A Twist in the Tail
Part 9
Message in a Bottle
Note: This chapter is fluff, through and through. Enjoy (I hope).
***
Summer snored from the hammock strung up on deck. She rocked gently back and forth, twitching her tail every so often. The end of her beautiful burgundy tail - beautiful despite the fact it was rather scruffy and stiff with salt water - had a good length of twine fastened to it. As she twitched her tail, it would pull the hammock, and she would rock forwards and then back, which would make her twitch her tail again.
Apparently, this game was called ‘fishing’ and she rather enjoyed it. Every so often though, for some reason, a fish would snap at the hook, get caught, and she’d have to pull it in. She couldn’t bear hitting the poor things on the head, but it had to be done if it was to be eaten. They weren’t for her or any of the other ponies - they didn’t eat meat, not even fish - but for the sea serpent. She’d let Reginald do it; he wanted the fish, he could do the grisly deed. She did, however, feel slightly guilty for enabling, but Reginald was a meat-eater of sorts and they did need the seaweed cakes he made. The sign attached to the string which read ‘Warning: Do Not Bite This Hook’ in Common Equestrian made her feel slightly better, she had been assured that even the creatures of the deeps spoke enough Common Equestrian - when they could speak - to know not to take the bait.
Twitcha-twitch... twitchy-twitchy-twitcha-twitch...
Summer snorted, yawned, and rolled over. Hopefully, she thought to herself, the silly thing would get free. The tugging, however, grew more insistent. She grumbled to herself, flopped out of the hammock and began to reel it in. She was actually rather amazed. If she’d been told, a scant few months ago when she was still a human, that she’d not only have but be using a tail as a fishing rod, not to mention as an appendage to reel in the line with it, she’d have laughed.
She didn’t need a fishing rod, instead there was what amounted to a reel fixed onto the side of the boat. She slipped her tail through, pulling the rope inside and locking it in with a hoof. Then she whipped her tail around and around, pulling on a crank. It latched up notch by notch, and eventually some largish species of dumb fish flopped impotently against the sides of the boat. She wriggled her tail free of the rope, coiling it neatly into the bargain, and then realized she was completely alone.
Apart from the fish. The choking, flopping, hooked fish.
“Oh my gosh this is terrible! Vertigo! Vertigo! Help! You gotta help! Alice! Kids! Anypony!”
She ran about from one side of the boat to the other before the sleep-befuddlement cleared enough from her head for her to remember, ah yes, the dinner bell! To the back of boat then, to the stern! Though, with the size of her boat, it was more like the mildly serious.
Her boat, she thought proudly. Well technically it belonged to Alice, though Alice had sort of given it to her and Vertigo as a wedding present. They’d traded in the engines to an intrigued unicorn and earth-pony pair for a set of sails and rigging which had been retrofitted in no time flat thanks to a little magic. With a little luck, a weather-pony pegasus and the good weather that afforded them, they’d gone on a honeymoon in the South Ocean. Surprisingly, Alice and kids had come with them, via Seapony’s Fancy and the two ponies that crewed her, Sea Spray and Anchor Watch. Alice loved the ocean, so had jumped at the chance to crew a real Equestrian boat. The kids, the three sixteen-year-old kids who’d been Converted under somewhat extraordinary circumstances and who’d stuck together ever since, had followed her.
That left Summer and Vertigo, on the Pride of Lyons. Together. Alone... almost.
“Ah, my dear, that’s a splendid catch! Simply splendid!”
Summer had been yanking on the rope which led down to a sunken ship’s bell. The sound would carry for miles underwater. The turquoise and light purple sea serpent, better known against all probability as Reginald clapped his paws together and lifted the fish into the air. “Oh yes, this one’s a beauty. Turn around Summer darling, I know you don’t like this bit.”
Summer bit her lip, and turned, closing her eyes.
“Oh fishy fish, I give you but one chance to save yourself. Speak up and I shall spare your life.”
Summer waited. She wasn’t sure which would be worse - having one of her catches speak up and knowing she’d hooked a sentient being, or the usual result which was...
Whack.
Summer winced.
“There there, all done. Quick and clean. A dragon has to eat, you know, we’re not like you ponies.”
Summer sighed, turning around. “I know. You’re an apex predator. I used to be, you know. If you don’t eat the fish and control the population, they would first thrive and then starve by the masses.”
“You just don’t like it. A true Equestrian heart beats ‘neath that pretty hide of yours.”
“Oh stop, you’ll make Vertigo jealous, and then he’ll sulk.”
“Not much chance of that, Summer. All this fresh air and sunshine, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?”
Reginald blushed, covering his muzzle with one paw, “Oh I’m sure it’s not my place to say, but... there is a reason you’ve been left high and dry. Alice sees herself as a surrogate, so her body is skipping things so far, but being too close may set things off. You on the other hand...”
Summer mentally investigated herself. That same... warm glowing feeling as when she’d first turned pony. The strange pangs. That... kind of itch.
“Reggie, do you happen to know where Vertigo is?”
“I believe he is negotiating storm-free passage to a local island chain.”
“Get him. Now.”
***
Boats, thought Summer to herself as she lay curled up next to Vertigo, were wonderful things for exploring. She wriggled and stretched, careful not to wake her stallion. She felt amazing. She was sweaty, grimy, sticky, she smelled of her stallion and she loved every inch of it. She had loved every inch of it. They’d been lively in the lifeboats - well, tender in the tender. They’d gotten tangled up in the rigging. The crows nest had been a tricky one. They’d attempted to... well, she wasn’t going to mention what they’d tried in ‘the head’ even to her diary, but it hadn’t really worked - the boat was, after all, originally built for humans. It had been a little bit too cramped. The galley would need a good tidying up, and they’d finally found their way to the bed in the captain’s cabin.
Summer was now languishing in that sort of glow which only comes from being with just the right sort of pony in the just the right sort of way. She idly wondered which way it had been. Experimentation would be the key to solving this riddle. For science!
Vertigo yawned and stretched. He found a pair of pony lips kissing his forehooves.
“Ready for round two?”
“I think it’s... round nine?”
***
Alice deftly tied the rope into a knot with her muzzle and hooves, and stood back to appreciate her handiwork. She nodded happily to herself. Perfect. All it would take now is a breeze... something that delinquent Vertigo was supposed to deliver.
“Vertigo! Pointe Vertigo! Where is that stallion...”
“Ah, madame, young love keeps him occupied. Seaweed cake?”
“Reggie, where’s Vertigo?”
Reginald flipped his ears happily as he held out a tray on which were a collection of small, green cakes, “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Still? I need that flighty feathered horndog to stir us up some wind with the weather pegasi hereabouts. He’s still with Summer?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Ugh! Men! They’re all animals!”
“Guilty as charged. You really should try these cakes though, fresh from the oven!” Reginald twirled around as he exclaimed loudly in a sing-song voice.
“An oven? Underwater? Where on Ear- Equestria do you find an oven, underwater?”
“The kitchen of course! How about you ask Debs? She’s sweet on Zephyr Twist, the darling little silver and blue stallion who was hanging around all yesterday.”
“Sweet on him? That letch! She’s sixteen!”
“So’s he!”
“Augh! Yes, fine, yes. DEBORAH!” Alice spun about on her heels and yelled for the peach pegasus with the light green mane, who sheepishly poked her head out from a cloud floating some twenty above the Seapony’s Fancy. “There you are. Go find this... this... Zephyr Twist and...”
“Yes Miss Alice?” asked a second form. It was, in fact, a silver pegasus with a metallic blue mane and tail. Alice could see the blush all the way from where she was standing on the deck.
Alice narrowed her eyes. “Zephyr, if I find you’ve been making inappropriate moves on Deborah I will have you gelded, is that clear?”
Zephyr gulped, audibly, and nodded, “Yes Miss Alice.”
“Go tell your boys to whip some wind up, both of our boats. You said we’re heading South?”
“South, uh-huh! We’ve got a big blow-over, it’ll be a real treat to watch. the Sky Caravan’ll keep you safe, and we’ll make sure the storm doesn’t make land. You’re booked to berth in a small island for a few days, then we’ll be moving on. You can make landfall on the Southern Reaches or sail back up North... or around the cape with us.”
“Let’s get to those islands first, we can discuss things after. And Debs, you get back down here right now.”
“You’re not my Mom! And he was making all the right moves!”
“Debs! Debs! Augh!” Alice stomped her hoof as both of the pegasi fluttered off back to the movable sky-castle that had been seeing to their weather needs.
“They make a pretty pair.”
“Reginald! They’re kids!”
“Ah-ah, they’re adults. Young adults, but adults.”
“They can’t bring up foals alone at their age! And that’s what’ll happen if they’re...”
“Alone?” Reginald looked horrified, “They’ll have the whole Sky Caravan to help, if that’s what they decide. Miss Alice, it may be time to let your foal swim free.”
“She’s not my foal... it’s just kind of my fault she’s here.”
“You made her drink this... ponification serum?”
“No, but...”
“Then, Miss Alice, you will have the sensible talk and persuade them to be careful... if they are not, they will have an entire herd to help them. Alone. Pfah! You... newfoals, so strange. I must head back to my lair now, but I shall be back later. I know the island chain, very pretty. There are some handsome stallion ponies there too, hmm?”
“Good point. I may have lost one, but the other two...”
Reginald rolled his eyes, “My dear Alice, I was thinking for you.”
***
The boats were anchored securely in a bay along with a whole flotilla of smaller and larger craft. Alice was laying in the warm sand next to Trish and Liz, and glaring up at a cloud where Deborah and Zephyr Twist were canoodling. Out to sea, thunder and lightning raged. The waves were high, but broke across the natural barrier so the ships were barely rocking. There was a fire on the beach, a large bonfire of sticks and brush, and Vertigo and Summer were laying next to it, drying off. Vertigo was licking her ears clean. Alice grumbled under her breath.
“Today... today was awesome.” said Vertigo, rubbing his head against his mare.
“Uh-huh.” Summer yawned, leaning against her stallion.
“Tonight... could be more awesome.”
“Uh-hu-wha’? No! Gerrof!” She rolled away from Vertigo and pushed him lightly with a hoof.
Vertigo looked hurt, “What? What’s wrong? You’ve been so interested these last few days...”
Summer immediately felt ashamed, “I’m sorry, love, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just tired, is all. Tired and happy. We have been working hard at it.” She kissed him on the cheek and leaned happily against him.
Vertigo shuffled his wings and placed one over Summer and snuffled at the earth pony mare, “Ah, hmm... Oh!”
“What?” Summer yawned again, nuzzling Vertigo softly in the warm firelight. She felt good, very good. Relaxed, fulfilled.
“Honey... did you ever... have you ever... I mean...”
“Out with it, silly-feathers!”
“What do you feel about... us... and... er, another?”
“A threeso-!?”
“I meant a foal!” blurted the light green pegasus.
“Oh, well, one day...”
“How about in eleven months?”
“Eleven months?” replied Summer, “That’s oddly...oh. You mean..?”
“Yes.”
“I’m..?”
“Uh huh, you were in heat, after all.”
Summer shuffled her hooves as she lay against the stallion, “Odd. I... I guess I should have realised. I never even thought about it, I mean I used to be... and I couldn’t have...”
“Do... do you want to keep it?”
“Oh Vertigo, I didn’t exactly plan it, but here? In Equestria? Well, when in Equestria, do as the Equestrians do. He, or she, will just have to put up with me. Oh good grief this is going to be weird... do you have epidurals in Equestria? Do you need them? Do foals wear diapers? Do they... you don’t have feeding bottles do you. Oh I guess you must but I’ll be expected to... but I guess I want to... I’m going to need a job, if you can’t still have yours back, what am I going to do? I don’t even have a cutie mark! My foal can’t be born to a mare without a cutie-mark!”
Vertigo laughed, “Calm down. If I can cope with explaining to everypony about my beautiful mare, you can cope with having a foal.”
“Oh I suppose so. I’ve got eleven months to get used to the idea after all.”
“That’s more like it.” Vertigo nuzzled Summer, finally putting his head on top of hers and pulling her closer.
“I... Vertigo?”
“Yes love?”
“We can still... right?”
“If you want.”
“I want.”
“Right now?”
“No!” Summer laughed, “Horndog.”
“Tease!”
“Jerk.”
“Temptress!”
“Stud!”
...And then they did, after all.
***
“Princess, wake up. The rains will be coming soon, and you, like your two lovely daughters, must find shelter.”
“Hmm? Go ‘way. Five more minutes, Mom...”
“Señorita I must insist.”
The hoof digging into her side was gentle, but insistent. Alice opened her eyes to look up into the muzzle of a young earth stallion. He was a gentle coffee-cream colour, his eyes the same.
“Cocoa Butter? Hmm?”
“The rains, princess, they come.”
“I should get to my boat.”
Cocoa Butter shook his head, his dark brown mane playing across his eyes most fetchingly, “There is no time, princess. Come with me. Your two lovely daughters have already found shelter, you should come with me.”
Alice sighed, yawning in the dawn light, “Alright. Lead the way, CB.”
Alice was led to a modest hut, it was sturdily constructed of wood with a thatched roof. Inside was a treasure-trove. Paintings and sculptures adorned the walls, along with various fishing implements and what looked like a surf-board. Her eyes were drawn to one thing in particular, a strange flask with a piece of what appeared to be paper sticking out of it. The flask had a familiar shape...
“Cocoa, what’s that?” Alice pointed with a hoof.
“Ah, princess, this was a gift from a newfoal, like you. He said to look after it. One day, he said, there will be a girl who may come asking for it. Do you wish to see? I cannot read it, but I keep it safe.”
“Show me. Please.”
Alice looked around the room again, really looked. There was a plastic box of fishing hooks and floats. Made in China. The surfboard, made in America. There were glass bottles with the remains of lazer-etched diagrams on them. Trash, flotsam... from Earth.
“Cocoa, before I read it, tell me about this stallion.”
“He was a pegasus, princess, but he could not fly too well. He said they found him in a strange raft, a balloon - it must have fallen from the sky, yet he said it floated well. He had no posessions, save one thing: this bottle.”
Alice looked at the bottle as Cocoa placed it on his modest table. She recognized it. An erlenmeyer flask, portable, with a stopper. She supposed she still had one in her own boat, but she’d never opened the storage unit to check. It was a standard-issue emergency ponification dose. Small boats had only one, if any. The potion was free, but the equipment to hold it was expensive, since opening it was supposed to set all sorts of alarms off. It was supposed to open only to registered people, and they were regularly checked... by the lowest bidders. She mentally face-hoofed for never checking if her case was even loaded, but then even a checking examination cost time and money she hadn’t had, not with the loan to pay off the boat.
“I... once new a man with a boat. There was a storm, they told me it boiled over from Equestria. The boat sunk, but the coastguard towed it back because they said it was a hazard to shipping and they couldn’t just sink it. I had it repaired and refloated. It was missing the lifeboat, and the captain, but...”
“Princess, maybe you should read the letter.”
Alice pulled it out with her teeth and then unrolled it. She mumbled under her breath as she read it. The message was in Ameringlish, but one word stuck out to her in particular.
A name.
Alice.