//------------------------------// // Fresh off the boat // Story: The Sands of Saddle Arabia // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// "Wow this is so amazing!" Vanilla squealed, as they pulled into port. "I just can't believe how big this place is!" The four mares trotted off the boat, arriving in a city filled with light, sounds, and color. Ridejah- the great capital of the Saddle Arabian Sultanate, and the very center of their nomadic desert culture. Minarets and great domes rose over the landscape before them, with row after row flat-roofed houses lining every street. As the ponies trotted farther in from the docks, they notices hundreds of horses of both sexes trotting about the streets wearing ornately decorated saddles and reins; the males also in a fez, the females wearing colored translucent veils. It looked like something out of an enchanted fairy tale to the four Ponylanders. "Vow, this place iz incredible!" Daffodil added, as she looked around at all of the different and exotic equines. "Ziz looks like a vonderful place to just zhpend all day exploring!" "Hey girl, lookie over here!" Surprise exclaimed excitedly, flapping her wings and zipping forward from place to place excitedly. "This is really cool! Take a look at this! And this! And this! And this!" The other ponies were pulled along from one wonder to another, from a snake charming earth pony who raised a cobra out of a basket, to a sword-swallowing unicorn who carefully levitated the blades down his throat. Every twist and turn through the labyrinth of narrow streets led to a new oddity, each block the mares traversed brought new perfumes and smalls of incense to their dainty little equine noses. It felt like the start of a truly wonderful adventure! "Gosh, why in the world are all these ponies so tall?" Vanilla asked curiously, looking around at all of the equines they passed. "I mean, even the girls are taller than our biggest stallions back home!" "These ponies are descended from the old horses of Saddle Arabia, 'Nilla." Paradise replied, watching a stallion in a turban walk across hot coals in his bare hooves. "They're still a little bit bigger and more horse-like than us, even after generations of intermarrying with ponies." "Zhat explains vhy zeez ponies looks so lankyund zickly looking!" Daffodil whinnied, looking around at all of the Oriental ponies all around them. Suddenly, the surprised mare's eyes. "Ohhhh ,girls! Look vhat iz coming ziz vay!" All four of the girls just stared at him- a lithe green body, taught flank muscles, and a long pink mane that seemed to sway in the gentle desert breeze. Surprise and Paradise's wings were reflexively outstretched, standing at full attention, while Vanilla and Daffodil just stared at him with their mouths hanging wide open. They simply stared at him blankly, until the vision of masculine perfection before them began to speak. "Salam and good afternoon to you, my good mares." The stallion greeted them, bowing slightly as he did so. "I take it you are the most honorable Paradise, and her most worthy companions?" "Y-yes..." Paradise barely responded, staring dreamily into his eyes. "W-we are here on vacation, and..." "I am well aware of why you are here, most noble of mares. My name is Merry Moments, and I am here to see you to the place where you shall be dwelling while you are a guest in these lands." The earth pony reached for the luggage Vanilla had been levitating, and used his mouth to load it onto his back. "Please, allow me to take you bags, and follow me." "Did... did an angel just talk to us?" Vanilla asked, a dumbfounded look on her face. "I've never seen anything so handsome..." "Zhat... zhat fellow has a very, very cute bakkvartsparter, und I'm better he hast a very fine onämnbar, as vell." Daffodil noted, staring after the stallion as he walked. "I-I zink ve should be qvik in in following him, ja?" "H-he's like Rudolph Valentino, in pony form..." Paradise agreed, as they slowly trotted after the stallion. "This trip is going to be even more amazing than I thought..." "Okay, here's how we'll work it!" Surprise whispered to the other girls, flapping after the group. "Vanilla can have him Monday night, Daff, can have him on Tuesday evening, and... Paradise? You want Wednesday, or can I-" "SURPRISE!" All three of the other girls hissed at once, their faces blushing a deep red. "How could you even think something like that?!" "Oh, come on!" The white Pegasus hissed back quietly, so the stallion ahead of them couldn't hear. "Like all of you weren't thinking the same thing!" "Zurprise, vou little blonde airhead, I did not come along on ziz trip zo zome stallion und I could... could...." The Hastlander mare sighed, rolling her eyes, and trying to hide her blush. "Fine, morgondag natt, han tas gruva älskare." "All right, I'll take the next day." Paradise grumbled, scowling angrily at the other Pegasus. "Surprise, you're stuck with the day after." "Cool! That means Vanilla gets the end of the week!" Surprise whispered excitedly. "Isn't that great, 'nilla?" The unicorn mare only stared back in silent anger, her face a shade redder them all of the other girls combined. ... The large house was a two story structure, filled with many rooms, and windows that looked out on every corner of the city. The girls couldn't believe the many beautiful tapestries that hung on the walls, and the many colorful rugs of different shapes and sizes that decorated the floor. "Wow, actual Saddle Arabian Carpets!" Surprise exclaimed, looking at the elaborately woven piece of work beneath her hooves. "Do ya think they have to nail these things down, to keep them from flying away?" "Well, I would say that the many oriental rugs we weave are magical, but they're not that magical!" A voice called out behind them, causing all of the mares to turn around. The mare behind them was a with earth pony with a pink and red mane and heart cutie mark. The other mares did not recognize her, but Paradise knew her in an instant. "Secret! It's so wonderful to see you again!" The Pegasus exclaimed, rushing up to take her old friend in a tight embrace. "Girls, this is Secret Tale, the Saddle Arabian pony who invited us to stay here! She and I first met at the international Storytellers guild convention in Hoofkaido last year!" "The most honorable Paradise is correct, I am most happy to see you here in Ridejah, our nation's beautiful capital!" The mare bowed to the other politely, smiling at each of them. "I cannot wait to show you the many wonderful places in our city- as well as have you meet Prince Fire namd Princess Flame, our beloved and venerated rulers!" She looked over the mares with a critical eye. "but first, I believe we should get you rested up from your trip... and then get you properly bathed and dressed up for a journey around our honorable community..."