//------------------------------//
// Homecoming 
// Story: Lyra's Voyages 1: Small Beginnings. 
// by Prince_Staghorn 
//------------------------------//

I went over a list in my head.

Seven heads. Check.

Relatively small size. Check.

Tadpole-like fin on the tail. Check.

Olive color. Check.

Really weird roar. Check.

It was a Lotan, a type of sea hydra normally found near the coasts of Saddle Arabia and Camelu. What made them unique was… I ducked as a gout of flame was shot at me.

Yeah. They breathe fire. Kind of weird considering they’re technically sea creatures. 

What really held my attention though, were two things.

One, we were nowhere near the lotan’s home range. This was Scylla territory, aka, “six-headed marine hydra a little bigger than a regular hydra” territory. The average Lotan stuck to shallow water near Camelu and Saddle Arabia, simply because they weren’t good enough swimmers to deal with larger predators like the Scylla, Cetus (Star Whale), Megalodon, or Kraken. (Geez, I’m a nerd, sorry for the exposition.)

Second, the middle neck had a collar.

Now, I’m sorry for cutting away from this journal entry, but let me explain something.

Hydra eggs of any kind are considered a Class IV trade object. That means they’re among the most dangerous things you can buy on the black market, and you have to be fairly rich to get one.

Hydras, if trained from when they hatch, make fairly good pets, if high-maintenance ones. In ancient times, domestic hydras were used as beasts of war. Now, it’s rare to find any pony with a pet hydra.

But this Lotan had a black collar around its central neck. “Cuddles” was spelled out in perfect Equestrian.

Pet or not, I had to do something… I considered panicking to be a viable option, before I remembered I wasn’t in Ponyville, where all the problems resolve themselves while everypony ran in circles screaming. 

…I would actually need to do something to stop this. 

Now, I’m NOT a fighter. Danger rears up, I’m the fourth pony after Daisy, Lotus, and Roseluck to start panicking. But I AM a unicorn, and that means I think better under stressful situations…

“Hey, ya big lizard! Look over here! Wiggle wiggle wiggle! Nice tasty pony butt!”

…Not that I always come up with genius-level ideas. But it was all I could think of. 

And it worked. The Lotan turned all seven heads, and started lumbering after me, roaring. I knew where I should lead the beast even as I ran. Thank Epona and the other gods that the lotan had such relatively stubby legs. It continued following me, shrieking and occasionally spewing fire. I kept running.


***


I had been put to a few jobs by the Drakkik during my stay. One of these was helping in the local rock quarry. It was a massive boxed-in canyon, deep enough that the bottom was shaded at all times except noon, veins of marble running through the rock. This was where the city got most of the material for its artisans and stone-workers. It also had a path to the top just wide enough for me.

It was here I led the lotan. I ran up the path, leaving the hydra at the bottom. When I reached the top, I found what I needed. In this case, that happened to be a big pile of marble. I knew I couldn’t count on luck and hope if I kicked the rocks off the edge they’d miraculously hit the beast. So I did the smart thing, levitating the pile, using a simple spell to mesh it into a single large (and heavy!) rock, and then, aiming, dropped it, crushing most of the beast’s heads. The beast screamed in pain, severing the trapped heads and running off. Two more were growing from each of the severed stumps, so the beast had eight new heads, but it ran back to the safety of the ocean and swam away. After all, it was a wounded animal in an unfamiliar environment.

I was celebrated as a hero once again, but I had an odd feeling. Somehow, I knew who had sent that beast

Day 30

I am being forced to leave today. It was decided that due to my size and my reluctance to actually destroy “threats to the nation”, I was more of a burden than a help. Swift Speaker was especially sad to see me go.
I set about building a boat, with some help from the locals. It was weird how I barely noticed the Meeni’s size anymore, but I suppose that’s just me. 

As I write, my boat is finished and ready to go. My items have been returned to me. I have been given gifts, as well as a few books… and one other thing, but I’ll keep it a surprise until later. 

I set off, knowing I might return some time in the future. But for now, I was content. Shift was on my shoulder, and I was heading home… I hit the storms that surrounded the island.


***


”Hold down the lines, lads!” Sea Storm, captain of the Tempest shouted. “We aren’t giving up until we find her!”

“It’s been nearly a month, you idiot! She’s dead!”

“I’M the captain of this ship, Miss Blackwing, and we don’t go back until…”

“Uncle Storm!” Trixie shouted. “I see something! There, off the port bow!”

It was a small boat, and inside was a mint green unicorn.


***


Bonbon wrapped her friend in a hug once she got off the boat in Hinnysmouth. Anomaly Hunter did the same.

“We were so worried! What happened? Where were you?”

Lyra smiled. “You wouldn’t believe me… if I hadn’t brought a few things.”

With that, the unicorn produced her gifts that she had received from the tiny, flightless pegasi, telling her story as she did. Anomaly was stunned beyond words. Lyra smirked. “And one other thing…”

She took off her hoodie. Out of it came a tiny pegasus mare, only six inches tall, with tiny, useless wings.

“Meet Swift Speaker, Ambassador of the Meeni.”

The pegasus mare bowed and said something in a foreign language.

“I’ve managed to start on a Meeni-Equestrian guide, but it’s still in the works. I’ll leave you with it so you two can talk. I need to find Blackwing.”

Lyra left Swift Speaker with Anomaly. She found the black pegasus mare soon enough.

“I know you sent the lotan, Blackwing.”

“Hmm? I don’t know what you mean, Heartstrings.”

“Yes you do. I suspected it when I saw the collar, but I was sure when I saw your face when I told the captain my story.”

Blackwing went stiff. “You can’t prove anything. I hate you, Heartstrings. I hate you enough I’d do ANYTHING to get rid of you.


***


Lyra didn’t see Blackwing after that. She reported her findings to Celestia, and the islands of Bluugh and Lilipon were officially catalogued. Blackwing appeared to have fled the country, now a wanted fugitive. 

That didn’t matter. Lyra was glad to be home. It was Sunday, and that meant her friends would be coming over for breakfast.


THE END



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LYRA'S VOYAGES: SMALL BEGINNINGS