//------------------------------// // Chapter Twelve - The Morning After // Story: Ice Fall // by Bluespectre //------------------------------//   CHAPTER TWELVE   THE MORNING AFTER   Below decks, the dying light of the sun crept in through the open hatchway, supplemented by several hanging lanterns. The effect did little to brighten the cramped interior, creating large showed areas that added an eerie feel not lost upon the recently liberated prisoners who sat in the hastily converted cargo hold. All conversation stopped when the white pony appeared from out of one of the shadows, his pale gold mane and green eyes making several of them gasp and back away hurriedly. Chalk didn’t notice, he was more interested in exploring.   Most lanterns Chalk had seen in his life were either magical or fed by a type of oil. These however were lit with something that moved inside them. Whatever it was fascinated him, drawing him closer until his nose was almost pressed up against the glass.   “There’s something wrong with that pony.” Somepony muttered, “Look at that, you think that’s normal behaviour?”   Other voices chimed in,   “How come he’s not in here with us? Is he one of the crew?”   “Nah, I saw him when he first came in, he was scared witless.”   “He scared me! He looks like a bloody spirit of the dead!”   The lamp looked like it had several white glowing orbs inside, and they were moving, flowing around each other in a strange dance. The light flowed out, bathing his muzzle and reflecting in his eyes. It was fascinating! What were these things?   “Come away!” A polished hoof reached out and pulled him back into the shadows, “Good goddesses, Chalky, are you part cat or something?”   “Hmmm?” Chalk looked round at the Captain, still lost in his imagination, “Part cat?”   “Inquisitive!” Gretel hissed, “If you’re planning on staying aboard, you don’t want that lot knowing you are, understand?”   Chalk shook his mane, “I…yes, Gretel, but it’s so new to me, everything about this ship is just amazing!”   Gretel rolled her eyes then paused, looking again at the ancient timbers, the joints, the way the wood grain flowed. She was a living thing, a hoof and magic crafted vessel from a different time. More than a simple ship, she was as alive as her crew…in a sense. Gretel ran her hoof along one of the support beams, listening to the occasional creak of the wood as it reacted to the temperature and seasons. Had she been aboard so long that she’d forgotten how lucky she was? Forgotten just how incredible it was that such an unbelievably wonderful craft still existed? Gretel leaned her forehead against the beam and sighed; yes, she had.   “Gretel?”   The red mare closed her eyes, “Mmm?”   “You okay?” Chalk ran his hoof down her mane making her shiver slightly.   “Yeah…I guess, you’ve just reminded me how much I love this old girl.” She turned round and nuzzled him, “And how bloody sentimental you’ve made me recently!”   Chalk smiled, “You know, you’re always referring to the ship as ‘she’ or ‘her’. She does have a name, right?”   “She does” Gretel said readjusting her belt, “I’m surprised I haven’t told already.” She stood to her full height and doffed her hat in an elaborate flourish, a cheeky glint in her maroon eyes, “It may be belated, but welcome aboard mister Dust. Welcome aboard the King Sombra’s Revenge”.   “Who?”   Gretel froze, her eye twitching before she rammed her hat back on her head,   “Tell me you’re joking, Chalky.”   Chalk scrubbed his neck in embarrassment, “Sorry Gretel…”   The Captain leaned her head back against the wooden beam and face hoofed, “You did have home schooling didn’t you? You did say that, I’m not just imagining it?”   Chalk nodded.   “Then what the hell did they teach you?”   “All sorts of things,” Chalk said scratching his mane, “but ‘King Sombra’ wasn’t part of it.”   “The Crystal Empire?”   “Oh!” Chalk tapped his hoof on the floor happily, “I know about that! It was the subject of one of my mum’s novels, ‘Adventure’s in Sapphire’. I didn’t read it because it was one of those sappy love story things set in a mythical made up world.”   “Wh…WHAT?” Gretel spluttered, “Made up?! Celestia buck me senseless! Chalky, the Crystal Empire wasn’t something that was ‘made up’ just to sell cheap bloody novels, it actually existed! King Sombra was its ruler, or at least, its dictator.”   Chalk narrowed his eyes, staring off into the shadows a moment, lost in thought,   “I…remember something, something about a ‘being of ultimate evil’ that destroyed the land, but that was just a myth right?”   “Yes! No! Oh for goodness sake!” Gretel tossed her mane, “Sombra existed, the Crystal Empire existed, and as for this ‘ultimate evil’, its probably referring to the last days of the empire before it was banished.”   “Banished?” Chalk asked wrinkling his brow, “How could you banish a whole empire?”   “Ask bloody Celestia and Luna!” Gretel snapped.   Chalk ploughed on regardless, “But, how come I don’t know about it? Surely if that place existed there’d have to be something left behind right? Some tangible relic of that lost civilisation ponies could point to as evidence that it wasn’t just a story?”   Gretel sank to her haunches and sighed. She didn’t mean to lose her temper with Chalk, but he could be so bloody infuriating! How come he didn’t know about the empire? His schooling was probably to blame in all likelihood, or had memory of it drifted so far from common knowledge it had passed into the realms of myth in the minds of others?   “Chalky” She said softly, “would you believe me if I told you that King Sombra existed, that the Crystal Empire existed and that I can prove it to you?”   The white unicorn nodded enthusiastically, “Of course, I trust you Gretel.”   The look in his eyes was so honest, so trusting, it made Gretel’s heart cry out. Goddesses, she just wanted to squeeze him until he popped! Shaking herself, she instead looked him in the eyes and smiled,   “You wanted proof Chalky? You’re standing in it.”   “The ship?” he asked curiously.   Gretel nodded, “Oh, and one other thing…” She grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss that took his breath away. Releasing him, Gretel gasped and closed her eyes happily, “You just kissed a pony descended from there.”   Blinking, Chalk moved up to the Captain, “Did I?” he murmured, “All I see is the mare I love.”   Gretel froze, staring into his eyes, “Chalky…I…look, I…”   Chalk tapped her on the nose smiling, “I know, you don’t have to say anything.” He looked away wistfully, “Gretel, look, I’m sorry, I’m not very good at emotional stuff. I said too much, just forget I said anything.”   The Captain stood dumbfounded, her emotions roiling inside like breakers hitting a shore. Chalk Dust, the white coated pony who had been curled up in the corner of the compound, the one whom she’d taken a shine to, he was just a fling…wasn’t he? She may be the Captain of the ship, but she was still a mare and she wanted, needed companionship sometimes, and Chalk was…well…what was he? She closed her eyes, feeling the sting of tears,   “Chalky…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” She looked away, “I’ve hurt you, haven’t I”   It wasn’t a question.   Chalk shrugged, “No, you haven’t. Now, I’m going to explore the ship if I may have your permission, Captain?” He smiled sadly.   Gretel nodded. She couldn’t answer, her eyes were filling with tears. Damn that bloody stallion! And damn her too for playing about with him. She should have known this would happen, look at how things had turned out with…   Her ears twitched as she listened to the sound of Chalk walking away towards the crew quarters. Quietly, she climbed back up the steps and headed for her cabin. For the first time in however many years, she didn’t know what to do. Throwing herself onto the bed, Gretel grabbed the pillow and shoved her face into it. At least in here, nopony could see her crying.   Below decks, Chalk blanked out his emotions. It was something he was particularly good at. It was a skill he’d learned early in life and it had stood him in good stead too, at least to a degree. Bracken had been concerned that he was ‘bottling up’ his feelings and should find a release for them, maybe a hobby of some kind, but what did he know? Bloody idiot couldn’t find his arse with both hooves, let alone give advice on handling emotional situations. No, what he needed right then was a drink and some male company, and by the sounds of the melodeon beyond the bulkhead door, it looked like he’d found it.   Beyond the door, the room thrummed with activity. A lively shanty was being played by an energetic yellow earth pony stallion on melodeon accompanied by a turquoise mare on violin. Around them a group of ponies clopped their hooves in time to the music; drinking, gambling and smoking while a number of them made a very spirited attempt at dancing. Nopony appeared to notice him entering, so he slipped up to the mare hoofing out drinks by a set of barrels,   “Hi!”   “Who are you?” The orange mare asked, wiping her forehead with her pinny, “You’re not one of the crew. You one of those ponies from the hold?”   “No, I’m…” Chalk paused. What was he? Goddesses, he’d have to think fast! “Um, I’m the new guy!”   “New guy, huh?” The mare peered at him, “You got a chitty?”   “A what?”   The mare rolled her eyes, “For your grog, stupid. The bosun not fix you up yet?”   “Not yet, I guess she’s forgotten.” Chalk replied, all but yelling over the music and general hubbub. He gave the mare his best smile.   “That won’t work on me” She said folding her forelegs on top of the barrel, “No chitty, no grog, Capn’s orders.”   A dark brown stallion pushed forward up to the bar. It was the bulky form of Stock, the Ship’s Master. He nodded to Chalk and addressed the mare,   “I’ll get him one on mine, Faith.”   The bar mare sniffed, “Aye Master Stock, one for the ‘new guy’ coming up.”   Taking his mug of the strong smelling spirit, Chalk followed the larger stallion to his seat, a heavy crate beside one of the lanterns. A plate of cheese and pickles sat beside it. Stock took a heavy swig on his drink, watching the dancing while Chalk sniffed cautiously at his drink and winced. Whatever it was smelled like could likely strip paint, and the goddesses knew what it would do to his insides. He caught a glimpse of stock watching him out of the corner of his eye and swallowed. He couldn’t lose face now, and certainly not in front of the crew. Taking a deep breath, he took a mouthful and gulped it down, smiling at the big stallion beside him.   Suddenly, silence fell around him like a lead weight.   “He’s still standin’” a black and brown stallion called out, “Reckon e’s a drinkin’ stallion?”   “Mebbe he’s usin’ his magic?” Another called out.   “What’s that? There’s a unicorn on board?”   “One of the ‘cargo’ I reckon, Capn’s new toy foal”   “Yeah, she broke the last one!”   There was a bought of laughter, quickly dying down under a withering look from Stock. Chalk looked up from his mug after taking another swig,   “Not bad, strange taste though. What is it?”   Stock shrugged, “Thestral’s call it ‘Balta’. Don’t know what it’s made of, don’t care either.” He picked up a piece of cheese and wolfed it down in one bite.   Chalk felt the stares from the ponies boring into him as dozens of pairs of eyes watched his every move. He didn’t normally feel uncomfortable in social settings, especially after the locals got used to his colouring, but this felt different than usual, like he was a piece of meat in a griffin butchers shop. He cleared his throat,   “Stock?”   “Yeah?” The big stallion rumbled.   “Um, why are they, y’know, staring at me” Chalk motioned towards the others, “like that?”   Stock shrugged, “They’re waiting to see if you finish your drink”   Chalk stared into his mug, “I don’t understand. It doesn’t taste that bad when you get used to it.” He knocked back the last of it and slammed the empty container down.   Quickly, one of the ponies rushed over to the bar mare and returned with another full mug of the thick black goo. Silently, the crewpony replaced Chalk’s empty and backed away.   “Hey, thanks!” Chalk smiled.   The other ponies continued to stare, occasionally passing what looked like bits between them. They were whispering to each other quietly too, watching him lift the mug, place it to his lips and take another pull. Chalk raised an eyebrow and smacked his lips,   “Quite delicious really…”   A strange tingling sensation began to radiate around his lips as he finished the second mug. Unbelievably, a third mug appeared beside him, the deliverer quickly backing away as the others leaned forward, watching him as if he was going to explode suddenly.   “Hey, Stock?” Chalk said, “Is this some sort of drinking game? I don’t know the rules.”   “Oh, there’s no rules” Stock rumbled in his deep voice, “Just keep going, you’ll get the idea.”   What the hell was he going on about? Still, it didn’t matter really, this stuff was really good! Chalk knocked back the third, and again, another mug appeared.   “Gotta be magic that! Look at him go!” One muttered.   “No way. Cap’n wouldn’t allow anypony to do that, they’d be overboard before they knew it.”   “Mebbe he don’t know that, eh?”   Chalk was halfway down the mug when he began to feel the tingling in his lips beginning to spread. Goddesses, it was spreading to his ears! He reached up in alarm as his whole face began to feel numb. Several of the ponies began to nod to each other and smile. Others frowned, hoofing over bits.   “I tell ya, it ain’t normal!” One grumbled, “How the buck can he put all that away?”   “He’s not finished yet!”   “Get him another!”   Stock held up a hoof, silencing the throng and turned to Chalk,   “You okay?”   Chalk blinked, “Um…dunno…can’t feel…my face, I think I’m…oh, Celestia…”   “Grab him somepony!” One of the crew yelled, but Stock was already on it. He grabbed Chalk as he toppled and hoisted him onto his shoulder like a sack of grain before walking over to the cream and brown stallion sporting a silver mane and numerous scars,   “I make that four. Pay up, Salty.”   “Luna’s plump backside…here!” The older pony slammed a hoofful of bits into a bag and tossed it to Stock who deftly caught it in his mouth,   “Thanks, shipmate.”   “Bah!”   The cream and brown pony folded his forelegs and pouted whilst the others around him roared with laughter and teased him as the music burst into life once more. Stock kicked open one of the side doors to a store room and dumped the unconscious Chalk Dust onto a pallet full of hay. He shook his head and closed the door, re-opening it a second later and placed a bucket next to the white pony’s head. Nodding to himself he left,   “Think you’ll be needing that” he muttered under his breath.   The door closed, plunging the room into darkness.   Pushing his way back through the throng, Stock returned to his seat and took a piece of cheese, nibbling on it thoughtfully. Chalk Dust was an interesting fellow. He’d taken him for a coward at first, the way he’d curled up into a ball in the enclosure back in Nightmare Moon’s camp, but the way he’d fought those minotaurs and that griffin… He chewed the cheese slowly, savouring the taste. Yes, that shot with the crossbow was really something.   “Hey big guy”   Stock looked down into the deep purple eyes of Cyclone. Her scars had healed well, he thought absently. She’d never be the same again of course, but at least she was alive. He took a swig of his ale and nodded to her,   “Bosun”   “Still so formal” She sighed, stretching a crick out of her neck, “I thought you’d have lightened up a bit by now.”   Stock sniffed, “I’ve got a long memory Cyclone, as long as it needs to be.”   “Oh for the goddesses sake, Stock, how long can you hold something against somepony?” The Bosun rolled her eyes, “Do you really hate me that much?”   The brown stallion shrugged, “I don’t hate you, I just…”   “Stock…please…” Cyclone reached out to him with her hoof.   Stock stared it, his expression unreadable. Cyclone closed her eyes and took it away, instead picking up her mug. She gritted her teeth, willing the anger and pain away but it just wouldn’t go away would it? No matter how much she willed it to, no matter how hard she tried. How could be like this even after all these years?! That stubborn bloody…arse!   The green mare took a deep breath. Desperate to change the subject, she picked the first thing that popped into her mind and quickly regretted her hasty decision,   “What do you make of that unicorn then?”   “He seems okay” Stock rumbled.   Cyclone sniffed, “But, a unicorn? On board our ship? The crew don’t like it, Stock.”   “Ain’t our decision to make.”   “I know,” Cyclone said taking a pickled onion, “But still, unicorns are bad luck, you know that as much as I do.”   “Like I said, it ain’t our decision to make. Cap’n’ll decide.”   “Pfff! The Captain? She’s up to her fetlocks in him every night!” Cyclone laughed bitterly, “We all know what those two are getting up to. You could hear them going at it all…”   Stock slammed his mug down hard, “I’m getting another drink” he said gruffly and got up do go to bar mare. Returning a minute later, he all but threw himself onto the crate and stared past the green mare, focussing on the dancing.   Cyclone’s blood was up. How the hell could he cold shoulder her like that? It was that bloody unicorn’s fault wasn’t it? Ever since that bloody creature had come aboard, it was all anypony could talk about, and now Stock had been bewitched by him too!   “I tell you it’s bad luck to have a unicorn on board, Stock.” She said angrily, “The sooner we get to port and get shot of him and the rest of that lot in the hold the better.”   “’Bad luck’” Stock grumbled, swigging a mouthful of ale, “You’re one to talk about superstition Cylone. I’d have thought more of you than that”   The green mare’s eyes grew wide and she sat up, opening her mouth to reply.   “Oh, it ain’t superstition Master Stock” It was the older cream and brown pony. Stock cringed inwardly; the crusty old bugger had ears like a damned bat.   “I can tell you, one and all,” the old hoof continued, “everypony here who has a pair of ears to listen!”   “Oh goddesses…” Stock groaned, “Not…”   “…The story of the Raven’s Eye!”   The brown stallion murmured under his breath, “I bloody knew it…”   Standing on his hind legs, the older stallion waved his hooves for quiet, the musicians putting down their instruments and watching him as he made sure he had everyponies attention,   “Aye, the Raven’s Eye, the most beautiful sky galleon to ever sail the blue skies of the Crystal Empire and the world…” he waved a hoof dramatically, “BEYOND!”   Stock stared into his drink. It was going to be a long night.   **********************   “Oh…oh god…goddesses…I…” Chalk’s stomach threw up another stream of vomit into the bucket, “Oh, kill me! Celestia’s arse…” A racking cough led to another stomach creasing gout that was now rapidly filling the improvised container. Sweat was pouring down his face, his hooves gripping the side of the bucket for all it was worth, “Why didn’t somepony stop me! Oh…goddess…not, not again…!” Chalk’s stomach cramped up painfully and he vomited what must be, had to be, the last of it. Wasn’t it? Oh goddesses, there was more!   Doc trotted in carrying a bowl of what looked like steaming rice pudding and a large flagon of liquid. The stallion shook his head at the sight of the stricken unicorn. Gretel knelt beside Chalk, stroking his back with one hoof and holding back his mane with the other. She looked round angrily at the medical officer,   “When I find out who did this to him, Doc, there’ll be bloody hell to pay.” She cooed at her patient as he retched loudly, “It’s alright Chalky, it’ll be okay, the doctors here.”   “Hmph.” The blue stallion snorted, “You mothering him like that won’t be helping Gretel. He’s a grown stallion you know.”   “I know that!” She snapped back angrily, “And don’t you dare start lecturing me, Doc. Whatever you may think of him, he’s a guest aboard the Revenge and I will be damned if I let some bloody comedian half poison him.”   Doc set down his things and picked up a cloth, “I don’t know about ‘half’ poisoning him, and besides, from what I heard he pretty much poisoned himself.”   “With Balta!” Gretel snarled, “For the goddess’s sake, Doc, you know what effect that stuff has on ponies!”   He knew when to back down, and now was one of those times. Shrugging off Gretel’s remarks, Doc wiped Chalks muzzle and lifted his chin,   “Chalk? Listen to me, you have to drink this. I know it tastes like crap, but it’ll help, do you understand?”   As weak as he was, Chalk nodded, the action of which nearly had him throwing up yet again. Unwilling to relinquish his grip on the bucket, Doc had to lift a bowl of the medicine to Chalk’s lips while Gretel looked on worriedly. The powerful smell of mint was so strong it made his eyes water, but he managed to take a quick sip before his stomach heaved, making him gasp for air,   “I…I can’t…”   Gretel stroked his forehead and ears, keeping her voice as calm as possible,   “You have to Chalky, please?”   Chalk managed to glance up, his bloodshot eyes painfully sensitive to the light in the room despite the curtains being closed. This wasn’t happening, was it? He was in his bunk, warm and snug, not sitting here puking his guts out. But Gretel was here, her eyes pleading with him to do this one thing. Goddess damn it, his stomach and head…everything! It was like being on fire inside and out! Resisting the urge to shake his sweat slicked mane, Chalk released the bucket, grabbed the bowl and downed it.   The effect was immediate.   His stomach rebelled, churning and bubbling like some furious cauldron, the overwhelming smell and taste of mint an almost living thing within him. He gasped and cough, collapsing to the floor as a bout of intense shaking took him. Gretel looked up at the Doc,   “What the hell’s this, Doc? What have you done to him?”   “Calm down, Gretel” he replied clucking his tongue irritably, “It’s an infusion made with Foalswood and Speartree, it’ll calm his insides down and stop him being sick. When he’s settled down we’ll have to get plenty of fluids and salt into him.” Doc peered into Chalk’s eyes, nodding, “He’s very dehydrated and will need to be watched for the next few hours. You can leave him in sickbay of you like, I’ll…”   “-I will look after him”, Gretel cut in, “this is my responsibility, I’m the Captain of this ship.”   Doc shook his head, “Gretel, I know you have feelings for this pony, but if you start giving him special treatment it will make the crew resentful of him, and they’re already...”   “Damn it, I know Doc!” Gretel snapped, “I…” she stomped a hoof, “I know.”   The Captain turned away, staring at the door, “Just…make sure he’s okay Doc. If you need anything…”   “I know, Gretel.” Doc lay a hoof on her shoulder, “Go and get some rest yourself, you’ve been up for hours and a tired Captain can’t command her ship effectively.”   “Doctors orders?”   Doc smiled, “Doctors orders.”   Letting out a sigh, the red mare gave the prostrated form of Chalk a quick nuzzle before leaving him in the care of the ships doctor. Doc watched her go and shook his head sadly,   “You’re a very lucky pony, Mister Chalk Dust” he said quietly, “very lucky indeed.”   Outside on the deck, Gretel leaned back against the wall of the quarterdeck and took in the early morning air. Doc was right, she was exhausted. What the hell had possessed Chalk to drink that stuff? She rubbed her face with her hoof. Somepony on the crew must have snuck a barrel aboard. When she found out who it was she’d…   She sighed. What was the point? If nothing else, Chalk had bonded more with the crew, even if the miserable rats who plied him with that stuff had nearly poisoned him in the process. The worst part of it all was Doc was right, she was treating Chalky differently. Before long, they could indeed start to resent the white unicorn and then that whole ‘bad luck unicorn’ thing would manifest itself in all the worst possible ways. For now though, he’d been accepted, if only a little. When he was better, she’d have to find a job for him on board that had would prove useful and help blend him in as a valued crewmate as well as…whatever he was to her.   The image of Chalk’s face, his big green eyes and that adorable smile, flashed through her mind. She lifted her hooves and stared at them. His fur had been so soft, his mane like a gentle river of gold and the way his kisses had her sent shockwaves through her body like she’d never experienced before in her life… Gretel shook her head. He was good for her, and yet, in a way, he wasn’t. He was too distracting, and she was becoming obsessed with him, dangerously so.   “Cap’n, we’ll be making port in the next few hours”   Haggis smiled over at her, his toothy grin catching the early morning light.   “Don’t you ever go to bed?” Gretel smiled, chuckling slightly despite herself, “Sometimes I think you’re having a love affair with my ship, Mister Haggis”   “Oh, me and the old girl have a special relationship, Cap’n” Haggis quipped, “She responds to my touch, tells me how she feels and sometimes kicks like a mule.” He laughed, “You never met my ex-wife did you?”   Gretel shook her head’ “Can’t say that I did. Did she kick like a mule?”   “Nope” Haggis said, “Like a draft horse! Broke my jaw when she caught me flirting with one of the local flower girls. That pretty much ended our relationship.”   Gretel stretched, adjusting her coat, “And then you joined our merry band, eh?”   “Aye, that I did Cap’n”   She lay a hoof on his shoulder, “And it’s good to have you with us, Haggis. It’s good to have a knowledgeable pony at the helm. Take good care of her now.”   “Aye, Aye, Cap’n.”   Haggis watched the Captain disappear into her cabin and shut the door behind her. She was a good mare, a real mare, one they all trusted and respected. That young stallion was just the thing she needed too. He’d noticed how much livelier and spritely Gretel had appeared in the short time since she’d met him. Ever since she’d lost her father, there’d been a sadness to her, barely noticeable to most, but he’d seen it nonetheless. The Revenge knew it too, she felt her Captain, understood her feelings, her whims. Everypony needed somepony, even if they didn’t realise it themselves. Haggis smiled his toothy smile and gently held the ships wheel, feeling the barely perceptible movement of the ship around him,   “Aye, we all need our special somepony, don’t we my darling?” Quietly, the ships timbers creaked and groaned around him. He smiled, “Aye,” he whispered, “that we do.”