//------------------------------// // Chapter Five: Luna Bay // Story: The Markless Wonderer: Origin // by OllerusTheFailure //------------------------------// We stood at the welcoming desk in the empty lounge as faint wafts of air from the ceiling fans brushed our heads. The wooden interior was polished so much that it almost resembled glass, and showed my purple, hazy reflection. “The wood here might be the most beautiful I’ve seen in Equestria.” Thorax pressed a hoof against the mirrored surface of his inverse hoof. “Right? I feel like I can just skate across the floor like ice.” A receptionist behind the welcoming desk greeted us with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to welcome you back, Page Martinet. May I be of any help to you?” “I’ll be fine, but hold that thought.” A high-gloss door was visible to the left of the receptionist’s desk. Page Martinet gestured for our entry after opening it. “Allow me to welcome you to my office. Should I have Lila Styles over here prepare some coffee for you?” “No thanks,” I answered, entering the room. “I’ll take you up on that offer,” Thorax said as he followed. “In what manner would you prefer it to be prepared?” Page Martinet asked. “There are different ways to prepare it?” “Yes. There’s black coffee—” “That one! I’ll have my coffee black.” “Are you sure?” Thorax smiled and puffed his chest out in pride. “Eeyup—as a close friend of ours always says.”  “Lila, can you please prepare a cup of black coffee for one of our guests?” “I’ll get right on it, Chief.” Lila Styles stood up from behind the receptionist’s desk, and Page Martinet closed her office door without a sound. The cleanliness of her office rivaled, if not surpassed, that of the lounge. As a cleaning professional, I had to admit that I couldn’t even dream of making Twilight’s castle this spotless. “Did it all have to be smooth, glossy wood?” I muttered, observing the space and detecting a hint of a wintergreen aroma. Impressed by the aesthetic, Thorax spun around multiple times in a slow 360-degree rotation. “This is great! Like being in the most elegant tree.”  “Please, take a seat.” I sat in one of the two available polished chairs. Because of my weight, it creaked, which made my heart drop to my stomach, perhaps even further. Imagine showing up to the town chief’s office and beginning a conversation by breaking their furniture. Not a good look. Thorax, noticing the chair was initially meant for a pony’s rear end, transformed into his pony persona, Crystal Hoof. Expansive and orderly bookshelves decorated both sides of the office. At the same time, a seven-meter-tall bay window behind the Chieftain’s desk reached toward the sky. The window was ten meters wide, almost the width of the room. Martinet’s office reminded me of Twilight’s old dorm back in Canterlot. She even had a sliding library ladder for both sides! Well, I guess that should be expected. Enough distractions. Behind the polished dark brown desk in a black office chair sat the town’s chieftain – Page Martinet. We were met with a stern gaze from the mare and her portrait displayed on the desk—a double whammy. Twilight’s advice resurfaced, and my back straightened to appear more presentable. Crystal Hoof, seeming a slight threatened by Page Martinet and her twin portrait’s expression, offered his condolences. “Good luck, Spike.” Thanks, Thorax. Really. “Allow me to repeat my earlier question. What is the motive behind your presence here, Royal Advisor?” Page Martinet reiterated, resting her chin on both forelegs, staring deep into my soul. “To be blunt, I want to invite the young colts and fillies at your school and everypony in this town to enroll in the School of Friendship. If they want to come.” “Hmm…” Page Martinet ruminated on my proposal, and closed her eyelids. Then, somepony opened the door. Firm clops resounded and approached. Using her head to push a black service cart, Lila Styles brought the cart holding a steaming beverage on a coffee tray to Crystal Hoof and left it for him. “May this coffee bring your taste buds immense pleasure and satisfaction. Now, if you excuse me, I must take my leave. If there is anything else you need, please call for me.” “Will do! Thanks a lot!” Crystal Hoof exclaimed before he blew on the black liquid, took his first sip, and smacked for all to hear. “Still hot… but not too shabby.” Thorax, I am having a difficult time resisting the urge to smack my forehead. As ‘Crystal Hoof’ took another slurp, Page Martinet still contemplated. Or maybe she was annoyed by the sipping. I couldn’t tell. Upon her eventual response, it came swiftly. “No.” “What?” Surely, I must have heard wrong. Crystal Hoof slurping black coffee ensued. Page Martinet’s glasses slid down her muzzle, causing her to readjust them by pushing them back up. “That’s my answer. No.” My palms weighed down on my knees. “Can you tell me why? Learning about friendship should be accessible to all! Especially to those struggling and seeking guidance, we offer a space for finding answers and self-improvement! There’s no reason to decline this.” Page Martinet laid back into vinyl cushions. “I understand your perspective. However, I assure you I have valid reasons.” “I’d like to know these ‘reasons,’ if you don’t mind.”  “As it is known, our town refrains from participating in the affairs of the rest of Equestria. Regrettably, we have not yet appointed an official name for our residence, either.” I virtually stood up from my chair as I countered. “You can be involved! We can change that!” “What you say is true, but have you thought about that not being within our wishes?” That revelation took me aback. “Huh? ‘Not within…’ Why wouldn’t it be?” “The nameless town we call home, with its winter night sky, is perfect the way it is. Our goal is to live in peace, with nothing unusual interfering with our daily routines. A location not acknowledged by the rest of Equestria. Although it is possible for anypony to enter this location without prior notice, I cannot offer a cordial welcome to such an occurrence. Besides...” I had to be cautious not to topple my chair, as she had me on the edge of my seat. “Besides?” Page Martinet pulled out a drawer and stared at a small brown picture frame stored within before returning to the conversation. “Do you know anything about Luna Bay, Royal Advisor?” “That body of water outside?”  “Precisely.” “No, why? It’s just some body of water.” For the first time, laughter echoed through the office. The source was the only authentic pony present. “Another factor to consider is that body of water.” “Is… there something special about it?” “Very special. Given that you and your friend are trustworthy figures across Equestria, I feel assured of confiding this information to you. A secret kept from most. The issue is confidential and should not be shared with everypony and creature in Equestria, as it may endanger Luna Bay and its neighboring community. Perhaps even the natural order of life in Equestria.” “I’m listening.” If true, I was left wondering why she would tell. “Me too,” Crystal Hoof chimed in, still sipping his black coffee, assaulting our ears. Page Martinet removed her glasses, fogged them with her hot breath, and scrubbed them with a soft fabric from another drawer. “The founder of this village is one of my ancestors. Unlike myself, she was a unicorn. Just an ordinary pony like the others in this town. She liked to practice her magic in private and kept a journal to write about her progress. But one night, she strayed too far from her home and became lost in this area. The weather was a pierce frigid, and in due time, she found herself near a body of water known today as Luna Bay. And with no sensible explanation, she was drawn to it. Like I said before, it was severely cold. She should steer clear of thoughts about that ‘alluring’ body of water. Still, despite nearing the end of her life, she intentionally moved closer to death’s door. Why was that?” “Beats me,” I replied, stumped. The closest thing to mind is when I hopped in to save the Equestria Games from that colossal mass of ice over a decade ago. But that decision was made on a whim to protect the crowd’s safety. From the information Page Martinet stated, the situations weren’t exactly the same. Crystal Hoof plunged in. “I’m with Spike on this one.” Spotless once again, Page Martinet put her glasses back on, then swung her office chair around to look out the bay window behind her, and stared at the three subtle reflections. Either that, the snowy expanse, occasional buildings, or the Frozen North Mountains. “Supposedly… it was the beautiful, true night sky reflecting off of it that attracted her. But in my honest opinion, that’s utter folly. She went to the bay, disregarding the need for warmth or direction of home, and when she did, the bay provided answers.” “Provided answers? On how to survive?” “Somewhat. That foolish unicorn, Ocean White, was shown her future, true self, and the means to reach it. In contrast, it also showed her what would happen if she didn’t. So, the choice is obvious… right? She lived happily ever after and even convinced the struggling ponies from her hometown to move there; thus, the origins of our town began. At least, that’s as far as the records go.” What? That’s crazy... The bay is like a more elaborate version of the Crystal Heart in the Crystal Empire, except it’s openly available for anypony to use. And if everypony in Equestria depends on it, the need to find your purpose alone will be eliminated entirely!  The mere thought of this town’s secret being revealed sent my heart into a frenzy one could hardly imagine. If I had told Twilight, surely, she would have felt the same. Actually… It frightens me to think about what she might do to keep this under wraps. For the natural order of Equestria, would Twilight use her power as an alicorn to destroy the bay? No, that’s ridiculous, Spike; she wouldn’t go that far… Right? The fake pony in the room posed a question. “How did she convince those ponies to tag along?” “The diary doesn’t disclose the method, however; I assume she informed them about the bay, but then, as you asked, the question that would follow is, ‘How did she get them to believe her?’ All we can do is speculate.” Now, the weight of the situation is uncovered as comprehensible. “I understand. Luna Bay might fall prey to the exploitation of creatures and ponies, such as the Flim-Flam brothers. But the story prompts some questions.” Turning her chair back toward us, she replied with an expressionless face. “Ask away.” “Shouldn’t you close off the bay and assign ponies to guard it? Anypony can approach it with ease, as you pointed out earlier.” Once again, Page Martinet, with her glasses sliding down, rested her hooves under her chin and scrutinized me before speaking. “What good would that do? The act of arousing suspicion around the bay will prove counterproductive, as it will attract more attention, possibly even mistrust. Our only option is to leave the bay as is. You could say we came full circle here. Why, in the name of Celestia and Luna, would a pony stare into the bay at night in this frigid atmosphere? For the view? In my opinion, only an idiot would. Or somepony who knows of the secret, but that isn’t likely.” “Fair point, so I take it the bay only works at nighttime?” “Correct. The town’s originators made many efforts to experiment with it.” “What would happen if word got out?” Crystal Hoof asked. “Then so be it. It is what it is,” Page Martinet touted, her glasses still sliding down her muzzle, revealing the solemn nature behind her exposed gaze. “There’s nothing else we could do about it except…” Reluctant to do so, Crystal Hoof finished her sentence and gulped. “D-destroy the bay?” Tension hung in the room like a thick fog, making it hard to breathe. Even so, we visitors could hear our concerned breaths filling the space—perhaps even our heartbeats. Unfazed, Page Martinet glanced at Crystal Hoof and nodded. “Luna Bay is an impressive natural phenomenon, possibly even a manifestation of some divine force. The act of destroying it would pose a considerable challenge. After all, it is an immense body of water connected to the North Luna Ocean. One must question its ethical implications.” Then, the most advisable approach would be to avoid mentioning or drawing attention to Luna Bay. I’m going to respect Page Martinet’s ways and keep my mouth shut, even to Twilight. “In that case, I have one more question. It might come off as rude.” Page Martinet’s interest was piqued. “Let’s hear it.” “Why do you care so much for Luna Bay? Why ‘protect’ it?”  “I guess I do, but don’t get it wrong, dragon. First and foremost, I protect the town and its residents. The bay just so happens to be included in the package.” “Would it not be wise to consider moving elsewhere in this situation?” Crystal Hoof advised. “Although it would be ideal, as you can observe, we have already established a residence in this location. Our ancestors have lived in this land for generations, and it would prove challenging for the ponies who are aware of our confidential information to abandon it all. So challenging, they might threaten to reveal said confidential information.” “Weird. Has my coffee always been this bitter?”  The three of us, all noteworthy figures with our own unique accomplishments, remained quiet. I was the first to break the silence. “Still, how does this exactly surmise a rejection of my earlier proposal?” “Oh? Would you be so kind as to further elaborate?” “Gladly. I get that you lot enjoy your lives just the way they are, but what about the individual pony? Where’s the damage in letting them attend the School of Friendship if that’s what they want?” Again, a hush fell over the room, only to be broken by the subdued chuckling of Page Martinet. “Hahaha!” Grimaced, I could not believe she could laugh at a time like this. Unlike earlier, I didn’t balk at standing upright. “I fail to see the humor in this, Chieftain Martinet.” After appeasing her expression from laughter, a smile remained. Then, she finally pushed her glasses back up. “I beg your pardon for squandering your time. Although what I stated isn’t false, I don’t object to you taking a few of our willing townsfolk to attend your educational institution. After all, nopony attending your school will know the bay’s secret anyway. So, the likelihood of the information being disclosed… is zero.” “So then, by the off-chance somepony knew, you believe they wouldn’t risk endangering the bay?” Crystal Hoof hypothesized. Page Martinet gave Crystal Hoof a side glance. “Fully.” Annoyed, I could not help but query. “Seriously? What was the reason behind all of this, then?”  Wait a minute… “To put it bluntly—” “You had nothing better to do, did you?”  “...Caught with red hooves. I just wanted to have a fun chat with you, ‘O Brave and Glorious,’” Page Martinet affirmed, displaying the sole of two hooves. “I’m quite the fan of your achievements in the Crystal Empire. Forgive me, I was curious to see how you would fare in a serious discussion with yours truly. Since the chance presented itself, I took it.” I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. This reminded me of a stunt a certain draconequus would pull. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t care anymore… Let’s just get this paperwork over with.” Seriously, do not throw a dragon in for a loop like that. “By all means.” Chieftain Page Martinet grabbed the essential paperwork that needed filling and presented it to me. “You will be ready to go after filling out these forms. First, you can announce for all to hear at the school, and then have me gather everypony at the town square for a second announcement later tonight. We can print out some advertisement pamphlets or posters for the townsfolk to keep. With time, they might change their mind. Sound acceptable?” “Yeah. Good grief,” I responded, grabbing the forms. After drinking the last of his black coffee, Crystal Hoof spoke. “That was quite a show, but I’m out of coffee now. Think I could get some more, Chief?” “Of course, I’ll get my assistant Lila Styles on it posthaste.” Page Martinet exited her cushion-filled office chair and walked out the door. “Lila! We’ll need more black coffee.” Dutifully, the dismissive assistant happily endeavored. “You can count on me, boss!”  I began working on the paperwork while Crystal Hoof reverted to his innate changeling shape. Thorax was back, even if he never indeed left. “The journey is almost over now. We can head back to Ponyville after these two announcements and ask Discord and Big Mac if they can hang out. Does that sound good to you, Spike?” The scratching of the quill could be heard throughout the office. “Yeah, far down the line, I’m sure that will be our new ordinary.”