//------------------------------//
// Chapter 30: Touring the Carpet, Part 2 
// Story: One Thousand Years Ago 
// by Scroll 
//------------------------------//

    Cozy Glow, as well as the rest of her company, notices the fact that there are actually two planks leading into the ship. One of them is thinner which is wide enough for either two ponies to trot up side by side, two ponies traveling in opposite directions, or a single really wide creature. This plank is detachable and is secured to the top deck. Furthermore, four detachable posts are planted in the four corners of the plank. Between the posts, on opposite sides along the length of the plank, is a thatched network of woven ropes which sort of makes a guard rail for those traveling either direction of the plank, except it is more like a “guard rope”.

    The second plank is part of the hull of the ship itself on the lowest deck. It simply drops down to meet alongside the pier, which is why the ship has to be parked beside the pier. Rope is secured to the two corners of that plank which is looped through a pulley system above it. This allows those within the ship to drop the plank or raise it back into the ship. This plank is far wider, much more sturdy, and heavy than the one linked to the top deck. This plank leads directly to the cargo section of the ship. Since that plank is lower than the one linked to the top deck, it is also more level.

    If this is a sea ship, Cozy might have judged this design to be a flaw in the hull because it is a weakness that could allow water to leak into the ship. Fortunately this is an airship instead so it need not concern itself with such matters. Besides, maybe they can seal the plank back into the hull tightly enough not to allow water to seep through.

    Judging from the design of the bottom of this ship, which is exactly like a typical sea ship, Cozy figures that it is technically possible for this airship to float on or sail in large bodies of water. In fact, unless there are landing and leveling struts that she isn't seeing, then floating in some kind of large body of water is the only way to safely land the ship. Other than that, it seems like it might be stuck in the air for the duration of its term of service.

    Prince Salizar takes the lead in trotting back up the thinner plank leading to the top deck which he originally trotted down from not long ago. Waiting for them there is a green feathered, anthropomorphic female parrot race which Cozy recognizes as one of the indigenous species that dwell in the lands beyond Equestria. She is dressed in a sophisticated royal blue double button jacket that is straight and very neat. She also wears a tri-point hat with the edges between all three corners partially folded up, especially along the middle of those edges. She is standing at attention with her feathered arms folded behind her back. She is carefully assessing the new guests trotting up the upper plank.

    Cozy notices that, despite the fact that this might be the first time this parrot individual is meeting the legendary Princess Twilight Sparkle, the individual doesn't flinch at this slightly. And, instead of being excited like Daisy was, she seems a bit disturbed instead, for there is a slight scowl on her face.

    Looking across this deck, the thing that stands out the most is a fancy-looking two-story-tall tent at the back that even has a balcony on each of its four sides. The upper deck is smaller than the bottom, making the tent kind of resemble a pyramid.

    At the other end of this deck, near the front, is what looks like a shack with a panoramic window on the sides and the front. From this angle, she can see one door leading into that shack on the side near the front.

    Other than those two structures, most of the top deck is clear. The most notable things are giant belt buckle looking things which are securing the giant balloon above from floating off. As for the balloon itself, it is a red oval-shaped thing.

    “And here we are,” Prince Salizar says to the group he's leading he reaches the top deck. From there, he stands out of the way and gives a grand gesture across the deck as he waits there for the others to arrive as well. Of that, Cozy is the fourth to arrive, trailing behind Mirage and Curb Stomp.

    Once everyone has arrived, the prince speaks again.

    “Welcome to the top deck of the Flying Carpet. Everyone, allow me to introduce the First Officer of this ship, Desora Aeroya.” After he says that, he announces the names of each of the guests to Desora.

    As he introduces them, Desora's eyes simply look at each one in turn, but she keeps her face stoically neutral with unusually strict military discipline. Judging from that expression, it seems to Cozy that this woman is permanently stuck on serious mode.

    “Now,” the prince begins as he looks at Desora with a suddenly serious expression of his own, closely matching hers. “Desora, report!”

    “Yes, My Liege,” Desora replies with a formal bow. She speaks again when she rises from the bow. “I have nothing unusual to report, My Liege. Everything is proceeding on schedule. The ship is in order, the crew is performing at their usual pace,” she says with a slightly disgusted whirl of her eyes, “and the job is underway. All necessary cargo scheduled to be unloaded in this dock shall be completed within an hour.”

    “Excellent,” the prince replied. “Continue your fine work as ever, First Officer. In the meanwhile, I shall escort our guests on a tour of the rest of the ship.”

    “If you think that's wise, My Liege,” Desora replies with a little reluctance to her. “Permission to speak?”

    “Granted,” the prince acknowledges with a curt nod.

    “I have a question.” Desora scans among those who arrived. “Who, among this lot, will be remaining aboard during our voyage to the unknown lands?”

    “I will be,” Sunset announces. “and I will also be traveling with my pegasus friend here, Princess Cozy Glow, as well as one of her friends which . . .” Sunset trails off when it finally dawns on her that Cheese Pie is missing. She looks at Cozy as she asks her, “Speaking of which, where is she anyway?”

    “Like her parents before her, Cheese seems to thrive on being unpredictable,” Cozy answers. “She pops in and out whenever she feels like it, but unlike some young alicorn princess I know, at least Cheese has the courtesy to knock on my door first.

    “As for her current whereabouts, I'm not her foalsitter. Your guess is as good as mine. She's probably off eating somewhere.”

    “Be that as it may,” Stygian speaks up, “I will be attending this voyage as well. I am also expecting a long time companion of mine to join me, Professor Rockhoof. He will likely be arriving in Canterlot in about a day or two. Certainly he should arrive before this ship takes off in a week.” Stygian looks at the prince. “Based on my understanding of our situation, the crew is permitted shore leave during that time. If so,” he gives a pleasant nod to Princess Twilight, “I know from past experience that they should be well received while they remain here in this city.” He looks off the ship. “Especially with all that fanfare they've received upon this ship’s arrival.” He looks forward thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, how did the citizens of this city even know that this ship would be arriving? They responded as if they recognized it.”

    The prince lifts a hoof in front of his mouth and clears his throat as if to simultaneously gather attention and deliberately interrupt Stygian's latest train of thought. Once he has all of their attention, he announces, “Well observed, Professor. Well observed indeed. I see now that your previous role as the strategist of the Pillars was not an exaggeration.” He returns his hoof to the deck as he goes on. “As it stands, I will bring up this issue at a later time so that we may discuss the matter in more secure privacy.”

    “I see,” Stygian acknowledges with a cunning look to his face. He closes his eyes for a second as he nods. “Very well, then.” He opens his eyes again. “I shall leave the matter to your discretion.”

    “Is anyone else remaining aboard?” Desora checks.

    “Not among this group,” the prince answers. “Obviously the Princess will be quite busy here in Canterlot.”

    “And I am remaining with her to assist her,” Spike adds as he thumbs to his chest.

    As Cozy looks at Spike, she is again reminded how often Spike is overlooked and he has to remind everyone. Why that happens in the presence of an eight-foot tall dragon with broad shoulders, she will probably never know. Maybe he just doesn't exhume a lofty presence and he's used to getting stepped on. It doesn't even seem like that bothers him. It's as if he got used to it.

    Personally, Cozy is disgusted by that reaction. If it were her in his place, she'd make sure she was bodily known unless she's up to some mischief. Sometimes, even then, announcing her presence can serve as a distraction.

    “Very well,” Desora accepts as she somehow stands a little straighter. “I'll make arrangements for some quarters for our soon-to-be guests. Will any of them double bunk in some of the rooms?”

    “Most of the quarters have twin-sized bunk beds attached to the wall,” the prince informs the group. “Some of them have queen-sized beds instead for the romantic couples.”

    “So this is a passenger ship?” Sunset checks.

    “Passenger and cargo ship,” Salizar partially corrects. “Kind of a mix of both, although I'd say it leans on cargo ship since many of the furniture in the guest quarters can be packed away or easily worked around, thereby potentially using them as extended cargo rooms in the middle deck. That rarely happens, however, since there is quite a bit of space in the lower cargo hold.” Salizar floats his pipe across the deck in order to indicate it. “Primarily this is a merchant vessel designed to transport valuables, be they guests or cargo. Aside from my own quarters here at the back of the top deck, however, this is far from a luxury ship. Nevertheless, since vessels like this is still relatively rare in the skies of Equestria, and very few make regular voyages to the lands beyond Equestria, purchasing passage aboard this ship still turns a tidy profit.”

    “And a good merchant knows how to mark up and market his goods and/or services,” Cozy says with a grin to Salizar.

    “As you say, my lady,” the prince acknowledges with a cunning grin and a polite bow to Cozy Glow.

    Rising from his bow, the prince goes on to say, “Well then, onward with the tour. Shall we?”









    The middle deck, as the group discovers (for those who don't know already), is the crew and guest quarters. Most of the rooms are twelve by twelve by sixteen square feet. They have modest furniture such as a single dresser nailed to the floor to prevent sliding and two bunk beds mounted on the wall. Notably, they can be folded up to rest directly on the wall where they can be further secured with a strap, thus potentially opening more floor space. A few of the rooms are bigger and have a queen-sized bed instead, but that can also be folded up the walls. Each room also has at least one porthole window.

    The bedrooms are spread out along the sides of the ship. On one side there is a total of eight rooms and, on the other, there are ten smaller rooms. Each of them is walled off, thus permitting privacy within each room.

    At the end of both hallways is a public privy.

    In the aft and starboard side of the ship the last room is the largest on the second deck because the wall between it got removed. Inside that room is a curious sight. While the rest of the rooms have sparse furnishings, this one is filled to the brim with many racks full of potions and ingredients. There is also a pair of surgical beds in the center of the room and a work desk. In the corner is several closed cabinets and a large storage locker.

    Also inside the room is a single light blue hide unicorn mare in a wheelchair. She has a two-shaded wavy mane that is a mix of dark and bright pink. Her mane is tied up in a neat bun above her head. She wears large rounded glasses. Her horn is glowing hot pink. She seems to be manipulating many objects in the room simultaneously with a special emphasis on managing her various potions.

    “Excuse me, Doctor, would it be intrusive in I were to invite a little over a half a dozen guests into your clinic?” the prince asks politely.

    While busy floating a clipboard in front of her, reading it, then checking off a few notes on it, she asks, “Is any of them ill?”

    “Not that I'm aware of,” the prince replies as he scans his assembled guests with a raised, questioning eyebrow.

    “For my part, I feel fine,” Sunset reports.

    “I, too, am in fine health for the moment,” Stygian seconds.

    “Wow!” Cozy tilts her head at the Doctor. “Are you telling me that your hired physician is, herself, stuck in a wheelchair?”

    Cozy knew that question was a severe break in polite etiquette, but this issue seems potentially critical and it seems absurd to hire this woman on an airship, of all things.

    “Cozy,” Twilight says to her daughter in a scolding tone.

    The doctor's ears perk up with interest. For a brief moment, all magical movement in the room pauses.

    “Cozy? As is Cozy Glow?” the doctor asks before using her magic to turn the wheels of her chair in order to face the group. When everyone gets a front-facing view of each other, the guests also notice a cushioned U shape bar is helping to hold up the doctor’s head along her neckline. It also seems tight enough to prevent her head from turning; therefore, one could assume she can't turn her head on her own at all. In fact, it seems more and more unlikely she can move any of her body below her face. To compensate for this, she has to turn her entire wheelchair to face the group using her magic. That same method is the only reason she can manipulate anything else.

    “Ah! Your Majesty. What an unexpected surprise,” the doctor says far more calmly than Cozy is used to from most strangers of less than noble lineage. “Though I suppose I shouldn't be. His Majesty did make it clear to us that he had some correspondence with you and your kind.” Her eyes shift to Cozy as she goes on to say, “You must be Princess Cozy Glow. Welcome, Your Highness, to my humble little clinic.

    “As you can all see,” she turns her chair to regard some of the rows of racks built into the inside hull which is secured with a rail in front of them, “this is a clinic, including a potion clinic, though I am a trained physician as well.”

    “Not to be rude or anything, but how are you supposed to, um . . .” Sunset's question trails off as she rubs the back of her neck as she blushes in discomfort.

    “I assure you, Doctor Pink Heart here is very hoofycapable,” Prince Salizar promises.

    “I have found ways to compensate for my deficiencies using my magic,” Doctor Pink Heart informs. “For example,” she uses her magic to turn away from the group. Next, a magical pink glowing ball appears above her head. On one end of the ball is a darker pink spot. All told, it kind of resembles an eye. “I have learned a spell which allows me to remotely view out this Arcane Eye spell. With it, it allows me to view angles otherwise impossible without raising my entire body off the ground which I could do but it is an inefficient use of my magic.”

    “Do you seriously use your magic for everything?” Twilight asks in amazement.

    The Arcane Eye spell pops. The doctor turns her chair back to face the group, then says, “I have to. Very little of my body is functional, so I found a way to adapt.”

    “Wow!” Sunset exclaims. “I love to use magic, but to use it all the time? Doesn't that get a little . . . exhausting sometimes?”

    “Sometimes,” the doctor confirmed. “Although, since I've practiced with it so often, I've built up a substantial natural reserve for it in my body. It is easily enough to perform everyday things as well as strenuous things to a medium degree. I assure you, I do monitor my energy level nearly on a constant basis, and I take some precautions when necessary such as taking a break, relaxing, meditating, drinking herbal tea. If the situation is urgent enough, I also have some potions which would give me a boost, but since it has some hostile side effects, I reserve it only for emergencies.

    “I've also learned to become extremely precise with my magic, as one would have to be to perform complex surgeries with it. Allow me to demonstrate.”

    Doctor Pink Heart floats a few pints of water between her and her visiting guests. From there, she proceeds to continuously divide the water droplet into smaller and smaller drops. First she makes two, then four, then eight, and sixteen, and so on. Eventually every pony observing loses count. Doctor Pink Heart actually manages to divide the droplet so many times that it visibly turns into a fine mist.

    “Golly! That is impressive!” Cozy exclaims.

    “Indeed,” Twilight agrees. “I have never seen or heard of a unicorn wield their magic with that much precision. Not even I can do that. I even doubt Star Swirl the Bearded can pull that off, and he's the greatest wizard our world has ever seen.”

    “What can I say?” Doctor Pink Heart asks as she combines the mist back into a single droplet. “When it becomes necessary to adapt, one does whatever he or she can. Behold my medicine.”

    The doctor floats the liquid back in the jar from whence it came then seals it.

    “I can say, with a fair amount of certainty, that our doctor is rather uniquely talented,” Prince Salizar brags proudly. “As a skilled merchant, I have a special eye when it comes to spotting quality and, in my estimation, Doctor Pink Heart is one of the best ponies I could ever hire for this position.”

    “I'm well versed in my chosen field of expertise, Your Majesty,” Doctor Pink Heart assures Twilight specifically. “Do not worry. I'll take good care of your daughter whenever she needs aid with her health.”

    “I do not doubt you,” Twilight assures. “Frankly, I'm still amazed with you. Almost to the point of being dumbfounded. That's a . . . that's a rare gift.”

    Doctor Pink Heart closes her eyes since that is as close to bowing as she can get. As she does so, she says, “I live to serve, Your Majesty.” She opens her eyes again. “I've searched years for a cure to aid in my own recovery. While progress in that department has been rather slow, I did discover that I had a surprising amount of talent when it comes to promoting the health of others, and frankly . . . I'm just pleased to be able to do my part in society. I love to contribute in some useful fashion. For every life I save, it further affirms the value of my own.”

    “You are a true inspiration, Doctor Pink Heart!” Twilight says brightly. “You should write a book or paper about your life. I think it would be invaluable to any other creature who struggle to feel valuable. I think your heroic example would give them all hope and inspiration.”

    “I already have written a book on my life,” Doctor Pink Heart replies. “Actually, I wrote three so far.”

    “Really?” Twilight asks in stunned surprise. “That's weird. I'm quite the avid reader and I still haven't heard of you?”

    “Here.” Doctor Pink Heart conjures her Arcane Eye just to see behind her. One of the cabinets open. Three books float out from it. She floats each of them in front of Twilight. “Have a copy of each of my books, free of charge, Your Majesty. It would be a great honor to know that my life has some value and meaning to you. Would you like them signed as well?”

    “Please!” Twilight begs eagerly. “I would love a signed copy. It would make my day so much! Possibly even my year!”

    Cozy regards her mother in amusement. For these past several years, she noticed that her adoptive mother maintains a regal calm under most situations, but anything to do with books is still her one weakness in her stoic mask. Issues like this cannot contain her fangirl mode for long.

    “As you wish, Your Majesty.” Doctor Pink Heart complies by floating three pens towards each of her books. She opens all three then writes in all three simultaneously, which is yet another of her amazing abilities rarely observed elsewhere. Her ability to multitask seems legendary. When she is done, she enchants the ink with a spell that dries it out quickly before closing all three books and floats them over to Twilight.

    “Here you go, Your Majesty. A signed copy of each of my autobiographies, as you requested.”

    “I will treasure this,” Twilight promises as her own magic takes over floating Doctor Pink Heart's books.

    “Mirage,” Prince Salizar says to his servant, “take these books to my study room then pack it into a saddlebag for Her Majesty.” He regards Twilight. “With your permission, of course.”

    “Of course,” Twilight replies before floating the books to Mirage. “Here you go. Please do not drop or damage these! These books are precious.”

    “I do have more,” Pink Heart mentions offhandedly.

    “I shall guard them with my life, Your Majesty,” Mirage smoothly promises with her enchanting voice as she lowers into a graceful bow before grabbing three books. After that, she swiftly dashes out with the grace of a dancer.

    “I understand that introductions are all well and good,” says Pink Heart, “but this is a clinic. If there is no urgent need for attention in matters of health, I prefer to keep the premises free from distractions. As you can see, I'm using my magic to manage a bunch of various tasks. If you prefer, perhaps I can reach a pausing point soon and we can discuss anything you want further in your office, My Liege.”

    “That's quite alright,” the prince rejects. “For the moment, I'm simply providing them a tour of the ship as well as its personal, and you are certainly a pony who is worth meeting and remembering.”

    “In that case, is there any way I may be of further service?” Pink Heart offers.

    “No, I think we're good,” the prince figures. “You're a pony who makes a quick and intense impression, so I believe we have what we need for the moment. As such, we'll clear the premises, as you requested, as I finish the tour.”

    “Okay, but remember . . . if any of you get hurt, my door is always open,” Doctor Pink Heart offers kindly. “And I do mean anything . . . even if it's just a shoulder to cry on.”

    “You really are inspirational,” Sunset agrees. “I look forward to getting to know you better, doctor. I'm sort of in the practice of a medical profession, specifically clinical psychology.”

    “Well good for you!” Pink Heart cheers. “I welcome anypony with open forelegs who choose to dedicate their lives to the noble practice of healing. I think it is a good measurement of one's personal character to determine how much one is willing to aide the less fortunate.”

    “I couldn't agree more!” Sunset says with a bright smile.

    “One quick note before we leave,” the prince brings up. “If you will note,” he uses his magic to float his pipe into pointing at one of the ventilation shafts in this room, “since this room has some toxic fumes in the air, we use this ventilation shaft to suck it outside the ship. A similar system is equipped in the other rooms too. It uses chill and heat stones to help circulate the air. They can also provide some air conditioning.”

    “You mentioned that humans provided that in the buildings they make,” Cozy quietly notes to Sunset. “Except, in this case, we use magic here instead of . . . whatever those bi-pedal creatures use.”

    “I know,” Sunset whispers back. “Neat, huh?”

    “You said it,” Cozy agrees.









    In the center of the middle deck is the mess hall. The mess hall itself is a group of four tables, two per row. The tables themselves are a pair of benches built into a table in the center. That in itself looks pretty ordinary, but there are small rails jutting up intermittently on the benches that extend only six inches above it. Sunset asks the prince what they are for, and the prince answers that they are to help those who sit on the benches not to slide back and forth in case the ship gets tilted.

    Next to the mess hall, towards the back of the ship, is the kitchen where they meet another member of the hired crew, although the pony they see is not somepony that Cozy expected.

    “Well howdy, partners!” greets a yellow-hided earth pony with a long red mane and tail. He wears a cowboy hat even inside the ship, a brown leather vest that is open at the front, and a red handkerchief tied around his neck. He spoke with a heavy country accent which reminded Cozy of the residents of Appleloosa. In fact, Cozy feels ninety-nine percent sure that is exactly where this earth pony hails from. Since they can see him from his side while he’s busy cooking in the kitchen, Cozy notes his cutie mark since that is not covered by any clothing. In this case, it is a large stack of pancakes that drizzles in syrup.

    “My oh my! Dat dare sure is o' lot o' guests. Boy howdy,” the earth pony notes as he looks across the assembled guests which actually makes this kitchen a tad too crowded considering its size.

    Prince Salizar notes that too, which is why he said, “Well, it seems a bit too crowded in here for my tastes, so Flapjack, why don't you join us in the mess hall as soon as you reach a pausing point.”

    “Well,” Flapjack regards his sizzling pan and the food on it. “I s'pose I can spare a few minutes.”

    “Excellent. Then come join us outside and I'll make proper introductions.”

    “You got it, partner,” Flapjack agrees then moves to join the others outside. Once they are in the mess hall, Flapjack whistles in an impressed way as he pushes up the forward edge of his cowboy hat, then says, “Well burn my biscuits. Ain't ya the Princess of Equestria? The so-called Princess of Friendship?”

    “I am indeed,” Twilight confirms as soon as she finds and settles in a comfortable spot in the middle of the four tables. From there she turns to the cook and nods graciously. “And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

    “You said it!” Flapjack agrees. “Boy howdy. I ain't nev'a thought I'd be a meet'in you, Your Highness. Dis sure is a pleas'ah.”

    “This is the ships chef?” Cozy asks with strong surprise.

    “I sure am, darlin,” Flapjack affirms. “Howdy. Pleased to meet ya.”

    “As you’ve said,” Prince Salizar agrees. “Everyone, allow me to introduce our ship’s chef, Flapjack Trailblazer.”

    “Pleased to meet y'all,” Flapjack said in polite country greeting along with a pleasant nod.

    “This . . . isn't what I expected,” Cozy remarks with a stunned blink.

    “Well, what did ya expect, little darlin’?” Flapjack challenges with an amused grin to Cozy.

    “Well . . . this ship has royalty aboard,” Cozy says with a gesture to Salizar. “I guess I was expecting something more, ah . . . refined.” Cozy flushes slightly as she goes on to say. “No offense intended, Sir.”

    “None taken, Sugar,” Flapjack replied. “And you're right. Even I was surprised when I got hired for this job.”

    “Didn't you apply for this job?” Sunset asks the chef.

    “Well . . . kinda,” the cowpony replied. “Bit o’ a long story, that. Ain't no need tah be gett’in ‘round tah it at the moment. I'm shooting sure y'all are here for others reasons.”

    “I'm just giving them a tour of the ship,” Salizar explains to the chef. “After all, some of them will remain aboard, and a few others are coming later.”

    “Well shucks!” Flapjack cheers with an arcing swing of a hoof. “Ain't that a hot bowl full o’ gravy! Look like thah family is increasing. That sure as shooting going to make this journey a tad more exciting.” After he says that, he whips his head to look at the kitchen. “Huh. Which reminds me . . . I bett’eh check the food stores an’ make sure we got enough supplies thah trip.”

    “Miss Daisy is seeing to that,” Salizar assures the chef. “If you'd like, I'll make sure she shares the ship manifest, especially when it comes to our food supplies. That’s certainly pertinent information for you.”

    “Jez how much compony should I be expect'en?” Flapjack asks the prince. “Ballpark figure will do.”

    “About twenty, by my estimation,” Salizar answers.

    “Twenty mouths to feet. Hoo-wee,” Flapjack says as he takes off his hat and fans himself with it. “And how long will this voyage be?”

    “Unknown,” Salizar answers. “For a while, there will be plenty of potential stops we can make to resupply.”

    “And I have the means to teleport aboard,” Twilight adds. “If and when I do, I can be sure to bring on extra supplies, so it is possible to resupply somewhat during the voyage.”

    “Which may be crucial to our success,” Salizar figures. “Ultimately, our voyage will carry us to, as of yet, into largely uncharted territories. Out there, there is no telling where we may get a chance to resupply, so the fact that we have some means to resupply during the voyage may indeed be crucial.”

    “Well, if push comes tah shove, I have the know-how to live off the land,” Flapjack informs. “I grew up on thah roads, ya see. Ma folks and ma family only had an old country wagon to call our home. Yessiree-bob. That is how I was raised.”

    Wait! Flapjack was not raised in Apploosa? Cozy wonders to herself. Gee-golly, I estimated a ninety-nine percent chance that he was raised in that town and I got it wrong.

    Grrr! I may need to get more conservative with my estimations in the future.

    Come to think of it . . . my counterpart made frequent use of percentage estimations. The main difference is her estimations tend to be far more accurate. If the two of us are the same psychologically, why did we end up so different?

    Different worlds, different results, I guess. As Rarity once said to me,“Even if a dress is made of the same fabric, it can still be woven into an infinite variety of possible forms.”

    Flapjack looks out a porthole window on the wall to his left as he asys, “One develops a special connection to thah land and its various bounties while living like that. Food is important tah keep us hale and healthy.” He looks across the group again. “That's why I have so much respect for this profession. It ain’t just necessary, it's a way of life, and it's part of life's flavors.”

    “I take it you specialize in a country style of cooking?” Twilight guesses with a wise grin.

    “Darn tootin,” Flapjack confirms as he applies his hat back on his head.

    “Twilight and I have come to be very familiar with that ever since we first moved to Ponyville,” Spike informs. “In fact, one of Twilight's closest friends grew up on a farm, and her country-style cooking is one of the best!”

    “Applejack, I take it,” Flapjack figures as he pushes up the edge of his hat again. “She's mighty good wit’ apples in particular, I reckon.”

    “She sure is!” Spike enthusiastically cheers. “I especially like her apple pies.”

    “Well, see, here's what I'm gonna do,” Flapjack proposes. “In honor of your country friend and her legendary exploits, I'm going to make spiced applesauce and pour it into deep-fried apples. I’m gonna scoop out the center so the fried apples can be like edible bowls. From there, I'll pour the apple sauce back into the fried apple skin tah use dem like edible bowls. Then, to top it off, I'm gonna smother that in hot and steamy caramel sauce.

    “Yes sir.” He nods in calm acceptance. “That's what Ah'm gonna do.”

    Spike salivates.

    “Oh, that sounds so good!” Sunset Shimmer agrees.

    “But I ain't done yet, darlin’,” Flapjack goes on. “Next, I'm gonna break out ma jars of cider. Imagine it . . . sweet and frothy cider leaking over the lip of an ol’ wooden mug. It's gonna be a sweet meal, let me tell ya.”

    “You certainly have your own sense of style,” Cozy commends the chef with a grin.

    “Don't we all, darlin’?” Flapjack reflects. “It's a fact o’ life fo’ every pony tah make ‘is or ‘er own distinctive mark in thah world. Yessiree-bob. That's ‘ow it's done. ‘n fact, non-ponies, too. Dey may not wear a cutie mark on dem flanks, but dey do wear it ‘n dare ‘arts, I reckon.”

    Flapjack sighs, then says, “An’, on that note, I need tah get back to ma cooking.” He trots his way back to the kitchen while lifting up his cowboy hat for a second as he says, “Pleasure to meet y'all. I'm look’in forward to gett'in tah know y'all better. One way for ya tah get to know me is bah eat ma cook’in. It sure as shooting gonna leave an impression. I guar’on’tee.”

    With that, he disappears back into the kitchen.

    “And, on that note, let us resume the tour,” Salizar decides. “I'll finish showing you the rest of the second deck, then it's on to the third.”









    A vast majority of the third and final deck is reserved for cargo. A wooden floor is built over the v shape of the lowest deck which is caused by the ship’s hull design, and yet the space between the floor and the bottom v, where the keel of the ship is, is room for more cargo. Various openings along the floor permit the user to access compartments under the floor. Most of the cargo, however, is stored on the floor itself and further secured from sliding with nets and rope which is then tied to the walls of the ship.

    All of that is pretty standard, but Cozy Glow grew far more interested in the third deck when the group is introduced to the last room at the aft endk. This is the engineering section of the ship which houses another crew member. In Cozy's opinion, he's also the most interesting one they met so far.

    Although, in a way, it is actually two crew members.

    Inside the small engineering section of the ship stands the bi-pedal male anthropomorphic warthog who is four feet and eight inches tall. He has a large pig-like snout. He has a pill shape to his body, like Biggs, because his neck is nearly the same size as the rest of his body. He is squat and pudgy. He wears a black leather apron from which has a variety of tools hanging inside his large front pocket built in front of the apron. In addition to that, he has a tool belt around his waist from which he secures even more tools. On his head, he wears what looks like an aviator’s helmet except for the fact that there are many kinds of lens built on the left side of his helmet which he can bring in front of his left eye at his discretion.

    Even more curious than him, though, is his mechanical companion. It looks like a tiny metal octopus with a single gem-like eye in the center of its teardrop-shaped head. Several tentacle-like protrusions stick out of its head. Each of those tentacles ends in tiny multi-joined, five finger claws.

    When the group enters the engineering room, which houses a large furnace that is filled with steaming pipes and gauges, the warthog is busy arguing with his tiny mechanical companion.

    “No, no, no!” the engineer complains with a stomp on each word. As he spoke, the group notices that his voice is gurgly and raspy. “You were supposed to tighten A-B-9 pipe, not Z-X-22!”

    In reply, the tiny mechanical thing makes a series of clicking noises that nobody in the room can understand except for the warthog.

    “No, I did not!” the warthog rejects. “I did not say that because we landed.”

    The mechanical companion makes more clicking noises.

    “Okay, true,” the warthog concedes. “We didn't land on the ground or water, but we're parked, so everything needs to shut down, but gradually, see? It's a delicate piece of equipment.” He bonks his head. “What did I build you for? I need help, you worthless bucket of bolts!”

    The mechanical thing seems to look at the group who entered into the room moments ago, then looks back at its inventor. It makes more clicking noises while pointing behind him using one of its eight tentacles.

    “Guests?” the warthog reflects. “Now what are you talking about? There's nobody . . .” he says as he turns around, then jolts with fright when he notices how crowded this room is. “Dear oh dear . . . are you a bunch of ninjas or something? Are you actually trying to give me a heart attack? And how long have you all been standing there anyway? Were you just staring at me as you lingered in the background? That's kind of creepy, I'll have you know.”

    “I, ah . . . we were just . . .” Sunset starts to explain, but she can't take her eyes off the warthog's curious mechanical companion. Losing her train of thought, she shakes her head then points to the little thing with her right hoof as she asks, “Just what is that thing? A mechanical robot? And it understands you? Did you seriously create a sentient, artificial life form using just whirling gears?”

    “What, this old thing?” the warthog engineer asks with smug smile. “Bah, it's just a little something I whipped up back when I was a wee lad. It's supposed to assist me with my work, especially the smaller and more delicate parts.” He glares at it. “But sometimes I literally think it’s got a few screws loose.”

    The mechanical thing replies to that statement with a few clicking sounds.

    In response to that, the engineer laughs hard. During that time, his pudgy belly jiggles like jello. In the end, he slaps it hard which makes it hypnotically shake harder, then he says, “That is true. If there are any flaws in your design, that only speaks to your inventors discredit which, unfortunately, would be me.

    “But hey! Necessity is the mother of invention. It's rare for an inventor to get their invention perfect the first time. Flaws are the lessons from which we grow anyway. I might need to do some tinkering to see if everything is in the right place.”

    The room is quiet for a few seconds, then the warthog snaps at his guests as he yells, “WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?!”

    “You, it would seem,” Stygian surmises. “Forgive us, please. I think most of us is taken by surprise, is all.”

    “Not me,” Cozy put in. “Well, at least, not completely. I've actually seen something like this thing and this place before.”

    “You have?” Stygian reflects with surprise.

    Cozy waves a hoof towards the furnace before she says, “After I escaped from Klugetown with a long-lost friend of mine, we collapsed in the desert while trying to flee captivity. Fortunately for us, we were rescued by a native of a town called Narch. It was a town built inside of a-”

    “You've been to Narch?!” the warthog interrupts with intense surprise. “Goodness gracious! I'm from Narch!” He pats himself on his chest with both of his trotters. “If you been there, why don't I recall seeing you?”

    Cozy tilts his head at the warthog as she asks, “Do you seriously see every single guest that comes to Narch? I think not.

    “Besides, the last time I was there was a long time ago. I was there shortly before the fall of the Storm King.”

    “Really?!” the engineer looks taken aback. “What were you? One year old when that happened? If so, I gotta say, your memory is incredible.”

    “It's a long story,” Cozy replies with an irritated puffiness to her right cheek. “Don't need to get into it.”

    Cozy shakes her head to clear herself of her sudden foul mood provoked by the reminder that she spent several years trapped in stone, then announces, “One of the marvelous things I've discovered about the residents of Narch is that they have a penchant for mechanical invention, and even more fascinating than that is the fact that much of their technology is actually powered by magic, or rather magical items.”

    “Wow!” The engineer blinks at Cozy. “You really have been to Narch.”

    “Do they still use cold and hot stones?” Cozy checks with the engineer.

    “Pasha!” He waves her off. “That's baby stuff. But, to answer your question, the answer is yes.” He grins as he says, “One of our more impressive magical inventions since then is shock stones. Have you seen those?”

    Cozy shakes her head in denial, but then says, “Though I must admit, I haven't been there in a long time.”

    “Remind me to show you sometime,” the engineer requests of Cozy.

    “Done!” Cozy replies enthusiastically. “In fact, I'd love to learn what you know. I remember being very fascinated with the work of your people because it is the kind of power that rewards intelligence and ingenuity without explicitly requiring the use of magic. I used to hate magic, but power like that condenses it into tools that make it more readily accessible to those of us who are magically challenged. I loved that!”

    “Cozy, this is wonderful!” Twilight cheers. “I love it when you get passionate about learning.”

    “What can I say?” Cozy says with a shrug. “Give me the right subject, and I can't get enough of the stuff.”

    “Well . . . are you volunteering to be my assistant?” the engineer asks Cozy.

    “I, ah . . . I suppose I am if you're willing to train me,” Cozy offers.

    “Hmm.” The warthog rubs his triple layer chin which hangs sagging fat. “Well, I suppose I wouldn't turn down a chance to gain a free assistant. Who knows? You might be more reliable than old Widget here.”

    “My services are certainly not free!” Cozy firmly reminds. “I assist you and you teach me engineering. That's the deal.”

    The engineer thinks on that further, then extends his right trotter as he says, “Okay, little mare, you got yourself a deal!”

    Cozy shakes his trotter with her hoof to seal the deal.

    “Widget? Is that the name of your little friend here?” Sunset checks.

    “Sure is,” the engineer confirms.

    “Oh!” Sunset gushes. “That's so cute! Darn it, now I want one!”

    Prince Salizar clears his throat, then announces, “Speaking of names, I think it's time we got settled on that point.

    “Everyone, I introduce you to Gizmo and his mechanical assistant, Widget.”

    “Yep!” Gizmo agrees as he puts his trotters on his hips. “That's me.”

    Widget lifts one of its claws on the end of one of its tentacles above its gem-like eye and yanks it forward to simulate a salute. While it did that, it makes several clicking noises.

    “What did it say?” Sunset asks with eager curiosity.

    “It says it is pleased to meet you all,” Gizmo translates.

    “Wow!” Sunset regards Widget. “A mechanical device intelligently responding to its surroundings and situation. I'd love to get inside its head. I wonder what goes through the mind of an AI device?”

    “Get in its head?” Gizmo inquires with a blink. “Are you an engineer too? Crikey! I didn't expect that!”

    Sunset shakes her head as she regards Gizmo while saying, “No, but I do have a magical ability which allows me to read other people’s thoughts and memories.”

    Upon that announcement, Curb Stomp glowers and growls at Sunset with a firm warning, likely to suggest that if she dares to try that with his liege, he'll make short work of her.

    “Relax, big guy,” Sunset assuages the giant minotaur guardian. “I don't do that without permission.

    “Well,” she rubs the back of her neck with her right hoof, “not usually, anyway. There are extenuating circumstances that cause it to be necessary without permission on occasion. For example, I used it on a comatose patient once in the hopes of finding out what was wrong with her.”

    “Ability to read memories and minds, huh?” Salizar says in a very intrigued tone. “That could be useful.”

    “I, ah . . . don't like to brag or flaunt it too much,” Sunset tells the prince in a slightly uncomfortable tone. “I'm sure you can see why. When it became known in the past, a lot of people grew paranoid of me. It's taken a long time to clean my reputation of that, and in many ways, I've suffered some setbacks recently.”

    Cozy frowns as she looks down in shame, recalling why that is true. The way her counterpart framed Sunset for a crime she didn't commit left Sunset's reputation in a very damaged state even after she was cleared of all charges.

    “Oh, of course!” Salizar agrees. “With a power like that, it would be wise to be discreet with it. Information is power, after all.”

    Cozy suddenly realizes that the more this prince speaks, the more she respects him. The reason for that is he is a monarch too, like her mother, except he leads more with his head rather than his heart. He's opportunistic, debonair, wealthy, adaptable, and very intelligent. He's still altruistic for those he leads, but he does not allow that to cloud his judgment or his wits. By the looks of him, he does not automatically trust those he encounters, unlike her mother. Instead, he gives others a chance to prove their worth and trustworthiness in mutually beneficial endeavors. He understands motivation and how to manipulate it towards his objectives, and he does it with style and grace.

    Cozy has rarely encountered another pony like him that she so quickly grew to respect as a potential role model for her, especially when she compares him to other ponies like Twilight. Having good intentions is fine, but unwise to come at the expense of sound judgement.

    “I agree,” Sombra informs Cozy from within which surprised her. She did not know, until now, that he was following along with her local affairs.

    “Are you referring to my opinion of Prince Salizar?” Cozy mentally checks.

    “Yes, I am,” Sombra confirms. “In fact, he kind of reminds me of another pony I met before, and one I sincerely grew to admire; Clover the Clever.”

    “Oh?” Cozy inwardly asks, feeling intrigued.

    “Let me assure you, there are certainly some key differences between the two ponies as well,” Sombra informs. “There usually is when it comes to anypony among our race. In this example, Cover was very humble. Often he pretty much owned and carried nothing but the cloak on his back, and even then . . . it hung in tatters sometimes, but he always took care of it with loving care.

    “Clover was the kind of pony who could amaze you with how much he could do with so little. He was resourceful to the extreme, often imagining possibilities with simple objects that never occurred to anypony else. He was always like that.

    “This pony, in contrast, is anything but humble. He may have a lot of resources to work with, but he manages it very well. He wields everything and everyone around him with confidence and pride, but not at the expense of wit and wisdom. In Salizar, there is the kind of balance one usually requires to be consistently successful. That is a rare gift. Of all the ponies I could have expected this trait to arise in the most, I must admit that royalty is the one place I would expect it, but nevertheless . . . he seems to have taken the undoubtedly top-tear training he's' received and transformed it into something amazing. Something that not even monarchs typically achieves because this guy . . . he's not afraid to take a chance, and yet he's also cautious enough to figure out a way to maximize his chances of success.

    “It's his heart, or spirit, that reminds me of Clover the most, though. In this regard, it is difficult to explain, but he has the same glint in his eyes that I used to see in Clover.

    “Clover was the kind of pony who would allow his opponents to underestimate and misjudge him. He's the kind of pony who was more like Mirage . . . always hanging in the background and pretending to be meek. As a result, he was often overlooked, much to his opponent’s folly.

    “I must admit, even I fell victim to this at first. It was not until much later that I got a glimpse at the true depth of his skills. That is when I finally realized, when he got caught trying to steal from my family, I think he wanted to be caught.”

    “Oh? And why is that?” Cozy asks.

    “Because he knew the consequence of getting caught would be indentured servitude,” Sombra answers. “That is why he was my servant back during the vision you saw. He was forced into that position due to the crime he committed.

    “But, when I think back to those times, I realize something that he undoubtedly had figured out as well, and that is the fact that indentured servitude to a wealthy family like mine was the best thing that could have happened to him. Regardless of the lack of payment, he still had a roof over his head, a warm bed to sleep in, and the best food that was left in our frozen, arctic land. I think he wormed his way into a cozy job on purpose because, when I examine the results and got to know how clever that pony really was, I realized it adds up too much in his favor to discount the possibility that he did this on purpose.

    “Besides, when I got a better look at his skills later on during a crisis, I realized how much he had been holding back all along.

    “Contrary to popular belief, Clover was not a skilled wizard, although he did dabble. That was another benefit for his stay with my family, for it kept him close to the breadth of knowledge. As a matter of fact, my family are the ones who taught him how to read and write in the first place because it was more dignified to be served by a more educated and cultured pony. Besides, it allowed him to read our instructions on what to pick up for us in town.

    “But, more than anything, Clover was especially astute with the subtle arts. Social manipulation, lock picking, scaling vertical walls, sneaking about unnoticed, or making others not care about his presence even if he is spotted. Clover was one really skilled and clever bugler. Indeed, far too skilled to believe he'd get caught stealing a single loaf of bread if he didn't want to be caught. He must have figured out it was better to be caught stealing that bread and be 'punished' by being fed for a lifetime rather than getting away with such a poultry prize only once. He must have also realized security would have been tightened up if he did get away with it.”

    “Ooo! That is clever!” Cozy thinks in an admiring tone.

    “If this prince is even half as clever and kind as Clover was, I think you have indeed found a great role model,” Sombra encourages Cozy.

    “Do you think that, maybe, Salizar is Clover reborn?” Cozy wonders.

    “Let's not get into that subject,” Sombra rejects. “Maybe he is, or maybe he isn't. The important thing now is to see him for what he is today and determine if that has worth to you. If the answer is yes, then it does not matter why.”
    “I guess you're right,” Cozy partially accepts.