//------------------------------// // 9: Freedom and Reflection // Story: A Clash of Magic and Steam // by law abiding pony //------------------------------// The first week aboard the Sea Hopper bounced between existential dread and a sense of wonder for Twilight, along with an unhealthy dose of seasickness.  With Applejack busy with her duties, and the rest of the crew leaving her alone as per Deck Flog’s orders, Twilight spent a great deal of her time on deck looking out over the water back towards Equestria, which gave her a convenient place to empty her stomach whenever the need arose.  Pinkamena stayed at her side through it all, a silent guardian. An aura of surreal contentedness radiated from the pink servant. The simplicity of the deep blue ocean stretching before her brought a sense of peace. Twilight only wished her mind could be as at rest as her friend.  Why was I so stupid? You just had to rush things didn’t you, Twilight?  All you had to do was wait a few years. Let everypony think you settled for the status quo. I should have known Shiny would have worried, and sent somepony to watch me when I left home.  But nooo, gotta do it now, now, now.  And now I’m stuck siding with a nation that could just as easily decide to hang me too and call it a day.  Twilight’s ears wilted and her lightning died down to only a spark or two a minute. And to top it all off I’m down to two dresses.  Much to her instinctual embarrassment over her mark of destiny, Twilight was forced to wear the same dress from the night of her escape so her one clean dress could be saved for her arrival.  All she had been able to do was wash it in a modicum of clean water allotted to her to get the sea water out of it.  A problem Twilight was fully aware of was her inability to not think of her predicament, which wasn’t helped by her queasiness calming down at the moment. So she addressed Pinkamena as a desperately needed distraction. “Are you excited to see your homeland?” The question banished the gentle smile from Pinkamena’s lips, and a slight frown took its place. “I know I was born there, but... Lunaria doesn't really feel like it. Equestria has been my homeland, for better or worse.” “Even after all that was forced on you?” Twilight asked with morose resignation, not truly questioning her. Pinkamena laid down beside Twilight and a few inches behind, as was proper. “What nation can boast never harming its citizens in some way? I dare say I had a better life as your servant than many a free pony.” “I wouldn’t say that too loudly around here,” Twilight half chuckled with no real humor. “What would they do? Tell me I’m wrong, Mistress?” Twilight gave Pinkamena a side look. The earth pony was watching the sea, but there was a content softness to her features. Like a guardian finding a place to lay her sword down and breathe. “It won’t be long until you don’t have to call me that anymore.” “Does that mean I can call you ‘your holiness’?” Pinkamena asked with a brow wiggle and a smirk. Leveling half lidded eyes of supreme annoyance only made the pink mare giggle madly. “Something tells me our new friends might take exception to that.” “That we would, friend,” Deck Flog announced as he clambered his way towards them. The old salt looked like he had recovered his bearing from the confrontation with Rarity after a good night’s rest. His swagger was back and only a gentle puff of smoke escaped his mouth or pipe every now and again. Only his tone of voice betrayed some lingering resentment that he did a poor job of masking. “Now, considering the loss I’ve incurred, I can’t spend the coal to free all of the slaves you brought in. They’re just going to have to wait until we can pass them along to the Unshackled.” “While I apologize for bringing that Inquisitor upon you, I assure you it was not intentional.”  Twilight tried to use the same cordial speech she reserved for her time at court. But I fear it might not work on him. “Yes, yes, I heard you the first eight times.” Deck Flog was expectantly unmoved. He eyed Pinkamena in particular, making the mare narrow her eyes threateningly.  “Ain’t no use sniping about it now since ya paid your boarding fee, and you’ve done right by us in keeping the slaves calm. That being said though, I got enough spare coal to free one slave at least.” Twilight took his meaning immediately and glanced at Pinkamena who shook her head. Giving a nod to her, Twilight refocused on the shipmaster with a professionally neutral mask. “As the third rule of the Merchant Creed states: Never spend more for an acquisition than you have too.” Twilight allowed the edge of her lips to turn upward at Deck Flog betraying a frown. “This spare coal will undoubtedly come at a premium whereas the Unshackled will liberate Pinkamena at no cost to us.” Twilight turned towards Pinkamena, both giving silent permission to interject, and that she knew Pinkamena wanted to speak. Snapping to attention as she had seen the army so many a time, Pinkamena’s tone was staunchly defiant “If you are trying to see if I’ll turn against my Mistress once my stripes are gone, you will be disappointed.” “So you claim.” Deck Flog paced a bit, using a wing to scratch his chin while rolling his pipe from side to side. “But questioning that's not why I'm here.” “Then what is?” Both mares echoed with mixed curiosity. A half-smirk played on Deck Flog's face, the same kind that Twilight had seen before by those who knew they were in a position of power. “See, while I've never seen it myself, literature shared by the Unshackled warned us captains that freshly un-striped slaves can go into a range of mental breaks. Anything from panic attacks, to becoming downright homicidal, and everything in between. That's the big reason I ain't releasing the reds. But these breaks can last anywhere between hours to weeks.” Twilight searched the captain's face for even a whiff of a lie. He appeared smug, but not deceptive. She glanced at Pinkamena who had her ears flat and her smile had evaporated, along with any curls in her mane. “Wish I could verify that claim, but it's not like the Crown would ever let it be known anypony was relieved of their stripes.” ”You could always ask the crew,” Deck Flog offered with no less derisiveness. Shoring up a strong defiant posture, Pinkamena huffed. ”Mistress, if he does speak the truth, there is no need to do this here and now.” Her bravado was blunted when her mind unwantingly drifted to thoughts of causing Twilight harm. “Better we wait until we arrive at the Unshackled. Not only would they do it for free, but they could place me in a cell until I recover.” ”If that is what you'd prefer, I'll not stop you,“ Twilight said with a grateful nod. “For somepony with vision, you're not seeing the predicament you're in,” Deck Flog challenged.  He gently tapped the end of his pipe over the water and started putting in fresh tobacco. “You can trust me crew to at least not do anything crass to ya, but can you really say the same for the citizenry of the capital? You'd be leaving your precious mistress all alone without 'cha for maybe a day or possibly a month or so. Even if it is just a day, I'm sure the bureaucracy would delay you even longer. What's a few more slips compared to you being clear headed upon coming ashore, eh? Twilight's defensive expression fell to a solemn one. “I see your point.” She looked to Pinkamena for her thoughts. Justly worried, Pinkamena shivered a bit at the very idea of leaving Twilight unguarded in such a place for any amount of time “That would be super bad.”  Pinkamena met Twilight's gaze with her resolve ebbing away. "Mistress, if you can forgive what I am costing you, I would prefer to do this as early as possible.” Showing off a cheeky grin, Twilight laid a reassuring hoof on her childhood friend. “Pinkamena, you already know I've wanted you to be free for years now. Having no others question you being at my side with no question of forced compulsion is worth every slip.” “How touching,” Deck Flog hummed in content as the smoke leaf calmed his nerves.  “A hundred slips for the coal and follow up maintenance should cover things. The Sea Hopper's a good ship, but flank speed is a pain and a half to deal with.” “Shave it down to ninety five, and you got a deal.” Doing her best to ignore Deck Flog counting his latest payment, Twilight was quite looking forward to this.  They descended the sunless stairs. Each step drew them closer to the steady thrum of the engine below. It called to her, begging her to learn its secrets. Up until now, Twilight had been restricted from going anywhere near the engine room. She had to check her own excitement to keep her noble bearing. Exiled though she may be, that was no excuse for debasing herself. Still, she couldn’t help but to glance towards Pinkamena following a head behind her. The pink earth mare looked resolute and straight backed. “You’re going to be fine.” Pinkamena managed a tense smile, even as her mane remained perfectly flat. “I dearly hope so.” With Deck Flog not paying attention, Twilight briefly nuzzled her friend's cheek.  The scandal of it made Pinkamena instinctively shy away from the touch, but she did manage an apologetic chuckle to keep from insulting Twilight. I hope that calms her down a bit. Not wanting to do anything more, lest a crewmember happen by and see them treating each other as equals, Twilight occupied herself by dreaming of what the engine would look like, and trying to guess the size and activity of it by the pitch and sound churning up from below.  At last, the group arrived at the first fully metal door set into a steel wall. The moment Deck Flog opened the hatch, a tidal wave of heat washed over them, making eyes water and noses burn.  “I suppose I forgot to warn you,” Deck chuckled. “You’d be better off without clothes down here.” “That…” Twilight was instantly reminded of the saunas back home, only this was a far dirtier place if the coal down below was any indication. “That’s probably a good idea.”  She stole a mildly annoyed glare at the smirking shipmaster. “Getting coal dust out of clothing when one isn’t allowed soap is a losing battle.” “Don’t blame me, my lady,” Deck Flog snarked. “I didn’t provision for thirteen more ponies.  You want soap, you pay a premium.” He wants me to fester in my own sweat.  Twilight harrumphed and started removing her dress. “I need every bit to start earning my own way. If that means a month of grime, then it shall be my penance for being too impatient.”   She set the dress down on a few water barrels close by. Only a fool or a poor liar would steal it, and think they could pass it off as their own.  Pinkamena had done the same with her attire.  And that’s when it struck her.  Twilight realized nothing was hiding her Mark of Destiny now.  Instinctual embarrassment threatened to make her hyperventilate, but she forced it back down.  No.  They’re all Lunarians, they'd might be curious I have a machine mark, but not repulsed by it.  Just keep calm, and don’t make a fuss. Panic attack averted, Twilight addressed the one-winged thestral.  “Now then, Captain,” Twilight started with some noble dignity returning. “Shall we begin?” Deck Flog started having second thoughts after seeing Twilight let off some wild sparks again.  “Just keep that horn a yours away from my crew, or any of the gauges.  Last thing I need is you cooking somepony.” Taking deep offense to his words, Twilight bitterly found little argument against it.  “I’ve lived with it all my life, I am well aware of the dangers.” The fire room was oppressively hot with only a few covered lanterns and the boiler itself for lighting. There were four crew members already present with them slamming the furnace door shut upon seeing Twilight enter with both the captain and Pinkamena in the back.  The ponies here gave Twilight a fright for each one of them were shaved completely bald, tail and all to deal with the heat. The lone pegasus of the group still had her feathers and tail fur however, and she looked the most miserable of the group.  The fuel team took derisive enjoyment at seeing Twilight wobble and nearly faint between the sight of them and the oppressive heat. “Oh my. I know it is hot in here, but is shaving really necessary?” “Doesn’t that make your skin chaff?” Pinkamena asked with enough genuine curiosity it got the pegasus to step away from the piles of coal to approach them.  “You’re more than welcome to take my place for a shift and see how quickly you jump for a razor.” Deck Flog chuckled darkly and strode past them. “Save it for later, Airy, I want the engine running hot for the unshackling.” “Aye, sir!” Airy snapped back with tired enthusiasm. As the fire team returned to their task, Deck Flog moved through a second hatch a ways down and into the engine room proper. For Twilight, it was more or less returning to a familiar place.  Sure the ship was cramped, the rocking kept Twilight on the edge of nausea, the crew was indifferent instead of distant, if respectful staff, the wood stank of sweat and soot, however… Upon hearing the engine without all the decks and barriers between them, Twilight was back home. Twilight spotted Applejack at one of the control stations filled with more dials and levers than her family’s engine ever had. It was far and above bigger too, with it taking up double the space. Twilight drifted around the room, followed closely by the eyes of the crew, torn between watching the instruments and to make sure she didn’t inadvertently harm their engine.   Unlike the fireteam, the engine crew were not shaved bald. Here at least, the ship had a vent straight to the outside.   Deck Flog held off his introduction to the rest of the engine crew when he saw the love struck look on Twilight’s face.  Twilight reveled in the engine noise, listening intently on the individual sounds of each note. Every gear, piston, and pipe sang to her. Each telling her of their purpose and health. Oh if only I could move my hammock down here.  She finally spoke when her observations found their way over to Applejack. “This testament of steel and steam is truly beautiful is it not?  Oh how I can't even explain how I've longed to see what our engine back home looked like when it was being properly used. To see how it gave life to the ship it belonged to. To hear its siren song.” Had Applejack heard any of this from any other pony, she would have thought she was being patronized. But the awe and, dare she say it, envy in Twilight’s eyes made her think otherwise. Applejack gave a good natured chuckle and leaned against the console. “He is a handsome one. I’ve been keeping this lad purring for a good while now.” A thought struck Twilight and she turned around to meet eyes with Deck Flog. “Captain, I beseech you, when Pinkamena returns to her senses after being freed, let me apprentice down here until we reach our destination. I may not look like it, but I’ve worked with an engine much like this at home.” Deck Flog chewed on his pipe for a long moment. “One hundred slips.” “Fifty,” Twilight countered with an insulted snort. “By your own admission we’ll only be at sea for three more weeks, and I won't be here every day. Not to mention a hundred could buy tuition at a university.” “Well what a delightful coincidence. You’re still paying to learn. Plus I have no reason to believe you know anything about an engine beyond it looks shiny and new.  One hundred twenty slips, just for overselling yourself.” “Have I?” A scholarly smirk crossed Twilight’s muzzle as she started pointing to various parts. “The fire house has flowing water converted to steam which creates massive pressure. That steam flows into the piston here where it pushes the piston head inside the cylinder. That moves the crosshead, providing work for the central shaft. As the steam pushes the piston head to the back of the cylinder, it loses pressure and heat. Thus unable to move. However, the cylinder is then fed fresh steam along the top via a second input pipe, thus allowing the cylinder to provide work during both movements.”   That was only the beginning. Twilight drifted completely into lecture mode, but as soon as she started bringing up numbers Deck Flog held his good wing up to silence her.  Deck Flog exhaled sharply, unamused by the demonstration. Applejack, however, chuckled at it all. “Your labels and terms are a little off, but you know more than I ever expected outta an Equestrian.” She nudged the old thestral with a hoof. “Come on, captain, I figure the only thin’ she needs is to know how this baby’s different.” “I don’t want to hear a word out of you but ‘yes sir’.”  Deck shook his head. “Seventy, no less. I might break even financially, but you cost me a crew chief in the process.” “Then it is agreed.”  For once, Twilight was able to ignore the horn comment, and had to keep herself from salivating at getting her hooves on the engineering marvel around her. “You’ll have your additional slips by dinner. Pinkamena...” She turned to have her remind her later.  The earth mare looked out of sorts and lightheaded, and was not tracking Twilight’s movements at all. Never having seen this before, Twilight raced back over to her friend’s side and gently shook her. “Pinkamena, are you alright?, should you go get some air?” “It ain’t that,” Deck Flog stated while gesturing towards Applejack. Soon enough, the engine started going faster and harder, the symphony of gear, piston, and steam grew. “You musta never let her around whatever engine you had when it was active.” Twilight shook her head firmly  “Let’s just say father was very careful to remain compliant with the Crown's wishes.” “Right…”  Deck Flog wasn’t sure if she was patronizing him or not.  “Thought not. With her, it’s the mind screwin’ comin’ undone.”  Deck Flog shook Pinkamena much harder than Twilight, and even that garnered little response. “She's not trying to bite me, so she probably won't try to kill anypony.”  He walked over to the closest part of the engine he could safely touch and slapped it. “At least while she's being liberated, then we’ll get to see just how much she actually wants to stick a blade in your neck.” Twilight was only half listening at this point, and was holding Pinkamena’s hoof to keep her steady. The stripe in her mane was becoming fuzzy, and she was starting to drool and her eyes were unfocused. “Pinkamena, stay with me.” The mare was starting to develop a frantic look in her eye.  “Mistress, no!  I can’t! This is wrong!”  With all the strength of a panicking earth pony, Pinkamena slipped into a grand mal seizure.  Twilight roped Pinkamena into a tight embrace, keeping her enslaved friend from smacking into anything that could hurt her. “That’s the stripes talking. You’re going to get better. You wanted this too, remember?” The pair of marines closed in when it looked like Pinkamena was about to wrestle out of Twilight’s grip.  However, either out of respect, curiosity, or merely a desire to see a slave harm her master, Deck Flog waved the marines away. “The shakes eh? Five slips for a piece a' wood for her to bite on.“ Applejack took deep offense to both the order and the tactless offer. Seeing Pinkamena flail and kick Twilight in the gut, only for the pegacorn to cry out of pain but keep hold of her flailing friend drove Applejack away from her post. She bolted over before Twilight could give more than a glare in response. “Here, take my hat,“ Applejack presented her thick wool engineer's cap to Twilight, who looked questioningly at it. “It ain't wood, but it's tough enough, and It's not like I'll need the thing once we get ashore.“ Deck Flog growled as Twilight gave thanks and shoved the cap in-between Pinkamena's teeth as best she could. “Get back to your post, 'Jack. If the engine breaks even a single screw, I'll have your hide!“ A change in pitch of the engine whine made Applejack jump far more than the threat. “Yeah, I'm goin'.“ Sluggishly, clawing through the fog in her mind, Pinkamena had to stare at Twilight for nearly a minute to recognize who was keeping watch over her. “T-t-t-Tw-twww,” she couldn’t speak, her mouth simply refused to work, and the hat wasn't helping in the slightest.  Twilight didn’t dare risk a second to to check on the stripe. Pinkamena's shakes fluctuated wildly between violent thrashing to brief moments of simple shivering. “I’m here, Pinkamena. I've got you.” Pinkamena’s jitters and jerks came more or less under control shortly thereafter. She still rattled like an epileptic, but she held onto Twilight like a rock in a storm.  It was close to four hours later when Pinkamena finally stopped convulsing. Utterly exhausted, she fell into fitful sleep.  The process had taken too long for Deck Flog to stay as his duties pulled him away barely an hour into it. Applejack had the fortune that her station let her keep watch. Eventually, Twilight was elated to see the last vestiges of the stripes vanish from Pinkamena’s mane and tail. She renewed her squeezing hug on the unconscious mare. “It’s over,” she said, crying into pink fur. “You’re finally free.” They rested there for a minute or so until Twilight tried to stand and struggle to heft Pinkamena onto her back.   Applejack grabbed a voice pipe that led to the bridge. “Captain!  The pink one’s unshackled!” A prompt reply came in the form of the engine order telegraph ringing. The needle on it moved from full speed to one-third ahead.  Applejack yelled out to the rest of the engine crew, “Bring him back down, lads!”   Applejack tugged on the lever above the telegraph and moved it to match the needle. Once done, she went right to work. Cutting the engine back was not as simple as releasing a valve. Fires had to be allowed to weaken on their own, but not die completely, steam had to be released, and many other matters had to be addressed before Applejack could realistically pull herself as away. Once the majority of the work was complete, she looked to Turbulence and locked eyes with him. The pegasus sighed and silently nodded, allowing Applejack to run over and help Twilight.  The pegacorn was not doing well in the sweltering heat, and had a developing black eye and two other bruises on her face, jaw, and all over her chest and barrel. Her right wing was sprained as well, all courtesy of Pinkamena.  “Bloody hell… well, at least you still have all your teeth.” Applejack tried to offer her own back to carry Pinkamena, but Twilight shook her head.  “That’s a silver lining I’m willing to accept, and thanks, but I want to carry her.” Instead, Twilight removed the slobbered cap out of Pinkamena's mouth and offered it to Applejack. “Thanks...” Applejack tossed the thing on the floor near the engine, hoping the heat would dry it off by nightfall. “After seeing all that, I'd do nothing less. Come on then, bend down a bit.” The pegacorn was not in the best shape.  The oven masquerading as an engine room was sapping Twilight's already flagging strength, and she was only able to stand at all thanks to her martial training. Now that she was trying to return to the top deck, it didn’t help that the lurching change in ship speed threw Pinkamena off her back.  After that Applejack stayed close, making sure Pinkamena didn’t fall off a second time. “It seems I'll be thanking you a lot today, Applejack. You don’t think the captain will mind if we rest on the top deck would he?” “He might.”  Applejack studied the limp earth pony was more or less drifting between unconsciousness and a catatonic state. “She doesn't look like she'll become violent, so it should be fine.” Nodding, Twilight took the weight and instinctively used her wing arms against the ground to steady herself. “I sure hope so. Some fresh air would do us all some good.” Applejack’s reply was cut short at seeing the wild sparks on Twilight’s horn were just as active now as ever. Twilight gave one final nod before carefully leaving, using a wing arm to open the hatch to leave.  Scanning the engine room, Applejack saw that the engine was dominating the crew’s attention, and likely missed all the sparks. She ran after Twilight who was now passing the fire room and slid past her to open the hatch for her. “You are a strange one, Twilight Sparkle.” Smiling both out of self-depreciation and joy, Twilight gave a tired laugh. “I’ve long accepted that truth. Kinda hard not to when you look like a defective and powerless alicorn, right?” “Don’t sound like a healthy way to look at it ta me.” “Maybe, but it was necessary for Pinkamena to defeat her stripes.” Twilight let off a wistful sigh. “Some nights I liked to pretend I was just a normal pegasus or unicorn. Better than being part of a pseudo-tribe whose special ability is involuntary lightning and disquieting wings.”  Twilight chuckled darkly at herself, worrying Applejack.  “Maybe some of Lunaria’s machines run on lightning and you can clamp a spark drainer on me so I can do something useful with my horn.” “You know what I think?” Applejack said before rushing over to stop Twilight from swaying too far as the ship rocked in the water. “Ya need to talk to some other pegacorns. See how they deal with that, cause it sounds to me you’ve been alone for too long.” Twilight stopped walking for a bit so Applejack could finish resettling Pinkamena. “That would be enlightening if nothing else. It'd be nice to believe there were more than just a dozen like me out there.” “Yeah, can't say I really understand. We earthers are the biggest tribe out there after all.”  Applejack cringed a bit after seeing Pinkamena’s mishmash of straight and curly mane start being more uniformly curly hair by hair. “Our pegacorns ain’t exactly all over the place, but from what I hear, we got a lot more than Equestria does.” For a long moment, Twilight was lost in thought, and fell into autopilot as she marched forward. “Might even see more than two of us in a room one day... Wouldn’t that be something.” By now, they reached the steep wooden stairs that would take them to the top deck of the ship. A few crew members were around, but all of them had places to be and were largely avoiding the mares. The stairs were so steep in fact, that Applejack moved to keep Pinkamena from sliding off. Twilight used her wings to keep that from happening too often.  Applejack chewed on her cheek, unsure of how to ask a burning question, yet it ended up being Twilight who voiced one first. “Miss Applejack, I’m grateful for the help, but something tells me you normally don’t go so far out of your way to help an acquaintance, even if I’m your new employer.” Applejack snorted a curt laugh, but stayed behind Twilight, ready to catch Pinkamena should she start to slip.  “Aye, I don’t.  Truth is, I’d probably still be in the engine room right now, but ya see.  Even if you were usin’ them slaves to carry all your stuff, you still brought a bunch of our boys home, and I gotta say, I believed ya when you laid that whole plan out ta us the other day.” “Really?” Twilight stopped to watch Applejack for any sign of patronization. Yet all she saw was an honest mare speaking her mind. “Aye.  I know the crew’s been avoiding ya, but that’s because a’ the captain’s standing orders.  We ain’t normally supposed to rub elbows with passengers, least of all nobility.  Not that we ever get many of your types.” “I see.  Equestrian enlisted soldiers have much the same orders when on patrol.”  Twilight pressed on, seeking the light of day. “I suppose you’re talking to me because you’ll be working for me soon enough.” “Provided the Throne believes you and accepts your asylum request.” “Naturally.” Applejack glanced around as they circled by another deck. “So hey, did you know your horn was sparking back in the engine room?” “Hmm? Oh, yes I noticed,” Twilight answered without reservation, but that didn’t stop her from sighing in irritation at being reminded about it. “It does that all the time, even when I used to work in my father’s laboratory. I try to keep it under control though so I don’t accidentally shock my father when we're at work.” Twilight blinked for a moment as curious confusion washed over her, causing to tilt her head. “Why do you ask?” “I just thought magic never worked around machines. But I guess lightnin’ does.”  The whole idea of magic being unhindered by machinery visibly unsettled Applejack.  However she hide such unease by shrugging as casually as she could. Twilight’s mind started churning about Pinkamena and couldn’t devote much positive thought about her horn.  “My lightning is pegasus magic, not unicorn based.  At least that’s what the doctors and books tell me.  Out of all the tribes, pegasi seem to be the least affected by mechanical disruption, so I wouldn’t read too much into it.  Not that we really tested for it outside of flight.” “Yeah, but, we have,” Applejack replied definitively enough to make Twilight angle an ear towards her. “Pegasi can’t move or stand on clouds near a big enough machine, let alone shoot lightning.” “Really?” Twilight asked with a mix of confusion and surprise. “Well; we weren’t the only group testing an engine’s effects on magic. We focused mostly on unicorn magic,” she added with a deep eye roll. “Besides, my ‘magic’ being less affected doesn’t mean much when I can’t make it do anything useful.” That dispelled most of Applejack’s fears, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief. “Ya got a point.” Twilight arrived at the top of the stairs and took a long deep breath of the salty sea air. “Oohhh, that’s much better.” Now that she was back on a flat surface, even if it was rolling in the surf, she found it easier to carry her sleeping friend to the bow. While both the rigging and the deck itself was alive with activity, Applejack had been right that the bow was the lone calm spot to be seen. The wind was strong, but the sea was gentle enough that only the occasional spray made its way on deck.  There was no seat to speak of, so Twilight set Pinkamena down against the forward mast to give some protection from the spray. I’m glad no pony touched my dress. I’ll have to remember to fetch it after Pinkamena wakes up.  Either way though, I suppose I’ll need to buy some Lunarian clothing.  She all but collapsed next to Pinkamena, and looked up at Applejack, mildly confused why the engineer was still following them. “Is there something else I can help you with?” “Naw. But color me impressed. It's one thing to research something, but how did an Equestrian end up going goo-goo eyes for machines?” “For all the good it's done me until today.”  Twilight used her wing-fingers like a crude comb, and started grooming the pink mare’s mane. Trying to get the hair straight again was a lost cause, but she could at least get the tangles out. Her thoughts however drifted onto the wild idea of pointing out her Destiny, but old fear made her simply glad Applejack apparently didn’t notice it yet.  “Machines are a kind of magic all their own. Some scholars believe we ponies were born from magic, or that our long lost ancestors chanced upon some event that made us who we are.” Twilight pulled a featherless wing forward to look at it. “Whatever the case, no matter our Destiny, we live and breathe one form of magic or another. Is it any wonder why my kind are distasteful?” “I wouldn't go that far.”  Applejack watched the sea roll by, her body going tense with distant thought. “I'll be straight with you, boss. I always thought you types was weird, but that don't mean I can't look past it.” “I appreciate the gesture, but I don't believe you.”  Twilight grunted as she worked on a particularly stubborn knot. “Comin' from anypony else, I'd take offense to that,” Applejack remarked sharply, earning a mildly perturbed look out of Twilight. “But I guess you got good enough reasons.“ Opting to let the issue drop, Twilight remained quiet, and silently worked on grooming Pinkamena as best she could without a comb. Now that she free from conversation, Twilight allowed the ambience to bleed the mountain of stress that had been building since Rarity spoke with her. The gentle vibrations of the engine below, the sound of the sea being disturbed by the Sea Hopper passing through, all of it allowed Twilight a moment to just breathe. Now that she had such peace, Twilight ran her fingers through Pinkamena's mane where her stripes used to be. Her old friend twitched and jerked, but now it was more like a fitful dream than anything else. The sight of her being a free mare broke down Twilight's emotional walls, her noble air was in tatters at such a wonderful sight. That's right! Twilight gasped. Uncaring if Applejack was lingering nearby, Twilight pulled Pinkamena a bit closer and hugged her just loosely enough that her fitfulness wouldn't knock them over. Twilight cried into Pinkamena's mane, and in a lull in her friend's twitching, she held her tighter. “You're finally free.” Applejack had been looking out over the sea, taking the time to enjoy what had originally called her to the navy in the first place. The muffled sobbing pulled her eyes towards the Equestrian. The sight might have stunned anyone else on that ship, but Applejack only gave a knowing, if thin, smile. “So now you can be honest with us about how you really feel, eh?” The need to put her noble lady mask back on came back in full force. Twilight pulled her face out of Pinkamena's mane and hastily wiped her eyes dry with a foreleg so she could meet Applejack's gaze. “I know it is hard to believe I love her like a sister, being master and slave. But being snide about it is unbecoming, no matter your social standing.” “Who said anythin' about mocking you?” Applejack leaned against the railing, and took no offense from Twilight's accusation. “I like to think I have a good read on ponies, but I learned the hard way being honest about that has soured many a relationships, both friend and work alike. Is not something I'm proud of having to hide, but we all got masks to put on, don't we?” ”And here I was always jealous of the commoners' ability to be upfront about such matters.” Twilight let the flash of irritation at the engineer fall away. ”Seems I was wrong even about that.” “Ahhhh!” Pinkamena suddenly screamed and frantically rolled off of Twilight. The others were taken aback and pulled away out of fear of violence while Pinkamena staggered up, and started looking around in a panic. “Mistress? Where are you?!” “Right here,” Twilight said as she left on the ground, cradling the sprained wing that had gotten caught in Pinkamena's mane, searching for worse injury.  Pinkamena did an about face, and grinned so broadly at seeing Twilight she giggled manically, pulled her up to her hooves, and roped her into a crushing bear hug. “You're safe! I had a horrible nightmare you were being stolen away from me!” Through straining ribs, Twilight managed to wheeze out, “Never in a million years.” The hug was so tight it was crushing her wings and making sparks fly off her horn like a squeezed tube of mustard.  Pinkamena held the embrace for a bit longer before pulling back and yanking a lock of her mane over her eyes. “Did it work? Am I stripeless?” “Very much so,” Twilight wheezed out, desperately hoping she didn't have a cracked rib. “Ya sure are.”  Applejack pulled Pinkamena onto a side hug, partially to allow Twilight time to breathe, and to keep her new employer from suffering a second bear hug that might actually require a medic. “Kinda suprised you woke up so fast.” “it was horrible…”  Pinkamena was in such a daze that she had to take a moment.  Her attention turned inward and she slowly pulled herself out of Applejack’s hold. Eventually, she turned her gaze towards Twilight as tears started forming. “I was having a nightmare where you were being dragged away. No matter how fast I ran, you kept getting further and further away.” Twilight smiled and nuzzled Pinkamena's check, startling the destressed mare. “Well I'm here now. Celestia willing, that'll never happen.” Pinkamena sagged with relief, and eagerly returned Twilight affection. “Thank goodness, because I’m not going anywhere you aren't.” “Don’t throw your options away.” Applejack butted in, earning a glower out of Pinkamena and a sinking expression out of Twilight. “Lunaria has a throne sponsored agency to help freed slaves make a life and find lost relatives.” Twilight broke out into a cold sweat. I really should convince her to do that, but she may never come back. Whether it was a fear of abandonment in a potentially hostile nation or selfishness, Twilight remained silent.  “And do what?” Pinkamena rebutted. “Leech off a bunch of ponies who never knew I existed or have moved on?  Or who might be super rude or a bunch of criminals?  I’ll pass.” Applejack was left sputtering in outrage. “Did you miss the part about finding any family?!  Is that how Equestria is?  No wonder Twilight was able to throw it all away.  I bet-”  The distinct slap of hoof on face echoed over the churning sea.  Pinkamena’s outstretched foreleg still hung in the air as Applejack was thrown back against the railing behind her. With teeth clenched so hard it pained her, Pinkamena glared down at Applejack with fury in her eyes.  “Don’t ever talk about her like that again!” Twilight gasped and covered her mouth from the act. Applejack smirked and spat out a wad of spittle and blood.  “Ya got a nice left hook, I’ll give you that.” Twilight placed a restraining hoof on Pinkamena’s back and solemnly shook her head when the earth pony regarded her. “Don’t. Applejack probably knows just as much about Equestria as we do her homeland.  Like it or not, she’s our guide in our new… home. We need to try and get along.” Pinkamena’s harsh glare softened a touch, but only after she gave a hostile snort and bodily turned away from the engineer. “Yes, Mistress.” “Why don’t you go explore the ship?  Ask around and see what the trade culture is like on the islands.” Brightening considerably, the pink mare nodded. “Good idea. Maybe the mess hall will know of some great food there too!” With a spring in her step Twilight had never seen in her before, Pinkamena departed for her task. Twilight watched her go with a thin smile and lent a hoof to Applejack. “That was Pinkamena being nice, by the way.” Pride made Applejack get back up without help. She rubbed her cheek which would inevitably form a knot. “I believe it. Still though, I had to see for myself if she really cared about you or if it was the stripes. She still might need some time for her unfiltered feelings to come about.” “You sound like my mother.”  Twilight did an admirable job keeping a neutral expression through the whole thing. “She believed in harsh tests, constantly trying to harden my brother and I.” “Then she had the right idea,” Applejack shot back with genuine admiration that took Twilight off guard. “A mom ain’t supposed to be your friend. She’s a mother, an example. It’s her job ta make sure ya can make it in the world.”  She sighed and looked up at the distant clouds. “I imagine most Equestrians give up and surrender the moment one of them inquisitors so much as look at’em.  But you got one over on her, not too many can boast about that.” In a small way, Twilight assumed Applejack was just being kind, but what ultimately mattered to her was that the engineer had a point. “To be fair, most inquisitors would have had a personal retinue, and not completely rely on local authorities for reinforcements. If it weren't for that, I doubt I'd be talking to you right now.” “Take whatever Lady Luck gives you, I say. When we get ashore, I’m buyin’ a round to family both far and near.”