//------------------------------// // An Interstellar Departure // Story: Of Hooves and History // by Ahmad J Charles //------------------------------// The walk to Bridlewood took me two days, which allowed for ample self-reflection on the great adventures I had with my pony friends. Sunny and Queen Haven were hospitable and wisely skeptical of the unknown, whereas Izzy was very open-ended and joyful, always wanting the best and extracting the wonder from anyplace. Zipp was more intelligent than one would presume, and daringly athletic all the while. Pipp seemed well-rounded for someone with online fame, even in such an early stage in her young life. Sprout gave off such unstable and cracked vibes, I felt guilty leaving him behind, even with the full trust I held in Queen Haven and her guards. I prayed he could recover and reconcile with Sunny – and his mother, too. There were important ponies for me to reunite with as well – Branchie, Botania, and Alphabittle. A promise made is a promise kept, and I vowed to meet them again. So even with the evening light fading, I pressed on down the trail towards the line of tall leafy trees on the horizon. The birds chirped and flew high above me, and I even spotted a pegasus in the far distance. “How interesting, no deer or other pony-sized animals,” I wondered, climbing over some fallen branches and soon finding the trail leading to the forest town. “Good evening, everyone!” I called out softly, entering the town’s main street. I located the Tea House and stepped inside. Alphabittle was sitting behind the counter, chatting with a purple-maned unicorn. I set the paramotor aside and sat next to them. “Aiden! Boy am I glad to see you!” Alphabittle exclaimed, and we embraced in a soft but snug bear hug. He did feel like a grandfather with his stubbly gray beard and chubby, muscular physique. “Well, hasn’t the Tea House’s newest visitor had quite the adventure in the clouds?” came a cheeky old lady’s voice. I turned to see Botania walking over towards me from the same little corner table where I had first met her. And then to my surprise, I caught the eye of a unicorn with a bandage on his horn. He immediately bounded over with a thrilled smile on his face. “Zephyr Heights was a lot of fun, but I’m glad to be back for tonight,” I said, giving their forehooves a warm shake and a little ear scratch for Branchie. “The research is complete, and my time has come.” “For? Oh… Oh.” Alphabittle’s words vaporized as he realized what I was hinting at. Branchie’s eyes welled up slightly and he gripped my hand. “I know. We’ve known each other for such a short time. I can’t ever be sure if I’ll ever come back, but I know the impact of my journey and experiences within it will live on in your hearts for all of time.” “Especially as a good-hearted soul who seeks truth and radiates love and forgiveness,” Botania added, along with a hug of her own. I drank some rooibos tea with freshly ground sugarcane and played a quick DDR game with Alphabittle. Botania let me stay at her house, where I lay on a couch and crashed out in less than a quarter of an hour. I ate a warm breakfast at the Tea House and Alphabittle re-emerged from his storage closet with my box. “Still good as it’s always been,” I commented proudly, opening it up and brushing off the dust and cobwebs with an old rag. Back outside, I pulled the box with one hand and pushed the paramotor with the other. As I started heading down through the woods, I heard a shout behind me, and whipped around. It was Ron Roper – and almost the whole town! “You might need this,” he said kindly, handing me long lengths of thick fiber and grass rope. “Take care.” “Goodbye, Aiden!” Alphabittle waved. “Have a safe journey!” Branchie added. “You will be missed,” Botania chimed in. I blew them a little kiss and a soft, solemn wave, then strode off into the bush, heading towards the coastline. There were a few orange-colored paint stripes on the trees for guidance – no doubt marked by the townsfolk for me. At the clifftop, I unraveled the coil of rope and prepared for the descent, disassembling the paramotor’s cage and sealing the parts back in their box, before peering over the edge. The submarine was still there, looking largely untouched – aside from dollops of bird feces and bits of branches and other foliage. Turned out, the branch I’d broken during my gun demonstration allowed for the perfect nest building site for a seabird couple. I anchored a short length of rope to the tree and the end of a longer length to a large L-shaped rock, then began slowly lowering the paramotor down to the sub. Aligning it with the rocking waves was not easy, and took every ounce of my patience. Finally, I gently dropped it rear side down just in front of the portal, and immediately descended, squatting and shimmying until I reached the bottom. I leapt onto the sub’s hull and grabbed the paramotor before it could slide off into the water. Opening the hatch, I carefully lowered it inside, then climbed back up for the box. Tying it in a quadrant, I lowered it down to the sub. As I stepped over the earthy, grassy edge and started to descend… the box slid off with a splash! I gasped, but miraculously, it floated, bobbing on the waves. I continued my descent, keeping a close eye on the box to ensure it didn’t sink. As soon as I reached the bottom, I grabbed it and pulled it into the sub. The grass ropes would take too long to undo, but I knew they could be used by potential invaders to quickly gain footing on land. So, I took one of my folding knives and cut them. Then… plonk! A hard object just hit the water. I looked up… and another small object was falling through the air. Catching it in time, I identified it to be a crystal. “Hmmm. Maybe this might help.” I released the mooring lines, shut the hatch, started up the engine, and reversed away from the cliffside. Sailing around the coast at a comfortable depth of fifteen meters, I felt a sudden reverb and rumble, like someone had struck a bass drum by the surface. I squatted down and peered up through the observation window. The surface above was rippling violently, and in the distance, I could see an underwater wall of a current sweeping to one side and around in a curve before disintegrating in a sputter. Once the water was calm again, I carefully surfaced to find answers. And did I ever! In the distance I spotted Sunny’s lighthouse, and near it were some glowing lights and a group of ponies. Izzy was there, and she was practicing the spell! That explained the sea’s turbulence. I went a little further out so I could see the coastline better. By the western district of Maretime Bay, there was a small nick in the coastline with jutting, scattered rocks. Not as ideal as the cove I first docked in, but it’d have to do. Reducing my speed, I slowly approached the rift, gingerly brushing up against the rocks. I wrapped the mooring lines around the rocks and pulled out my climbing gear, hooking into cracks in the cliff surface. At the top, I grabbed the guard rail and vaulted over onto the stone street. A little colt spotted me and ran, screaming. “AIDEN’S HERE! AIDEN IS HERE!” I smiled warmly. This time the fleeing wasn’t in fear, but joy. I rushed to the sheriff office and knocked loudly. No one answered, so I turned and walked down the main boardwalk towards the lighthouse, only to notice a familiar figure walking around the corner. “Hitch!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him. “Aiden! You’re back! Glad you made it. It’s been… different without you.” “Oh?” I asked in surprise. “Well, it’s good to have an older male figure around to look out for the town,” he replied. “And for Sunny and her friends, too. I’m pleased to hear that you’ve fulfilled that role well.” “Thanks, Hitch. Sprout’s doing okay.” “Yeah, Sunny told me right away,” he said, eyes slightly downcast. “No need to beat yourself up bro,” I reassured, patting his shoulder. “A frequent, consistent visit will do wonders.” We walked back along the main boardwalk when I noticed all the windows and doors boarded up. “Um, what’s with the lockdown?” “The portal spell is extremely powerful,” Hitch explained, keeping a cautious eye. “So much so, it blew out a few windows and toppled two trees. The ground shook and the sea jiggled and warped slightly. Naturally so, many townsponies were scared and upset, and I had to mitigate the concern before it spiraled into paranoia. Izzy’s quite stressed over the effort. What you heard prior was the third test. But she’s determined. I have one question for you, also.” I sighed. Poor Izzy, attempting an expert-level spell all for me to return home. The question of my fellow chaddie also nagged at me. “Yes?” “When we first met, why did you give a hug?” “‘Cause where I’m from, guys don’t get enough care and love. I’ve been an eyewitness to some sad stories. So I want to do my part.” “Aw, I feel that sometimes too. It’s great to have all my little critters when I feel a little alone.” We headed up the winding trail and caught up to the group in a small field adjacent to it. Haven’s entourage had set my luggage aside under a tree and had already arranged the ore rocks in a pattern. To my surprise, Alphabittle was there too. Izzy stood stiffly facing the open sea, her legs in a wide stance on a flat rock, her mouth panting with exhaustion. I dashed over. “Izzy!” I cried, sitting beside her. “What have I done to have you in such a state?” She sat down and wiggled her head, blinking. “Just practicing for… the most important spell I will ever cast.” “Are you hurt?” I asked worriedly. “No. Just under pressure and stress. May sound strange, but it keeps my heart from breaking.” Her eyes looked soft but retained a streak of pity, buried under the intensity. Behind us, Sunny spoke out. “The spell keeps glitching and faltering at the start of the portal’s formation. One of the rocks splintered on the second test and it’s firing a thin stray beam outward.” “A beam.” My mind started flipping through all the correlated terms. Reflection? Glint? Shine? Suddenly I had it. “During this whole journey, two important items were forgotten,” I announced. “I gave one as a gift.” Sunny’s face slowly brightened with realization, and she ran back to her lighthouse, while Izzy looked on in confusion. “The reason you’re struggling so much, is because you have to physically compensate for the magic leak through that ore stone,” I explained. “Your horn can only take so much within its own core, too. I have something that can aid with that. But first, gather around! I need to talk with you all.” I stood up and gestured with my arms to gather in a close group. Just as everypony sat down, Sunny burst out of the lighthouse’s front door, a look of determination on her face. Between her teeth lay a leather handle – the handle of the Kayi tribe sword I gave her when we first met! The horsehair tassel swung about as she galloped over to the cracked ore stone and dropped it in the grass, before joining the rest of the group, sitting next to Izzy and Hitch. Pipp and Zipp sat like good sisters next to their mother, as I sat cross-legged on the same flat rock where Izzy had previously stood. “My dear little ponies,” I began, clearing my throat and sighing to detain the already inflaming sorrow within my heart. “My good hooved friends, I ask of you all to lend an attentive ear, for I know not after this portal trip, I shall ever be amongst you again. Thus, listen closely and carry these words in their original form to all those who cannot be present here and now.” “It is with the successful casting of this spell that my journey in this amazing, diverse, beautiful, and harmonious world called Equestria comes to an end. I have given you many cherished gifts in various forms, but now I wish to leave you with the best of advice, taken from my observations, studies, and experiences in my travels.” “To the bearers and preachers of magical friendship – Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp. Know the journey towards a fully united and harmonious world is a difficult and troublesome one. You will have ponies who will defiantly disagree with your mission, and they will stop at nothing to cause mischief and problems. Hold patience and good faith in gaining an understanding of them via conversations and kindness. Keep to your principles, even if they are held against you. Be wary of your speech and actions, for you are ambassadors; thus, fillies and colts of the generation to come after your passing will idolize you. Friendships can be hard to maintain, but the outstanding achievements you will make would be otherwise nigh impossible without teamwork and unity thereby. Hold patience, forgiveness, and tolerance with yourselves individually and as a group.” “Seek meaning and purpose behind your intentions. Listen for what’s behind the words that other ponies say. All ponykind is cut from the same cloth of fur, mane, tail, and pure heart; an Earth Pony has no superiority over a Peagsus, nor a Peagsus has any superiority over an Earth Pony; also a Unicorn has no superiority over Pegasi or Earth Ponies nor do Pegasi or Earth Ponies have any superiority over a Unicorns except by piety and good action. Learn that every pony is a brother or sister to every fellow pony and that all three races constitute one superpower of brotherhood and sisterhood. Know this! I have caught sight an old ancient castle far up on the western shores. More creatures may lay far out there, in lands beyond. Seek them out in good faith and make effort to lead them to a life of good, so they may fall under the same umbrella of unity. Be kind and just amongst yourselves and speak only truth by which you have confirmed from all angles of objectivity.” “Remember, one day you will pass on, and a new group of brave little ponies will carry the flag and the torch of friendship across Equestria. So hold fast to the advice which I have given to you – both today and at the dinner table in Zephyr Heights.” “My world is full of good people, and also evil people. Sadly, the vast majority of those in power are of the evil. Thus, I wish your world to be visited by only me, for it would be of great perilous pity for those of evil to enter your lands by mistake. Guard this spell and do not let it fall into malicious hooves, but preserve it for the future, lest it be urgently needed yet unavailable in a life-or-death situation.” “All those here who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to their children; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who have listened to me directly. May the overarching power behind all that exists be the supreme witness, that I have conveyed the best message to the ambassadors of friendship and all of Equestria. Thank you all for listening. If I stay any longer, it may be an obstruction for you to put words to action. So, let’s get this portal open to the right destination. I love you with all my heart, and you’ll be right here, always.” I shifted into a kneeling posture and pointed firmly to my heart. “And likewise,” Queen Haven replied, approaching me with watery eyes. We exchanged a warm hug – for the first time since we met. I got up and unzipped a pouch in my backpack and pulled out a silver ring with a blue topaz gem. Without even asking, I slid it snugly onto Izzy’s horn. I then pulled out a bronze comb and handed it to Queen Haven. Pipp rushed at me, and I picked her up and let her sob in my arms. Zipp joined in, and then Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy, the tears spilling out of our eyes watering the grass below. As we slowly broke up the sorrowful hug ball, I noticed the sneakerhead guard peagsus, Thunder, standing in the distance by Queen Haven’s chariot. Without hesitation, I yanked the zipper on my duffel and pulled out my hiking shoes, and handed them to him. “For your collection.” “Thank you.” We exchanged a warm hug. Izzy went over the spell and stood on the flat rock, her horn gradually glowing brighter. The ore stones began to glow too, and beams started shooting out of them. The cracked stone split slightly, and the little beam sprung out of it. Sunny and I held the sword together, and stabbed it into the ground. The little stray beam bounced off the sword’s golden pommel and back to the stone. Izzy breathed a sigh of relief and pushed harder. The water began to swell into waves, then a horizontal spiral. A glowing aura began to form. “Well, time to go,” I said simply, strapping on my backpack and gripping my duffel. I rushed back to the cliffside and used a loop of rope to lower the duffel down to the rocks, safely wedging it. Then I rappelled down, grabbed the duffel, and hopped onto the sub’s hull. As I lowered the bags down the portal and gathered up the mooring lines, I heard a crying voice, a little girl’s. I turned back to the cliff – and up top, by the railing, was the exact same filly I’d saved from certain death upon arrival in Maretime Bay! “Goodbye! Thanks for saving my life!” “I’m leaving now, forever. Bye! May you live a happy one filled with love and friendship!” I called back, before disappearing into the portal. Inside, I sealed the hatch, fired up the engines, and powered out to sea in the direction of the portal. I used a remaining scrap of Ron’s fiber rope to suspend the little crystal from the sub’s ceiling. There was no difficulty in navigating to the portal; its raw energy sucked me straight towards its epicenter. At the last moment, I stuck my head out of the portal, and took one last look back, a teary-eyed smile across my face as I raised my arm and snapped a photo with my iPad. Sealing the hatch, I shut down all electronics and fought with the steering to keep myself aligned in the middle of the vortex. The water stretched with rapid white lines, and a soft bluish swirl appeared in front of me, spinning faster than my mind could visually decipher. I let out a sigh and gripped the steering handles with all my might as my consciousness slipped away while the sub was engulfed, finalizing my departure from Equestria.