//------------------------------// // Unrest // Story: The Open Sea // by NahB //------------------------------// Twilight’s heart continued to work on overdrive, even after the harbor was no longer in sight. She hadn’t seen her brother in over two years. It brought back the old hurt. She missed having a “home”. The Free Mare was her life, but at heart, she still wanted to belong somewhere. There was no certainty that she would ever go back to Canter Island, but she wanted to. She shook it off as they approached the group of buildings that the Cult owned. Once within its borders, she motioned for Twilight and her companions to take off their hoods, so they did. “You can speak now. I will escort the initiates to their new home. I take it you remember your way to the Vault?” The last was said with a bit of venom. So, Twilight thought, She hasn’t forgotten that we pulled that job. Good. “Yes.” She looked behind her at Fluttershy and Cheerilee, who only looked at her. “Let’s go, girls.” The two groups parted, and Twilight found herself going deeper into the strange compound. The place itself seemed quite ominous. Though she’d been there in the past, she hadn’t had time to look around very much – theft rarely involves sightseeing. Nopony spoke to them along the way. They probably weren’t welcome, wouldn’t be even if they hadn’t broken in a couple weeks ago. Fortunately, the Vault wasn’t far away, so they were spared more of the awkward silence. Upon arrival at the vault, Twilight’s jaw dropped open. “That’s… not possible.” Indeed, like Horn had said, the Vault had a Persona Seal placed upon it. “A persona seal… that takes a lot of work.” Cheerilee looked at Twilight while Fluttershy trotted up to inspect the seal. “What’s a persona seal?” The earth pony asked. Twilight turned to her. “A persona seal is an extremely powerful form of lock. It basically is a near-impenetrable lock, which only opens in the presence of the pony it’s coded to. It takes incredible amounts of energy to create, and even more to destroy. And, even then, when it’s destroyed, the pony it’s coded to feels it. It’s basically the strongest lock or barrier unicorns can perform.” Cheerilee took that in and stared at it. She’d been one of the party that broke in, which is why Twilight had taken her on this trip. “Is it possible to move it?” “No. That’s why I’m so confused – this wasn’t here.” “Could their master have been inside, or opened it?” Cheerilee asked. “No.” Twilight shook her head violently, mane flying all around. “It would still be there, just in an open formation. The barrier wasn’t there AT ALL “ Twilight walked around the seal, feeling it with her magic. Nothing was damaged or wrong with the spell – it felt normal, if such a precautionary spell could be called normal. Horn entered the room, hood thrown over her head, hiding most of her features. “Well?” Twilight shook her head. “This wasn’t here when we were. But if you’re telling the truth about when this was put in, that’s simply impossible. You guys would have known if it was destroyed and replaced.” Horn nodded. “So. We have an impossibility.” Twilight stared at the lock. “There’s only two possibilities here. One is a temporal lock on the room – meaning that we entered this room in a different TIME than the surrounding area – or that somepony found a way around a Persona Seal. Both are equally unlikely.” She started pacing again, considering the possibilities. Horn only watched Twilight, not being as knowledgeable about magic as the lavender mare. “I suppose a temporal lock is actually more likely. I wouldn’t have been able to notice it. If somepony had somehow removed the Persona Seal, it would have left some sort of traceable… well, trace. But a temporal lock would require just as much energy as moving a Persona Seal, and there aren’t that many ponies out there who could cast such a spell.” “Who could?” Horn asked. Twilight shook her head. “I can’t be sure that these aren’t the only ponies, but I’m pretty sure I could, the King and Queen could, and Chrysalis, the changeling queen, could, if she was still around. MAYBE a showmare named Trixie, but she’s in jail in Canterlot, as far as I know.” Horn looked disillusioned. “So you cannot make a definitive statement?” Twilight shook her head. “There’s no way to be sure.” Fluttershy flanked her and placed a hoof on Twilight’s back, seeking to reassure the unicorn. She knew Twilight was feeling stressed over not being able to figure out the problem. Twilight gave the pegasus a thankful smile. Horn herself began pacing. “If you can’t –“ There was a banging on the door to the vault room. “This is admiral Big Wave of the Equestrian Royal Navy. You are to open this door immediately under the suspicion that you are harboring known fugitives.” Twilight’s eyes widened, and her two companions drew close. “I hate teleporting multiple ponies,” she muttered. Twilight looked at Horn. “We have to go. Um… we need a place to go away from Equestrian forces. We’re going to have to go back to Torres Island. We’ll wait there a week.” “How are you going to-“ Horn began to say, but she was drowned out as the three ponies disappeared with a *pop*. “Gyaaah!” Rainbow Dash jumped back as the three mares appeared on their ship. Cheerilee and Fluttershy stepped back from Twilight, but the lavender mare, tired from the long, multi-pony jump, slumped to the ground. She smiled weakly at the ponies around her, said “Torres… go,” and fell into unconsciousness. When she came to, the sea was roiling beneath her. She was on a bed – her bed, in fact. As she rose up, she felt a hoof press down on her. “Good, you’re up. But you’re also in no shape to move around.” Twilight opened her eyes to Redheart standing above her with a stern look on her face. “You shouldn’t use such a strong spell with no notice. You should have prepared for something like that.” Twilight smiled. “Next time, I’ll make sure that I don’t have an army on my back before I escape.” Redheart’s stern look evaporated into a worried one. “You didn’t escape dear, you only started running.” Eyes wide, Twilight tried to push herself out of bed, but Redheart didn’t let her. “Several ships are following us, the Nimbus included. Rarity received a message from Horn explaining things, I’ll go get her. But you stay in bed, captain, you’re in no shape to be moving.” Twilight nodded and sunk back down into the mattress. Shortly after Redheart’s departure, Rarity entered her cabin, worried look on her face. “Good, you’re feeling better. I worried about you, you know. Last time you did something like that, you came down with a dreadful fever.” Twilight waved a hoof, dismissing her state. “What’s going on?” Rarity frowned even further. “We weren’t able to escape without attracting notice. The ERN sent four ships after us, and the Nimbus followed. Horn told the ERN that we had coerced her into getting us into the vault.” Twilight groaned. Smart mare, she thought. “How long until we arrive at the island?” “Should be another two days. Thankfully, all the ships they sent aren’t specially equipped to run us down. Your brother’s influence, no doubt.” Twilight snorted. “I hate running like this. Stupid. Wish we’d never had to leave Canterlot.” Rarity gave Twilight a hug. “I know dear, so do I. We all do. But that’s past. Now, you get some rest. We’ll get you when we’re at the island.” Twilight closed her eyes as her First Mate left her cabin. She hated lying down like this when there was work to do. If she could teleport over to the Nimbus, she could coordinate a plan. But that wouldn’t work – Twilight felt that she couldn’t even levitate a toothpick at this point. She had to figure out something. Four ships following. The Nimbus. Torres. Somehow, they needed to lure the Equestrian ships away from them, get the Mare away, and link up with the Nimbus somewhere. “Aarrgh!” She yelled, angry. Angry at her brother for spreading his forces. Angry at the Severed Isles for initiating this whole thing. Angry at herself for not seeing the situation before it happened. Fluttershy’s voice called into the cabin. “Twilight, are you okay? I heard a yell.” “I’m fine, Fluttershy. Just thinking,” she called back. “Okay,” Fluttershy responded, and Twilight figured she had left the door, not hearing anything else. Twilight focused on the cabin ceiling above her and the roiling sea beneath. Everything about this situation seemed hopeless. Were they finally going to be backed into a corner, unable to run from this? Though the Free Mare was not affiliated with the Equestrian government in any way other than negative, the Severed Isles would be unlikely to shelter her. In any case, she didn’t want to go there anyway – not during a time like this. The Mare had only been on two trips there, and she hadn’t cared for the attitudes of the ponies that dwelled there. Prejudiced and elitist, they were. Twilight pounded a hoof into her pillow and rolled over. She couldn’t let her thought process get so off topic. The plan… well, the only way to get away from the ERN would be to disable their ships and sail away. But they needed to meet with the Nimbus, somehow. Could they just sail off, some of them on the Nimbus? No, that would only attract the ships to the Nimbus and put them against the Cult. Horn wouldn’t like that. Just then, a spark of an idea came to her. She worked it through in her mind, smiled, and closed her eyes, ready to go back to sleep. She was going to need to be rested for this. “Twilight, get up. It’s time,” a voice said. Twilight opened her eyes to see Spike standing above her. “Alright,” She said, getting up. She’d walked a little the day before, but was feeling nearly perfect today. This was good, because it was going to be a tense day. She’d discussed the plan with the crew, and all were in agreement. Even old Granny Smith, failing in her later years, had chipped in with enthusiasm. She appeared on the upper deck, staring at the island. Everypony stopped talking and looked at her approach. “Alright. This is going to be real tough, but we can do it. Separate into your groups, please.” They all separated into three groups, ready. Granny Smith, Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Applejack, Big Macintosh, Fluttershy and Cheerilee all stood to one side. Twilight, Rarity, Spike and Redheart stood together near the middle of the ship. On the other side was Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. “You all know what you have to do?” Everypony nodded, though many looked worried. “Y’all sure about this, Twi?” Applejack asked. “It’s the only way, AJ,” Twilight responded. Twilight’s group moved over toward one of the landing boats and prepared it. Everypony watched in silence, uncomfortable. When it was ready, the group boarded, and Twilight took another look around the Free Mare. “Good luck, everypony. See you in a while. We’ll be making a signal at noon, every day after a week. Be safe,” she said, and lowered the landing vessel into the water using her magic. Spike immediately began paddling towards shore, the three ponies watching the enemies’ ships warily. They couldn’t have missed the little boat at this range. Twilight turned and watched the Free Mare turn away from the island, leaving them behind. It didn’t take them long to reach shore on Torres. In fact, it was the same stretch they had arrived at before. They brought the vessel ashore and affixed it to a nearby tree, hoping the soldiers would just leave it there. “Three ships tore off towards our ship, Twilight,” Rarity informed her, looking at them. “The Nimbus and another ship are still on course, and should make landing in a couple hours.” “Where are we going to go? You said there would be a place,” Spike said. Twilight grimaced. “I know a place they definitely won’t go.” She pulled out two maps. “Rarity, Redheart, go out towards the north and find some food to take with us. Spike and I will arc south. Meet here.” She pointed to a certain spot on the map where all three different snaking areas that were visible met. Rarity looked at Twilight. “You’re not saying-“ “It’s the only place I can think of. We have to go in, and we don’t know how much food is going to be in there. Let’s move, we don’t have much time,” Twilight commanded, looking pointedly at the approaching ships. Nodding, they separated. As they walked and collected food, she noticed that the map was expanding to meet the size of the island properly. It was larger than it looked, she was surprised to note. But there was no time to speculate as Spike put a pile of heavy, swollen apples into her saddlebags. “No more room in there. Let’s go,” he said. Twilight nodded. The mare and the dragon cut through the forest, and Twilight dreaded coming out into that clearing, fearing what she would find. Would it be there, rotting? Could it have come back to life somehow? Coult it – None of the above, she thought. Entering the clearing with the large boulder, she found a huge skeleton greeting her, scraps of meat hanging off its bones. It had likely been picked clean by scavengers. The hammer with which she had killed it was still buried in the beast. Twilight looked away from it and attempted to ignore it as she found her way to the boulder. Rarity and Redheart were waiting at the mouth of the boulder, trying their best not to look at the giant corpse. Twilight concentrated a moment and her horn gave off a low glow, revealing a slope leading downward. She looked at her companions, and nodded. “Let’s go. Rarity, you’re in back.” The white unicorn nodded and used her own light. The group slowly descended into the cave, glancing around at the strangely smooth walls. Twilight had a feeling that they were walking straight into the gullet of a very, very dangerous place. But there was no choice. They descended lower and lower, and finally the cave evened out into a flat area. But, not only it was flat… it was very nearly an unbroken plane. Looking closely at the ground beneath her hooves, Twilight’s eyes widened. They were no longer walking on plain rock… this area looked like the rocks had been smoothed and tiled in order to look like a nice walkway. It was a room, in fact. It widened out to the sides so far that her light didn’t reach far enough to touch the walls. “Twilight,” Spike said, catching her attention. She looked up. Spike was pointing at a torch along the wall. Twilight nodded, giving the dragon permission to light it. Upon receiving his flame, the torch lit up predictably… but what was not expected, however, was the flame going along the wall, lighting every torch it came in contact with. The four watched in surprise as the entire room lit up. Suddenly, a crash sounded behind them. They turned, and to their horror, found that a large, circular rock had fallen into place, closing off the way they came. Rarity ran to it and started pounding on it. “No, no, no! I refuse to be stuck in here like some sort of Daring Do clone!” “T-Twilight?” Hearing her name, she turned to look at Redheart. The earth pony was staring in the opposite direction, the way they had been heading. “Wha-“ She began, looking in the same direction. What cut her off was the thing she saw. Rather, WHO she saw. There, floating, inside what seemed to be a translucent cube made of magic, was a familiar dark-blue hued pony. “Princess Luna?” Twilight gasped.