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// 7 - Clean Water 
// Story: An Undertale of Equestria 
// by David Silver 
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Trixie unfurled her map of the Crystal Kingdom and set a hoof up against it as it hovered in front of us. "The second one is just outside the city, but is quite important to the ponies here. This is where their fresh water comes from, deep underground. Without it, life would become very difficult for them to say the least. We will save them from this and dispatch the darkness."

I looked at the map a moment. "If it's outside the city, how do they get the water?"

Trixie canted her head. "This is where the darkness is manifesting. The water flows along an underground river into the city, where ponies can get to it from wells and things like that. Do you understand, familiar?"

It made enough sense. "Sure. Are we going to go along the river?"

Trixie paused a moment. "Trixie supposes that isn't a bad idea. Getting to it from above may be quite bothersome." She lifted me in her magic and set me down. "Trixie will get us a raft. Why don't you inspect the main well and ensure nothing has gone awry already." She pointed to the east, I think. "You can't miss it. It's the largest well."

She trotted off with purpose, leaving me alone. I wouldn't let her down, I was determined! I lowered my balled fist and got to half-skipping/half-walking down the road.

"Hey!"

I spun around towards the high-pitched voice, but there was nobody there besides some crystal ponies walking by.

"Helllooo!"

It came from behind me! I turned slowly that time, but nope, nothing.

"Aw come on, you're being rude now."

A hoof tapped me on the back and I spun to see a pink pony with a fluffy mane and tail. "Hiya!" She offered a hoof at me. "Nice to meet you! Princess Cadance said a super cool not-pony had joined the kingdom and I was all 'I have to see this!' and then I saw you there and came up to say hi and you wouldn't face me, so I was all 'gosh, what's wrong with this guy?'"

I took her hoof hesitantly, and a ripe noise of flatulence ripped from the place we touched. She giggled loudly and turned her hoof over to reveal a whoopie cushion attached to its bottom. "Gets 'em every time! You're alright with pranks, right?"

A smile came to me despite myself. I didn't think she was trying to be mean, just a little crazy. "Nah, it's alright. What was your name again?"

"Gosh, I didn't say?" She leaned towards me with a little poot as the last of the air in her cushion was squeezed out. "I'm Pinkie Pie. And you're... familiar!"

Was that a joke? "My name's Frisk. I'm Trixie's familiar."

She clopped her forehooves. "Right! I got the two mixed up. How's Trixie treating you?" She leaned in close. "She isn't being a big braggy sourpuss, is she?"

Indignation welled up in me as I gave Pinkie a little push. "She's been great. She's a good person, and a lot more humble than people give her credit for."

Pinkie brought up her hooves at me. "Woah there, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, really." She flashed her teeth in a grin. "Kinda funny to brag about being humble though. Anyway, whatcha doin'?"

"Something important."

Pinkie bounced in place. "Which is?" The feeling of tension suddenly rose. She wasn't taking no for an answer. Beside her 'Joke' 'Distract' and 'Prank' floated beside the usual suspects. "Come on! I can keep a secret if it's that important."

I put my arms together and looked at her critically. "Why the long face, Pinkie?"

'Joke' glimmered as she tilted her head, then gave a giggle ending in a snort. "I guess I do have kinda a long face compared to yours, silly billy. Come on, tell me!" She waggled her tail to and fro like a cat getting ready to pounce on me.

I pointed behind her with a surprised look. "Oh wow, Trixie's already back!"

"What, where?" She turned to face away and I dashed off even as I heard the jingle of money. I wondered what sort of threat Pinkie could really be that I had gotten money from it? Maybe she would have really squished me if I gave her a chance. She hadn't seemed like a bad pony, per se, but I had a mission to get to, and I wasn't going to get as easily distracted as she was.

Trixie wasn't kidding about the well being large. It was more of a big covered lake that dominated the center of the square there than anything else. It ran off into the darkness, where I could dimly see a grate, probably to stop any ponies that fell or jumped in from trying to swim along the river.

As I circled the water, some of the crystal ponies loitering around took a notice of me. "Isn't that Trixie's companion?" asked one stallion, pointing at me.

The mare beside him nodded softly. "He banished the darkness in the west end of town." She looked me over. "Do you think he's here to do it again?"

"But I don't see any darkness here?" The stallion looked around slowly.

The water surged suddenly, allowing a horse, a real horse, bigger than all the ponies, made of water to hop out in front of the stallion. "You're not looking hard enough." Its voice was like a running faucet. Little black specks ran through its otherwise blue form. "Crystal Ponies! Kneel and obey your dark overlord, for he returns!"

The mare squealed and threw herself to the ground. "Don't let him punish me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

The water horse turned to look at me. "There you are. Do you hate us? Good, we loathe you. Tremble, little biped, your time has come." It charged at me as tension blossomed. I couldn't get a good read of its words as I dove out of the way of watery hooves and caught one of them over my shoulder in a painful clip.

I rolled up quickly to my feet as it spun around. No time for reading. I'd have to figure it out myself. "Why do you hate the crystal ponies so much?"

He struck the ground, water splashing on impact. "You will know me as Aquator! You would dare ask such a question? They are the offenders. They wield our doom behind their vacant smiles. Die, defender of our enemies." He lowered his head as a huge horn sprouted up mid-charge.

I waited for the last possible moment to try leaping out of the way, but he flowed with my dodge and sent me flying with the crash of our bodies. I came down heavily across the entire pool, landing on the other side.

He stepped towards me slowly as I struggled to stand against the pain. "Pathetic tool of the cursed light. It will be a great pleasure to snuff you, and remind everyone of the darkness coming to them."

With a sudden roll, I got out of the way of a crushing hoof. "This isn't the right way!"

"Not the right way." He tilted his head lightly. "It's the only way, child of light. You won't banish us so easily this time. Your sacrifice will be as a symbol for a new future." He suddenly exploded in specks of darkness that washed out over the area. The crystal ponies caught in it went sill and empty-eyed, while the ones that splattered on me felt like they burned!

I managed to get up to all fours in time for him to slam me back into the ground. "Your way has no hope, child of light."

The water surged suddenly, allowing a horse, a real horse, bigger than all the ponies, made of water to hop out in front of the stallion. "You're not looking hard enough." Its voice was like a running faucet. Little black specks ran through its otherwise blue form. "Crystal Ponies! Kneel and obey your dark overlord, for he returns!"

I started a moment before realizing I had skipped back in time. I had another chance to get it right. Before he could give his speech, I looked at him intently.

Aquator, High Captain of the Dark Waters. Loyal to the King of Darkness. Fears becoming dry. There were some numbers there. They looked higher than the other ones I'd seen. He was more of a threat than the beetles, for sure.

"Child of light! I feel we've met somewhere once before... Is it fate that we should encounter one another here, to settle our differences?" He pawed at the ground as he looked down at me. "Have you come to surrender?"

With him not charging right at me, I could see the words 'Pray for Light', 'Console', and 'Praise'. Did I want to pray for light? I didn't think so. What would I be consoling him about? "Mighty warrior of darkness, you look as intimidating as ever."

'Praise' flashed softly as Aquator rose to his full height. "I have prepared well for this day. It is good that you recognize the terrible strength of your enemy. Your oppression ends here, child of light." He suddenly sprang forward and jumped over me, just to slap me across the face with his tail on the way past in a painful whip. "Pathetic."

One of the crystal ponies shrank away, shaking like a leaf. "Don't let them take us away!"

Aquator stomped a hoof on the ground. "You've done far worse! You will serve for eternity and still not pay it back."

I raised a hand towards the big wet horse. "They didn't deserve that. I'm sorry."

Aquator paused and turned slowly back to me. "Speak clearly, child of light. Are you defending these pathetic mewling excuses of ponies?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, the dark ponies. The mothers and children."

He took a slow step back, 'Console' flashing. "You weren't there! You didn't hear their cries. They were the true innocents! Curse you. Curse you and your light!" His form exploded outward, becoming a rolling tornado of blue and black. "I'll wash you away, child of light. You can say sorry to them personally in the afterlife!"

He washed over me in an instant, but I didn't skip through time, and I didn't feel ripped apart either. Cracking open an eye, I could see a pink dome over me. Trixie approached in a rapid clip-clop. "Trixie is here! Excellent work, familiar."

Aquator shot across the ground at Trixie with the roar of a hundred waves crashing against the shore. The bubble around me popped and reformed around herself, but he engulfed her, bubble and all. I could barely make out Trixie, being battered around in her bubble as he swirled her around violently.

I turned to the crystal mare. "Say sorry!"

"S-sorry for what?" Her eyes were wide and she was shaking badly. It was a little surprising she could even remain upright.

I waved my arms around frantically. "For what his people went through, and mean it."

She looked lost at the idea. Could I get through to any of them before Trixie was battered to a pulp?