Chapter 2: Crossing Paths
Sunny Inn, Sunny Island Port, Elmheim, Gaia, Winter, 1002 C.E.
Colgate stared out at the beach through the window in her room. She watched the blue waves roll up onto the shore and spread out across the golden sand. They didn't name this place Sunny Island Port for nothing, Colgate thought as she stared at the glowing Sun in the sky. But...where does the "island" part come in?
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Colgate turned away from the window, approached the door, and opened it. Beyond the door stood Bright Eyes, who was smiling fiercely, and Clockwork, who was giving a stare that seemed to cut through Colgate's skin like a knife. "Hello!" chirped the pegasus.
"Oh! Hello," Colgate said in return. "What's going on?"
"The two of us were heading over to the Sunny Island Museum and we were wondering if you were interested in joining us," said Clockwork.
"Sure! Sounds like fun," Colgate replied. Hopefully this will give me more of an opportunity to learn more about these two, she proceeded to think.
"Well come along then!" Bright Eyes said as she bounced down the hallway. Colgate chuckled at the excited Bright Eyes before closing the door to her room and locking it. She then followed Clockwork and Bright Eyes towards the stairs.
Meanwhile, down in the lobby, Matilda and Daring Do had just entered. A few of the tourists in the lobby noticed the two mares and gave impressed nods in Daring's direction. One stallion wearing a shirt covered in flowers approached Daring and shook her hoof. "I just wanted to say how great your costume is. My wife's been trying to pull off Daring Do for years but never gets it right," he said as he smiled through his tan mustache. "So is there a Hearth's Warming Eve costume party or something?"
Before Daring could respond, Matilda stepped in between her and the stallion with a large grin on her face. "None of the sort! She's just celebrating Nightmare Nate late," Matilda replied.
"But why-"
"I'm sorry but my friend and I have places to be at and ponies to talk to. Ta-ta!" Matilda then wrapped a foreleg around Daring and moved her towards the front desk. She leaned in close to Daring's ear for a couple seconds and whispered into it. "I'll explain everything shortly. Just...ignore any comments like that for the time being." Matilda then turned her attention to the receptionist.
"So how far away is this museum?" Colgate asked as she, Clockwork, and Bright Eyes entered the lobby.
"Not too far. It's over towards the port," Clockwork replied. "Elmheim has quite an interesting history, I must say." No matter which universe you're in, he added in thought.
As they walked past the front desk, Bright Eyes's attention was caught by Daring Do. "Ooh! Nice Daring Do costume!" Bright Eyes said to Daring as she walked by. Daring looked as if she wished to say something but remained quiet and instead gave a polite nod to Bright Eyes.
Colgate was at the exit to the lobby when, for a second, her eyes glazed over Matilda's large, brim hat. "Wait a second," Colgate said under her breath.
"Come along then!" said Clockwork as he politely pushed Colgate through the front door with Bright Eyes following close behind.
While Colgate, Clockwork, and Bright Eyes took their exit, Matilda accepted the room keys from the receptionist and tossed one to Daring. "Here you go. The key to your room," said Matilda as she began trotting towards the stairs.
"So what now?" Daring asked as they began to ascend the staircase.
"Firstly, we unpack," Matilda replied.
"Well that won't take long. All I have is my backpack and you...you don't have any luggage to unpack."
"Don't be so sure." Matilda giggled as she presented a small, red purse. She shook it and Daring's eyes widened as she heard what sounded like a warehouse of items bouncing around within it. "Yep. It's a purse that's bigger on the inside that it is on the outside. I got it from an incredibly magical world I visited once, mostly because it reminded me of a dear friend of mine."
"An incredibly magical world? What, have you been to outer space or something?"
"Why, of course, but that's not where I got this from. It'd be hard to find a place exactly like Diagon Alley anywhere in this universe, sadly."
Many questions were zooming about Daring's head and the question she proceeded to ask she picked completely at random. "What's Diagon Alley?"
"That, my fellow adventurer, is a story for another time. Come, let us unpack so that we can head over to the museum!"
"Museum? What's at the museum?! I thought you were going to explain to me what the hay is going on!"
"All in due time, I promise. I didn't travel to Elmheim for no reason, you know. I have my own series of things to look into; and, now that I think about it, I think both of our quests may have a bit more in common than we realize."
Daring groaned and shook her head. What an impossible mare, she thought as she trudged after Matilda.
Sunny Island Museum, Sunny Island Port, Elmheim, Gaia, Winter, 1002 C.E.
Colgate's eyes scrolled across painting upon painting of various explorers as she walked down the museum hallway with Clockwork and Bright Eyes. Colgate was definitely learning a bit more about Elmheim from her walk; such as how Elmheim got its name due to the first explorers inhaling a strange fume from the jungle that made them mistake the jungle trees for elm trees and how Sunny Island Port got its name from a glowing island that used to be located a little ways away from the shoreline, but it mysteriously disappeared a few decades back. However, despite these interesting bites of information, Colgate had yet to learn much more about her new companions. It was very clear to Colgate that Clockwork was hiding information from her and, in turn, she could tell that he knew that she was hiding information as well. One of us is going to say the wrong thing soon...and pray to Celestia and Luna that it isn't me, she thought as she looked at an old sculpture that had been constructed by an ancient tribe that once lived in the Elmheim jungles.
"There's so much interesting stuff here that it's hard to take it all in!" Bright Eyes exclaimed.
"But we haven't even reached the best part yet!" said Clockwork with a chuckle.
"And that would be?" Colgate asked.
"The Hall of Myths...and here it is!"
Colgate turned to see a long, massive hallway expanding out before her. The walls magically changed color (probably due to some unicorn influence) and several odd objects, paintings, pictures, and framed articles hung from said walls. The mysterious aura of the hallway and the legends held within temporarily made Colgate and Clockwork forget their suspicions for each other and it didn't take long for them to get wrapped up in the stories and myths that were displayed within the hallway.
From origins of old legends like the Headless Horse and the Olden Pony to vases and statues rumored to contain the angry spirits of old Elmheim natives to tales of cursed gold, life-prolonging fountains, and zombie ponies, the Hall of Myths and, by extension, Elmheim seemed to have it all. And, at the end of the hallway, was the crème de la crème of all Elmheim legends: the Elmheim Temple. A temple constructed out of golden stone and rumored to contain priceless treasure, angry spirits, powerful potions, and a series of magical scrolls and spells that could put Star-Swirl the Bearded to shame, it was the ultimate goal for any adventurer or treasure hunter. The exhibit for the temple came in the form of a makeshift replica that had its own atrium at the end of the hallway. "Many ponies have lost their minds and even their lives in order to find the Elmheim Temple. Sadly, since the days of the first settlers, there has been no further evidence to prove the temple's existence," Colgate read aloud from one of the articles scattered about the room. She looked up at the replica of the temple in awe. "Interesting."
"I'll say," Clockwork added as he stepped next to Colgate.
"You seem to be very interested in secrets, traveling, and all that stuff. Is that what you do for a living?"
"That's only a recent hobby. I used to be a clockmaker."
"Ah. Well that makes sense." It also explains the cutie mark, Colgate thought as she looked at Clockwork's hourglass cutie mark.
"So what about you?"
"I'm honestly not really sure about what I want to do with my life."
"Well you must have some idea. You do have a cutie mark after all."
Colgate glanced at her own hourglass cutie mark. "It's complicated."
I'm sure it is, Clockwork thought as he, Colgate, and Bright Eyes continue their trek around the surprisingly large replica of the Elmheim Temple.
At this moment, Matilda and Daring Do entered the Hall of Myths. "Ah! Here we are! The interesting part of the museum!" Matilda exclaimed as she began glancing at the various objects and articles. Daring gave a bored sigh as she followed Matilda down the hallway. "Come now, Daring. Why not try to have some excitement? Surely you, of all ponies, would take an interest in old legends and stuff like this."
"I've already seen and read about all of this when I did my research for the Elmheim Temple," Daring replied. "There's nothing really new here."
"Oh, don't be so sure. There's a possibility that there might be a few altered details here and there."
"And what do you mean by that?"
Matilda sighed as she turned to Daring. The two mares came to a halt in front of the Elmheim Temple replica and were standing immediately next to each other. "I mean that this isn't the same Sunny Island Port that you visited when you were investigating the temple."
Daring groaned and shook her head. "That doesn't really answer my question. What does that mean?"
"Do you believe in alternate realities, Daring?"
"Alternate...realities?"
"Yes. Alternate realities. Other universes. Different dimensions. That kind of stuff."
"I've heard theories about it, sure. I've never really given it much thought."
"Well you will after this. You were right, to an extent, about something earlier, Daring. I do have a solid idea as to how you ended up on the beach."
Matilda turned towards Daring with the expectation of an angry outburst or something. Instead, Daring remained very calm. She proceeded to give Matilda a slight nudge. "Well, go on. I've waited long enough for your explanation. I'm saving my outburst for later." Daring gave a devious grin and Matilda chuckled in reply.
Meanwhile, Colgate and Clockwork were continuing their conversation as they walked around the temple replica. Bright Eyes was busy reading all of the articles about the temple. "So, I'm guessing that you have a talent with time, perhaps," Clockwork guessed.
"You could say that I did," Colgate replied awkwardly.
"Colgate, I'd hate to be blunt but you seem to be hiding a great deal of information from me that I think could help answer the questions that we have about each other."
Dropping the ball already? Fine. Let's continue, Colgate thought. "I don't see why I should tell you or Bright Eyes any of the secrets I have. If you recall, we've only just met. Since when has anypony told their secrets to a complete stranger?"
"That's true but, whether you call it rude or not, I'd personally be very happy to learn about secrets that involve me and my friends."
"And what makes you think that any secrets that I may or may not be keeping have anything to do with you?"
"Come on, Colgate. I'll admit that you can put on a somewhat convincing act at times but you're certainly no expert at hiding the fact that you're hiding something."
"And you're no expert at hiding your suspicions."
"It's hard for me to hide my suspicions when something fascinates me. Everything about you fascinates me suspiciously. Your mysterious appearance on the beach, which I highly doubt was some experimental spell from some friend of yours, the odd way that you eye Bright Eyes and me as if you've seen us before, and your fascination with Derpy's name earlier; and I have a strong feeling that you've heard the name Derpy somewhere before." Colgate remained silent. "In fact, I have a feeling that we have a common friend and ally and that our suspicions are keeping us from becoming valuable allies in turn." Clockwork looked sternly into Colgate's eyes. "I believe that you too know a stallion known as the Doctor and that you're currently wondering about why I and Bright Eyes look so much like him and Derpy Hooves respectively."
Colgate was about to say something when something caught her eye. She, Clockwork, and Bright Eyes had finished their trek around the temple replica and now she was facing something she had definitely not expected to come across here: the mare with the large, brim hat who had sent her to Elmheim. It took Colgate a second to decide on which mystery to currently press into. "Let's put this on hold for a moment, Clockwork. I've got somepony else that I need some answers from," Colgate stated as she began marching towards the mare.
"I guess you have waited long enough for an explanation," Matilda said to Daring with a chuckle. She was about to start her explanation when somepony interrupted her.
"Hello there," said Colgate as she approached Matilda. Matilda and Daring turned to face Colgate. "Remember me?"
Matilda tilted her head in confusion. "The cutie mark looks familiar but, other than that, I can't say that I remember you from anywhere."
"Save it." Colgate marched up to Matilda and glared deep into her eyes. "You listen here, whoever you are. I have been through a lot recently and I have so many unanswered questions in my head right now that I think I'm about to explode. So, please, I would very much appreciate it if you could just tell me everything."
"Everything...about what?"
"About what? ABOUT WHAT?! You knowing to send me to the Doctor! You sending me here to Elmheim with that device on your hoof!"
Matilda glanced down at her vortex manipulator. "Who are you?"
"You know who I am! Don't try to play dumb!"
"I swear that I'm not playing dumb and I don't doubt for a second that you've met me before. But just tell me your name."
Colgate rolled her eyes. "Tell me yours first then."
"Matilda."
"Colgate."
"Excuse me!" Daring snapped. "I'd hate to interrupt....okay, no I wouldn't, but what happened to the explanation you were giving me?!"
"I'd hate to be rude here but this mare owes me an explanation about something very urgent," said Colgate.
"And what makes you so special?!"
Matilda turned back and forth between Daring and Colgate with a stressed but suave grin on her face. "Ooh! It's the mare dressed as Daring Do again!" exclaimed Bright Eyes as she flew over and landed next to Daring.
Daring groaned loudly and screamed, "I AM DARING DO! SINCE WHEN WERE THERE EVER COSTUMES OF ME?!"
Some of the other tourists began to glance in their direction. Clockwork hastily walked over to calm down the four mares. "Ladies, I think we should all just calm down. We're starting to draw unwanted attention," Clockwork said with a slight whisper.
Matilda froze in her place upon seeing Clockwork. A sly grin then appeared on her face. "Doctor? I didn't expect to see you here as well," she said.
Clockwork cleared his throat awkwardly and took a few steps back. "Yeah...about that-"
Just then, the lights in the museum went out. It wasn't completely dark, thankfully, due to the sunlight pouring in from the atrium's glass ceiling. Tourists gasped and screamed around them. Daring caught something out of the corner of her eye. Something was moving about the top of the temple replica. Daring quickly realized that it was a mare wearing a black cloak...and weilding an electrified rod. "LOOK OUT!" cried Daring as the crazy mare known as Rainbow Dash dived towards her and the others with her electrical weapon at the ready.