//------------------------------// // Lost Isle of the Lizard People // Story: Rainbow Dash Around the World // by MagicS //------------------------------// A wall of leaves was pushed aside by Coral Sea’s magic and the six of them once more found themselves walking on a wooden floor. Finally at the end of the jungle room, a single large door flanked by two brightly burning lanterns rested. Coral Sea opened the door and strode into the new room, and as soon as the others were past the threshold she closed it up with her magic. Inside was a dimly lit room that looked somewhere between a bedroom and a meeting room. There was a large wooden table constructed of a great piece of gnarled driftwood that took up the room’s middle, with fluffy pillows for seats around it. To the left was a marble spa with an octagonal bath tub that looked like it could fit ten ponies at once and to the right was a translucent silk curtain with a bed lying on the ground behind it absolutely covered in more pillows, sheets, and blankets than any pony could possibly need. Large candles on metal stands covered most of the walls, while other stands were burning with yet more incense. From the ceiling there was something hanging but it wasn’t quite what any of them would call a chandelier. At first it looked like tree roots coming down, but on closer inspection Rainbow and everyone realized it was actually supposed to be wooden carvings of giant squid tentacles. Crystals of all colors were hung from the wooden tentacles, shimmering and reflecting the light from the candles. But what caught their attention most of all was the far wall behind the driftwood table. A huge slab of stone made up the back wall of Coral Sea’s private chamber—painted and engraved with a map of the entire Grand Ocean. Rainbow and the others could see the Archipelago, the coastline of the Hundred Kingdoms, islands like the Three Spears, and Sharktooth Island and Bosche below. There were no labels or borders drawn anywhere though, it was purely a geographical map. Senax for some reason felt a strange compelling urge coming from looking at the map. She wanted to walk around the table and touch it… “I’m afraid I do not have refreshments for you, but I think you all just want to talk anyways,” Coral Sea said as she calmly walked around to the other side of the table and saw down on one of the pillows. She raised a hoof and gestured to the pillows across from her. They sat down with Senax sitting directly across from her. Gilbert was looking around in fascination at everything while Breakwater studied the large map and Rainbow Dash and Daylight kept themselves tense and ready for anything. Coral Sea smiled as soon as they were all seated and she nodded to Senax. “So then, I have a question for you first. Although I do believe you to be well-meaning, what is your end goal here? Is it to just find your ancient home of Merlantis? Or do you plan to use the Trident of Ponyseidon in some way? It is an artifact of immense power—as you know. I want us to be able to trust each other, so please tell me your honest intentions.” Senax’s lip trembled and she looked beside her for some assurance from the others. A nod from Daylight and a smile from Breakwater gave her what she needed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before looking at the High Priestess again. “I don’t care about the Trident. I understand what it can do, I know there are others out there who want it, but to me its only value is as a historical relic of my people. The only reason we’re looking for the Necklace is because it leads to the Trident which leads to Merlantis. That’s all.” “That’s very reassuring,” Coral Sea said, nodding along. “Since learning that a merpony had come back to the ocean, the Order has been worried that you might be just like your progenitor.” Senax frowned and leaned back slightly. “What… what do you mean?” The smile on Coral Sea’s face turned downright unfriendly. “It seems that answers another sneaking suspicion I had. You know nothing about Ponyseidon and the Sarraroccon Order’s ties to him. I see that when your people were scattered out of the Grand Ocean you lost quite a bit of your history. You really are ignorant of nearly everything, aren’t you?” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves down on the table. “What are you even talking about?! I don’t care what you think you might know or whatever’s going on, but you can’t talk to Senax like that!” “Sorry,” Coral Sea’s smile faded slightly before it came back. “Call it… repressed feelings.” She took a long look at Senax before continuing. “The reason why I—why the Sarraroccon Order—knows so much about Ponyseidon, Merlantis, you merponies, and the reason for my words… is because we of the Sarraroccon Order are the descendants of the slaves of Ponyseidon.” “That’s impossible!” Senax shouted, startling even her friends. “That’s not—Ponyseidon didn’t have slaves!” Coral Sea merely raised an eyebrow. “And exactly how would you know that? You even lost the location of your home, what other knowledge might you have lost? We on the other hoof have had this knowledge passed down since the founding of the Order on the Archipelago.” She shrugged, thoroughly unimpressed. “The merponies of Ponyseidon enslaved and ruled over the ponies of the Grand Ocean with the power of the Trident. That is the truth.” “But...” Senax hesitated. Daylight frowned and put a hoof on her back to steady her. “Senax… even if that’s true, you and the merponies of East Glade didn’t do anything, you’re all good ponies.” “That’s what I was hoping,” Coral Sea said. “We of the Order didn’t want a possible return of Ponyseidon’s tyranny.” “You’re… your people were really slaves? Did Ponyseidon actually-?” Senax asked. “It’s all true, yes. An unfortunate truth, but a truth nonetheless. You don’t know why everything fell apart for the merponies. Why your people became scattered to the corners of the world? It’s because the slaves finally revolted against Ponyseidon. His empire was destroyed,” Coral Sea said. “That’s why my people have been suffering in exile for generations?” Senax sat, her mouth hanging open, eyes downcast at the floor. “I’m sorry for your people, you don’t deserve to continue suffering just for what Ponyseidon did ages ago. But that is simply the reality we all live in,” Coral Sea said. She turned her head to look at the grand map behind her. “Now though—now fate has perhaps given us the opportunity to heal these ancient wounds. Somewhere out there is your home, and I can help you find it.” Senax raised her head, while Rainbow Dash and the others shared a look. “You can?” The merpony asked. “I did not choose to contact you for simple curiosity. There is much more I know about Merlantis and Ponyseidon’s treasures,” Coral Sea looked back at Senax and smiled. “Including the location of the Necklace.” Everyone now sat up straight and looked expectantly at the High Priestess. Senax felt a bead of sweat falling down the side of her face. Did she actually have the answer? Was she going to be able to tell them where their quest would end? After so long, after so many failures, to have the answer right here in front of them seemed almost impossible. “Where is it?” Senax quietly asked. Coral Sea placed her hooves on the desk and clasped them together. “The Necklace of Ponyseidon is being held somewhere almost as fabled as Merlantis itself: The Lost Isle of the Lizard People.” Breakwater’s eyebrows shot up. “That place is actually real?” “Real as the island you’re on right now,” Coral Sea nodded. “The Necklace is there, and I know how you can find your way to the island.” “Hold it,” Rainbow Dash interrupted before more could be said. Senax’s eyes meanwhile were darting from side to side, the merpony deep in thought. “I’ve got a few questions. How do you know it’s there? Why is it there? And if you know it’s there why haven’t you gone to get it yourself?” “All good questions. And I can tell they come from a place of loyalty to your friend and a desire to look out for her.” “Forgive us if we’re a little suspicious,” Daylight snorted. “Heh,” Coral Sea laughed. “No worries at all. To answer Rainbow Dash’s questions in order, how we know is that it was recorded by our ancestors, the same as the fate of the Trident and Merlantis during the upheaval. Why it’s there is because the merponies that had it didn’t want the slaves to get it so they took it to a trusted ally. And lastly, we have tried to get it. Or at least other High Priestess’s in the past did, but the keeper of the Necklace turned them away every time.” Her eyes flickered to Senax. “The keeper will only give the Necklace to a merpony—a child of Ponyseidon.” “So that’s why you were so interested in me...” Senax said. “Only you could ever get the Necklace. With us being the only ones who know the island’s location but the keeper not willing to give the Necklace to us… no one would ever actually be able to get it but you.” “Is that your game?” Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. “You want Senax to get the Necklace and then you’ll-” “Take it?” Coral Sea raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash and huffed derisively. “No. How could we, even? The island is far from here, if you acquire the Necklace we’d be unable to do anything even if we wanted. This is a time for honesty, and a time for healing. I’m telling the merpony this so she can reclaim her ancestral home and her people can live peacefully. And so the Trident can be kept away from anyone who would use its power for evil. Which I know I can trust you to do after meeting you.” “Hold on a second, I’m curious about something,” Daylight said. “You said “Ally” earlier?” Coral Sea nodded. “That’s correct. The Lizard People are as ancient as Ponyseidon himself, they were not the same as the other slaves—more like subjects. And they were trusted enough by his merponies to safely hold onto the Necklace and the path to the Trident and Merlantis while they became exiled from the Grand Ocean.” “Well it’s nice to know that they’ll be friendly to Senax...” Breakwater said. “Now there’s also something I’m curious about,” Gilbert said as he raised a talon for attention. “Even if you can’t get the Necklace—with everything else you know, how does the Order not simply know the location of Merlantis itself?” “Even we don’t know everything. It was long ago, knowledge becomes lost, previous High Priestess’s suspected that the merponies tried to erase its location as the scattering happened,” Coral Sea said. Rainbow Dash, Daylight, and Breakwater didn’t look entirely convinced but they didn’t say anything as of yet. Gilbert was curiously twiddling his mustache and Senax still looked deep in thought. The merpony looked at the huge map, wondering where on the ocean her home could be. Her heart ached for the opportunity to find it and finally bring her people back where they belonged. Even after… even after learning some things she wished weren’t true. Which she couldn’t believe were true. “You… you truly wish to help us?” Senax asked Coral Sea. The High Priestess sighed and sat back. “The blood of my ancestors coats the Trident of Ponyseidon. That will never change. But we can move past it. Yes, I truly wish to help you.” “Then please… tell me where the Lost Island is. Tell me how to find the keeper of the Necklace,” Senax pleaded. Coral Sea smiled. “Of course.” Her horn lit up and a puff of smoke appeared above her head. Once it cleared, everyone saw a rolled up piece of parchment being levitated over her head. The High Priestess lowered it to the table and spread it out in front of Senax and the others. What they saw was essentially a downsized copy of the stone map on the wall—with one obvious difference. On the far east side of the ocean, and halfway between the coast of the Hundred Kingdoms and the arctic shores of the south pole, was a glowing golden dot. “This is an enchanted map. It will guide you not just to the island itself but also through the dangerous weather that has helped hide the island when you get closer,” Coral Sea explained. “Dangerous weather?” Breakwater raised an eyebrow. Coral Sea nodded. “Of course. There is a heavy fog and whirlpools all around the island that have protected it over the years—without that it may have been found by explorers by now.” “That’s not really surprising when you think about it. It had to become lost someway,” Daylight sighed. Rainbow Dash frowned as she picked up the map and stared at Coral Sea. “So that’s it? We just go now?” “I understand why you don’t trust me, but yes, that’s all. You may leave the Archipelago anytime you wish,” Coral Sea said. “Senax? That work for you?”Rainbow asked. “Yes,” Senax nodded. “I—I believe I’m ready to go.” Gilbert smiled and reached over to put a comforting talon on her shoulder. “I think finally there’s a lot for us to look forward to, my friend. We’ve finally found a real way to get you home! This should be a happy occasion!” “I-I know, Gilbert. It’s just a lot to take in at once,” Senax shakily smiled back at him. “We’ll deal with it. You’ve got us to help you out through anything,” Rainbow said. “Then I suppose it’s time to get back to Blue Coral Island,” Breakwater said. “Before you do that—I do have one last thing to give you,” Coral Sea said with a smile on her face. Another spell was cast from her horn and a wooden chest appeared on the table. She unlatched it and pulled open the top to reveal it overflowing with gold coins inside. “Malkonrik coins. You’ll be able to get anything you need with this when you return to your friend’s shop at the port of Malkonrik. Consider it a gift from the Order to make your journey to the Lost Island easier.” “T-Thank you...” Breakwater said as he blinked in stupification at the absurd amount of money in front of him. “Well, that’s going to help,” Daylight said. “Certainly,” Gilbert nodded. “Yeah. Thanks,” Rainbow stiffly said to the priestess. Senax took a deep breath and then exhaled. “I guess this is it for now then. Thank you for telling me how to find the Necklace, and for giving us this gift. I will—one day when things have settled down, when my people are back in Merlantis, I hope one day we can truly fix things between us and the Order.” “It’s a start. I know you’re a good pony, and I wish for the happiness and well-being of my people,” Coral Sea smiled. “One day I believe the past can truly be left behind. It truly has been a pleasure getting to meet with all of you and help you like this. Now all I can do is wish you good luck on your journey.” Gilbert and Breakwater closed the chest of golden coins up and carried it away with them, while Senax folded up the map and allowed Daylight to hold onto it. Rainbow Dash gave a single, lingering, look back at the stone map on the wall and the smiling Coral Sea sitting across the table before standing up from her cushion and walking out with the rest of them. When the door opened, the candles flickered, and when it closed the smoke and incense thickened.