===12===
Ocean, the sweet and beautiful ocean. A sight none of us have seen for two years, swallowed by that beast. Tears of joy and sadness could be seen by all. Despite our lack of practice in seafaring, the captain whipped us up and set us forth. To the east, said by the sun of old.
Joy of seeing salted water was quickly replaced with boredom of nothingness. This journey has taken a toll on me and the crew, mentality and physicality as well. Mere days passed before our apathy was quenched by an isle. One spotted by a stallion, as high as the crow's flies. It was an island of peculiar properties.
We made land and our interest was never as piqued as it was now. The entire landmass was made out of cheese of every type. Taking through the night was what we chose for the next day. Gathering the bounty was of interest to all, and the labor was not questioned.
On a particular hunt for blue cheese, a river was spotted. Water it was not, but of a delicious milk. Many containers, most empty due to the tragedy that is the whale, were filled with the nectar that is milk. Barrels and wineskins, flasks and lantern cases, none were spared in the gathering of deliciousness. Just as fast as it started, our departure was a sorry one, but there were things to discover.
Days of the week turned over, leaving us with naught but contemplation. Our thoughts turned to the cold as one summery eve, the ocean froze. Ice of the coldest temperature was everywhere, our ship ran aground. Such a situation may be surprising to many, but our experiences have taught many a lesson. On this particular event, we hath decided on staying upon the ship till thaw.
The air warmth took a mighty month till it was enough. Our joys of jubilance was no doubt heard by many a creature, but our ship could sail. Checking navigation and off we sailed, never straying.
===13===
It was such a strange occurrence, the Great Freezing, as the ponies are now calling it. Sudden cold was not the only effect as soon after the thaw, creatures of all forms showed up. One day, on the bow, there were several merponies. Entrancing and stunning, made many a mare jealous. Some had even jumped overboard, but luckily many resisted the allure, myself included.
Many a day later, another isle was spotted. This one gave a vibe was of peacefulness and drowsiness. A mysterious blanket of black nothingness hung over the isle, but it looked beautiful. Brilliant stars and swirling patterns made quite the pattern. We stared, our work forgotten, as we sailed ever closer.
Before long, the ship was docked. Our entrance was met with a welcoming committee of various dark shaded ponies with warm smiles. At the front, was a dark stallion with brilliant blue eyes. The smile he gave made several mares swoon. The air about him was mysterious yet friendly.
He welcomed us to his isle, of which he called the Island of Dreams, where all dreams come true and nightmares disappear. The introduction the stallion gave us was of mirth when our awed gaze went straight up to the blanket of stars. After his slight amusement, he introduced himself as King Sleep.
Our intrusion was met with such kindness that hasn't been seen in a while. We were treasured with smiles and gifts by ponies we didn't know. A banquet was held in our favor as well, foods from all over was placed all over the table. Water in our mouths were quickly absorbed by the amount of vegetables we stuffed ourselves with.
Only a mere hour had gone when lethargy had overcome our stuffed bodies. One might be concerned about this, but there was nothing to be worried about. Over the course of dinner, our leaders explained our story and he watched us with a kind but sorrowful look. Upon the finishing of eating, he gave us a gift nopony expected. A chance to see our loved ones.
Within minutes, we were prepared. The monarch prepared our bodies and minds, and then dipped us into the sleep that was already taking hold. Our minds, normally filled with fantasies, were now linked with the ones that held our hearts. My vision was filled with the lush lands of Equestria, filled with ponies I left behind. All had gotten older, especially the younger ones, but all were recognizable. Tears were unbecoming, but it weren't unwanted.
===14===
Many a day we had stayed while our gracious hosts fed our hunger, both physical and mental. On the second week however, our nightly trips were over. King Sleep, however kind, stated that our visit has overstayed. With heavy but understandable hearts, we parted ways with the Island of Dreams.
Within moments of us leaving the banks, clouds formed above our ship and the island. Terror of a primal nature drove the crew into a frenzy. By working in overdrive, we were able to sail far till land was unseen by all. The storm followed us for a couple hours after that, but then dissipated just as fast as it appeared. It brought many relieved sighs.
Our wits needed to be gathered which allowed us to rest for a jiffy. The jiffy disappeared way too fast, and soon the crew was up and running again, taking care of the ship's needs. Myself, I found myself hanging about on the side of the ship, a knife in my mouth. The task was to peel the mollusks that had clutched upon the boards of our hull.
I had just made it on deck when cries of alarm broke through the air. A flag flew in the distance, this one inspired no comfort, but utter terror. The pumpkin. Our jellied bones, moving sluggishly as we heaved our bodies back to work. It wasn't enough, the wind was not on our side. Within moments, whether it was long or short, it depends on who you ask.
A large orange shape grew ever closer, until it was clear the vessel itself was a giant pumpkin. Looking up, I saw griffons hanging off the edge, sneering at us. The Pumpkin Pirates, the most feared pirate group in all of the seas and oceans. Our sails finally picked up wind, but it wasn't fast enough. A whistle tore through the air, and the deck shuddered with multitudes of harpoons.
Whoops and screeches filled the tense air as the griffons dove to our ship. The crew of many different sizes, backgrounds, and personalities all took up arms. My poor stature only granted me a particular sharp stick. Our shoulders, brushing and bristling, together with brothers and sisters.
One moment, it was a tense silence, then the next it was filled with screaming and bloody murder. With my non-existent training, I was able to land a few hits on a couple of griffs, but soon I found myself on the other end of a particular sharp edge. Before bile could rise, a conch horn was blown.
Fear was quite visible on the pirates' faces, as they all bunched together and abandoned our ship. The harpoons that were imbedded were sliced, allowing for their retreat. Utter bafflement was in order for the crew, but that had to wait for a bit. Our leaders held their positions and watched as a new shape sailed past us and toward the direction of where the pumpkin disappeared off to.
Their ship was made entirely out of nutshells, it mattered not which one, but it had to be a nutshell. Hippogriffs it was this time, but their focus was not of us. As the invisible agreement set by both captains, the Nutshell Sailors and us truce, there would be no fighting.
I could say minutes, but hours of a many took place before the sails of the Nutshell Sailors all but disappeared. Our prayers had been answered and together, we set another course, away from the two crews that had the potentiality of our destruction.
===15===
Several months upon the watery expanse that was our home away from home. However, no matter how homey the sea felt, it was no doubt a trap, felt by many. Such were the perils of crewing such a vessel, in a world of magical mayhem. These were the thoughts that roamed my head as I gazed over the railing. My musings soon came to an end once I gazed upon a sight for sore eyes.
Moments of such shortness had never been recorded before, before the entire crew stared off in the distance. Trees, trees were the things that caught our eyes. Trees of such bushiness, it was a miracle, no doubt sent from the heavens. Although, if one were to think of the two reigning queens above, then the heavens holds no gifts of any divinity.
A couple of hours later and we found our ship parked next to the forest. Trees promised land, yet there was no land in sight. The forest was incredibly huge, spanning in every direction as far as the eye could see, and all of it was growing atop the water. No roots made it below the water level, nothing was on the seafloor itself, and yet the trees were atop the water level.
It took several days and meetings for the leaders of this expedition, if we were to still call it that, to come up with a solution. Our problem was that we needed to head the way the trees were blocking, following the signs that had guided us this far. There was no space between the trunks and no way of going under. Thus the obvious solution, as presented by Izzy, was to go above.
It took another certain amount of days for us to hoist the ship above the canopy. The leaves and branches of this impossible forest held the ship aloft, with such kindness the waves sometimes lack. Gathering all of our supplies and boarded the vessel once again, we set sail and let the wind take us over the trees.
It would be a fair assessment to say the journey lasted more than a week for us to cross the foresty expanse completely. The wind, ever at our side, blew us over the edge of the wooded world, and back into the watery one. Despite how nice the trees had treated us, our relief at seeing water again was immense, even if it did not last long.
After a celebration, our ship continued it's path, through the unknown to find the known. It was a morale booster speech Sunny gave us, but it was nothing compared to what we saw moments later. An island of pure whiteness appeared. An isle of dreams come true. A land that held our salvation. The island.