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// Story: 80 Days: Under the Waves 
// by Sharp Spark 
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I sought for something familiar in the alien place, unsettled by strange city of sunken ships. As I wandered through the streets, the sharkpony residents paid me no mind, but I couldn’t help but see danger in each sharp fin or fanged smile. I was so preoccupied with keeping an eye alert for trouble that I almost ran right into another pony.

Only after he brushed past me, irritably muttering, did I realize that he had in fact been a pony from above the water, and not a shark. A dark brown pegasus, in fact, with a pair of goggles perched atop his thatchy mane.

Frozen for a moment in surprise, I almost lost sight of him as he threaded his way through the streets. I hastily galloped after, but he was moving with purpose and clearly knew his way around. Every time I thought I would catch him, I would round a corner, and his tail would disappear behind another ship.

Nonetheless, I hastily followed, until he left the city proper and arrived at a large building constructed out of an old Maneila galleon that sat half inside and half outside the dome of air that held the city. I cantered up just as he vanished inside, and promptly knocked at the door.

It swung open again, and he peered out, looking me up and down.

“Did the Canterlot Artificer’s Guild send you?” he asked gruffly.

“Yes,” I lied, unwilling to let an obvious opportunity pass...
“No,” I admitted, hoping he would let me explain further…