Book 3: Equestria Abides
Chapter 33
Apollo looked eagerly over the dragon's neck, peering down into the forest below for signs of their destination. The area looked a little more overgrown than the last time he had been there, but already he was beginning to recognize landmarks. Their destination would be just outside the southern border of the Everfree Forest, where it met the ocean. Despite being uninhabited, it was really quite safe – far enough from Everfree that its creatures didn't come there.
Spotting a rock jutting out into the sea, he knew they were almost there... just around the next hill would be a secluded lagoon with the enormous ruins of the water spirit temple surrounding it, jungles all around the other sides. Spike cleared the hill, and there it was... the lagoon was the same crystal blue he remembered, the thin strip of beach still the same perfect sandy white, and though the jungles around it seemed to have grown a bit thicker and darker, there was the temple, sprawling out into the jungle.
He and his team had found the place themselves... after it had been lost many thousands of years... even Princess Celestia hadn't known about it. Wryly, he remembered their first trek through the treacherous jungles searching for it, and he had to admit, flying there on a dragon's back sure beat that by a long shot; they had wandered around for months searching for the place before they finally found it.
Spike spotted it as well, and began angling in for a landing. As they drew closer, details of the temple began to be visible: the huge standing stones, their extremely detailed decorations only visible in the sparse undamaged patches. Out of and through the ruined buildings grew the lush vegetation of the jungle coast, vines and tree roots weaving through and voraciously devouring the ancient stoneworks. Occasionally glimpsed behind the stones and trees were a few of the many statues they had found, fanciful depictions of some kind of pony-like being, except with fish tails instead of hind legs.
His team had spent months exploring and cataloging the place, and while the legendary treasures within had proven to be legends only, they had been able to shed some light on an ancient and entirely forgotten culture, one which – if the hieroglyphics on the walls were to be believed – lived together with the strange underwater ponies and dealt with them every day. But while they hadn't found much of actual monetary value, he did remember another find that would be important for him now.
In the temple near the beach, just below where a huge tree was growing out of what looked like solid stone... There! – There it was, a still-intact low-roofed stone building... the very same place his team had made camp while exploring the temple. It would keep out the weather well enough, but had lots of entrances, keeping it dry and well-ventilated, so it wouldn't be like living in a cave. With that shelter, they wouldn't need much in the way of camping supplies... they would have more room for luxuries in the bundles tied behind Spike's saddle.
Beside him, Twilight gasped when Spike turned around to complete his landing on the beach, giving her the first clear view of the temple... and from the look in her eyes, he knew he would have to try hard to keep her out of 'study mode' during their vacation. Not that he thought he would be particularly successful at that though; it was, after all, one of the reasons he picked the place – besides the natural wonders of the place, he knew she would enjoy exploring the temple and finding out about the ancient culture as much as he did back in the first time he came... and who better to be a guide than the pony who discovered it?
Following Twilight, he quickly dismounted from Spike, gliding down on his own wings. He used his magic to unbuckle and slip off the huge saddle from the dragon's back, giving Twilight a prideful glance as he did so – under her tutelage he had been greatly improving his magical skill, and being able to deal with those intricate little buckles and the heavy weight of the whole saddle was a great way to show off his improved skills.
She looked at him appreciatively... she knew he was showing off, and she seemed to approve. He followed her glance up to a pensive and eager looking dragon, and saw her give him a slight nod... With a rush of wind, Spike whirled and dove into the lagoon, creating a wave that washed over the entire beach, almost submerging their supplies. He surfaced again, filling a substantial portion of it, swimming around and circling, only a face, an undulating ridge of spines and a pair of wings visible above the water as he swam around snake-like, obviously enjoying it after the exertion of his long flight.
“Enjoying yourself, Spike?” Twilight's voice called out.
A deep rumble sounded from the lagoon. The big dragon might have been laughing... or sighing with pleasure... or exasperation for all anypony knew. Apollo never could get the hang of reading the big dragon's emotions.
He levitated the big saddle up again, heading for their camp site. He and Twilight could go for a swim later... when it was a little less crowded. In the meantime, he was eager to get unpacked and show his new bride some of the high points of this temple. He could already see the foal-like anticipation in her eyes... she just looked so adorable that way!
* * *
Twilight laid on the beach towel on the eastern edge of the lagoon, reclining against Apollo's side and basking in the last of Sunny's wedding gift. After four straight hours of sunset, the sun was finally falling below the horizon... it had sped across the sky somewhat faster than usual today, slowing down as it set so that she and Apollo could enjoy watching the sunset beyond the trees across the lagoon for hours. It was a wedding gift only an alicorn of the sun could give, and Twilight made a note to herself to thank Sunny when they returned... it had been wonderful. She nuzzled Apollo a little, getting a short kiss in return. Soon, they would need to see to their own new duties, bringing out the moon and stars... but not for a few moments yet... for now, they could still relax and simply enjoy the moment.
Apollo's horn began to glow, and an answering glow came from behind her, still behind the trees, but soon the moon would rise high enough to be seen above them. She reached out for her own celestial connection for a moment, closing her eyes to concentrate. As she opened them again, the first few stars were beginning to sparkle in through the twilight sky. She looked out over the sleeping form of Spike out near the edge of the lagoon's connection to the ocean, wondering how her parents had managed to name her so appropriately... how could they possibly have known?
She rose up to her feet, stretching luxuriantly, and in a way that just happened to give Apollo quite a view... she walked off toward their camp, ready to hit the bed... or the hammock as the case may be, but after a long day of relaxing on the beach, sleep was hardly what her mind was dwelling on... She glanced back, finding Apollo following her, eyes glued to her gently swaying flank... yes, her plans for the night would be going well indeed.
* * *
She shifted in the hammock, rocking it a little more than the sea breezes blowing in the entrance to their little stone house already were. It still didn't wake Apollo though... it appeared that she had rather worn him out... She looked out through the entrance at the water in the lagoon, the moonlight now reflecting on the small waves even though the moon itself was too high to see from under the roof.
She noticed a tree in the way of the entrance now... had that been there earlier? She couldn't remember... but it didn't look like it belonged in the jungle setting... a small and scraggly-looking oak maybe... not one of the towering forest giants around her, and not one of the twisted and vine-like trees of the under-story either...
Shrugging it off, she closed her eyes and nuzzled up close to Apollo again, happy to share his warmth in the cool sea breeze. She opened her eyes again one last time before going to sleep, and cried out in shock, jumping out of the hammock... or at least trying to. She did manage to fall out, while setting the whole thing spinning around wildly. Apollo's head came peeking out of the top once it stopped moving temporarily, but quickly disappeared into a blur as the hammock spun back the way it had came, undoing the tension Twilight had put into it.
With a thud, Apollo was shot out of the hammock, landing next to twilight, looking bewildered and a little hurt. “Huh, wha?” He managed to get out.
Twilight just pointed at the reason she had jumped in the first place. There, right next to the bed was a tree, its branches reaching out towards them like grasping fingers and the knots on the trunk looking disturbingly like a distorted face... and worse yet, now there were two more silhouetted against the moonlight at the entrance.
* * *