//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Beast from the abyss... // Story: Going Deep Under // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// It is a well known and considerably well documented indeed factoid that the many oceans, seas and underwater passageways of the world are hugely unexplored. Therefore, it is also a reasonable assumption just about anypony, even one with a minutiae amount of intellect could and probably would assume that they would hold many mysteries with answers that when found and solved, could astound and capture the imagination. It was one such mystery of this type that captured the world in the year 1926 of the Solar Princess's reign that in some ways starts off our story. Actually, it was two such mysteries of this type that did so that although at first never known to be interconnected and interweaved, they would eventually be discovered to be just so. To begin our tale of intrigue, we start with the first part of the mystery, the first one of the two of them to be more exact. Just like any good mystery of it's odd, yet somehow wonderfully grand splendor, It had everypony from the great thinkers of the age to the local town drunks at their favorite watering holes caught up in it. As I have previously stated, it was 1926 and something had telephones ringing and newspapers in a flurry across the United States of Neighmaerica. Something was the only real appropriate term for it, and it wasn't just Neighmaerica that the mystery had encaptured in it's grasp. All across the world, a creature had been spotted in every ocean and in every sea. And I do mean EVERY sea and ocean. What made it all the more baffling was the type of creature, or maybe perhaps more frighteningly there was more the one of the beasts. The monster in question? A giant squid, or The Kraken as it had been known throughout history in many of a fisherstallion's tales. But on one particular night and for one particular stallion this monster would cement itself in his memory for a very long time to come... The USS Barracuda: Somewhere in the Atlantic ocean... The thunder boomed and it's parental lightning flashed in the sky as wild and untamed waves battered the fishing trawler as it cut through the waters. It was a rough night for such work indeed, but that was never going to stop the captain of this particular vessel, one Sharpened Spear. He had sailed through worse, and therefore this gale did not frighten him in the very slightest. "Is this all you can muster up Discord, this is your idea of a challenge?" Sharpened called out to the God of Chaos from inside his cabin, which was decorated with maps and charts of all sorts along with a speargun attached to the wooden walls. Spear was a gruff sort of pony, and his muzzle showed the passing of many a year. No answer except of course the howling of the winds and crack of thunder came to Sharpened, although he smirked at it. That was good enough of an answer for him. Believe it or not, it spurred him on further, made him more than ready to get his crew home to their families, although he had none of his own. They had passed away long ago. The sea was his only companionship now. The fishing had started out so well, as it always did, but then the storm had come, as they always did. "Sir, the ship, I don't think she can take much more of this!" A young fisherstallion of fifteen years, Rainbow Blaze exclaimed as he burst into the cabin drenched to the bone. "Nonsense! This ship can take whatever you could throw at it, so think before you speak boy!" Sharpened retorted back and sighed as he shook his head. Rainbow Blaze was young and foolish in Sharpened's mind, so of course he didn't know as much as he should to him. "But-" Rainbow began, before being cut off by the captain who roared back "No buts boy, I know of what I speak of!" But Rainbow Blaze yet still begged to differ. "I really wish I could believe you sir but..." Blaze trailed off sadly, completely devoid of hope of ever seeing the land again. Then there came a shout from another crew member outside the captain's cabin. "Sir, I really think you should come and see this!" Both Sharpened and Blaze rushed outside to see another crewmate pointing outwards in the fierce stormy waters. At first, they could not see it, but then there it was! A dark shape, cutting through the waves with ease. Neither pony had to even speculate for second in what it was, they already knew from the many stories the newspapers reported about the Thing. And then the captain let out a shout. "Kraken!" This single horrific and fear inspiring word soon passed along the ship like wildfire and soon shouts of everypony going for the spearguns followed it. There was a great shrieking sound, indisputably from the beast itself as it realized it had been spotted. "And so the tempest fury sends it's next challenge, that beast of the seven seas!" Sharpened roared as he along with everypony else saw great black tendrils glowing green via some sort of slime rise up from the waves and surround the boat with one wrapping itself around the crane arm used to haul up fish and snap it off with ease. Spearguns were fired at whatever tendrils that could get themselves in their sights and pierced them, drawing blood as the Kraken shrieked once more, this time in rage from being wounded. And then, the head became visible as it rise up out of the waves at the Barracuda's front. Sharpened then let out yet another shout. "And so, the hour of this beast's reckoning is at hoof! Fire the harpoon!" Sharpened roared showing none of the fear his crew showed as the great speargun nicknamed "Tarterus-piercer" at the front was fired with a mighty whoosh. Even as it happened, Rainbow Blaze gazed into the creature's demonicly red eyes, and he felt as if they were gazing into his soul, judging him. And then what seemed to be just a 5th of a second later, one eye was lost as the Kraken turned it's dark head ever so slightly but just enough to avoid being gored in it's bulbous brain's encasement. A screech of rage it made, and a howl of triumph from Sharpened as he scored his victory, which showed how quickly it could turn to defeat with what happened next. Alas, the tentacles came down apon the Barracuda with unrelenting fury ripping and smashing wood. A board came down on Rainbow Blaze and he felt a sharp pain and the loss of consciousness... Rainbow Blaze groaned and rubbed his multi-colored head in pain as he felt himself return to the waking world. He blinked from the sunlight that shown down on him from the clear sky. The storm had passed, and although Rainbow did not know how he survived it he thanked whatever deity that allowed him to do so and escape death the previous night. The seas around were calm, and Rainbow figured he must have drifted miles away from the storm and the beast which had undoubtedly claimed the lives of his fellow crewmembers. Rainbow let out a long hard sob as he mourned for them and a snarl of rage towards the Kraken which had shamelessly killed them without remorse or reason. Truly a monstrous beast it was! Although he would eventually be picked up by a Navy ship, Rainbow Blaze never forgot that night, and he never forgave the Kraken... END OF PROLOGUE...