Twilight rose just as the dawn sun began to break along the horizon, the warm glow of Celestia’s sun lighting the shadows. Unused to waking at such an early hour, she found her vision blurred by exhaustion and her mane more tussled than usual.
At first, she wasn’t quite sure what had awoken her until she felt the vibration coursing from her hooves up her legs, and she realized she was –for the first time- experiencing an earthquake. It was the oddest sensation, to feel the ground shake beneath her like that. Twilight stood there apprehensively until the ground settled a few seconds later. It was a strange moment, but a moment that had passed.
She hopped out from beneath the covers and landed painfully on the hard wood floor with a grimace. The bumps and bruises from yesterday’s excitement awoke with a vengeance and it was all she could do to keep herself standing.
You’ll feel better the more you move, Twilight counseled herself. This walk is just the thing you need.
She tiptoed past Spike’s basket, taking care not to wake him. She felt a flicker of guilt that she hadn’t spent much time with her oldest friend the past two days and resolved that she would make the time later today. Maybe she would invite Ocean Blue over later, and the two possibly would bond. She got the feeling the stallion would taking a liking to the young dragon.
The streets of Ponyville were still deserted when she closed the door to the library, even its most dedicated and active denizens taking advantage of the festivities later on as an excuse to sleep in. It was the time for which she had been named, the fleeting moments that light meshed with darkness. Maybe it was because she had always been a late riser, but she found herself awed by the beauty of this rare moment of time. These few short minutes would be all but gone soon, and they would never come again. Already, she was glad she had made the effort to stay awake.
She trotted over to the pond to find Ocean Blue gazing up at the sunrise, a look of peaceful contentment on his face. “Morning,” he said simply.
“Morning,” she replied calmly, taking a seat beside him.
“Still a bit sore from yesterday?” he asked, a slight grin on his face.
Twilight laughed gently. “It shows, huh?”
“Only to those who know what to look for,” he said. “You were quite the heroine yesterday, Princess. You probably saved that filly’s life.”
Twilight blushed but shook her head. “You saved her,” she insisted. “Nopony knew the cure for timberwolf bites except you.”
“Still, I couldn’t find that last wolf in time, but you certainly did. If you hadn’t been there-”
Twilight held up a hoof to silence him. “How about we split this one?” she asked with a smile.
Ocean smiled in return, another of his rare, yet genuine smiles. “Deal,” he said.
“And Ocean?”
“Aye?”
“Just call me Twilight, everyone does.”
Ocean Blue nodded in reply. “Twilight it is, then. Well, if you’re feeling up to it, ready to go?”
The two ponies began their walk around the town perimeter at a brisk pace, but not overly so. Twilight sensed Ocean Blue was intentionally slowing to make up for her discomfort, for which she was grateful. Her bruises still hurt immensely despite her assurances that the pain would fade. However, as time passed, she found herself paying less and less attention to the bruises as she began to truly engage the young stallion in their first real conversation.
Though he was vague on the majority of the details, Ocean Blue began to open up to her slowly and carefully. His words were precise and exact, but he was still talking.
Ocean Blue had been a loner for most of his life, keeping to himself as he traveled from place to place across Equestria. He usually traveled along the coastline, but he occasionally traversed the lands and cities he had encountered. He had been everywhere, from Baltimare and Manehatten; Vanhoover and everywhere in between.
“What did you do with yourself?” Twilight asked.
Ocean Blue merely shrugged. “Little bit of this, little bit of that. Never stayed anywhere longer than a day, so I didn’t have a career.”
“Did you not have any friends?”
Ocean Blue remained silent for a moment, his eyes misting over as he walked beside the violet-colored mare. “Not in a long time,” he replied, his voice strangely constricted.
The sun was slowly creeping up the horizon as they walked around Ponyville, rising behind the mountain that was home to Canterlot. The bright star’s rays poked through the faraway turrets and blinded them as they trotted along in the frosty dawn.
“Canterlot’s beautiful in the morning, isn’t it?” Twilight said pleasantly.
“Yeah,” Ocean Blue replied in the same constricted voice.
“Have you ever been there?” she asked curiously.
“Not in a long, long time,” Ocean Blue said distantly, his voice so quiet it was almost totally inaudible.
Twilight didn’t quite understand what the matter was with him, but said nothing. She could tell that it was a personal matter, and more likely than not he would rather be left to his own thoughts for a moment.
By the time they reached the border of Ponyville and Everfree, the two had restarted their conversation and were chatting normally again.
“By the way,” Twilight said suddenly as she remembered her experience this morning, “Did you feel that tremor at sunrise?”
Ocean Blue frowned in thought. “Yes, it woke me up,” he said. “Unusual, too. Equestria’s not really an earthquake-prone land.”
Twilight nodded, her mane shifting in a trio of colors. “True, the last earthquake that Equestria experienced was over thirty years ago. I remember reading that a few weeks ago when I was researching natural disasters. It severely damaged Las Pegasus and shut down the city for nearly a month!”
“I remember a lot of people got hurt in that one,” Ocean Blue remarked. “The city was out of water for most of the aftermath because the water main was destroyed by falling debris. It was one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit Equestria in known history.”
“How do you know all that?” Twilight asked curiously.
“Twilight, you’re not the only one who knows how to read a book, y’know,” he remarked, his sea-foam tail twitching playfully. Staring up at the now blue sky, he gave a deep sigh and said, “I think that’s enough for today. Don’t want to wear myself out before I leave tonight.”
Twilight suddenly remembered that he was indeed leaving tonight, right when the festivities for the convention were to begin. “Do you really have to go?” she asked.
Ocean Blue nodded slowly. “I’m not a ‘crowd’ pony. Besides, I’ve stayed too long already. I need to get going.”
“Well,” Twilight replied kindly, “thanks for all your help. You were a pleasure to be around.”
“As were you, dear Princess,” he replied pleasantly. “Tell you what, since I got nothing better to do, I’ll help y’all with any final arrangements for your little soiree, and skedaddle before folks start poppin’ in. How’s that sound?”
“That sounds wonderful!” Twilight replied brightly, feeling light as one of the feathers that dotted her wings. “If we’re to finish, then we need to get started…”
Ocean Blue’s face began to split into a grin. “You’re behind schedule, aren’t you?”
Twilight gave a shriek of terror and teleported, leaving the water-colored stallion where he stood. Reappearing inside her book-riddled home, the first thing she laid eyes on was Spike, who had just walked into the room with a deep blue gem in his hands.
The appearance of his friend and mentor startled the dragon so greatly that he leaped a good three feet off the surface of the floor and released a small burst of flame out from his maw. “Twilight, what in the world-”
“No time, Spike!” Twilight said desperately. “Grab parchment and some quills, we have work to do!”
“But what about breakfast?” he asked, staring at what remained of his gem, most of which had been charred by his accidental fire-breathing.
“We’ll eat on the run, how does that sound?” Twilight offered. When she had been a small filly she had occasionally overworked her young assistant, and took care not to do so again.
“I’ll grab both of us something,” Spike suggested, and disappeared into the kitchen for a few moments while the lavender pony scavenged the main floor for anything she could use. As she looked around desperately, a thought struck her. Ocean Blue had been so willing to help me and my friends. He had literally saved ponies’ lives, and I haven’t even properly thanked him like I had promised when we first met. With all that he had done, why not give him the honor of being rewarded by the Royal Family? After all, Celestia and Luna might have some idea as to what I could do to thank him.
Convinced that it was a sound plan, she waited for Spike to reappear from the kitchen, which he did a few seconds later, laden down by a rather sizeable picnic basket. “Ready to go!”
“Not quite, Spike,” Twilight said regretfully. “I’m sorry –I only jut thought of the idea!- but can you send a quick letter to the princesses?”
“Sure!” Spike replied helpfully, grabbing a nearby quill and piece of parchment and standing at attention. “All set!” he declared.
Twilight began to enunciate. “Dear Princesses Celestia and Luna,
During the time since our last letter, a newcomer has come to Ponyville in the form of a helpful young stallion by the name of Ocean Blue. Ever since he arrived a few days ago, he has been more than willing to help myself and others, even helping to defend Ponyville from a timberwolf attack that occurred yesterday afternoon. However, I am at a loss as to how I could possibly thank him for his help, and I was hoping you might have some idea.
Please respond as quickly as possible. Your friend,
Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight looked over at her young friend. “Do you have it?” she inquired.
“And… done!” The purple dragon declared, sealing the letter and sending it off in a small stream of fire.
“Alright, thank you, Spike. Now, let’s finish up before everypony starts arriving!”
Twilight called for her friends the minute she rushed out of her house, begging for their help. In no time at all, the six -plus Ocean Blue- were all across Ponvyille, performing all manner of necessary tasks. The work was exhausting, but nopony complained as they worked determinedly, eager to have the town of Ponyville look its best for the incoming guests. Platforms and podiums were completed, the remaining tents were erected, and all sorts of ribbons and bouquets and lights were hung around the grand little town.
“Excellent job, everyone!” Twilight encouraged, checking through her list. “We’re almost done, and we’ve got plenty of time!”
“Wow,” Spike said, looking around, “Ponyville looks great!”
Twilight smiled in satisfaction at her assistant’s remarks. Rarity had been in charge of decorations, and as usual had put her greatest effort into her work. The town had been tastefully decorated, with lamps being hung from the side of houses and shops, so convention-goers could see where they would be setting their hooves, no matter what time it was.
“Rarity outdid herself this time, that’s for s-Braaaap!” Spike sputtered.
“Spike, that was disgusting!” Twilight reprimanded, trying her best not laugh. “What on earth was that-”
Her answer was a freshly written letter that now lay across Spike’s outstretched claws. “Oh, thanks, Spike,” she said, taking the letter from the glowering dragon. “Sorry,” she added out of the corner of her mouth.
She ripped the seal of the letter with her magic, eagerly awaiting her friend’s advice. Instead, the letter was surprisingly abrupt and short:
Twilight,
Luna and I are coming as quickly as we can. Do not let Ocean Blue know. Above all else, do not let him leave Ponyville. Keep him there at all costs.
~Celestia
Twilight’s bubble of happiness had been unexpectedly burst and was replaced by a growing sense of unease. What is all this about? She wondered. Celestia sounds really worried about something.
Maybe she just doesn’t want Ocean Blue to leave before thanking him, a smaller voice suggested, though Twilight knew that probably wasn’t the case.
Something about Ocean Blue is scaring her. I don’t know what it could possibly be, but she’s worried.
Twilight felt extremely muddled. Though she had only known him for a few days, Ocean Blue had been nothing but a helpful, courageous stallion. Though reserved and relatively quiet, hadn’t he helped save young Twirl’s life?
But Celestia’s instructions had been clear: Do not let Ocean Blue leave. And Twilight was going to obey. “Jump on, Spike,” she said, and the two raced off to complete their task. “Hey, Pinkie Pie,” she called. “Do you know where Ocean Blue is?”
The pink pony nodded vigorously. “Yup, he’s over there with Rarity helping move some heavy stuff over to her booth at the fairgrounds. He’s being really helpful even though Rarity keeps getting in the way, so I think she has a crush on him or something-”
“Thanks, Pinkie!” Twilight said, cutting through her animated friend’s dialogue and dashing away.
I’ve only got to keep him occupied for a little while, Twilight reminded herself. There’s more than enough work to be done that’ll keep him busy.
As Pinkie Pie had said, Ocean Blue had hoisted several heavy sacks of dresses across his back, walking alongside Rarity who gazed up at him longingly.
“So which booth is yours?” Ocean Blue asked, his voice stretched as he tried to keep himself from laughing at the snow-white mare beside him.
“Oh, that little old thing right over there,” Rarity said, indicating the largest and most extravagant tent on the fairgrounds.
“Hi, Ocean!” Twilight said a little too jovially as the sea-stained stallion turned to face her. “Looks like you’re working hard.”
He shrugged nonchalantly, trying to ignore Rarity’s pleading stares. “Eh, it’s not too hard. It’s just clothes.”
Twilight surveyed the fairgrounds, which were now completed and glorious in their decorated splendor. “Are we all done?” she asked, trying her best not to let a tinge of fear be evident in her tone.
“Dear Ocean Blue was most helpful in getting the harder parts done,” Rarity said soppily, Ocean Blue standing behind her and rolling his eyes.
“So how much have you got left before you’re done helping Rarity?” the violet-maned princess asked.
“Just this one,” Ocean Blue replied, walking ahead of her.
Just this one! Twilight was beginning to panic. “Is- is there anyone else that needs help? Fluttershy had plenty of animals that needed to be brought in.”
Ocean Blue frowned. “I think my little altercation with her rabbit did little to appeal me to her. She, erm… whispered that she’d be able to handle them on their own.”
Twilight’s hope for work to occupy him was crashing around her. They were almost done and Celestia was nowhere to be seen. If she didn’t keep him here…
Ocean Blue gave a grunt as he sidled up next to Rarity’s booth, gently sliding the dresses off his back and onto the table. “Well, that’s that,” he declared. He turned to Twilight, a somewhat rueful expression on his face. “Guess this means I’ll be off now. Don’t want to be caught up in the crowd.”
Rarity looked as crushed as Twilight felt horrified. She was going to have to start inventing excuses if she was going to keep him here, and her mind was so panicked she wasn’t exactly full of ideas.
Ocean Blue looked around and gave a groan. “Darn it, I forgot my saddlebags, they’re still back at the pond.”
“I’ll go get them for you!” Twilight stammered.
Ocean Blue shook his head. “Nah, you don’t have to, I’ll be heading south so I’ll come back through town. Besides,” he added with a sly smile, “I doubt you want me to leave without saying goodbye.”
As the tall stallion trotted out towards his temporary home at a jaunty pace, Twilight grabbed Rarity by the head and shook her vigorously, trying to get the lovely mare’s attention.
“Twilight! Whatever do you mean by this sort of ruffian behavior?” the fashionista demanded irritably.
“Rarity, listen to me!” Twilight begged desperately. “Get the girls and have them meet me here! We can’t let Ocean Blue leave Ponyville, do you hear me?”
Rarity seemed surprised at first, but her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Twilight, really, if he wanted to stay he’d stay, you’ll never win him over if you force him-”
“That’s not what this is about!” Twilight interrupted, blushing crimson and uncomfortably aware of Spike shifting on her back. “We need to keep him here at all costs or else we’re all in trouble!”
Rarity still looked extremely confused, but gave a ladylike nod and walked off to find Fluttershy, who had been working at her booth nearby just a moment ago.
Twilight dashed off into town in a hurry, scanning her surroundings for any sign of her friends. She caught sight of a vibrant streak of colors above her as Rainbow Dash cleared away any leftover clouds for tonight’s ceremonies.
“Rainbow!” Twilight yelled. “Find Applejack and Pinkie Pie and meet me at the fairgrounds!”
“Uh, OK,” Rainbow Dash replied, but Twilight was already off and away, trying to find her mysterious visitor.
“What do you think Celestia is so worried about?” Spike asked nervously.
“I don’t know, Spike, but something’s not right,” she replied, looking over her shoulder. “I’m worried about him and what Celestia says he’s- Oof!”
Twilight had been so occupied in speaking to her companion she had failed to realize she had just run into the very pony she had been looking for, nearly knocking Ocean Blue over and sending her own self sprawling.
“Easy, you found me!” Ocean Blue protested. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“Looking… for you!” Twilight managed to splutter, rising quickly from the ground and trying to help Spike to his feet, for he had been most inconveniently crushed underneath her.
Ocean Blue looked at her curiously, but tactfully said nothing. “Anyway, since I’m all ready to go, I’ll be heading on out. Y’all don’t need my help anymore.”
“But wait!” Twilight said. “Rainbow Dash and Rarity wanted to say goodbye before you left.”
Ocean looked down at her in mild surprise. “Really? Rainbow Dash seemed pretty occupied when I last saw her, said she was busy. And with Rarity… eh, it’d be better if I just left without that. For both our sakes.”
“Umm,” Spike murmured behind her.
“So, if that’s all you needed, I’ll be going,” he said bracingly. “It was nice to meet you Twilight.” And with a small bow, he turned and began to walk off.
“Wait!” Twilight exclaimed, racing up to block his path. “You can’t go yet!”
Ocean Blue appeared somewhat disconcerted. “Twilight, I need to get going if I’m going to avoid a crowd.”
“But you can’t go, you can’t!” Twilight replied, and a small gasp from Spike sent dread through her bones. She had gone too far.
Ocean Blue stared at her in suspicion. “What’s up with you?” he asked, his voice dropping several degrees. “Why are you so eager to keep me here?”
“Umm…” she said, consciously aware that Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and the rest of her friends had arrived and were watching the scene with interest.
Ocean Blue sighed. “Please tell me Rarity didn’t put you up to this (Twilight heard a gasp of tragic disappointment from behind her and was certain the purple-maned mare had caught wind of his words), I’d be real disappointed if that’s what’s keeping me here.”
Twilight’s gaze flickered between the ground, Spike, and Ocean Blue’s eyes, unable to open her mouth to answer.
“Spit it out,” Ocean Blue said, his voice icy.
“Come on, Twilight, think of something!” Spike hissed in her ear.
Ocean Blue towered over her, his anger starting to rise and emanate heat like a column of fire. “Alright,” he said curtly. “I’m out.”
“I can’t let you leave!” Twilight said, barring his path.”
“Then tell me why!” Ocean Blue replied hotly.
“Because…” Twilight staggered. “Because Princess Celestia ordered me to keep you here.”
Out of all the answers Ocean Blue had expected, it seemed he hadn’t expected that. He stared at Twilight in shock, completely dumbfounded. However, his response was just as surprising.
“She’s still alive?” he asked incredulously. “Wha-what- I mean- but YOU’RE the Princess- aren’t you?”
“I’m a princess,” Twilight responded. “Celestia’s still ruler of Equestria, not me.”
Ocean Blue backed away, still muttering feeble protests in a stupor. “How could I be so stupid?” he snarled. “Of course you’re not- you live in a library and not in Canterlot- I am such an IDIOT!” He turned back to face her. “How does she know I’m here?” he asked.
Twilight remained still as a stone, not daring to meet his gaze. When she stayed silent, Ocean Blue rushed forward and shook her. “Did you tell her I was here? Did you?!”
“Yes! Yes!” Twilight cried, backing away. Her heart was in a tumult of confusing feelings as she felt torn between loyalty to her greatest teacher and to someone she-
“Look up there!” Applejack yelled. “It’s the princess!”
Twilight turned around to see the familiar outline of Celestia’s chariot emblazoned by the sunset, the mighty alicorn’s figure surrounded by a small legion of guards.
When the chariot reached the ground in a small cloud of dust, the town’s citizens had crawled out of their houses to see what was causing the commotion, shocked at seeing Celestia right outside their doorstep.
“Princess,” Twilight managed to spit out, walking up to her mentor slowly. “Princess, I-”
“Where is he, Twilight?” Celestia demanded, her voice as harsh an unforgiving as the heat of summer.
Twilight turned around and saw that Ocean Blue had disappeared, perhaps having slipped away into the now growing crowd.
“He’s over there!” Applejack declared, pointing southward to where the figure of a sea-coated pony was running as fast as he could.
“Everybody move!” Celestia ordered, rising up her hind legs and firing a bolt of magic from her elongated horn at the disappearing stallion.
The shot was as precise as any Twilight had ever seen. The bolt of magic caught Ocean Blue on the back of the head, singing off his bandana and sending his many legs sprawling.
“Bring him before me,” Celestai ordered her guards, and a squad of six stalked off to bring Ocean Blue.
Twilight stood across from Celestia, all too aware of being in somewhat of a spotlight. Her attention to the stallion had not gone unnoticed, and now Celestia had publically marked him as a threat. She tried to slip in next to her friends unnoticed.
Rainbow Dash set down next to her, watching the guards drag the struggling body of Ocean Blue forward. “Twilight, what is going on?” she whispered hurriedly.
“I promise you, I don’t know,” Twilight murmured in reply. “Just stay here and keep your head down.”
Celestia’s guards came forward into the wide circle of the crowd and threw Ocean Blue with a heave, the stallion’s hooves bound. He was worse for wear after his less than pleasant trip across the ground; his face was now marked with bruises and small cuts, several of which had begun to bleed slowly, crimson drops spattering the ground.
Ocean Blue gave a ragged cough and looked up at the Sun Princess, a strange expression on his face. “Let’s face it, this is not the way either of us wanted to see each other again,” he said.
Celestia remained mute, her eyes glaring daggers down at the stallion. “Luna will be here soon, to make sure it’s really you,” she said severely.
“What, you can’t remember me?” Ocean Blue asked. “Do you think I’ve forgotten you? Think I’ll ever forget? I see you every day- Hgrk!”
Celestia’s magic constricted his throat, forbidding him from continuing. With another burst of magic, a portal appeared beside her. “Luna, I need you here!” she demanded.
“Luna?” Ocean Blue asked, his mouth agape. “Luna’s back? Since when? How is- Pff!” Ocean Blue was silenced again, this time by a guard punching him in the mouth.
Out of the portal appeared the Princess of the Night, her star-studded mane waving in a lovely swirl of the night sky. “Yes, sister?” she asked. Then she turned and saw Ocean Blue sprawled on the ground and gasped. “Sister, it couldn’t be!”
Celestia nodded, her gaze cold and distant. “It is,” she answered.
“Luna!” Ocean Blue cried out, his eyes wide. “Luna, what happened? How did you get back to normal -Gack!- WILL YOU QUIT THAT!” he thundered as Celestia’s magic choked him once more.
“How long have you been here?” Celestia demanded angrily. “Answer me, Cobalt!”
“This is my third night here, I was about to leave,” he replied. His voice indicated anger, but his eyes spoke of deep sadness. “I’ve kept to myself, just like you wanted.”
“Cobalt?” Twilight echoed, more confused than ever. “Please, Celestia, his name is Ocean Blue… isn’t it?”
Celestia looked at her, then shifted her gaze to the stallion at her feet. “Do you want to tell them, or should I?” she asked him.
The stallion gave a sigh of regret, his eyes shut. “My name is Cobalt Storm,” he said finally. “I go by Ocean Blue during times of secrecy. It’s what I’ve used for a long time now. I thought everyone who knew my true name was dead,” he added, staring up at the Royal Sisters. “Apparently I was wrong. Celestia, why did you-”
“Enough from you,” Celestia spat, her tone so harsh that Cobalt Storm winced. “You knew the cost of your exile. You received only what you deserved.”
“Don’t act like I don’t know,” he said, gritting his teeth in apparent pain thought Twilight knew not the cause. “Do you think I could ever, ever forget? For goodness’ sake, I’m talking to the only two ponies who knows that!” He turned to face Luna, who stared at him impassively. “Luna, please, I am so-”
“Enough!” Celestia thundered. “Cobalt Storm, the earthquake this morning cannot be repeated.”
Cobalt Storm stared up at her in confusion. “Wha-”
“Guards, bind him and find a place to lock him up for the night!” Celestia ordered. “He dies at sunrise.”