The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake, huh? I'd have to admit, the seaweed was quite green from my point of view, which was currently holding on to the railing of the long ship. My legs floated lazily behind me as I was swiftly carried through the vast ocean. The ship kept drifting along as if it was still on the surface, the sails floated through the currents that would normally drive them to smash into rocks. My lungs were burning from the impulsive breath I had taken when the ship suddenly did a backflip.
I struggled against the current the moving ship was creating and put one fore leg in from of the other. I had to use every ounce of strength left in me in order to make it across the deck to the edge of the cabin. From there, I had no idea how I could reach the door and open it without letting go. And if I did that I'd be whisked away to the depths of the sea and drown.
I've been in Equestria, what, four, five days and I've been faced with death more times than I'd like. I had lost track of time after I got clonked on the head by D4 and I suddenly had to save my sea pony friend before dawn lest the city before overrun by changeling. Which I still had no idea how to prevent, much less how they're gonna accomplish such a feat with so few changelings.
The door to the cabin suddenly opened, and my favorite emerald mare was standing on the deck - somehow defying gravity by doing so - and stomped her hooves on the deck. I stared at her curiously as she repeated the action, this time glaring hard at me. I hazarded a guess that she wanted me to put my hooves on the deck, so I moved my hind hooves upward. When they touched the solid wood deck everything suddenly did another flip.
I collapsed on the deck gasping for air, which is theoretically impossible when the ship is upside-down and underwater. I noticed that the water didn't look like water, either. It was as if the entire sea had turned into air. I sat up and looked to the sky. Well, rather the sea floor. Everything was still acting as if it were underwater, without the water being there. I could see the seaweed waving as it hung down from the floor that encompassed my entire vision. There were fish swimming upside-down through the water/air, and I just sat there staring at the whole thing for a good minute or so.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I needed to get back into action, and to do that I can't spend all day gawking at what should be an impossible feat. Freakin' magic and it's freakin' ability to do freakin' anything. I stood up and made my way to the still open door of the cabin and descended into the depths. I was met with Saffron giving me humourous looks. Perhaps I was gawking a little longer than I had originally thought. I looked over to the table where Drop Shot was now taking a nice and blissful nap. I wished I could nap in times of stress like that.
"We are currently floating through the sea acting in a ship that shouldn't actually be underwater right now, and all you're going to do is wait here and act as if everything's normal?" I asked.
"Well, there's not much else we can do," Saffron pointed out as she flipped her mane out of her eyes.
"Not true! We could... uh... alright, well there's nothing we can really do, but that's not the point!" I stated with a hoof poke at the emerald mare.
"Then what is the point?" Saffron asked, one eyebrow quirked in vague interest.
I sighed as sat down on the bench of an empty table. I laid my head in my hooves and started to think. We're about to enter a cavern that's possibly full of cultists, and while we're helping our friend who may or may not still be alive we're gonna help a pirate gang steal away treasure that some other pirate had stolen. My trip to Equestria was far from what I thought it would be.
On the bright side, after I wrap up business here I can probably make my way to Ponyville and live the rest of my life in happy comfort and joy and love and not have to do anything adventurous ever again. My hooves muffled the second sigh; optimism would be a nice thing to have indeed.
Saffron and Drop Shot had no reason to be here, I'm potentially putting their lives at risk because of this stupid adventure. Why am I here, dragging them along when they only know half of what's going on? Hell, they're one of the few ponies here I've actually taken a liking to! Sure, I haven't known them all that long and know basically nothing about them, but the sheer fact that they're willing to join me on this quest was enough to allow them to come along.
I should have known something would have gone wrong when Jetsam came asking for help, and now we're going to helping pirates. If one thing was clear from my interactions with the loving couple, it's that they didn't take a liking to pirates at all. Drop Shot's a sailor, after all. Pirates are bad for business. That and a pirate's demeanor are a sharp contrast to a pony's kindhearted and friendly personality.
I lifted my head and looked straight in Saffron's ruby red eyes and I could see the worry plastered all over them. She knew it too, this trip is fraught with danger and there's a chance the two may return from this adventure as different ponies. Just doing that to anyone, not just ponies, is heartbreaking enough. If those... well, for lack of a better term, cultists do anything horrific to the seaponies, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for letting two innocent ponies get caught up in it.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
Saffron blinked. "Why?" she mirrored.
"Well, you could have left at any time. You and Drop Shot could have left on your ship back home, and lived a happier life than this one. Why did you choose to stay here?"
Saffron opened her mouth for a moment before she turned away and stared intently on the table in front of her. She was silent for so long I felt like dropping the subject and moving on. I opened my mouth to say something but a small whisper escaped the lime green form.
"I'm sorry?" I said.
She lifted her head and locked her now burning eyes on mine as she answered in a stronger voice, "Because you're my friend, you idiot!"
I opened my mouth to speak, but she quickly cut me off, "I know this is dangerous, but we can't just let you do this on your own. You were chased out of our home, you lost your only family, and we're going to do whatever we can to help repay you for your kindness."
A sharp sword of guilt sliced through my chest when she brought up my 'brother.' I don't even remember the name I gave D4 during our short stay. Bob, wasn't it? It's only been a few short days and I've already forgotten small details.
My thoughts drifted back to my friends, or the ponies who want to be my friends. They considered themselves as such, yet I've been keeping secrets from them ever since we met. That wasn't what friends did, and I didn't deserve to be considered as such.
I considered my options; continue building the web of lies and even get trapped in a sticky situation at some point in the future that would eventually bring the whole tangled mess down on my head, or stick my neck out, tell Drop Shot and Saffron the truth, and hope they don't bring the ax down.
My guilt must have shown on my face. Saffron gave me another worried look and I tried not to look into her eyes. If I did then the decision would have been made for me. My mind raced, trying to decide whether I should consider these random, strange ponies my friends. They didn't outright hate me when we met, so that's a start. They also volunteered to help me with my problems, something they didn't need to do. When it comes down to it, isn't that what a friend always does? The question floated around my mind, searching for it's answer within the whirlwind of my thoughts.
The cabin seemed unusually crowded, and I felt the need to walk back on deck, Saffron trailing behind me. I paused to look around me, the sheer amount of fish the swam through the underwater currents and the huge coral reef that was hanging above my head made me rethink the definition of 'surreal.' But the beauty of the ocean could not stop me from returning my thoughts to the fears that plagued my mind. Is Saffron someone I should truly consider a friend?
I knew the question was just a moot point, though. The right decision was staring at me the whole time, but I was just here wondering whether the right decision outweighed the need to conceal the truth. I didn't have many friends, and that's being generous to some of the people I was associated with. Whether I liked it or not, I would eventually have to come clean, so my best bet would be to wipe the slate now before it becomes to complicated and filled with lies. Better to hear the truth from me instead of having to face it in an inopportune time where my friendship and loyalty could be called into question.
I looked back up into Saffron's eyes. "There's something you should know."
I decided to start my tale from the very beginning, even including how I'm not even a resident of this world. I included how I never really had many friends, and how thankful I was that she would want to be thought of as a friend. Then I expressed my guilt, and why I felt as I should be straight with her. "I know this is a lot to take in," I concluded, "but please, I want to think that we're still friends after all this is over."
Saffron had started just staring out into the vast blue ocean about halfway though my story, an unreadable expression on her face. At least she hadn't thrown a fit and ran off in anger and frustration.
"You're a changeling." The statement was said through clenched teeth and barely concealed pain. I guess I thought too soon.
"Unfortunately so," I replied, reverting back into the insectoid that I had first appeared as. Saffron only gave me a glace before turning back to the sea. I changed back into my Lucky disguise, lest anyone walk out onto the deck and see me in my true form.
Saffron was silent for the longest time. I turned my gaze out into the ocean as well, enjoying the sights, just before the emerald mare turned around and stormed back into the cabin. I let a sigh of regret pass through my teeth. Nice job, you just ruined you're chances of ever being friends with the only ponies who would tolerate your presence for more than a day.
I turned my thoughts back to Saffron's response, did she still see me as a friend? Or perhaps she saw me as just another monster who tried to get close to her so I can feed. I didn't see any fear surrounding her, but that doesn't mean she doesn't hate me.
And what about Drop Shot? What would he think? He seemed to be the more likely one to get angry and let his rage overcome his thoughts. If Saffron still regarded me as a friend, then perhaps she would be able to reign in Drop Shot's temper. If worse came to worse, I could just leave. But as I looked out into the deep blue and watched a school of fish float by and eventually settle on snacking on the coral high above my head, I thought how I would be able to escape.
The answer came when the cabin door slammed open. I feared for the worst and turned to the intruder. To my surprise, it wasn't an angry mare looking for some revenge at a dirty liar, but the pirate captain himself came onto the deck. The hulking figure of the diamond dog didn't do much to ease my worries. And if that wasn't enough, Baron followed at his heels, the apron continuing to ask an impossible task of placing one's lips upon the chef.
I tried to give a confident grin, but I was afraid that my nervousness at the scarred captain had crept into my expression. His good eye swept across to mine in a fiery gaze that held me in place. The other was covered with an eyepatch, but I could still see the black and blue even through the mass of dark fur that hadn't seen any water without salt for years. His snarl sent shivers up and down my spine, and the sight of hardened muscles rippling silently under his fur almost caused me to abandon ship and swim to the surface.
The alien feeling revealed itself to me in a startling realization: I was facing a true predator, one that would just as likely gut me as he would help me. The position of being prey was so surreal, and if this was how all animals felt back home I might have to become a vegetarian.
"I know the ponies you're looking for," grumbled the mountainous mass of muscle. "It just so happens we're going to make a deal with them." I wasn't sure if he meant to hide a tone of anger just underneath his words, but they still commanded my respect and compliance.
"You deal in slavery," I didn't say it as a question.
"Nay, slavery is not the way we operate." The captain peered deep into my eyes with his burning stare. "We're going for a whole other reason."
My caution was smothered by my piquing curiosity and suspicion, "What exactly are you planning to do down here?"
He didn't respond, instead he pulled out a map that depicted huge pathways that twisted and turned in a labyrinth of stone. I was given only enough time for a sparing glace before he folded it up and tucked it away in his worn breeches. "Information."
I didn't know much about being a pirate, but based on the map he carried and him looking for information, I quickly put two and two together. "You're looking for a guide of the caverns."
"Aye," the dog simply replied. His face gave no hint as to whether he was surprised, his face made of the same stone that held his prize from him. "We arrive in a few minutes, you best prepare yourselves for the spell to let go. Once we surface, I expect us to stay out of each other's way while we conduct business of our own."
With that the giant turned and walked back into the cabin with a slam, which left me and Baron out on the deck. The cook came up to me with a big smile on his face, "Well, looks like ya go' a new friend, eh lass?"
I smiled at the cheerful pirate, "Is he always like that?" I glanced at the door's frame, which contained a few new splinters.
"Aye, he's got a reputation ta uphold, ya know. No' many pirates become captain by praising how magical the power o' friendship kin be." Baron rolled his eyes.
"Doesn't mean he should be rude all the time."
"He ain't, that was him bein' polite ta ya. You should see 'im on a bad day."
The thought sent shivers up my spine. Baron chuckled before making his way back inside the ship and I decided to follow his tail. It wasn't long till we hit the surface, and I wanted to clear up the air with my friends before we found ourselves stranded together in what could in fact be considered a 'danger zone.'
I had entered the cabin and looked around at the tables, noticing a lack of green and blue ponies. "Where'd Saffron and Drop Shot go?" I asked no one in particular. I saw a couple more doors, one was wide open and I could hear the guffaws and laughter of the pirate diamond dogs. No way would they be in there, I looked to the other door on the opposite end of me. That one had looked a bit too fancy, it probably lead up to the captain's quarters. That left one last door.
I turned to face the door to my left. I wasn't 100% sure they would be there, but I had to start somewhere, and I might as well start at the most likely spot. I entered the room and found myself in what looked like the storage. Barrels of water were stacked up to the ceiling on my left and boxes of food were on the right, enough of both that the crew on board would be well fed and hydrated for weeks before having to resupply. In the back of the room were items and weapons that could be classified as 'miscellaneous,' but also occupying the back were the very two ponies I was looking for.
Saffron was speaking in hushed tones, like she was telling her mate a secret conspiracy, which technically the truth could be classified as such. She looked at me when the door announced my entrance with loud squeaks. Drop Shot had a stunned look on his face that didn't change when he saw me. His ears were flattened against his head and his mouth wide open. Hid wounds were all bandaged, but I was afraid that any sudden movements from him could cause the pegasus to injure himself.
"Are you really....?" The aqua blue stallion asked.
I didn't give an answer aside from a simple nod. Drop Shot looked around the room, as if looking for an escape. I raised a hoof to get his attention. "I'm not hostile," I responded simply. "In fact, I'm trying to keep Manehattan from being invaded by changelings, if the city hasn't been conquered already."
"You could be lying," Saffron accused. "You've been lying for days; you're probably just trying to keep us near you so you can suck all of our love dry!" Her voice was a low whisper but every word slapped me as if it were a physical hit. I winced.
"I don't feed on love, I feed on fear." At that the couple both tilted their head and looked at me strangely. "Look, I don't know why it's fear, I don't know why I'm not part of the Hivemind, and I don't know how we're going to deal with the changelings that are coming to invade the city at dawn. But I do know one thing:" I glared between both of them, "Jetsam and the seaponies have been kidnapped. And I'm going to go save them. He asked us to help them, and we agreed. I'm not going back on my word just because I'm not a real pony. I'm going to go in there and risk my life because if we don't who else will?"
I looked between both of them as I let the question hang in the air for a moment. Saffron turned to face her mate. Drop Shot gave a quick glance at her before nodding his head slowly. Saffron turned back to me, "You're right, this doesn't change anything. Jetsam's still in trouble, and if we don't stop them then the seaponies may never be on friendly terms with Equestria. This isn't about us, this is bigger than that. Your true form isn't going to stop us."
With that, Saffron got up and walked determinedly past me and out the ship, where the pirates have started to gather onboard the deck. Before she left, thought, she turned to me one last time. "If you turn out that you really were just using us, you'll wish those ponies will have taken you instead when I'm through." I turned back to Drop Shot after she left the threat hanging, and he shrugged and followed her out the door.
I turned and left, thinking about the threat Saffron left me with. At least she had agreed to still help, I thought. With that, I left the cabin and walked onto the deck. I spotted the couple again and I met up with them, their silent glances the only acknowledgement that I was there.
The cavern was immense, big enough to fit a small city. I could spy stalactites - or perhaps they were stalagmites - far above me. The walls were far apart that the sound of dripping water could not bounce off them, which created an eerie silence that was not usual for caverns.The grey rock stretched on past our vision, and the darkness only seemed to grow even as we made out way off the ship.
Captain Morgan and Baron took a look at the gathered diamond dogs, thirty in all. Where most of them were when we were on the ship, I had no idea. Perhaps they were rowing us through the water, which seemed silly to me at the time. The captain had barked orders to make their way past the caverns. There was no reason to let the only group with a dozen torches leave us be with only unicorn light to guide us, so we went along with the pirates, much to Drop Shot's anguish.
The darkness of the cavern soon swallowed us whole, the ship disappearing behind us as we made our way into the labyrinth below with only our wits and a bunch of pirates that want to make a deal with slavers. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?