Earth and Sea

by beasert

Clues

... Four, five, six coconuts. Enough for the evening show. Poseidon was pleased with the results of his search. Floating his prizes behind him, the blue stallion made his way to the shore. He planned on catching up on the news for the month and enjoying the twilight colours.

Poseidon was happy on his island home. It was a constantly changing place, and, despite living there for what would seem forever, he was always finding something new. New birds would migrate from afar, exotic fish would come and go, reefs sprang up were he least expected, and every once in a while the volcano would shift the entire landscape. It was just the way he liked it.

The alicorn set up his old folding chair and table on the beach, split his drinks, and awaited his messengers. An albatross was the first to show. “Finnegan, good to see you,” Poseidon said. “What's new and exciting in the world?” The great bird squawked and cawed at length as the king listened closely. “Fascinating! I would never have thought that land could be inhabitable! I'll have to update my charts now... Maybe I'll drop by in a few decades to see how they've held up.” Poseidon magically lifted a fish from the sea and offered it to Finnegan in thanks. More birds; seagulls, ducks, swans and swallows all came to relay the events of their lands.

After a time, Poseidon bid them silence. “My show is about to start. Would you care to join me?” The birds gathered around the stallion, and faced the horizon.

The sun was setting, and it cast an ever cooling light across the sky. Reds and golds filled the horizon in the west as they gave way to faint greens until settling into the blue of day. Then, just as the fire kissed the water, another body rose in the east. The great white orb that was the moon slowly crept up, like a filly just waking from their bed. The darkness the accompanied it began to overtake the scenery, and stars began to peek through its veil. Then came his favourite part.

For a moment, the celestial bodies stopped. The sun was halfway beneath the sea and the moon had reveal half of its face. The sky was a painting of warm and cool emotions, blending into each other harmoniously. His daughters were exchanging their greetings for the evening. Poseidon wondered how much time those two got to spend together.

The sun then continued on its way as the moon took its place in the sky. The show was over, and Poseidon had been so entranced he had hardly touched his drink.

Poseidon let out a sigh. “Things must be alright with those two. They're big girls.” His thoughts turned to Gaea. He hadn't spoken with her in a while. The stallion thought he would contact her before bed and tell her about what was going on in the world. Gulping down the rest of his coconut, Poseidon made his way to the volcano.

The moon had not yet reached its full height when Poseidon reach the summit of the volcano. He peered inside and began his magic. The island rumbled, and the mountain spewed a stream of lava into the sky. The molten rock whirled before Poseidon, forming faint images. “Gaea,” Poseidon called. He awaited a reply. A minute passed. Then another. He called out again. “Gaea?” Still, he was met with silence. He dropped the flow back into the volcano, and a puzzled expression had dropped on his face.

Where was his mate? Gaea almost never left her home; not after what had happened to her. Concerned, Poseidon felt the ground. He was not as adept as Gaea at sensing through the earth, but he had to try. Poseidon stood for a long time, concentrating hard on the ground beneath his hooves. He sensed something. It was faint and far away, but something was steadily moving through the ground. “Is that her?” Poseidon wondered. He followed the sensation for a while longer until it disappeared from his mind.

The stallion galloped back to the shore where his home was. Bursting through the doorway, he went straight for a chest filled with charts. Armed with his maps and compass, Poseidon began the plotting the movement of what he felt. Double checking his work, he felt that whatever it was would emerge in the heart of Equestria. “It must be her,” he told himself. Poseidon walked to his deck, pondering what was going on. He looked up to his birds.

“Carol! You were the last one from the heart of Equestria. Was there anything that seemed off to you?” The tiny bird was flustered at sudden;y being addressed like this, but thought hard. She couldn't think of anything odd that had happened. Poseidon furrowed his brow in thought. “Maybe I will have to see for myself what is going on?”

Poseidon reentered his home and began to gather his things. He stuffed some food into his saddlebag and donned an old cloak of woven grass. He was glad it was a clear night and the stars could guide him. He did not want to waste time checking his way.

At the shore, the birds had huddled to see what the king was up to. The stallion stepped to the waterline, his sea foam mane moving in time with the waves. “Thank you for your help, my friends,” Poseidon said to the birds. “I do not know when I shall return, but pray it is soon.” With that, the king dashed over the water before spreading his wings and taking flight into the night.

It was a long way to Equistria. Poseidon knew that, even if he didn't stop flying, it would be almost dusk before he reached land, let alone his destination. But he was driven by concern for Gaea. Powerful as she was, she was no longer strong and could be in great danger.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gaea rested in Fluttershy's cottage as the pegasus cooked up some of the eggs she had gathered. “What do you like in your omelets?” Fluttershy called from the kitchen. “Lettuce and tomato, please,” Gaea responded. The alicorn looked around her. I was very cozy in here. It was very down-to-earth. It struck Gaea odd that a pegasus would live on the ground. Fluttershy returned a minute later with a tray and two omelets.

“Here you go,” Fluttershy said, placing the tray gently on a table between them. Gaea thanked her for the meal, and the two of them began to eat.

Gaea brought up her question with Fluttershy. “Is this where you live?”

“Why, yes, it is,” the pony said with a smile.

“How did you come to live here. I cannot say I have heard of pegasi living so far from the sky.”

“Well, actually, I fell from Cloudsdale when I was a filly. When I landed and looked around, I saw just so many amazing things. I didn't want to leave! I still go back to visit my friend, Rainbowdash, once in a while, but she usually is in Ponyville anyway.”

Cloudsdale? Ponyville? Gaea did not know these places. “Um, pardon me, but where is 'Cloudsdale' and 'Ponyville'?”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” the little mare said. “Well, we're on the edge of Ponyville here, next to the Everfree Forest.” Gaea at least recognized that name. “Cloudsdale is in the clouds nearby. It stays close because they take care of the weather around here.”

Gaea felt that this was a good time to start gathering information about her daughters. “Do Celestia and Luna live nearby?”

“The princesses?” Fluttershy was surprised by this question. “They live in Canterlot. Are you a friend of theirs?”

“Something like that,” Gaea said with a smile. “I was hoping to pay them a visit.”

“Well, my friend, Twilight, can help you with that. She was planning a trip to Canterlot soon, and I'm sure she would be happy to meet you.”

“I will look forward to it.” Gaea was beaming. It seemed that she would get to meet many nice ponies on her little adventure.

The two of them talked continued to talk about the princesses, Fluttershy's animals, and the adventures the little pegasus had with her friends. Soon, the food was gone and the sun was high in the sky.

“Thank you for the meal. It was very delicious,” Gaea said with a nod.

“You're welcome. Come back anytime!”

With a hot meal and lifted spirits, Gaea set out again. She would seek out the pony Twilight Sparkle and journey with her to Canterlot. Gaea felt as if she was already almost there.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Poseidon had been flying for hours, and he was feeling it. He did not fly very often unless his avian friends were around, and decided that a short rest was in order. The sun has risen by this time anyway, so navigation would be a bit trickier now. Touching down on the water's surface, Poseidon dug into his bag for a bite. But he was restless. He was on a mission! Deciding that he only needed to rest his wings, Poseidon prepared a favourite spell of his.

He turned around and fired a bolt of magic into the sea. A few minutes passed, then poseidon saw what he made. A rise appeared on the horizon, growing larger as it approached. The massive wave finally met with its maker, and the stallion let it pull him to its crest. There he lay, munching on his fruit as the water carried him onward. It wasn't as fast as flying, but it would do for now.

Comments

[Fireheart]

Poseidon you badass