Fishing was one of the great escapes that was a prevalent routine in the daily life of Joseph Bruce Ismay. Ever since that night at sea, the man had sought splendid isolation within his estate in Ireland away from many things he had once had the burden to experience.
Burden, yes. The uncomfortable feeling of always being ridiculed for that tragedy... At least, in America.
As the ship went down before his eyes, he turned his head away from the tragic spectacle. He had done what he could throughout the night, placing any passenger he could find into a boat. He even overexerted himself to the point where Officer Lowe had called him out on it all. But he still did what he could despite never being an official crew member up until the point where that final lifeboat was about to be lowered.
When he had boarded the Carpathia, he had been described as nearly dead stiff by some. However, he still managed to at least move himself into a room where he could find some peace and quiet. But the peace never came and it had gotten to the point where they had to sedate him. Oh how he hated it, but then... He felt nothing, not even when the Thayer kid had come to speak with him. He remained silent.
When those fools in Congress questioned him with questions that could've been written by a child with a kindergarten education at best, he answered them to the best of his ability, even as the press managed by Hearst had taken its toll on his sanity and own self respect. To have that many people criticize you and brand you a sort of coward when those around you said otherwise... One could only imagine the emotional toll it caused. But nothing had shown through, at least as hard as Ismay tried. Pictures from the hearings in New York had shown him very nervous and when they moved it to Washington DC, it was not better. Washington DC was always a city that was not exactly favorable to live in, especially in the summer. But that was not the only reason... Washington was a political powerhouse and where politics flowed, the press followed and heckled him even more. His only solace was when he was able to finally return to England and see his beloved Julia once again.
Much to his own surprise and to the benefit of his nerves, when he arrived off the ship in England, he was not met by immoral reporters and hecklers but people who cheered him. He did not know why at first, but his nerves had steadily calmed as soon as he saw them all. It would only be later that he had learned that when many had heard of his treatment in America and of the stupidity of the American Inquiry into the disaster, many saw it as unjust and sought to at least try to help Ismay and those who survived with a grand welcome. But the calmness of the event was short-lived as once again... He was called up again to the British inquiry and much to his chagrin, he had to speak in front of another large crowd. Numerous times, some called upon him to speak up as many could not hear what he was saying but he was already done. He wanted to simply go home and retreat from it all in a sense. To go outside into the wilderness and relish in the complete silence of nature.
He was eventually cleared of wrongdoing by the second inquiry, much to his relief. But still, many despised him and all he could do was simply follow the plan. Before the disaster, he planned on resigning from White Star and the IMM and leaving it all to Harold Sanderson, his right hand man and confidant for many years. The plan eventually went through in 1913 and with that, the name of J Bruce Ismay was erased from the Atlantic Shipping Industry, at least in a business sense. He still donated much of his money to try and make up for the sin many in the west had accused him of and pursued a few other business ventures such as the railway business. But that all led back to his idea for splendid isolation which he eventually found in a quiet and beautiful area within Northwestern Ireland.
He had a home built, only for it to be destroyed by the IRA in their crusade against all things British. It didn't stop him from rebuilding it and the surrounding area though. Never did he once bother the people in the town around his home and he was generous to them. For that, they respected him and never talked down on him. And with that, he was allowed to enjoy isolation in his estate for over a decade until crisis struck in the form of diabetes.
His days of fishing on the lake were over when the disease had seen his leg amputated and things only had gotten worse when one of his grandchildren mentioned the word his wife forbade to he spoken within the house. It wasn't the name of the ship, but rather shipwreck. There, he was no longer quiet for the short answer he had given the grandchild as he understood the innocence of the question.
But that was all over now. Fishing... Nature... All of it, disappearing with each passing breath. It was slipping away from Ismay as he lay on his deathbed away from his beautiful home in Ireland within his home in London. One moment, he saw his wife next to him and the next moment... It was all a blur. If it had been just after the disaster, he would've welcomed death's embrace but now... He was unsure of it all. He wanted to be alone or at least with his family for just a while longer, but the thought left him as his heart grew weaker. For a moment, it was as if he were freezing to death within the waters of the Atlantic and the next thing he knew... He felt like he was scorching under the hot sun within a desert. And then... Then he was truly all alone... Unaware of his surroundings as he finally slipped into deaths embrace.
*** *** ***
Everfree... A name that should've meant something beautiful and harmless. However, that was anything but true in the case of the Evergreen Forest. Nopony other than Zecora dared enter such a dangerous place. As far as ponies had gotten in terms of technology and simple forestry, the Everfree was too dangerous for anypony to attempt to tame. As terrible a truth it was, it was a sad fact. However, that did not stop three certain little ponies from venturing into the forest on their little quest.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as they were called, were on another one of their quests for well, their cutie marks. Following the tradition of ludicrous things to do in search of their true callings, they decided that today would be one for forest exploration. And what would be better to do than explore the infamous Everfree Forest?
Leading the group, Applebloom was the most excited. Long had she wanted to go and venture into the Everfree and now, she had the chance to do it with her best friends. Sweetie Belle was equally excited but worried about the dangers that the forest had posed to those who entered within it's boundaries. And Scootaloo? Well... She was just as excited and carefree as Applebloom was. Little did they know what their excursion would bring out however.
*** *** ***
When all sense had returned to Ismay, he slowly got up from whatever he was sleeping on to find himself floating on water within his favorite fishing boat that he had loved using in Ireland. It wasn't something as elegant and expensive as many of his rich counterparts would use, but it got the job done and what adequate for the experienced oarsman.
One would've questioned his own actions if he were in the same place as Ismay, recently dying but now seemingly brought back from the dead but for Ismay... He simply remained silent. To him... He was in Heaven... His true paradise. Somewhere were he could simply think to himself in peace and quiet and enjoy the activities he found enjoyable before his passing. In his ignorance, he neglected to look at the contents within his fishing boat, namely a rather important note, and simply starred off into the distance.
He noticed that the lake was not terribly large but was surrounded on all sides by thick evergreen trees, almost reminding him of the forests of America, where he would take his wife for strolls when they were newlyweds. It was a good memory and for the first time in a long time, a good thought to sleep on. But still, he had more pressing matters to tend to, namely... Rowing to land. As much as he would've loved to simply stay floating on the boat for an eternity, he still had to get to land, heaven or not.
Picking up the two oars on both sides, he slowly began to row towards the shore in silence, his mind in a completely different world.
*** *** ***
It had been thirty minutes since they had began their trek within the Everfree and already, they were beginning to become board with it all.
"Scootaloo, I don't think we should've come here." Sweetie Belle nervously said.
"Oh c'mon, it'll be fine! The map says that there should be a lake coming up soon and we can stop there and rest our hooves." Scootaloo cheerfully said, pointing towards the outline of a lake within her map.
"Uh... Scootaloo? Where'd ya get the map?" Applebloom asked, extremely suspicious of the validity of the map her friend was holding.
"I got it from Twilight? Why do you ask?" Scootaloo said proudly as if she hadn't made a mistake.
"Nothin'... Just wondering." Applebloom said as they continued on their trek, somewhat assured that they wouldn't be lost at least.
"Hey guys, I think I can see the lake up ahead!" Sweetie Belle yelled out, pointing her hoof towards a clearing in the trail with a shimmering lake in view.
Immediately, the 3 fillies galloped their way through the clearing to be met with the beautiful lake they had seen from the trail. For a while, silence reigned supreme as they stared at the sparkling lake in all of its glory under Celestia's sun. What they did not notice however, was the bipedal figure dressed in evening dress, pulling a fishing boat onto the side of the lake.
*** *** ***
His dress shoes were covered in dirt by the time he managed to place the boat onto the bank of the lake but it didn't matter. What mattered was that he was simply alone and allowed to let his thoughts flow through his mind without any outside interruption.
Ismay stood there for a few minutes, gazing out onto the majestic lake before deciding to at least walk along the bank and get a good view of his surroundings, still neglecting to check the contents of his boat. As he walked along the shore banks, his mind drifted off to Ireland, when he was first making his purchase for the villa and the land that would become his home away from home in London. The beauty of the area struck him then, and now... He was struck once again by the utter beauty of the area surrounding the lake. So struck he was, he did not notice the three fillies in front of him who were equally struck by the beauty of the lake and it's surroundings.
He nearly tripped over one of them and as soon as he recomposed himself, he locked eyes with the three of them, somewhat shocked and also surprised. Of all the things he thought he would encounter, he never thought it would be some sort of multicolored horses. But then again, he was most likely in heaven so what did it matter. He simply have them a wave and walked off back to his boat, leaving the 3 fillies in shock. He only did stop when one of them yelled out:
"Hey Mister!" Towards him in an accent vaguely similar to that of an American southerner.