the west, before being forced to yield to the only artificial structures built in the vicinity for hundreds of years. The buildings looked as if they had been forced up from beneath the ground, rather then built atop it, the towering metal structures rusted from countless eons of relentless moisture that slammed into them from the foreboding sea beyond. But despite all the torments of nature, this place (known to some as Mzahnch) still retained enough of its former grandeur to be recognized as a remnant of the mighty empire it once represented.
The only changes ever to occur in a place like this were when the occasional wayward traveler would pass by, which was not often.
However, on this night, the most unprecedented group of travelers ever to walk this world were about to make landfall. Across the ocean to the south, a twinkling dot of blue light appears on the horizon, twinkling like the many stars that dot the inky expanse above.
Steadily, it grows in size as it approaches the distant shore, floating across the lapping waves towards a network of jutting sandbars and towering rock spires that dot the water, giving way to an actual landmass that stretches off into the northern horizon. Eventually, the sphere of blue light approaches one of the small islands...
...lifting up and settling over one of the rocky outcrops that dot the small spit of land.
Seven equine figures toppled onto the sturdy land beneath then, one carrying a squat, scaled creature on its back. Twilight and her friends have finally arrived at what is no doubt the start of their latest adventure, and despite how brief and spontaneous it had been thrust at them, here they are, the first ever Equestrians to grace the shores of Morrowind.
And one had a few choice words about the landscape visible from the rock formation they stood upon, the multiple planets above providing enough illumination to at least see the start of the shore.
"Ooh... Eck..." moaned Rarity, so shaken with disgust that her armor rattled. "This... This is Morrowind? It's so... gaudy... and the terrain is atrocious."
"I hear ya, Rares," said Rainbow, lifting up on her wings to get a better view of the desolate landscape beyond.
A light scraping noise echoed slightly through the air, and they all noticed that Applejack had leaped down to a patch of soil below and was kneading it with a hoof.
"This land is completely dead," she commented, lifting up her hoof and giving the mud clinging to her armored fetlock a look of deep disgust. "It's completely devoid of any proper nutrients. How does anything grow here?"
"Not every part of Morrowind is like this," explained Twilight as she and the rest joined Applejack on the more level ground. "Everything I ever studied says that while some areas are devoid of life, most of the Morrowind province is habitable." She gave gave Applejack a slightly smug, slightly reassuring smile. "In fact, there are flora and fauna in Morrowind that can be found nowhere else on Nirn. And it is for that reason that sujamma can only be made and sold in Morrowind."
They all noticed the dreamy expression that crossed Applejack's eyes at the mention of the coveted drink that she had guiltily become fond of.
"Province?" stated Princess Luna as she approached Twilight. "So Morrowind exists as part of an even bigger country?"
"That is correct, your majesty," answered Twilight, bowing respectfully. "It, along with Black Marsh, Cyrodiil, Elsweyr, Hammerfell, High Rock, Skyrim, the Summerset Isles, and Valenwood make up the continent of Tamriel. And while they all have their own customs, ruling governments, and history, they all answer to a higher governing force called the Empire."
Twilight didn't have much time to explain, but she decieded to make the more unpleasant facts known to Princess Luna, seeing as how learning through experience might result in the princess reacting in a manner that might compromise them. Namely how Morrowind veiwed other races, especially the Argonians.
Luna wandered to the edge of the small island and gazed at the rocky horizon before her.
"You know, young Twilight," Luna seemed to be contemplating hard. "I think... I understand your hesitation to get Equestria directly involved with Nirn. If such... discrimination were to become commonplace in Equestria..."
"It's not just that, your Majesty," said Rarity worriedly, "these ruffians hate others for physical difference. The Khajiit and Argonians at least walk upright like the people of the Morrowind, if they ever learn of our world, where not everyone walks on just two legs..."
'Yes, no doubt such difference would spur a response from the small minded people of this realm,' thought Luna, looking to her foreleg. 'Still, it does not always take much to topple an unjust empire.'
Twilight spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. "Princess," Luna looked up as the purple unicorn put a hoof around her. "I know what you're thinking, but we can't get involved."
"Yeah, your Majesty," interjected Applejack, "As much as such a thing disgusts me, we are here for a reason of our own."
"Poor Fleur is really sicky sick," said Pinkie.
Luna had not forgotten about poor Fancy Pants' wife, but she had a certain... disdain for tyrannical rulers who allow slavery to occur...
"Is there nothing we can do?"
Twilight gave a reassuring smile, "Princess, we don't have to do anything."
Luna's expression grew confused.
"Have you forgotten, darling, the events we have been discussing technically happened two hundred years ago," said Rarity, though she then adopted a confused look. "Although, I guess that isn't the case for us at the moment."
"Well, time travel or not," started Rainbow smugly, "from Equestria's point of view, the events involving the Nerevarine, Dagoth Ur, and the Tribunal all happened a super long time ago."
"You told me some of the history of the Tribunal before we left Equestria," stated Luna. "I know they gained power from this 'Heart of Lorkhan', same as Dagoth Ur, then Dagoth Ur was vanquished by the Nerevarine. But even with him gone, wouldn't the Tribunal still have reign over Morrowind?"
"No," explained Twilight. "You see, your majesty, in order for the Nerevarine to stop Dagoth Ur, he had to sever his bond with the Heart, and the only way to do that was to sever the Heart from the physical world. And when that happened, anyone who had gained power from it lost their powers for good."
"And without their all high and mightiness, they didn't rule Morrowind much longer," continued Rainbow, "Yep, without all their huge power the people told them to take a hike."
"Well, that's not quite what happened, but without their power, the Tribunal could not maintain their rule," said Twilight, looking up at Luna reassuringly. "But our point is that it's not necessary for us to get involved with the crisis of the Tribunal. There are already events in motion that will put an end to it, in fact, from what I know, it's happening now, judging from the point in time in which we have arrived."
"Besides, it's like Twilight explained before we left," said Pinkie, "due to Hermaeus Mora sticking his nosy tentacles into Equestria, if we mess up something in the future here, it might affect us to."
Yes, despite the suffering that was no doubt occurring at this moment, it was not worth the risk to intervene, under any circumstances, Luna realized that now.
Still, now that they had reached that conclusion, Luna now took notice that one member of their party had not taken part in the conversations. Fluttershy had apparently been leaning over the side of the shore staring into the water, and now that she noticed, it was rather strange. She appeared to be talking to her reflection.
"Maiden Fluttershy," said Luna, approaching said pegasus and tapping her. "Is something amiss?"
Three years of interdimensional tentacle monsters, dragons even more terrifying than normal, and magic even non-unicorns can use...
And Fluttershy was still Fluttershy.
"EEP!" Fluttershy leapt up with a startled yelp and clung to the first thing she came in contact with. Unfortunately, with no tree limbs nearby, that meant Rainbow was the only thing up above for Fluttershy to cling to... her light yellow hooves locking her sky blue wings behind her.
"FLUTTERSHYYYY!!!"
Both pegasi took a dip right in the nearby sea water, and while it was nowhere near deep with the close proximity of land, it did leave them both covered in mud, their once glistening Royal Armor caked with wet earth. Sputtering, Rainbow pulled her muzzle from the mud, glaring at her fellow winged pony, who could only grin sheepishly. "Ugh.. sorry Rainbow."
Rainbow opened her mouth to no doubt give a stern lecture about how un-awesome that was when both ponies became surrounded in a violet aura that lifted them out of the drink.
"You two alright?" asked Twilight as she deposited her two feathered companions back among the group.
"Yeah, I'm okay," said Rainbow begrudgingly as she threw Fluttershy another glare.
"Oh, I beg to differ, darlings," said Rarity seriously, a handkerchief popping into existence with a flash of blue. "Just look at the state of your armor. That is no way for a lady to present herself."
"Rarity, don't start fussing," said Rainbow, trying to fly out of range of Rarity's assault of swiping, but Rarity grabbed her multi-hued tail with her magic.
"Hold still," she huffed.
"I don't..."
"Need I remind you who owns the 'overly large' tent we all have to share?" snapped Rarity as she dragged Rainbow back to earth and began polishing her armor. "Unless you want to sleep outside like the ruffian you're acting like, you will behave and let me do what needs to be done."
Rainbow huffed with indignity and crossed her arms.
"Good," said Rarity, returning to her work while turning to Fluttershy, "and don't you go anywhere, dear, I will do you next."
Fluttershy just scraped the ground guiltily.
"Don't worry, sugarcube," said Applejack, putting a hoof around her muddy shoulder, being more than used to mud herself. "We all know how jumpy you can be."
"Thanks Applejack," said Fluttershy, perking up a little with the close proximity of her friend. "I just... I hope I don't slow us down."
"Don't worry Fluttershy," said Twilight reassuringly, "you've proven yourself to be an invaluable traveling companion before. You can do so now."
"Yepperooni," agreed Pinkie, "Nirn or Equestria, we know we can count on you to have our flanks."
"I hope so," said Fluttershy with obvious doubt.
"Nonsense, timid one," said Luna supportively, "was it not you who found us a guide when it became obvious we were lost out there in the sea?"
"Oh right!" said Fluttershy as she remembered what she had been doing before the princess startled her. "That's actually what I was doing before. Our 'guide' would like a little compensation for his assistance."
"Compensation?" inquired Rarity as she started scrubbing Fluttershy's armor, Rainbow glistening behind her. "He doesn't strike me as the type to have much need for money."
"Oh, he doesn't want money," explained Fluttershy as Rarity wiped off her face. "He says he smells something tasty from our bag and would like to try it."
"Oh, so he wants a snack?" asked Pinkie, Fluttershy confirming with a nod. "Well why didn't he say so?"
"PINKIE!!!" shouted Rarity in frustration as Pinkie grabbed the infinite dimension pouch from Princess Luna and pressed Fluttershy by the hindquarters back over to the edge of the rocky platform.
"Hey, you should have started with her," teased Rainbow smugly as Rarity desperatly tried to wipe the last of the muck from Fluttershy before she was dragged out of range, then her look grew serious. "Still, that sea monster wants some of our food? Didn't see that coming."
Twilight gave her a worried look. "How is your wing, by the way? Any lingering pain?"
"Oh, don't worry about me, egghead," reassured Rainbow Dash, flapping the aforementioned wing without difficulty. "I've had worse, besides, you healed me with that fancy restoration magic." But she did bring the limb up trembling slightly as the felt the phantom pain of the wound she had sustained. "Still, those slayfish..."
"Slaughterfish," corrected Twilight.
"Whatever, I can't believe how aggressive they were," Rainbow kinda shivered as she remembered how the fanged fish had suddenly burst through Luna's magic shortly after they arrived and struck out at Rarity, only for Rainbow to push her out of the way just in the nick of time, but taking the fish's teeth in her wing. It wasn't long before a whole school showed up, drawn by the scent of her blood.
"I can't believe Fluttershy's stare had no effect on them myself," commented Rarity, shivering as she remembered Fluttershy actually springing into action before the rest of them, pulling the fish off her friend and attempting to scold the whole group for attacking unprovoked, only for one of the things to rear up and almost snap her muzzle off.
"Slaughterfish are nothing but raw aggression," explained Twilight, looking over to Fluttershy with slight worry. "And they aren't the only ones, several members of Morrowind's wildlife are very aggressive by nature. We might not have any choice but to do what we had to do with the Slaughterfish if we encounter anything else unaffected by her stare."
They tried to drive the slaughterfish off peacefully at first, but when it became obvious that they were never going to back down, they had to resort to more... 'drastic' measures. They could all still remember Fluttershy sobbing into all of them as scaly bodies floated limply around them.
"At least the next sea fella we encountered wasn't so bad," commented Applejack. "He may have attacked at first, but at least Fluttershy could calm him with her stare. And it was fortunate he knew the way to Morrowind."
"I wonder why Fluttershy's stare did work on him?" pondered Spike.
"His kind are several times more intelligent than slaughterfish," explained Twilight. "Fluttershy's stare, I believe, can only affect creatures that don't rely on raw instinct alone."
"What is that fascinating creature called again, young Twilight?" asked Luna.
---
"Is it this?" asked Pinkie Pie, holding out a carrotdog.
Fluttershy looked into the water, then shook her head.
Pinkie reached into the pouch and produced a grilled cheese sandwich, "How about this?"
Fluttershy shook her head again.
This time Pinkie pulled out a jug of cider, "This one?"
Fluttershy arched an eye.
"Oh, right," said Pinkie, shoving the jug back in the pouch that wasn't even a quarter of its size, "Applejack would have my tail if I gave her cider away."
Fluttershy rolled her eyes, that wasn't even remotely the reason their friend couldn't have cider.
Hello, he lives under water.
"Oh, I know, how about...!"
Not a second after Pinkie pulled out a large, triple decker cake (with lit candle sticks) did a long crimson arm extend from the water, snatch the pastry in a large crab claw, and yank it into the water, a swirl of red tentacles heralding the departure of the creature that had helped them find land.
"Bye, friend," said Fluttershy, her and Pinkie waving farewell, "thanks for the help."
---
"They're called dreughs."
---
PFOOOOOSH!
"I still can't believe they make these things," said Applejack as she watched Rarity's inflatable tent extend towards the sky.
"Hey, let's face it," said Rainbow as she nudged Applejack in the side. "Anything can exist in Equestria, even tents for drama queens."
They both giggled at that.
"Applejack, Rainbow Dash," said Twilight, pulling the two athletes from their laugh at Rarity's expense. "We all need to participate if we want to get a decent night's rest without the danger of being discovered."
"Oh, right," said Rainbow, flying over to stand with the rest.
"Sorry Twi," said Applejack, also taking her place among her friends.
Luna stood on the sidelines while Twilight and the others formed a circle around Rarity's massive tent. She would like nothing more than to assist, but since she did not have magicka from Nirn coursing through her body like them, she was more than certain she would only get in the way. Besides, she wanted to see this in action.
"Everypony ...er," Twilight paused and looked to Spike. "Everyone ready?"
"Darn tootin."
"Hay yeah."
"Absolutely tootly."
"Woohoo."
"Ready when you are, darling."
"Always here for you, sister."
Twilight smirked at all their confirmations and got herself in a ready stance... but stopped at the last second. "WAIT."
"Aw, what's the holdup now?" asked Rainbow, reluctantly putting her forelegs back to the ground.
With a flare of her magic, Twilight drew an X before the entrance flap of the tent. "We can't get in if we don't know where the door is."
They were all glad she thought of that before it was too late.
"Alright, now," a pulsating orb of purple and orange light shot from Rarity and Twilight's horns, Spike's claws, and Rainbow's, Applejack's, Pinkie's, and Fluttershy's forehooves, and in a blink the tent vanished from view, the only indication being the indentation in the soft earth.
They had all decided that it was best to bed down here where they first landed for the night rather then venture into Morrowind immediately. It was dark out and it wasn't a good idea to journey through unfamiliar terrain even in broad daylight. Plus, now more than ever, they needed to plan their next move.
As well as get more info on what it was they sought here in this place.
But as they all entered the tent (using Twilight's mark for orientation) Spike suddenly pulled Twilight to the side before she could enter with the rest.
"You'll probably need someone to check the perimeter," he said, giving a salute that no doubt was meant to be serious, but with his short stature and armor it just made him look cute. "And your number one assistant humbly volunteers."
Twilight arched an eye and looked around the deserted landscape around them. "I don't think that will be necessary, Spike."
"Oh, you never know," said Spike, crouching low and readying his claws as he looked back and forth for possible threats. "Anything dangerous could sneak up on us at any minute."
"Spike, anything that could be dangerous in a remote area of Morrowind like this wouldn't have the capacity to sneak up on anything," said Twilight with slight irritation. "The creatures of Morrowind are fierce, from what I know, but few are bright."
"Few is still a few to many," argued Spike. "And if we aren't careful, you lovely ladies might get hurt.
'So that's what this was about,'
Twilight realized that this was another attempt to woo Rarity with his respectable, but regrettably pointless gallant protection.
"Alright Spike, you do a perimeter check, " she said with a supportive smile, but quickly adopted a serious look. "But don't stray too far, and only do so for about half an hour. Then join the rest of us, okay?"
"Aye aye mine captain," said Spike with another salute.
Twilight giggled and gave him a hug and entered the tent, vanishing as she fell under the invisible tent. Once she was out of sight, the baby dragon turned towards the direction of the sea, rubbing his claws together with what could only be a sinister grin. Quickly, Spike removed his armor so as to make as little noise as possible and went to trail the shoreline of the tiny island.
"Where are you?" he whispered, crawling on all fours and sniffing the air like a dog, blinking with vertical eyelids. "You can't hide from me."
---
When Twilight entered the tent, she found her friends all setting up sleeping bags in a circle on the ground floor of Rarity's two story tent; with the exception of Rainbow, who was pulling clouds out of Princess Luna's infinite dimension pouch and compacting them into a kind of hovering mattress, that she then sprawled on.
"Can you believe Princess Celestia outlawed these?" she commented, holding the decorated pouch before her.
"I admit, they are quite useful," said Princess Luna, her horn wrapped in her midnight blue magic. "But they caused much calamity before my sister outlawed them. If that one didn't hold significant sentimental value for me, I would not have hesitated to destroy it." Her horn puffed out and she sighed with slight exhaustion. "That is the most I can do, hopefully it will be enough to allow this tent to shield us from that frightful disease."
After Twilight joined them, they all had dinner (Applejack and Pinkie Pie all dishing out equal portions of food that were healthy and/or delicious) then lay in a circle on the floor, their armor lying a short distance away so they could get comfortable.
"Oh, brave Spikey Wikey," cooed Rarity once Twilight told them where her number one assistant was. "Volunteering to do perimeter to protect us."
"Yeah," whispered Rainbow, nudging Twilight in the ribs, "Protect 'us'."
"Alright!" the stern voice of Princess Luna brought all attention to her as she lay on a sleeping bag of royal silk, her expression serious. "Now that we have established shelter for the night and have been nourished, I believe now is the time to plan our next move."
"What's to plan?" asked Rainbow brashly, "we find the potion that can cure Fancy's wife then high tail it back to Equestria without being seen."
"That is the basis of our mission, young miss Dash," said Luna, slightly irritated at Rainbow's lack of ability to fully grasp everything about this situation they were in. "But where is this potion? How do we find it? And when we do find it, will we be able to procure it peacefully?"
Everypony looked to Rainbow, who rubbed her neck nervously. "Huh...?"
"Really, Rainbow," said Rarity with a disappointed shake of her head. "When are you going to learn that there are times when a pony must use their head?"
"And now is such a time," said Luna, turning her attention to Twilight, "Twilight, it was you who thought of this potion, so what can you tell us about it?"
Twilight tapped her chin in thought. "I studied several things in Apocrypha, and I am pretty sure I came across it during that time." She smiled and levitated Luna's pouch over, "But rather then waste time waiting for me to recollect what I can remember, what say we find the information straight from a more reliable source?"
They all gasped slightly
"What dost thou..." Luna shook her head to snap herself out of her archaic speech. "I mean, what do you mean, young Twilight?"
With a smirk, and a flourish of magic, Twilight pulled something from the small bag, "what I mean is this."
They all stared.
"Hey I recognise that," said Pinkie, "that's the book Hermmy gave you."
"Yeah," said Rainbow as she stared at the patchwork cover of the book hovering in Twilight's magic, "that's what he gave you when you asked for a map."
"How is it going to help, Twi?" Asked Applejack, "It's just maps and directions, isn't it?"
"Oh, it is more than that, Applejack," said Twilight, looking at the book with a dreamy expression."You see, girls, this is Hermaeus Mora's personal Daedric artifact, the Oghma Infinium."
They all exchanged looks of confusion and intrigue.
"His... personal artifact?" inquired Rarity. "What does that mean?"
"Let me explain," began Twilight, clearing her throat as she slipped into lecture mode. Applejack and Rainbow snickered. "All the Daedric lords have a specific artifact that they either created or procured, each one possessing magical attributes pertaining to the Daedra that owns it."
Luna blinked as she stared at the book floating between all of them, "Then if this book belongs to Hermaeus Mora, the Daedra of Knowledge..."
"Yes, your Majesty," confirmed Twilight, "its title 'Oghma Infinium' translates to 'Infinite Knowledge'. And its not a metaphor, this book literally contains all the knowledge of all existence."
They all stared in awe as they gazed at the Oghma Infinium with new clarity. Could it be true, could this tiny book contain such knowledge? While it was by no means the most ordinary book they had seen, to think it could contain such power.
"Whoa whoa whoa," said Rainbow hurriedly. "If big mister tentacles has this magic book containing all the knowledge of existence, why does he bother with that big book realm of his?"
"And for that matter, why seek knowledge from outside sources at all?" asked Applejack.
"Also," Princess Luna looked at the Oghma Infinium with slight hope. "Why didn't we just use this book to discern a cure for miss Fleur, rather than go on this quest through a land filled with peril?"
The others nodded in support for this plan, if it could be as simple as just going through that book, it was obviously what they should do.
"I know its sounds simple Princess, but believe me when I say it's not," answered Twilight, hating to deflate Luna's idea. "Because if were to try to get such information from the Oghma Infinium, traipsing through Morrowind is the safer option."
They all stared at her, flabbergasted.
"Huh.. define 'safer', darling," whispered Rarity. "Please."
Twilight sighed, "I have read up on the Oghma Infinium while studying in Apocrypha, though I never once thought I would see it myself." She looked to the book again before continuing, " But what I have learned is, if you use it for mundane things, like directions or historic facts, it's pretty harmless. However... for more complicated things, like ingredients for rare potions, complicated calculation formulae, and the like, using the Oghma Infinium could be fatal."
They all gasped again and looked to the Oghma Infinium with newfound fear.
"You can't be serious, egghead," said Rainbow, eyeing the book with caution. "How can a book kill you?"
"Simple, Rainbow," answered Twilight, "it simply contains such a mass of knowledge, it overwhelms the mind, causing it to shut down."
"Oh, so it's like the side effect Hermmy's realm has on minds who aren't all big and knowy like you Twilight," said Pinkie hurriedly.
"Even worse than that, Pinkie," said Twilight, much to the others' shock. "The Oghma Infinium's knowledge is so immense that even the most intellectual of minds break under it. In fact, this book has left a trail of dead scholars, scientists, and other knowledge seekers throughout the entire history of its existence."
If they weren't wary of the Oghma Infinium before, they sure were now.
"I... is it safe for us to use?" asked Luna shakily.
Twilight smiled reassuringly, "like I said, princess, it's perfectly harmless for mundane knowledge. It should make 'finding' that potion easy."
"I still don't understand why Hermaeus doesn't use it," said Rainbow, annoyed that her question went unanswered, despite what had been said before and how terrifying it was. "From what we know, these Daedra guys cant die, so he wouldn't be stopped by whatever makes it impossible for us 'mortals' to use it."
"It's simple Rainbow, Hermaeus Mora doesn't want to gain new knowledge that way," explained Twilight happily. "He enjoys the hunt and the challenge just as much as he does knowledge itself. Where would the sport be if he just got whatever he wants so easily?"
Rainbow blinked, "I... actually have to respect that. Half the fun of doing difficult things is in the challenge."
"Enough small talk," said Luna with gentle authority. "If we can't get the cure from the Oghma Infinium then we are back to the original plan. Twilight, please proceed."
Twilight nodded her head and with a flourish of magic, opened the Oghma Infinium. They had all held their breath without even realizing it, so when nothing happened once the book opened they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"So what's it say, Twilight?" Asked Rainbow, fluttering off her cloud to look over her shoulder:
"Ooookaaay?"
"Hold on Rainbow," said Twilight, shooing her Pegasus friend away. "One more thing needs to be done." Taking a deep breath, Twilight held the Oghma Infinium before her, "Oghma Infinium," she said, her voice commanding, "who created the potion to cure Corprus Disease?"
They all watch in anticipation as the book began to glow a deep green, Rainbow fluttering back up to her cloud bed so as to give her room to study the legible words appearing on the pages of the Oghma Infinium. With impressive speed, Twilight's eyes raced the lines of the pages as she read.
The surprised gasp she let out took them by surprise.
"How could I have not seen this before?" she gasped, her eyes sparkling as she restudied the pages. "It makes so much sense... it could only have been him."
"What's wrong, darling?" asked Rarity, the others sharing her concern.
Twilight lowered the Oghma Infinium and revealed her beaming grin, "The one who invented the Corprus cure... was the Dunmer sorcerer, Divayth Fyr!"
They all gained confused looks, and Twilight could only facehoof.
"Oh, come on girls. I expected that from Princess Luna, no offense your Majesty." Luna just shrugged, "But you all spent three years with me in Apocrypha, learning about the magic from Nirn."
"Twilight, it was your magical ingenuity that allowed us to gain such knowledge," said Fluttershy, "without the modifications you made to that spellbook it wouldn't have been possible for us to obtain the magic powers you learned."
"Besides, I don't even remember all the complicated stuff," said Rainbow.
"Yeah," agreed Applejack, "it's like... all that we learned is just a part of us now."
Twilight sighed again.
"Well, Divayth Fyr is only one of the most well accomplished sorcerers in all of Tamriel," explained Twilight. "Every magic caste I studied has at least some major breakthroughs in their development thanks to him. Restoration, Destruction, Illusion, Alchemy, you name it."
"Oh, my," said Luna impressively, "I know Equestrian magic and Nirn magicka aren't the same, but such accomplishments must have taken decades."
"Millennia, actually," stated Twilight, much to their surprise. "From what I can remember, Divayth Fyr is over four thousand years old. In fact, he's one of the few Dunmer remaining that still remembers what it was like to be a Chimer."
"Oh, how tragic," said Rarity, remembering the lost beauty of the once fair Dark Elves.
"So where can we find this 'Divayth Fyr'?" asked Luna, steering the conversation back to the main event.
"Let me see," said Twilight, consulting the Oghma Infinium again and began to read out loud, "It says during Third Era, Divayth Fyr lives in the highest tower of Tel Fyr, where he and his four daughters watch over Corprusarium, trying to find a cure for Corprus."
A genuine smile broke over Luna's muzzle. "So now we finally have a destination. How far is Tel Fyr from here?"
"Hold on," said Twilight, looking down to the book again, "Oghma Infinium, how far is Tel Fyr from our current location?" Twilight grew a puzzled look when she read what appeared on the pages."Huh, that's convenient. According to this Tel Fyr is only a few miles northeast of here. In fact, it says if we follow the mainland, we will reach Tel Fyr in less than three days."
They all celebrated in their own way on hearing the short trek it would take. Upon tomorrow, they would head out to the mainland to find Tel Fyr, and hopefully be able to persuade Divayth Fyr to assist them. But as of now, with a laid out plan for the journey ahead, it was time to get some rest.
But first, Rarity was curious about something.
"Twilight, darling," she said, Twilight looking to her, "you said Divayth Fyr has daughters?"
"Yes," replied the mulberry unicorn, looking back at the entry in the Oghma Infinium. "This says he has four."
"Oh, that's so sweet," Rarity cooed dreamily. "Such a well accomplished sorcerer, and yet he's still a gentlecolt and a family stallion."
"Yeah, never mind the fact that he has expanded the development of magic more than anyone," sneered Applejack.
"Oh hush, you," snipped Rarity, sticking her tongue out at the apple farmer. "He probably did all that for his children, in fact," Rarity scooped the Oghma Infinium from Twilight in her magic, "Twilight, would it be alright if I read some more about these daughters of Divayth Fyr? I would like to know more about them."
"Sure, Rarity," agreed Twilight, fluffing her pillow, but her heart dropped out of her stomach when she remembered a... small detail. "Wait..."
"Oghma Infinium," started Rarity in her elegant voice, "please tell me about Divayth Fyr's children."
"Rarity NO, it's not what it..." but it was to late, Rarity was already trailing the page with her eyes.
"Divayth Fyr's daughter's are Alfe, Beyte, Delte, and Uupse Fyr..." read Rarity, her eyes lighting up as she pronounced each name, "oh, their names are so graceful..."
"Oh no!" Said Twilight nervously, throwing her hooves up before falling back on her sleeping bag, covering her face with her hooves.
"What's the matter, Twi?" Asked Applejack worriedly.
"Yeah Twilight," said Rainbow with a slightly annoyed tone, "Rarity has always been a sap for mushy family stuff."
"Believe me, girls," replied Twilight, lifting one of her legs to reveal the nervous look in her eye. "Divayth Fyr's relationship with his daughters is anything but sappy or mushy."
Before anypony could question, Rarity stopped squeeing about how beautiful the names sounded and continued.
"Divayth Fyr..." Rarity suddenly stopped, her intrigued expression melting away for one of shock as her eyes continued to trace the sentences on the page. She suddenly gasped, putting a hoof over her mouth as her coat somehow grew even more white.
"Oh my gosh, Rare Bear, you okay?" Gasped Pinkie with concern.
"You look as if you've seen a ghost," said Luna, also with concern.
"A GHOST!?" Fluttershy almost screamed.
"It's an expression, Flutters," said Rainbow, "But seriously Rares, what's the deal?"
"Yeah, what's wrong, sugarcube?" said Applejack.
Rarity trembled as she looked up at her friends, "It... it says... that...
"Divayth Fyr 'grew' his daughter's from his own flesh..."
Things got so quiet in the tent a pin dropping would sound like a Sonic Rainboom.
"Lady Rarity, I think I heard you wrong," said Princess Luna, getting to her hooves along with everypony, unease making it uncomfortable to stay laying down for them. "Did you say that he 'grew' his daughters?"
"That's what it says," replied Rarity with a shaky voice. "It says he utilized his advanced skills with alchemy to produce his daughters from his own body."
"But... but that would make them..."
"Clones, your Majesty," Twilight finished for Princess Luna. "Divayth Fyr's daughter's are basically female clones of himself. The one magical practice you and Celestia outlawed above all others back in Equestria when the unification of the pony tribes began to accelorate the development of Equestrian magic. I am sorry to say, such moral has no place in Nirn, and not only that, it is considered one of Divayth Fyr's most spectacular breakthroughs."
"But...to create beings artificially like that?" said Luna with a shiver of disgust. "It's an affront to nature."
"So let me get this straight," said Rainbow as she sank down to the floor from her cloud. "This guy... actually grew his kids magically from pieces of himself?"
"You mean... like how I would grow a new apple tree from seeds of another?" asked Applejack, her jaw hanging open.
"That's simplifying it a bit, but basically yes," confirmed Twilight. "Divayth Fyr was so skilled in alchemy, he could produce offspring from his own body."
"Ewwww," echoed five voices throughout the tent.
"How ...how horrible... if... if I had learned that Pound and Pumpkin were born like that..." Pinkie trembled at the thought.
"And...to think four people must live with how unnatural their own birth was...?" Fluttershy also trembled with revulsion. She had helped deliver a baby more than once with her occupation as an animal caretaker, and to hear that the beautiful natural process of bringing a newborn into the world and hearing that it had been twisted in such a manner...
"What possible reason could he have for doing such a thing?" asked Rarity, looking back to the Oghma Infinium. "I... can't believe he would 'create' his children just because he wanted children. Were they just an experiment to him, or...?"
Twilight let out a worried gasp, "Rarity wait, don't read further..."
Too late again.
The patchwork book fell to the floor as Rarity's magic winked out, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream.
"Rarity, what is it?" asked Applejack, her and the three others surrounding the book that had fallen open on its spine.
Twilight could only cringe with guilt as one by one they all gained a look identical to Rarity. Then, much to Twilight's shock, they all simultaneously plopped to the floor in a dead faint. Even Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been overwhelmed by the drama queen instinct that usually only Rarity was susceptible to.
"I... have never seen all of them faint at once," stated Twilight, deadpan.
"What happened?" asked Luna, scooping up the Oghma Infinium in her magic and skimming the page, dropping it a second later, her face turning so white she could be mistaken for her sister for a second. "By the stars and the moon..."
"Princess, I know it's a disturbing thought, but we still have a mission to accomplish," said Twilight, stowing the Oghma Infinium back into Luna's pouch.
"We...," Luna stammered as she looked to Twilight with a horrified expression. "Twilight Sparkle... we have to ask this... lecherous pig for help?"
"I know the thought is repulsive, your Majesty," said Twilight, sharing her matriarch's nausea, but also trying to get a message across. "But that doesn't change the fact that Divayth Fyr, despite his crooked morality, is our only hope to help Fleur from suffering a fate worse than death."
Luna snapped back to a professional attitude at being reminded of their situation. "Understood Twilight, though it will be most tempting to shatter this Divayth Fyr's eardrums with my Royal Canterlot Voice once I meet him."
"I wouldn't blame you, as great a feat of magic it is, some lines should never be crossed," Twilight looked to all her comatose friends. "We should get them into bed."
"Agreed," said Luna, "though I must confess, I am glad your young assistant was absent from this."
"I should bring him in too," said Twilight, looking to the tent flap. "He hadn't eaten yet himself, though I must admit, I am impressed with how long he..."
"AAAAAHAHAHAAAH!"
The sudden shout was enough to wake all the passed out mares, but there was no mistaking that voice.
"SPIKE!!!" they all shouted in unison, running from the tent as fast as their legs or wings can carry them.
---
-SEVERAL MINUTES EARLIER-
Spike reached his claw into the shallow water of the shoreline, rummaging through the muddy bottom.
"Ohoho, I'm close, I can feel it," Spike mumbled to himself.
He had picked up a scent the moment they landed on this small island and at first he thought he was imagining it, but once he realized the scent had yet to diminish with time, it could only mean it was genuine. Of course, he dared not make a move while his friends were present, for they would not approve of what he was about to do.
Finally, Spike's claw scraped against something hard.
"Aha, knew I could find you," said Spike gleefully, pulling something up with a splash of mud and water, but once he scraped the slime that was obscuring his find from view, his jaw dropped. "Oh, oh wow!"
Spike sat cross legged on the muddy shore, cradling in his claws the largest oyster he had ever seen in his life.
The light pink mollusk was at least half the size of his head, its polished pink shell gleaming in the starlight. Spike licked his lips, drooling as his eyes widened with hunger. His keen dragon senses were telling him this oyster had something precious inside.
He loved to eat gemstones, gold, silver, and other precious material, it was his nature as a dragon. But if there was one thing among jewelry that he longed for the most, it was among the rarest in all of Equestria. Do to the herbivorous nature of ponies, it was practically unheard of for them to slaughter any form of creature, let alone for something as mundane as something one would just wear instead of eat.
Spike respected that about ponies, but even though he was raised by them, his predatory nature only allowed his sympathy to stretch so far, let alone to a mussel.
"Sorry, little guy," he said with slight regret, reaching his claw out to grasp the top of the oysters shell.
But to his immense surprise, his claws slipped through the shell. "What the...?" he sunk his claws through the shell a few more times, his digits sinking through without making contact. "Huh, okay...?"
Arching his eye in slight confusion, Spike plunged his claw back inside the oyster and felt around, "this is weird."
But he soon lost interest in this bizarre circumstance, as in the next second he felt something inside the oyster and pulled it out.The sound of a surprised gasp, followed by the splash of an oyster dropping into the ocean echoed through the night. Spike's widened even more, drool dripping from has gaping mouth.
He cradled in his claws the largest pearl he had ever seen.
The little white sphere was easily the size of a starter marble, its gleaming surface reflecting starlight as it rested in Spike's claws. He could count the times he had had the luxury of tasting pearl virtually on one claw, and even then, those weren't anywhere near as big as this one. 'This place...' thought Spike, looking to the distant land that stretched out beyond. 'I have only been here for a few hours, and I have already found such a treasure? What else can be found here?'
Turning back to the pearl, Spike licked his lips and extended his long, dexterous tongue, wrapping up the pearl and dragging it into his mouth. Immediately, a familiar but savory taste flooded his mouth, dancing on his tongue and cheeks with blissful delight. His eyes rolling back in his head with bliss, Spike reclined on a small rock behind him, rolling the smooth round texture of the pearl through his mouth like a jawbreaker.
Normally, Spike would crunch and chew gemstones with his powerful dragon teeth, but since he rarely got to savor pearl, he decided to just let it melt in his mouth.
'Grumble'
Until the rock he was reclined against suddenly shifted slightly...
"Gulp."
...Startling Spike so badly he involuntarily swallowed the pearl.
"Aw nuts!" he said, standing up and throwing a dirty look to the annoying rock...
...only to replace it with a look of surprise as he trailed his vision upwards.
"Squeak."
The rock lifted a good four feet from the mud it was settled in, and much to Spike's shock, it now stood on six thick but spindly legs.
"SQUEAK!!!"
The front end suddenly lifted and Spike found himself staring into very small blue eyes above two sharp mandibles.
"AAAAAHAHAHAAAH!" Spike screamed in shock and panic, falling back and crawling away from the bizarre creature.
"SPIKE!!!"
His scream had apparently been loud enough to draw the attention of the ponies taking refuge in the invisible tent a short distance away. Twilight and the others appeared out of thin air and froze in shock at seeing the creature bearing down on him.
"What in Equestria is that?" said Rarity, horrified as her eyes trailed the horror from top to bottom.
"MUDCRAB!!!" Twilight lit up her horn, grabbing Spike in her telekinesis and pulling him to her chest protectively. "Everypony be on guard, mudcrabs aren't overly dangerous but they are aggressive and will attack anything that gets close to them."
All of the others readied some form of magical assault, Luna bringing her powerful alicorn magic to bear, while the others chose a destruction spell of some kind... except one.
"Wait," said Fluttershy, standing to face them.
"Fluttershy, I know you have a problem with harming any kind of living creature," argued Twilight hurriedly, stroking Spike's spines to try and calm him. "But mudcrabs can't be reasoned with. They're just as vicious as slaughterfish.
"And you remember what happened when we encountered those slimy little ruffians, don't you darling?" asked Rarity. Rainbow Dash subconsciously rubbed her wing.
"I know, girls, but," Fluttershy turned back to the mudcrab. "Why isn't it attacking?"
Fluttershy was right.
The mudcrab had yet to move from the spot where they had first noticed it, the only thing different now was that it had turned to face them, wiggling its mandibles silently.
"I don't understand," said Twilight, she and the others looking on in confusion. "Mudcrabs are one of the most aggressive animals on all of Nirn. Its history is ripe with tales of how travelers would be cautious of them every step of their journey."
"That book on animals described them the same," stated Fluttershy.
"Then why is it just standing there like a lump on a log?" asked Applejack.
Fluttershy looked to them again, "Maybe... this one is gentler than the norm for its kind?"
Rainbow gave her a deadpan look. "Then why did it attack Spike?"
"I don't think it meant to," Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the mudcrab again. "Maybe.. while Spike was guarding the perimeter, he accidentally woke it up?" She turned to it with a friendly smile. "I'll just go apologize."
"Fluttershy, are you loco?" gasped Pinkie.
"We do not know the exact reason it hasn't attacked us," said Twilight worriedly. "For all we know, it's just waiting for us to get closer."
Fluttershy grew an annoyed look, "Twilight, you know as well as I do that that is the last thing a mudcrab would do, they're not intelligent enough. Please, let me try to reason with it."
Twilight did not like the idea of her meek friend getting too close to one of the most ferocious creatures on this world, but she knew she had a point. The mudcrab wasn't attacking and that was unheard of for a mudcrab from what she had read. Something peculiar was going on here, and despite her misgivings, Twilight wanted to figure it out. Still, this was a mudcrab...
"I'm coming with you," she said, lifting her forehoof to halt Fluttershy's rebuttal. "I promise, I only intend to teleport you away if it turns violent when we get close."
Fluttershy nodded, smiling in gratitude and understanding as they both turned to the bulbous creature.
"Twilight," said Princess Luna, "be careful." The others said the same.
Nodding, Twilight and Fluttershy turned forward and began to approach the mudcrab cautiously. It took little time to arrive before it, but it still had yet to do anything but twitter its mandibles.
"Ex... excuse me sir..." began Fluttershy timidly, smiling pleasantly. "If we woke you, we are terribly sorry. We were just trying to find a safe place to sleep..."
A high pitched, squeaky voice cut her off. "'How dry I am... how dry I am... nobody knows... how dry I am....' SHAY! Hi. There. Lesh make a deal. I got... stuff. Lots. Here. See?"
