//------------------------------// // 33. Fish Taled Miracles - Part 1 // Story: BPT: A Midnight Stroll through Time // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// The sound of the waves crashing ashore, the cries of the seagulls, the smell of the sea salt, the sight of the white crests at their peaks, the glistening of the sun across the ocean, Midnight took it all in. He didn’t know nor cared where or when he was. He simply walked along the white sand, feeling the waters rush past his hooves before it slid back into the sea. When he arrived on this beautiful beach, he took the time to write in his two-way journal and was so happy to have a response from his master. Prince Sombra’s words were a great comfort but they could not abate his aching loneliness. He missed his friends, he missed his family, he missed his brothers, his sisters, his grandmother, his neighbors, his hometown, his job at Sweet Apple Acres, his room, and his workshop. But most of all, he missed his Twilight Sparkle. What he would give to hear her discuss the various applications of even the simplest charms to accomplish the most complicated tasks, or hear one of her lectures of history’s most tested and experienced of mages, or better yet simply feel her against him, the feel of her coat brushed up against his, his hoof in her mane, her lips on his own. Midnight asked Sombra if Celestia got his message from Iron Fist, Zircon, and Flower Note. She had, and had assembled leaders from the minotaur, zebra, dog, and dragon nations and gone before the griffon lords, all but threatening them and their nation into a truce and contract to abolish slavery in exchange for commercial trade as well as some (secretly minor) advancements in magic. To be certain, Celestia had "encouraged" the lords to sign a treaty that was also a magical contract to ensure they could not break the agreement to discontinue their practices of slavery. Whatever she’d done, she’d (albeit, shakily) secured a truce, abolished slavery in not just the griffon empire because the other nations that did followed suit so as to avoid Celestia’s wrath and her international alliance, shut down all of the griffons’ slave camps/auctions, liberated thousands of slaves and oversaw all the arrangements for them all to be taken home to their societies, and more. It didn’t surprise Midnight, honestly. Celestia was practically a goddess – What couldn’t she do? He reminded himself how she had once failed to prevent the falls of her love and her sister, failed her first apprentice, failed to protect her little ponies from the horrors of slavery until it was brought to her attention, and more. She was not a goddess; she was a pony just like him. She made – had made – mistakes of her own, however minor or significant, and that made her as equine as everypony else. Alas, she obligated to be an example, a beacon, a shining light of hope for all her subjects to revere and trust to lead them, guide them, to protect them, and encourage them to be all they themselves could be. Midnight wondered, when Tia and Woona agreed to study under Star Swirl to become princesses, did they ever wonder what it would be like once they were set upon a pedestal? Above all their subjects, isolated from them? Midnight could only imagine how lonely that would be, especially since Celestia stood alone upon that pedestal for a thousand years. And Fusion, his memory lived on. His cutie-mark became the emblem of freedom that no creature had the right to unjustly take away, and per Midnight’s request in the letter he’d written to her, Fusion would forever be remembered as a hero. But he put all that out of his head for now. He enjoyed the scenery, the feeling of the sea breeze gently blowing through his mane, and smiled to see some dolphins happily play and leap about with the skills of acrobats, chittering happily. Midnight couldn’t help but laugh when he saw a baby dolphin try to copy its parents but messed up and belly-flopped back into the water. The dolphins soon departed, Midnight a little sad to see them go, but with them and their chattering gone, the sea breeze was able to carry a new sound to his ears. The sound of somepony crying! He looked ahead and gasped, unable to believe his eyes! It was a pony but not an earth pony, unicorn pony, or even a pegasus pony! He could see this pony was a mare, as well as hear it – No stallion, unless he really had something to cry about, would sob that hysterically. Her front half was that of a normal pony. She had a coat the same gentle gold of a sunrise yet it shimmered like mother of pearl. Her mane was long and glistening aquamarine, and on her flank was a cutie-mark of an emerald-green musical note sided by ocean waves. But instead of hind legs and a normal pony’s tail, her entire back half was that of a sea creature tail, fish or dolphin, Midnight couldn’t be certain. At the moment, she basked upon the sand while crying into her hooves, sobbing, “Oh, what am I going to do…?” “Um, excuse me.” She gasped and jolted up, seeing Midnight with a look of wonder and concern. Quick as a sea snake, she slipped and leapt into the water, vanishing beneath the brine. “Wait! Don’t go!” Midnight called out, “I just heard you crying and was wondering if I could help! …Hello?” For a moment, Midnight feared she was gone and started to carry on down the beach when he heard a small splash and saw her, just peering her eyes and ears above the surface. “I’m sorry if I startled you,” Midnight said gently, “You just sounded so upset.” The mare’s eyes looked away sadly, Midnight continuing. “My name is Midnight Blaze, I’m a traveler. I’ve seen a lot in my travels, but… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pony like you!” The mare cautiously raised her head completely out of the water and said, “…I’m… a seapony. We… usually avoid land creatures.” “Well, there’s no need to be afraid,” Midnight assured, “and if you wanna stay in the water, that’s ok. But if you don’t mind my asking, what’s got you so sad?” The seapony looked crestfallen, and to Midnight’s surprise, she crawled out of the water, pushing herself up with her tail. Midnight had to admit – She was truly beautiful, only her sadness impeding the full of her beauty’s potential. Then Midnight noticed she wore a necklace of pearls with a pretty coral pendant. She ambled up to her original place and looked at midnight invitingly, so he went over and sat down next to her. For a few moments, she said nothing, looking heartbroken, but Midnight didn’t want to push her, and so he waited. Finally, after a while, she spoke, “My father’s arranged for me to marry.” “That’s terrible,” Midnight was surprised. He’d heard of arranged marriages but never of ponies practicing it. Though I suppose seaponies have their own set of traditions and conducts. “Can’t you just say no?” “I have no choice…” the seapony sighed sadly. “I realize this may sound strange but our ways are different from you ponies of the surface world. I have been promised to the son of the captain of the Sea Guard. My fiancé is arrogant and only seeks the political advantages of becoming my husband.” Sighing, Midnight said, “I’ve met my share of pompous jerks who don’t care who they hurt or step on to get ahead in life. In fact, some time ago, I was a slave.” “What?!” The seapony gaped at Midnight in shock. “But as far as the seapony kingdom knows, slavery was abolished many years ago!” “Well, I’m telling you the truth…” Midnight said sadly. “But it wasn’t all bad… I met another slave and he became my friend. Together we planned to overthrow our slave-masters, but when it came down to it… my friend sacrificed himself to save me.” “I’m so sorry!” The seapony sniffled, Midnight giving her a sad but grateful smile. “You are kind to be concerned, but I’m not trying to make my problems your problems, especially since you already have some.” “…I once dreamed of finding my special somepony,” the seapony said woefully as she looked longingly towards the sky as though she were seeing her dream just beyond the horizon. “But I suppose every filly dreams of that at least once in her life. Still, I dreamed of a kind and handsome sea stallion, who would go above and beyond to show just how much I mean to him, and I would spend time with him, swim with the dolphins, explore the kelp forests, create seashell artworks, and we would do it together! Then, we would take give ourselves to each other…” Midnight blushed as he recalled what he and Twilight did after his master’s coronation, and he remembered it fondly. “Midnight?” “Hmm?” Midnight looked to her and noticed her cheeks looked flushed as she shyly looked to him. “…Soon my wedding will commence and I’ll be bound to the seapony my father has chosen for me. But… I want to choose for myself to whom I give myself. I am grateful for your concern and for listening to my sorrows. Would you…?” The way she looked at him, and realizing the implications of what she was saying made Midnight feel uncomfortably hot as he jolted! “Whoa! Now hold on, uh…” “Oh, my apologies,” the seapony realized her mistake, “I forgot to introduce myself… You may call me Sea Spray” “Sea Spray…” Midnight blushed as he cleared his throat, searching for the right words. “Sea Spray, I’m flattered, really, but… I can’t! I already have a special somepony, and I would give my left rear hoof before I betrayed her trust this way.” “She wouldn’t have to find out!” Sea Spray insisted, looking desperate, “Please, I want to choose for myself who-” “Sea Spray, no!” Midnight said rather harshly, making Sea Spray shy back and sob. Instantly, Midnight felt bad but would not back down. “I… understand why you want this choice to be yours, and it should be! But I can’t agree to that, for a number of reasons! Your first time… It should be with somepony you love, and I know that seems unlikely right now. But I gave my first time to somepony who gave me hers, and to this day I remember it well and fondly. I love her too much to ever do something like this to her, and even if I didn’t tell her the guilt would stay with me until I came clean. I know her enough she could find it in her heart to forgive me but she would never look at me the same way ever again, maybe she would never have the same faith in me as she always has. That’s why I cannot nor ever could I, in good conscience, sleep with another mare.” Sea Spray shed tears again, but this time in shame, that Midnight kindly gave her a hug, allowing her his shoulder to cry on. When she calmed herself, she whimpered, “Will you… watch the sunset with me?” “I’d be happy to,” Midnight whispered comfortingly. Midnight had seen plenty of sunsets but never in memory one where the sun set o’er the sea. The fading red and gold making way for purple and darkening blue reflected by the ocean was indescribable. It stilled Midnight’s shaking spirits as of late. No longer did he taste griffon’s blood, the sight of his torn throat felt like a distant a memory in this moment of peace. Then Sea Spray began to sing. Her voice was sweet and gentle, bringing tears to Midnight’s eyes as it invoked happy memories with his friends, his family, his brother, his Twilight. As the light left the world so too did Midnight’s awareness and the last thing he saw was Sea Spray, bearing shame but resolved by intention.