ARIA Special Navigation: The Magic of Friendship in the City of Miracles

by Planetarian

Navigation 3, Part 1 -その貴重なメモリを... That Precious Memory...

Navigation 3, Part 1 -その貴重なメモリを... That Precious Memory...

---

Hanging onto precious memories really matters a lot to me.

It's about all that I can really take with me...

You are not alone. We've delivered and preserved those messages before.

Don't worry. Let's do all that we can to take thoughts across space and time!

\-----/

Dear Pen Pal:

How have you been? I have been well. The city and my friends have taken great care of me. Thank you for your concern about the slight fever that I had a month ago by the way.

I wanted to tell you something that's wonderful and exciting.

Sweetie Belle-chan, a unicorn from another world, came to us about four days ago! She came to our company during Acqua Alta, and Ai-chan was the one that received her (she will write to you about it as well, I am sure.)

Sweetie-chan is really incredible! She has magic that is different from any that I've seen before! She made me think about Cait Sith actually, but she's much smaller! Sweetie-chan is no bigger than that a big dog, but she's more colorful! With a white coat and has this beautifully curled mane of mulberry and rose. Her tail is like that too!

I am sounding like a little girl, but we all got like that over her... even Akira-san! I was really surprised! Everyone have been keeping rather quiet about Sweetie-chan though.

Sweetie-chan and Ai-chan will be together more or less. She's living with us over Aria Company. I was really worried about what Sweetie-chan would eat and drink, but she's ok with eggs, toasts and orange juice! She had Cod without problem, but I saw how she was a bit scared of lobsters... it's really cute! Maybe Japanese food will be a fun one to show her.

We are preparing for Marriage of the Sea. I have to be in the procession with Alice-chan and Aika-chan! I feel really nervous about this! It's been four years since I've done the last ceremony, but that was when I was a Single! I don't know if I can do nearly as well as Alicia-san... but I'll try. You always asked me to do that.

Ai-chan and Sweetie-chan will both be there for the event! Ai-chan actually will be with grandma on board the Bucintaro! Alicia-san, Akira-san and even Athena-san will all be on the water that day in their own boats! This really is miraculous!

Please send my regards to Adachi-san! I hope his stomachache will have gotten better by now.

Come see us any time! I would love to introduce you to Sweetie-chan!

Best Wishes,

Akari

\---/

Morning came with Ai and Sweetie losing out to Akari in racing to the kitchen.

Akari had latte in mind when the two came down to the ground floor. President Aria drinks milk, so it was rather sensible to make that choice.

"This would be the fifth day since Sweetie-chan had arrived to Aqua!"

The seven-day cycle was identical to what Sweetie was used to while in the various versions of Equestria. She found this familiarity to be rather comforting.

The little unicorn was interested to know how to operate the ceramic white gas range.

"Here. You turn on the knob a little bit to this notch here. It'll click. When the gas gets ignited, then you can turn the flame up or down."

Ai gave Sweetie Belle a quick demonstration then moved aside.

The unicorn focused on the knob that operated the top left cook-top. She had to watch herself as she controlled her telekinesis application, since she could not feel the kind of force feedback that she would have had with her hooves.

The knob was depressed and dialed to the right. The electric spark jumped, and the unicorn waited for a second.

The flame came on without trouble. it was a blue flame.

"It's really beautiful..."

Sweetie was quite mesmerized by the clean burn as she turned the dial forward a bit.

Ai placed a frying pan on top of the flame. "It's neat, isn't it? If we don't clean up the heads, or if something drips down to the cooktop, the flame will flicker and turn orange."

Akari was cheerful. "That reminds me of how the skies turn from blue to orange for some reason."

Ai added. "Maybe like Aqua as well. The planet's reddish tint became blue...."

Sweetie Belle stared into the dancing flame. "I wonder if Princess Celestia's mane can glow in bluish tint as well..."

Ai was snapped out of her little trance as she tended the flames. "Huh?! Bluish tint? Can ponies really just change their mane color at the drop of a hat?"

The eggs were sizzling when Sweetie replied.

"Well... it's not like that... Princess Celestia's mane kind of floats by itself. She has this mane that has four different bands of color, being this cerulean blue, a very light green, this thistle color and another shade of blue."

"Hahi! That sounds amazing!" Akari was grappled by the description while she held the milk packaging.

"How tall is Princess Celestia, Sweetie-chan?" Ai had decided to ask.

"She's pretty tall! I think about as big as you, Akari!" Sweetie gestured.

"That's about as tall as some horses I think! She's big!" Akari was very surprised.

Sweetie was beaming. "I know! She's really a goddess! She moves the sun every day... and the moon. I think Princess Luna does that now."

The eggs were done and carefully laid out onto the plates. The tomatoes were diced and placed on the plate by Akari.

Ai fetched a few links of sausages, and she made a few cuts on them. These sausages were then placed on the pan.

Sweetie levitated the coffees from the nearby counter as she went to the table. President Aria was busy laying out the placemats when Sweetie came out of the kitchen.

"Here you go President, your mat and your tray."

"Pui-pui!"

The President acknowledged Sweetie with much dignity, and sat upright in his booster seat.

"I will grab the utensils next!"

Sweetie returned to the kitchen.

She knew that Martian cats tend to eat similar diets to human beings, so it was clear that Ai and Akari would have consumed those sausages. This made her curious about what the sausages were made of.

"Urr... I am curious about something."

Sweetie turned to Akari and Ai as she looked at Ai putting the grilled sausages onto the plates.

"What kind of meat are the sausages made from...?"

Akari scratched her head a little.

"Salsiccia use pork! These are made right here in Neo-Veneto. Woody-san would know of the details." The Prima answered.

Ai turned to Sweetie. "Why'd you ask?"

Sweetie revealed her reason. "I was thinking about what meat cats would eat. I know that they may eat birds and rats..."

Ai's face faulted just a little.

"Those meat we don't touch if we can help it..."

Akari was actually rather discomforted as her mouth went wide. She was letting out this stammer.

It was a rather awkward moment for all involved.

Finally, Akari was capable of coherent speech. "I'm sorry, Sweetie-chan! You must have felt this, just worse! I am sorry!"

Sweetie was at a loss as to what to say to Akari. She made a grown woman upset!

"I am sorry! I didn't know that humans don't eat all the cat diets! I am sorry!"

Ai did the sensible thing as she grabbed her mentor's hand and the unicorn's hoof.

"Let's try to get back to laying out the table. Thinking about this only makes it worse..."

The two girls nodded in unison, as they try to empty their heads of stomach-upsetting thoughts.

\---/

The breakfast went without a hitch.

Sweetie found that she was compatible with Caffeine. Her adolescent frame, plus a day's worth of activities, had been good in making sure that her sleep would not be impacted in any way.

The unicorn was sipping the latte when she saw Ai pulling out the laptop again.

There were two different types laptops in use at the company. Akari's unit was the one that Sweetie had first seen in use. The second unit that Ai had was interesting, in that it does not close off like a notebook.

The laptop 'projects' a flat display holographically, and the "Keyboard" (human hoofboards were quite literally a board filled with keys) was really the only physical component of the whole unit.

Sweetie had been watching Ai and Akari using the device, and it was pretty clear to her that the machines were light years ahead of Equestrian typewriters.

"Whacha using it for?"

Ai looked at Sweetie, as she motioned for Sweetie to her side.

"I am making a letter to my pen pal. Our e-mails messages can travel across Aqua and reach Manhome, so it doesn't really matter where the pen pal is."

Ai continued as Sweetie saw how fast a human's input speed is up close.

"I can't do that even if I were to write using telekinesis! This is just super fast!" Sweetie admired Ai's dexterity with her thin digits that had no sharp claws.

"Well, you should go ahead and try it out! You got the time, so why not!" Ai said cheerfully as she talked to Sweetie while paying no heed to the keyboard whatsoever.

"You're so used to this that you don't have to look at what you're typing! Ai-chan, just how many years have you been doing this?"

Ai was a little embarrassed.

"Well, this is actually a bit old-fashioned. People on Manhome don't even bother to type sometimes. I started typing when I was only a kid... before I met Akari-san."

Sweetie got very interested.

"Wait! Humans on Manhome have ways to write down things even faster?"

Akari cheerfully joined the conversation while holding a basket of croissants.

"Hahi!" Some people would dictate to computers. The computers can directly record down what they say by turning speech into text! There's also computers that can read your thoughts directly! Those are the fastest. Whatever you think of shows up on the screen immediately!"

Sweetie's eyes were wide open.

"This... this... wow. It would make recording down things soooo much easier! It's really marvelous!"

Ai poked Sweetie at her left shoulder.

"We have breakfast to eat you know! We can learn and play around with this later!"

Sweetie was somewhat unwilling to let go, but Ai had a point. It'd be a waste to allow her breakfast to sit.

The unicorn returned to her seat as she stepped onto a bench, so that she could elevate herself to the chair with ease. The bench was the stepping stone for her. She found that only using her forelegs to get up to the chairs was quite the chore.

Sweetie Belle had a pillow cushion to allow her more comfort in assuming the seating position. Ponies normally sit on their haunches, but these chairs wouldn't facilitate for such seating arrangements. As such, Sweetie allowed her rump and her pelvis to be placed on the cushion while letting her hind legs dangle freely.

This seating position was a little tricky, but not uncomfortable for Sweetie to maintain. The unicorn was not interested in crossing her hindlegs and to sit on them, so sitting and leaning on a cushion would have to do.

"You said that humans do have shorter tables than these before..."

Akari energetically replied.

"Hahi! Japanese tables sit much lower to the ground!" Akari noted.

Ai showed Sweetie a photo of traditional Japanese low tables that rely on cushions. "Japanese don't sit on their haunches when using these. They kneel by putting their knees together as they fold the legs so that you are sitting on your own legs really. It's a proper way to sit, but most would cross their legs instead."

Ai then admitted with a little bit of a guilty look on her face. "I am not used to that. How about you, Akari-san?"

Akari also was a bit embarrassed. "I didn't do that at grandma's..."

"Sitting like that... urgh."

Sweetie shuddered at the thought of trying just that.

President Aria was in total agreement with the Undines and the unicorn.

\---/

"Akari-san, the first appointment should be at around 9:30! I will make a call at around 9:00 to confirm!"

Ai was updating the schedule on a wall adjacent to the service counter. The shutter was opened, so the smell of the sea was circulating freely in the building.

Sweetie thoroughly enjoyed the invigorating scent and the sensation of oceanic breezes that would greet her every time she walked by the counter.

Akari had filed away the last of the dishes.

"Thank you, Ai-chan!"

Sweetie noticed that there's three appointments from 9:30 to 2:30pm.

"I guess that means that Akari will join us at around 3:00?"

Ai placed her right hand over her chin.

"Yea. That sounds about right."

Akari was ready to head out and prep her gondola for the day's work.

"I will be heading out!"

Akari was energetic. Ai quickly followed to the Palina.

Sweetie made her way to the door just as Ai was helping Akari to untie the mooring lines.

"Everything looks ok. The tarp might need to get replaced though..."

Akari frowned slightly.

"Mr. Tarp has worked hard... he's been there for as long as I remember! Alicia-san used it to protect this gondola..."

Akari was folding the tarp as Ai rolled the rope and placed it over the platform. Sweetie extended a telekinetic grip to take the tarp from Akari.

"I'll put it away."

"Hahi! Thank you, Sweetie-chan!" Akari was appreciative.

After laying the folded tarp into a cabinet, Sweetie proceeded to use telekinesis to steady the gondola a bit. The white gondola in blue trimmings and gold adornment was quite a sight to behold.

"That telekinesis is really useful!" Ai smirked.

The unicorn smirked back. "I can never go back to just using my hooves."

Akari's oar was fetched by Ai, who delivered it to her mentor.

The Prima assumed her position and the gondola was ready for its sorties.

Ai cradled Sweetie in her arms as the two of them waved Akari away. President Aria was over the service counter.

"See you very soon!" Akari cried.

"Take care!"

She looked down at the unicorn.

"Well then, we should get ourselves ready to head out soon."

Ai snickered a bit.

"It's just so cute when you wave goodbye with your foreleg. Hehe."

Sweetie looked at her foreleg. "What else am I supposed to use to wave somepon... somebody goodbye with...?"

Ai left it at that. The two had a little bit of time to get themselves ready to leave the company building.

\---/

Ai was on the telephone.

Sweetie came to understand the operation of the telephone unit before her. It differed very significantly from how telephones work back in Ponyville.

Sweetie knew of telephone operation from her days with Blueblood. 'Dialing' the phone meant connecting the call to the switchboard, where an operator pony would have transferred the call to the intended destination. There were very few numbers that could be called directly, and Sweetie Belle can remember how long it took Blueblood and Mayor Mare to just get to the right pony for their calls.

On Neo-Venezia, all phones have a unique set dialing codes. The human only had to press the keys and the caller would have reached the recipient.

Ai thanked the guests that were due for the 9:30 appointment, and hung the phone.

"Well, it's all good! I was able to remind them at their hotel room! They were a cute couple!"

Sweetie decided to dabble in a little bit of gossip.

"How were they like? Were they young? Was the wife beautiful? How tall's the groom?"

Ai paused momentarily. "They were neat. A couple that come from Northern Italy on Manhome. They said that they've always wanted to get a sense of how La Serenissima was like!"

Sweetie looked at Ai as she had her left foreleg dabbing her lips.

"So they're tourists, huh?"

Ai enthusiastically replied. "Yep! They look like they've retired. They're a cute bunch! Really loving. I hope that Akari-san can fill in the details on them when we meet later today."

Sweetie Belle began to reminisce about loving couples.

How would Shining Armor look like as an elderly? Did he and Princess Cadance share a love that spanned decades?

What of Big Macintosh and Fluttershy?

How about Granny Smith?

With these unfinished thought hanging in her mind, Sweetie turned to present day.

"Finding a special somepony that can go so far together... it's really incredible..."

Ai had a reflective expression as well. "It takes quite the magic to keep something like that going..."

The two of them stood quietly as the gentle waves of the Neo-Adriatic Sea pounded the platform.

"It does feel fulfilling, doesn't it?" Ai spoke.

"Fulfilling?" Sweetie posed.

"To be here and being able to share a bit of the magic that had sustained their marriage. We're not there yet... and it looks so easy and obvious... but it's not."

The filly laid her head low as her soft gaze swept across the floor.

"No wonder Rarity wouldn't tell me whether or not if I've gotten married..."

The two of them had to allow some time to soak this feeling of warmth into their hearts. They stood motionlessly for about a minute, as the room was filled with the ambiance of Neo-Venezia.

The smell of fresh bread, the sea, a little bit of stench from fish, the sound of footsteps, the flow of water, the gentle breezes, the cries of seagull, the sound of boats... and the chattering people from far and wide.

All of it was within this room, as the room was within all of this space.

Ai lazily turned her attention onto the alabaster unicorn before her.

"Sweetie-chan, would you like to call Alicia-san?"

The little unicorn had awaken from her trance.

"Yep. I'd love to do that if you can tell me the number!"

The girl walked up to the unicorn as she gently brushed Sweetie Belle's mane, while the young filly leaned in and nuzzled slightly.

The two made their way to the phone next to the counter. This was the start of the day after all.

\---/

Sweetie held the receiver telekinetically. The unit was not big enough for her to press her hoof against her ear.

"You may want to turn down the volume, Sweetie-chan. I think your hearings are much more sensitive than ours."

Ai showed Sweetie the volume rocker that was situated on the left side of the box. The unicorn nudged it using her left hoof, and a projection of a bar dropping down came to her view.

"It that it? It's playing a sound..."

Ai nodded. "Yep. The sound's the volume. Tune it so that it's comfortable for you!"

The unicorn obliged.

"Ok. All set!" Sweetie indicated to Ai.

"Here's the number. Go ahead and dial! You know the rest."

Sweetie went ahead and dialed.

The telephone rang, just as Sweetie had observed of Ai and Akari when they make outbound calls.

The filly's heart swelled with anticipation.

The screen revealed a portrait view of Alicia. She was in business attire. This time she's wearing a suit in blue and a white blouse.

"Moshi moshi. This is Alicia."

Sweetie was visibly excited.

"Miss Alicia! This is Sweetie Belle! We're just calling you in to let you know that we'll be on our way by 9:30 and should get to the Arsenale by 10:00!"

"Ara ara! Thank you for calling me and confirm about your arrival. I was about to do the same! Both of you are very considerate!"

Sweetie looked back at Ai, who was all smiles.

"Ai-chan says hi too! She's letting me make the call."

Ai went up to the phone and pressed a button. The voice of Alicia went from the earpiece to being broadcasted around the vicinity.

"Sweetie-chan and I will be on our way. Should we bring anything? Sweetie-chan will be using a digital camera for taking photos."

The unicorn had managed to learn of how to use the digital camera two days ago, while aboard Ai's gondola. The filly snapped pictures of just about everything when she first got going.

I am going to stick the memory cards, a camera and maybe whatever device that can record those images in my notebook...

Sweetie thought of this to herself, as she moved aside to allow Ai to share the view with her.

"I will see both of you soon! Take care!"

Alicia waved them goodbye, and the call was terminated.

Sweetie turned to Ai, who was quite content.

"Ai-chan, just how many photos can one single chip store?"

Ai looked at Sweetie with some doubt on her face.

"it'll be in the hundreds of thousands... I know that it can take holograms in the thousands. The camera can tell us the exact number."

Ai went upstairs while Sweetie was making a plan of attack.

I take camera footages, make recording, then come back, figure out how to use one of those computers and start typing out everything that I can, print them out somehow, and then turn them all into compacted bookmark! I have to record as many things as I possibly can!

Ai noticed Sweetie Belle being absorbed into that inner world of hers.

There was a notable tinge of desperation to the pony's eyes. The unicorn's vision blinked with intensity.

She nudged Sweetie's back. The little filly bent her back and stood, while whinnying.

"Don't do that!"

Ai had the camera with her.

"I was about to show you how to check, but your head wasn't on Aqua."

Sweetie was slightly humiliated.

Ai turned on the camera before Sweetie.

"Here. It's in menu, storage..."

Sweetie was beginning to understand the various menu terms from two days of familiarization. These interfaces were straightforward, but they weren't immediately obvious to Sweetie Belle. The file storage analogies for one were still a bit lost to the filly.

"It's saying that you can take about 4 hours of holographic video footage. If it's still photo, then it's close to a million."

Ai looked at Sweetie.

"We can buy more chips if we run out. It's about 30 Euro to get one that's twice as big in size."

Sweetie looked amazed.

"30 Euro! You were saying that a typical meal was about 15... so roughly 6 bits! That's amazing!"

Sweetie suddenly realized something however.

"But wait. Twice as large. The camera only has this one slot for the card. How can a card twice as big fit into the camera?"
Ai gave a toothy grin, showing even her canines.

"Sweetie-chan, twice the capacity doesn't mean the size of the card itself changes! Tiny diamond-like crystals store the data, and they are layered! The card just has more of these crystals in them to store more data!"

Sweetie was trying to wrap her head around this.

"So... these crystals are really nowhere as big as the memory card..."

Ai nodded.

"Others can explain this better than i can, but yes. The manufacturers put more of these crystal lettuces in to get more storage into a card."

"Lettuce?"

Sweetie had to pause.

"Flat sheets of crystal, Sweetie-chan! Much thinner than the hair. I don't know the details of it... but that's how it does it!"
"By Celestia's will..." The little unicorn was flabbergasted.

"Rarity and Twilight would kill to have this kind of precision in making crystals. Nothing I've seen comes remotely close!"

Ai was now the one that had questions.

"Sweetie-chan, you mean that it's possible to store information in your world? Not just written words on parchments and books..."

Sweetie wordlessly demonstrated her storage medium, being that of the inter-dimensional notebook.

"This notebook was made in the first world that I went to by Twilight, Rarity, and Trixie, who was another teacher of mine."

Ai was blown away.

"You have a magical artifact with you! This artifact that has transcended space and time! That is just..."

Sweetie placed her hoof onto one of the jewels that adorned the spine of the notebook, and a gown appeared before Ai.
The gown was mostly white, trimmed with pink inlay and it had an expensive share of gems and pearls, complete with a saddle (which was somehow peculiar.)

"This dress was stored in one of these gems."

Sweetie pointed the white quartz on the spine.

"That... wow..."

Ai looked at Sweetie with awe.

Sweetie approached Ai as she levitated the dress away from the girl.

"My notebook only has so many of these gems. It's mostly pages for me to take notes with. I have rolled up papers, bookmarks and photos into the notebook."

Sweetie looked at Ai with gratitude.

"Ai-chan, I can actually store voices and music on the pages of this notebook, but I can never use that page again if I stored a piece of music on it."

The unicorn continued.

"The immortal Twilight had embedded a spell that made recording possible... but I can't really afford to take as much note and record as many messages as I want with this."

She looked at the camera.

"Something like the crystal storage cards in your world can solve this problem for me... I can take it with me if I can get it into the notebook."

It dawned on Ai what Sweetie really needed.

"Sweetie-chan, let's buy the storage card with the largest capacity that you can get! That way, you can bring a much larger bit of Neo-Venezia with you!"

The alabaster unicorn waved her forelegs in refusal.

"But... I can't have you pay for all of this! It's..."

"Sweetie-chan, it's ok! You are always looking to help us, and you have been working with us! I will be happy to pay for this."

"I didn't... do... anything..."

The filly was moved to tears. Her head was depressed as drops of watery tear trickled down to the floor.

Ai genuflected on one knee as she drew Sweetie Belle in for an embrace.

"It's ok, Sweetie-chan. You are not useless. You are doing your best and pulling a heavy load."

President Aria magically emerged on-scene to pat Sweetie Belle on her side. The cat had watery eyes as well.

The unicorn didn't realize that her emotional state was as fragile as it were.

"Thank you..."

Sweetie Belle could only manage a whisper.

\---/

"These cards work with computer as well!"

Sweetie was exhilarated.

Ai withdrew the card from a slot, as she promptly placed the card back into the camera.

"You can take information stored on the computer and put it onto the cards too, Sweetie-chan."

"I... need to know how to use computers. They don't just type... or add..."

Ai gently held onto Sweetie's hoof.

"One step at a time, Sweetie-chan."

The little unicorn agreed.

"So, as planned before, let's make videos and take photos! I will tell you where we're going and you can record things down as we go. We can take tomorrow to write things down and review."

Ai was typing on the keyboard while she talked to Sweetie.

"I need to return a message to my pen pal as well. Akari-san and I correspond with him. It'll be a good time to show you how to type and do word processing."

"Word processing?"

Ai smiled. "I will explain this later. We will be late if we don't leave in 10 minutes."

Sweetie's eyes shot wide open.

"Oh! I totally forgot about the time! What are we going to do? The black gondola..."

Ai snickered as she powered off her laptop.

"Let's go, Sweetie-chan! Grab the oar on your way out! Number 12!"

Sweetie darted out of the chair as she leaped to the door.

\---/

The unicorn suspended the oar using telekinetic hold while she held onto the mooring line with her teeth.

Ai reeled the line in and coiled it. After that, she placed it over a hook on the platform.

Ai bent to Sweetie Belle while she assumed the pilot's position at the stern of the boat. The Fórcola was to the right the girl.

After clutching onto her oar, which was made of wood. It was painted white with gold inset and blue accents.

The tarp was still partly on the boat. Sweetie Belle was the one that dragged it out of the gondola by sheer force. She had to fold the tarp and put it away without any other assistance.

The unicorn then quickly grabbed a map of Neo-Venezia. She had been using this as an aid for last few days, and she expected that the map would accompany her for the days to come.

The unicorn looked at the Undine, who held the gondola by the platform's railings.

"I'm coming in!"

It was difficult for Sweetie to take an Undine's hand due to her profile. After their first trip on water, Sweetie proposed that the Undine should just focus on steadying the ship while she gives a warning about her imminent boarding.

This arrangement was effective.

Sweetie Belle entered the gondola as it rocked slightly. President Aria was already on-board and was waiting for the two with great patience.

"Thank you, President!"

The cat bowed to the unicorn as he guided the unicorn to her forward-facing seat.

The gondola quickly departed the pier, as it entered the main traffic of Canale di San Marco.

"So, Sweetie, you've noticed that we don't call just about every canal canals, right?"

The unicorn nodded.

"Why do you think that is?"

The pony pondered for a second.

"Most of the smaller canals are really roads. I guess that's why they are called Rios."

Ai looked as if she had more cards up her sleeves, but she didn't push this topic further.

Sweetie began to record on the camera. Her telekinetic power held the contraption firmly.

"The building behind Aria Company's called the Forni Militari. It was a military bakery during the times of the Venetian Republic, and it still is a bakery today. The storehouse and the adjacent building are all houses for rent. Akari-san lives over the Santa Maria alla Ca' di Dio."

Sweetie scoffed.

"She lives that close to the company?"

Ai was quite jovial.

"That's the thing. She sneaks into Aria Company very often!"

The gondola headed sharply to port.

"We're now pointed at the Ponte San Biasio delle Catene. It's got this beautiful view of the Campanile! The waterway here was called Rio de la Madonna, but it was changed to Rio de l'Arsenale."

Sweetie Belle looked at the whole wall of buildings that flanked the wide waterway that laid before her.

"The Naval Museum is to your right. The archives were very important in rebuilding the historical ships. This is a really neat place for those of us that love the seas."

Ai kept her narration.

"The Guardhouse and the Treasury followed. These are all administration buildings."

Sweetie thought back to Canterlot.

"Wait. This means that this arsenal really was a military place..."

Ai nodded. "More than that. It was the heart of the Venetian war machine. It is a huge part of Venezia."

Sweetie noticed the numerous lion statues that littered around this complex. This was something that saw over San Marco Square as well.

"What's with the winged lion?"

Ai looked at Sweetie and dug into her memory.

"Leone di san Marco. This lion gave the name to San Marco. It's a symbol of Venice. I don't really know why they use the lion or why they have wings... but it's an old symbol of Venezia."

Sweetie accepted this for the time being.

"This complex is huge... I think the whole of Ponyville could be fitted in here!"

Ai scratched her head.

"I think that Alicia-san can tell us more. I mean... there's no way that this large site is only used by the Gondola Association. I never really did about this though..."

Ai decided to ask Sweetie in turn.

"Sweetie-chan, have you ever seen a military site like this?"

Sweetie shook her head.

"No, never seen this... shipyard, I guess? I've seen barracks, but this is a totally different scale! I think that the distances of the two bridges would be 200 trot.. I meant meter."

Ai listened in and wanted some clarification.

"A trot is close to a meter?"

Sweetie nodded.

"Yea. Off the top of my head anyways. I should just think in meter. I think I can understand why we have to come in a gondola and not walk here..."

Alicia was standing to the right of the drawbridge and the two towers that guard the mouth of the Arsenale. She was waving at them.

"Alicia-san!"

Ai greeted cheerfully.

Sweetie turned the camera onto Alicia, whose braided, golden hair was resisting against the wind shear.

"This way! Turn right and use the piers at Darsena Grande!"

Alicia was walking with the gondola as Sweetie, Ai and the very energetic President Aria were piloted by the veteran Undine.

When they came into the Darsena Grande (large basin,) they could not believe their sight.

In front of them was a floating pavilion lavishly plastered with gold. It was a galley that ran more than 30 meters in length.

It had carvings that would have rivaled the white and golden splendor of the Hall of the Solar Regent in Canterlot.

The sheer audacity of the vessel was intimidating to all before it.

Author's Note:

The Venetian Arsenal really is quite remarkable if we think about it... let's end here for the time being.

It's quite fun to see how fast a young one can take up techs. They absorb know-how easily!

Comments

[Planetarian]

2811243
You know, it's odd to go back to the pilot episode when you've transitioned out of the initial introduction. It's difficult for me to get a sense of where this AU Sweetie may have been like a character with ease... and it wasn't until the end of the very first segment that she was able to manifest herself, at least when I look back at it.

Thank you for telling me of my problems. I am pretty inept in spotting for myself...

The grammatical issue with single line paragraphs I will do something about. This is not something that I need to repeat. Thank you.