Day 1…
I was grinning as wide as I could when I got off the train at Hinnysmouth. I was instantly greeted by a cold sea wind, which made Shift burrow even further into my hoodie. I walked from the station passing by the various shops and stores of the seaside town.
“You there! The mare in the hoodie!”
I turned at the sound of the ancient-sounding voice. I found myself facing an open-fronted tent filled with various items, such as seashells and bits of coral. There was also a small pool of water, inside which swam a sea pony mare who looked old enough to make Applejack’s grandma look young. The grey creature looked at me and beckoned me over. “Yes, I am speaking to you, child. Come closer.”
I stepped a little closer. This wasn’t a sea pony like Ditzy’s mom. This was an Abyssal sea pony, a Styxian with bat like ears, dark fur, a curved horn, and, in her case, a long, windigo-like snout. Her kind lived in deep ocean trenches, such as the one only one mile out from Hinnysmouth. She looked at me, her breath smelling of old seaweed.
“You have a great journey ahead of you. Be glad of what comes your way, and beware the one who would see you fall.”
“What do you mean?”
She cackled, making Shift burrow deeper into my hoodie. She stared at me, and I noticed for the first time that she was blind. She smiled, revealing yellowed teeth.
“You have a touch of destiny about you.”
She cackled again, and then disappeared into her pool. I looked into it. Near the bottom was a cave or tunnel of some sort. It probably leads back to the sea, I mused before walking off towards the hotel. “A touch of destiny.” I wonder what that means?
I shrugged and continued onwards.
…
Anomaly Hunter was waiting for me in the lobby. He was a blue earth pony with a tweed jacket and a magnifying glass and question mark cutie mark. He smiled when he saw me, and we did the secret hoofshake of the Society. When we finished, he began talking.
“Lyra! I’m so glad you could make it here! How have you been? And how’s Bonbon? Still doing well I hope? And what about all your friends? I heard Vinyl and Octavia’s radio show has been hiring ponies to help them, and I have a nephew who’s pretty good at that sort of thing. But I digress; How are you? It’s been a while since…,” he was cut off as Shift threw a pencil at him.
Anomaly Hunter laughed. “Sorry, where are my manners? Hello Shift! I’m guessing you want these?” He pulled a bag of assorted nuts out of his saddlebag. Shift’s eyes widened as the bag was given to him, and he quickly began eating.
“I hope I am not interrupting anything,” said a smooth voice. I turned around, narrowing my eyes. Shift hissed in the way monkeys do when they are trying to scare off a predator or a rival.
Behind me was a black pegasus mare in a grey jacket. Her mane was spikey, and her cutie mark was a five-pointed star. Her yellow eyes weren’t friendly, and the smile she was wearing was less of a “friendly” smile and more of an “oh, it’s you again. I thought you died or something” kind of smile.
“Hello, Blackwing,” I said, trying to keep my voice polite.
“Heartstrings,” she replied, not disguising her contempt. “What are you doing here? Looking for sea monkeys?” she laughed.
I wasn’t sure why she didn’t like me. We weren’t really rivals, because I specialized in primates, whereas her specialty lay in nocturnal life, which was interesting considering she was an ordinary pegasus. I had never done anything to her that I could remember, but she never missed a chance to pester me. Anomaly Hunter stepped between us.
“Now girls, you’re both here for the same reason, remember? Because you’re both interested in this.”
Blackwing and I stared at the item. It was a canoe-like boat, similar to those used by ponies in the tropical islands south of Neighpon, but with one small difference.
The boat was only two feet long.
Blackwing was the first to speak. “So what do you think, Hunter?”
“It’s obviously pony-made, earth pony if I’m correct. You can tell by the carving marks that the knives used were held by teeth, not magic. But its size is baffling.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “The only equine close to small enough to fit in this craft would have been Eohippus, and it’s still too small for that! I mean, they were at least foal-sized, but whoever made this could only be six inches tall at the most.”
Blackwing spoke. “Ooh! So you think it belongs to a midget? Or perhaps a race of midgets! Ha! Heartstrings, sometimes you sound so stupid.”
I ignored her comment, studying the craft. It truly was unique. There were designs on the sides which did not match any known pony culture, yet for some reason, they seemed familiar.
Anomaly Hunter cut in. “Anyway, I’ve managed to charter a boat to attempt to take you to the vicinity of where we believe this came from. You’ll leave tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves! Here are your rooms.”
I went up to my room for the night.
…
Day 2…
Blackwing and I walked down to the docks. There, we saw our boat.
Blackwing raised an eyebrow. “You’ve GOT to be kidding me.”
The ship was a rickety old kelp harvester with the name Tempest on the side. It creaked and groaned as it floated. The captain was looking at us. “So ye’re the ones who want to sail on me vessel, eh?”
He was a grizzled old grey pegasus covered in scars, with one eye missing. He didn’t wear an eye patch, so I was treated to the sight of his empty eye socket covered in scar tissue. His cutie mark was an anchor. He continued to inspect us with his one eye. Shift returned the captain’s glare. It was a challenge for dominance. The stallion laughed.
“HA HA HA! I like this little monkey! Any creature that looks at me like that deserves me respect! The name’s Sea Storm, and it’s a pleasure to meet ya! Can I have yer names?”
I smiled. Despite his looks, he seemed nice. “I’m Lyra Heartstrings, and this is my pet, Shift.”
Sea Storm dipped his head. “A pleasure to meet you both. And you?” He turned to Blackwing.
“Blackwing Thunder.”
Sea Storm looked over the pegasus mare. “Well then,” he finally said, “let’s be off!”
We set sail. To where, I could not say, but it would be a grand adventure. I could feel it. I went up to the bow. Taking out my lyre, I began to sing an old traveling song I had picked up:
The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow if I can,
Pursuing it with hooves so fleet
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
Before me, the sea and sky created a beautiful scene, a perfect start for a voyage into the unknown.