The fishing boat gently creaked with each subtle movement of its occupants. A young Adam sat amongst four men, their lines trailing into the dark waters. Only the soft lapping of waves and the watchful moon above accompanied them.
This annual trip was a cherished tradition begun long ago by the family's elderly patriarch. But to restless eight-year-old Adam, it was pure torture.
"I'm boooooored," whined the small child. Patience had yet to become a virtue of his.
The eldest man smiled knowingly, his thinning gray hair marking the years. "Settle down my chłopak," he called gently from the bow.
Adam ignored the old man, bumping his father beside him in protest. "You lied, Papa. You said this wouldn't be like school," he grumbled, staring into the still water slumped over.
His father chuckled, "Well, I didn't say it would be thrilling.”
The man behind them snorted. "Kid's right, this is dull as shit.”
"Jedrick!" The eldest scolded. "Not in front of the boy!"
"Sorry Staruszec…" Jedrick mumbled.
Adam's father sighed, glancing at Jedrick. "Keep this up, Dad, and you'll turn my boy into a sailor. Even if he hates fishing."
"Not if I get to him first~" sang the final man who sat next to Jedrick.
"And that's why you're not invited over anymore, Nate," Adam's father quipped.
Nathaniel gripped his chest dramatically. "You wound me, brother! I thought you loved me."
Adam's father laughed darkly. "Clearly you thought wrong."
Their banter was silenced by the old man's line abruptly going taut. "Seems like Jaja Castimer got a big one!" Adam's father said.
The older man gripped his pole as best he could and pulled with all his might. What burst forth from the water left the men in awe.
Jedrick whistled. "Nice one, Staruszec!"
Upon the line was a car engine, branded: "Merkado Industries." Castimer carefully lowered the engine onto the boat.
"Woah, Jaja Castimer!" Adam said wide-eyed.
His father ruffled the boy's hair. "Fishing's not so boring, now is it? Jaja's worked hard to get catches like these."
Inspired, Adam gripped his pole tightly, staring at the water with determination. "Just watch, I'll catch something awesome too!"
"I'm sure you will, Adam," Nathaniel said. "But it's going to be a while before a big fish bites."
A quick tug nearly pulled Adam's pole out of his hands. Mimicking his elder, he desperately reeled it in, revealing a small rusted bolt.
His father patted his shoulder as Jedrick said, "Well…not bad for a first catch. Keep trying and I'm sure—woah!" The sudden force of a pulling fish nearly yanked Jedrick's pole from his hand. He quickly gripped the pole with both his hands and pulled.
Landing upon the boat was a construction toolbox. Upon it was the silhouette of a city surrounded by a donkey and elephant. "Looky what I got ladies,” Jedrick proudly announced.
Castimer smiled. "That's not the kind of catch I'd expect from a troublemaker like you," he said. "But that's one fine fish, jedrick. You should be proud."
"Thanks, Tata," Jedric said.
Adam peered at the measly bolt he had caught. It was nothing in comparison to what his grandfather had caught. He ripped it off of the line and tossed it overboard.
Adam’s father pulled him to look at the man. "Why did you do that?"
"It's not good enough," Adam stated.
His father raised a brow. "For your very first catch? What did you expect?"
With focused determination, Adam attached a new lure and cast his line back out. "I'll get something better, just watch."
Adam’s father shook his head and cast his line as well. After a few moments, his pole jerked violently. He quickly reeled in a large circuit board that was undamaged from the water. Upon it was, "Merkur Technologies," in bold.
The men congratulated the father’s success. "Nice work, Mikey! Hopefully, I'll snag one that nice," Nathaniel said, patting his brother's back.
Finally, Adam felt a tug on his pole. But as he reeled it in, his excitement deflated. All he had caught was an old phone displaying a "stack overflow" error.
He glared at the useless tech, then angrily flung it back into the water. After attaching his third lure, he cast out again.
Jedrick moved to comfort the disappointed boy, but Castimer stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Let him learn. He'll figure it out in time," the elder said sagely.
Jedrick hesitated but obeyed. "If you say so, Staruszec."
"The boy just wants to prove himself,” Castimer added. “Live up to the name and fulfill his duty."
Nathaniel whooped from the side. "I got something!"
Everyone but Adam turned to watch Nathaniel casually reel in a tangled ball of audio equipment—CDs, mics, and speakers—all branded: "Silver Star Productions."
From the corner of his eye, Adam saw his uncle's impressive haul. Dejected, his shoulders slumped and his frustration melted away.
Nathaniel held up his prize for the elder's inspection. "Whaddya think, Jaja?"
"Not bad. Could be better," Castimer said as he appraised his grandson’s haul.
Nathaniel's smile faltered at the lukewarm praise. Jedrick clapped his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't listen to him. It's a perfectly fine catch."
Nathaniel nodded but still looked disappointed. Michal bumped his brother's shoulder playfully. "Don't worry Nate, you know Jaja's just a tough critic. He's old-fashioned that way."
"Yeah, you're right," Nathaniel agreed half-heartedly.
Michal rejoined his son, placing a hand on his shoulder. Adam glanced at the man for a moment as Michal sat beside the boy. "Constantly switching lures won't get you anywhere, you know?"
Adam huffed, arms crossed. "If the first catch was bad, why would the next be any better?"
"Dedication, diligence, and time," his father answered wisely. "If you want a shortcut, why don't you try using something you're good at."
Michal coaxed the boy into surrendering his pole, then pulled a shiny apple-shaped lure from his pocket.
Adam eyed it skeptically. "That's not what I'm good at though, Papa."
"Sure it is!" Michal declared, attaching the lure. "You learn fast and get good grades, don't you?"
Together, they cast the newly baited line back into the placid waters.
Unlike before, no fish immediately took the bait. They waited in silence as time seemed to slow to a crawl. Finally, the bobber dipped below the surface. Adam and Michal hastily reeled in the line.
"I don't believe it!" Adam yelled, but his voice was oddly deeper.
Speared on the hook was a pristine paper headed "Notice of Admission" in bold lettering.
Michal smiled knowingly. "See kiddo? Told you so."
"Jaja! Look what I caught," Adam called. He grabbed the paper to show his great-grandfather, but Adam could only find Jedrick and Nathaniel when he turned to face him.
He looked around but only saw the three other men, Castimer nowhere to be seen. "Grandpa, where's Jaja?" Adam asked, standing up. He found he was taller than before.
Jedrick remained facing away from Adam, not saying anything. He touched the man's shoulder but his hand his passed straight through the flickering form.
"Uncle?" Adam asked as he performed a similar action to Nathaniel, encountering the same result.
The feeling of melting ice cream caused Adam to look down at his hand. He was shocked to see the admission notice melting into a creeping sludge that clung to his arm. He desperately tried shaking it off, but it kept spreading.
"Dad, what the fuck's going on!?" Adam cried, turning to his father.
His father still held the fishing pole. "What are you talking about, kiddo?" Michal said, his voice sounding as though it was coming from a phone. He slowly looked over his shoulder, revealing that his eyes were replaced with black, empty voids.
Adam stepped back in fear and nearly fell into the water. He watched as his father slowly reeled in another catch. The noises of the night grew louder and louder in sync with his reeling. Adam was overwhelmed by the cacophony, to the point that he closed his eyes and covered his ears for feeble protection.
The moment it became too much, all sound stopped. Adam cautiously opened his eyes to find that the boat and its passengers were cast into a dark abyss. The moon dominated the dark expanse overhead.
His uncle and grandfather were still the same, while the creeping sludge had halted its advance up Adam's arm.
Adam hesitantly turned to his father, whose empty eyes stared back lifelessly. Gulping loudly he asked, "D-dad?" His father was perfectly still, frozen in the motion of reeling. He cautiously touched the man. Unlike his uncle and grandfather, Adam made contact. It felt as though his father was made of stone, not even his hair would budge from his touch.
Knock Knock Knock
Adam jumped, eyes darting around for the source before realizing—it was the moon itself.
Knock Knock Knock
He stared up apprehensively.
Knock Knock Kno—
A shadow with mismatched horns appeared on the lunar surface, cutting off the knocking. It raised a single talon to its lips. "Shhh," it whispered with a wink before vanishing.
Adam's ears popped as a wave of dizziness hit him. The boat had returned to the lake in an instant
The sludge and his father's reeling resumed. Upon the line emerged a limp, winged puppet that possessed mismatched legs, innumerable feathers extruding from its neck, and a long tail.
"I'm not gonna lie, kiddo," Michal droned, his voice still distorted. "This is a terrible catch of yours."
Before Adam could respond, icy pain shot through his hand. Glancing down, he saw the sludge had transformed his hand into the end of a wing. A wing that resembled the puppets.
"Get off me!" Adam shrieked, clawing desperately at the sludge to no avail as it crept higher up his arm.
A creaking noise made him look up. The puppet was slowly raising its head, revealing two, pinpoint, glowing red eyes. The wood of the puppet's mouth cracked and splintered into a jagged grin.
"Uh oh—Adam!" the puppet emitted, in a hauntingly familiar voice. It grabbed the line it was attached to and began to climb.
"Stay away!" Adam yelled.
The puppet hopped onto the boat, straight through Adam's father who now flickered like his relatives. Staring into Adam's Soul, the puppet emitted once again, "Uh oh—Adam!"
Adam felt the sludge reach his upper arm and begin to consume his shoulder.
"Uh oh—Adam!" came the puppet as it took a strained step forward.
Adam backpedaled in terror, tripping over the edge. He hit the deck hard, looking up to see the puppet lurch toward him past his frozen family.
With each step, it produced that same phrase. "Uh oh—Adam!"
He crab-walked backward in terror until he hit the side of the boat. All the while the puppet continued its approach. Water began to leak from the puppet's piercing eyes as it neared Adam, pooling onto the boat floor. At the same time, Adam could feel a warm liquid streak down his cheeks.
"Uh oh—Adam!" emanated from the puppet as it climbed onto him. The sludge now quickly consumed his chest, spurred on by the touch of the puppet.
Summoning all his willpower, Adam weakly shook his head, desperately.
"Uh oh, Adam!" An invisible force wrenched his head up, forcing him to stare into the puppet's glowing crimson eyes mere inches from his face.
The sludge had transformed his body into a twisted, organic replica of the puppet, leaving only his head unchanged.
"P-please," Adam begged uselessly.
The puppet manifested a gun—one Adam knew all too well—and pressed the demonic tool against his head.
"Please no," Adam cried as he and the puppet flooded the boat with their tears.
The puppet pulled the trigger, the deafening bang reverberating through the air.
"Bad Decision, Adam."
"NO!" Adam jolted awake screaming, heart pounding furiously as he raised from his sweat-drenched covers. Gasping for breath, he stared at the creature gazing back in the mirror— the animal soup that was now his body. I should've covered that thing, he thought bitterly.
The sound of rapid hoofbeats approached before the door slammed open. Fast Pace burst in, clad in his armor's engraved chestplate. A sword floated before him, its hilt aglow with a matching color to the gem on his breastplate.
Eyes darting, Fast Pace scanned for threats. "What's with the screaming?" he demanded, poised for battle.
Still shaken, it took a moment for Adam's brain to process the stallion before him. "I, uh...had a nightmare," he mumbled, cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the admission.
"A nightmare?" Fast Pace echoed skeptically, though he relaxed his stance, keeping the sword at the ready.
Adam looked away, face burning. "Yeah."
After a long scrutinizing stare, Fast Pace lowered his sword. "Rarity's making breakfast. Come down when you're ready," he said briskly. With a noticeable sniff, he added, "You should shower first." The sounds of his hoofbeats faded down the hall.
Alone again, Adam glanced at the mirror. One way or another, he thought grimly before sliding off the bed.
Following Fast Pace's suggestion, he showered, intrigued to find modern plumbing despite the town's medieval vibe. He kept it quick, not wanting cold food.
Since his first day in Equestria wasn’t the best—he was going to make his second one better. Tomorrow more so.
Descending the stairs, Adam couldn't stop fidgeting with his hands, so used to having a phone to occupy them. Not much around to keep me busy now, he thought. I guess I can follow up on that invite to the library from Twilight.
Panik Boutonnière raced through Ponyville, informing everyone he could about the latest incident with Discord. After hearing from Rainbow Dash, he had taken it upon himself to assist in spreading the word.
Now the unicorn stood at the door of another house, urgently explaining the situation.
"Shouldn't we do something then?" the mare asked worriedly.
"That's what I said!" Panik exclaimed, exasperated. "But apparently Princess Celestia is leaving it all to just one Royal Guard."
"J-just one?" She gasped.
Panik nodded gravely. "That's why I'm telling everyone. We've got to keep the town safe."
The mare's face became set with determination. "Right!"
After bidding her goodbye, Panik set off towards the next home but froze at the sight before him. That must be Discord! He thought as he watched the strange filly make her way through the town. She wasn't an exact replica of Discord but she bore an unmistakable resemblance. Accompanying the supposed filly was a guard in gleaming golden armor who was far too relaxed, as if he wasn't next to a creature of malice.
Other ponies had noticed them too, based on the hushed, anxious murmurs filling the air. Mutterings about Her Majesty being tricked, the guard under some spell, and other such theories.
Whether any were true, Panik didn't know or care. His only concern was Ponyville still standing come sundown. The town had suffered enough the first time that monster was free. Once Discord was out of sight, Panik continued his crusade with renewed urgency.
"Hey, Dizzy!" Spike greeted cheerfully as Adam and Fast Pace entered the library. The teen dragon was busy organizing books on the shelves.
"Oh, uh, hi Spike," Adam replied with an awkward wave.
Spike continued shelving as he talked. "So what brings you and uh-"
"Fast Pace," the guard said.
"Thanks. You and Fast Pace here? Come to continue reading that manga?" He asked.
Adam glanced around at the endless rows and stacks. "Not exactly. I'm looking to learn a little about history."
"History huh? What for?" Spike asked.
"Well…I was literally born yesterday," Adam answered with a nervous chuckle.
"Good one," he said amused. "Let me show you where we keep that stuff then."
After putting away the last books in his claws, Spike led Adam to a small section in the back. "Mostly just general overviews here, no super in-depth stuff, unfortunately," he explained. “But we do have a few historical recounts.”
Adam gave a dismissive wave. "That's fine. It's not like I'm writing a thesis."
Spike grabbed a large volume from the bottom shelf and passed it to Adam, who staggered under its unexpected weight. "This baby right here is the history section index Twilight made."
Adam opened to the middle of the book. "Is this part of a series? I'm halfway through and it's still on B."
Spike grinned proudly. "Nope, just the one book! Twilight expanded it magically so it could be as comprehensive as possible."
"Magic, huh?" Adam mused. "Is there anything it can't do?"
Spike shrugged. "You'd have to ask Twilight about that. She's the expert."
Adam located the sections on Discord as he asked, "Do you think she'd teach me some magic?"
"For sure!" Spike said confidently. "She's been dying to really get into magical theory with somepony."
"Oh yeah? How come?" Adam asked, gathering the books he needed.
"Most ponies just wanna learn their special talent magic," Spike explained. “No interest in complex stuff."
Adam shook his head. "That's dumb. You can do anything with magic.”
Spike raised a claw, counting off points. "Only if you're down to do a lot of math, theory, risk, and becoming boring." He mumbled out the last point.
"That's…specific," Adam said.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Twilight has me help her with her work."
"So then you could teach me?" Adam asked hopefully.
"Only math and theory," Spike replied.
With Adam’s search complete, the two made their way to the nearest table "If it doesn't involve advanced mathematics I should be fine."
Spike cringed theatrically. "Ooh boy, do I got news for you. Anyway, have fun learning about Equestria and the world."
"Don't worry, I will," Adam said as Spike went back to work.
What did you do Discord? Adam thought as he began to read.