//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Farewell Equestria // Story: Faithful and Strong // by Golden Scribe //------------------------------// “Is everything ready?” Hornblower said, glancing around the deck for the fifth time to make sure everything was in place. “Aye, Sir,” Bush answered, “The fresh fruit and water has been placed in the storeroom, and all the men are present and accounted for.” “And the Féroce?” “Lieutenant Gerard has signaled that they’re ready to depart at your command.” “Very good, Mr. Bush. We will set sail presently. We just need to see off our…guests.” With that, he descended to the deck, where Twilight and her friends were waiting. They all rose to their feet and saluted. Hornblower smiled, saluted back, then bowed to them. “Thank you once again for your assistance in repairing my ship. Please send my regards and thanks to Princess Celestia as well.” “You can count on it!” Twilight said, “I’ll have Spike drafting the letter as soon as we get back to the inn.” Hornblower nodded. “I wish you well. May no more humans arrive at Equestria to trouble you.” “Oh, it’s no trouble at all!” Pinkie answered, bouncing onto the railing, “It’s actually really fun!” “I believe that’s in the eye of the beholder. Farewell, all of you.” “Safe travels, Captain,” Rarity responded, glancing up at her handiwork, “And speedy travels, too.” The other ponies murmured similar well-wishes, and waved to the crew before descending the gangplank. They remained on the beach, looking up at the Lydia, apparently curious to watch it sail out of the bay. Hornblower raised a hand towards them one last time before turning his back on Equestria. “Raise the gangplank and unfurl the sails! I want to be out on the open ocean in one hour’s time!” *** Hornblower had been concerned that the men would be somewhat lax in their duties after taking their leave from Equestria, but they surprised him. They did their duties with only the minimum amount of grumbling, and while Hornblower occasionally caught the sound of the Sea Horse Shanty, he never heard anyone speak of their time on the island. Even a dinner with his officers had been more focused on their current heading than on anything they’d experienced in the past month. By the time a week had passed, everything was running as smoothly as it had been before their first encounter with the Féroce. Even better, the last physical reminder of their time in Equestria—the cutie marks—had almost entirely faded. Perhaps by the time they made it back to England, Hornblower could pretend the entire incident had never happened. He was filling out the logbook that evening, noting idly that he was nearing the final few pages, when something occurred to him. Flipping back, he read over the various entries. While there were no direct mentions of the ponies, there were elements that would certainly catch the Admiralty’s eye. Surely they would ask where exactly this island was, or how they’d managed to repair five damaged cannons with limited resources. Even if Hornblower managed to keep the most important details a secret, the information in the logbook might lead to Equestria appearing on maps and seacharts. And that, he reflected dryly, wouldn’t do at all. After considering for a moment, he sent for Lieutenant Bush and showed him some of the more notable entries. “What do you think we should do, Mr. Bush?” “You’ll have to make the decision yourself, sir,” Bush said, “I think things are just vague enough that you might be able to get away with it. However, you’ve reminded me that there’s a slightly more pressing documentation issue.” “And that is…?” Hornblower said, bracing himself. Bush picked up the muster book from the corner of Hornblower’s desk, opening it to the last filled page. “The ponies have a sense of duty, too. They insisted on signing on, even if they were only on board for a day. And some of those names will absolutely catch the Admiralty’s eye.” Hornblower looked over the page, grimacing at names like Sapphire Fruit and Sweetie Leaves. “You’re quite right, Mr. Bush. Trying to explain these names will either lead to the Admiralty thinking we’ve gone mad, or trying to seek out Equestria for themselves. I can’t in good conscience put the po…people sent on the expedition through that. Something must be done.” After a moment, he handed the muster book to Bush. “When you’re on your watch tonight, throw this overboard. I’ll ring for Polwheal and tell him to conserve our firewood by feeding the cooking fires with the pages from the logbook.” “Aye, sir. But whatever will the Admiralty say?” “They will be told that both books were lost or irreparably damaged during the battles with the Féroce. I should be able to report the important points from memory, though the details may be a little faded.” Bush smiled knowingly. “That will probably be enough to satisfy them. But aren’t you worried that the news will spread in other ways?” “The men, you mean? No, I’m not concerned. I believe they hold Equestria in high enough regard that they know better than to go repeating tales of their time there. And if the story should happen to slip out when they’re deep in their cups, most of the listeners will dismiss them as tall tales, like those of mermaids. As for the men of the Féroce, I highly doubt they’ll want the details of their defeat to be well-known, and thus will keep their silence.” “I have no doubt about that, sir,” Bush sounded like he was repressing a laugh, “They’ll take that secret to their graves.” Hornblower allowed himself a smile and a nod. “Dismissed, Mr. Bush.” When Bush had gone, Hornblower rang for Polwheal and handed off the logbook. Polwheal didn’t even blink at the request; he just nodded and returned to the kitchen. With that weight off his shoulders, Hornblower pulled out his maps and started plotting a new course. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he opened up his dividers and laid them over the map. It was comforting, after all, knowing that there was at least one thing he was good at.