Necessary Love

by Zurock

Chapter 14: Dream

From the perspective of a flat map the island of Isla Equufera only looked like a speck compared to its closest neighbors. The other islands, their larger overhead shapes each peculiar and blotchy, were scattered here and there across the ocean grid like spilled globs of paint. They were mountains which erupted out of the tumbling waves, but Isla Equufera was a hill; a mound; a lone green pebble amongst boulders in a dusty blue quarry; a dot too small to have any shape at all.

But it obviously wasn't quite so small once The Seabiscuit actually closed in; more than just a solitary palm tree growing upon a little bubble of sand. Certainly it was no Pinto Rico, where the impressive, monumental landscape emerging from the ocean might trick the eye into mistaking it for a wide peninsula dangling from a much larger continent; where seeing a bustling port city from the shore added to a burgeoning sense of populous enormity; where the shoreside cliff faces rose like tall towers of fractured masonry above a pit of sharp stones and crashing surf; where shooting up behind shore and sea were peaks so large they penetrated into the thick, low-drifting mist which frequently clouded over stormy island days. Isla Equufera had no such things to lend it a stature so grand as that, but from the deck of a docking boat there were no ponies who would have described it as tiny. It was more... cozy.

The island first appeared slowly mounting the horizon, and it felt like one could see entirely around it, from front shore to back shore. Its most distinctive features were naked and easily spotted. The most immediate sign of civilization was a single structure which sat upon the flattest, calmest beach. It was a building which must have been a part of the resort: five stories tall at its highest point, with terraces descending as it curved. Now and again around the circumference of the island were natural, rugged cliffs built like walls, but nothing so tall and dangerous as to intimidate a daring rock climber; it might have even been nice to have a picnic at the top of one of them, assuming proper fencing was present. Not a single peak grew from the island center to reach up and touch the sky. There were only verdant hills which pushed up in many places, some stretching with all their strength to come to a height matching the resort building's, and between those hills sat comfortably lazy valleys where more indications of settled life were secretly nestled. The open and spacious island was more than a mite of dust, and it was home enough for the ponies who lived there.

Not far from the beach with the single building was the island's only port, the sight of which gradually enlarged and dominated the view from The Seabiscuit as the vessel chugged ever closer. The lowering afternoon sun cast shadows upon the port that made its many shapes effortlessly readable. It was simple thing; a collection of decks, sheds, and other structures, which at only one point attached to a single, long, and thin stone pier.

The pier stretched out into the water, wide enough for less than a dozen ponies to march side by side. Its gray stones were cut clean and rectangular near the top but, around the bottom, the lowered tide revealed a messy pile of rocks which rested in the rolling waves. There were no rails for safety, or seats to set down upon and watch the sea. The only features it had at all were its few spaced out black iron moorings, slightly rusted in uniform yet different ways.

Where the stone pier connected to the shore was a series of wooden decks, many sitting at different heights and having short steps which rose and fell between them. They were together a seaside workspace mounted over the uneven terrain of the shore. Several of them had canopies made of thin panels and bound straw; wooden pavilions to provide sunless spaces. A few of the largest decks had standing structures built upon them. There were some two dozen in total when disregarding size and purpose; some small boathouses low and close to the water, some small warehouses to store and sort shipped goods, and some small windowed dwellings of some indiscernable purpose or another.

Everywhere the boards were shrunk and dry from their lives of breathing the sea air and most hadn't been painted ever, but together they all appeared sturdy and sound. There wasn't the sight or scent of rotted wood amongst the slightly ramshackle constructions, probably because there was enough patches of mismatched wood to suggest regular maintenance. They saw attentive care; anything too aged was replaced. But regardless of that, age was something the many decks, sheds, and buildings had still visibly achieved. There was a certain faded life within them; the many doldrums of day-to-day living had drained away any fresh quality they had once had and sapped them of color.

Two major roads split off from the tiny dock town. A wooden pathway departing from one of the decks turned into a gently winding trail of dry dirt and gravel. It ran down the shore, lit by torches at night, until it finally wound up at the beach resort. A much wider and flatter road sat where the highest deck was linked to the land, and it lead into the depths of the island.

Though the The Seabiscuit had felt dwarfed by its more massive cousins at the Baltimare docks it finally had its turn to be the sea monster at this little port. The cruise liner sailed in as close as it could, an incredibly slow operation to be sure, but eventually it anchored into a safe enough position to drop a lengthy gangway which could reach the pier. And from its heavy load of passengers came down a mere eight: Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Spike, James, and Fluttershy.

The ship listed just slightly as the tremendous crowds on board packed themselves up against the starboard side. Many just wanted a look at the strange island they had never heard of, snapping photos of it when not committing the sight to memory. Others were more engaged in pondering over what gave the island its particular mystique, and wondering why so few passengers had been allowed to disembark. And a good portion of the watching crowd were simply there to be enthusiastically polite, cheering kind farewells and jubilant wishes for a great vacation at the group of friends who were departing.

After the shaky descent down the gangway, Twilight and her friends found a lone unicorn stallion waiting for them. His mane was a cold cobalt color with a few brighter streaks running through it. The whole mop of hair waved its way backwards down his neck with a teensy bit of a curl, almost carelessly unkempt but at least out of his face. It struck a contrast to his eyes, which were far cleaner and clearer, and in a much brighter shade of blue. There was also a real depth to them; the way the color of his irises changed as they wound about his pupils was like the lit cosmos swirling about an unknown, irresistible dark; a light drawn to discovery. The very glint in them plainly reflected the vast trail of what he had taken in during his lifetime, even though he himself wasn't a pony any older than Twilight or the others. His coat was a dry shade of green and on his flank was a cutie mark which only reinforced the knowledgeable light in his eyes: it looked like a stenciled torch, colored blue similarly to his mane, and its flame casted out a few twinkling stars.

Right away it was apparent that he was slightly nervous to greet them all by himself. He stood well, not overwhelmed by the one-versus-eight encounter and his confidence managed to hold together, but there were a low clacking as one of his jittery forehooves bounced upon the stone pier. He smiled warmly even as his eyes moved with fast glances between each of the friends, trying to get a quick look at them all. There was nothing surreptitious about the way his gaze poked them, moving rapidly from pony to pony; there was just a general reluctance to be caught staring at any particular pony for too long.

Though he definitely held longer looks upon James, Spike, and Twilight. For the man and the dragon, some simple intrigue welled up in his eyes. For Twilight, some particular and unnamed interest appeared, and his unsteady hoof rattled upon the pier all the more noisily.

"Hello!" he managed to greet at last, if not in firm control of his voice then at least still committed to his duty. "So, uh, if you'd like to take a moment, make sure you've got your bags and everything; that's fine! And... whenever you're ready, if you'll just follow me up the pier... then, well, we can meet the others." The thought of getting some backup appealed to him and his demeanor accrued a little more security. "They're all very excited to meet you," he promised.

With nods and thanks the group took a moment to set down their baggage, rest, and organize themselves.

Flicking her magic, Twilight released her saddlebags and set them down, wiggling her barrel to try and undo some of the very minor chafing the strap had caused. The slow sigh she pushed out wasn't one of physical weariness from carrying such light cargo. Her mind needed rest. Sailing over the Carriaggean sea hadn't been the spiritually rejuvenating experience it could have otherwise been. Her hopes were fixed upon the island providing the calm space for peace, and eventually restoration. And not just for herself.

She gave a roaming look around at her group of friends. For the most part their spirits were high, much like one would expect from ponies who had just landed at their vacation destination. Whatever awkward chips and pebbles their horseshoes had caught in recent weeks didn't appear to be bothering them as they all took their own restful moments, observing the island spread before them and sometimes engaging each other with mutually bright chatter.

Even James seemed like he was in a fairly happy place. His single bag sat like a melting blob of ice cream near his feet, and he wore one of his thoughtful looks: one hand hovering about his chin while the other arm wrapped itself across his lower chest. For some moments his interest was taken by the wooden townlet ahead, and in other moments he spoke affably with Spike or Rainbow Dash, trading jovial words about Rarity's excessive luggage or unleashing friendly ribbing of some sort or another.

There was something pleasantly spent about him, too; his standing body slouched with merry exhaustion. It was obvious he hadn't been laying back idly on the boat, and likewise he thankfully hadn't run himself into one of his brooding moods. Whatever he had been up to had eaten some of his energy in a hearty, worthwhile, enjoyable way.

Twilight's experience with him didn't lie to her, though. She only had to look at him to perceive the truth: the man was actively and almost forcefully trying to have a good time, for whatever unknown reason. Though he had already spent good energy just cavorting about the boat (or whatever he had done,) he still expended even more as he relentlessly tried to ignore the most egregious of his worries and focus on anything favorable in the immediate reality before him. Again she prayed for the best possible outcome. Maybe, just maybe, his relatively optimistic efforts might be the key to unlocking the golden opportunities which could make his friendships shine?

The one unmistakable exception to all the eager energy on the pier was Pinkie Pie, as the unicorn had fearfully predicated. She had given her best effort but she hadn't picked up the pink pony's trail on the boat after having lost it. Her search from bow to stern and back hadn't found the faintest hint of an unstoppably cheery party pony on board. No spilled confetti littering the floor, no bundles of balloons strung about overabundantly, no barely identifiable and butchered remains of cake, no long string of smiling and friendly ponies who had been bettered by the best encounter with a friendly stranger which they had ever had; not one of the usual signs that the famous party planner of Ponyville had been present. Pinkie Pie had only turned up again in the minutes immediately before disembarking.

Looking at pink pony again, it was easily observed that once more she had pulled up her covers and displayed no open despair. Despite what had happened on board she now let no obvious doubt or darkness spill from the front she presented. Her stride down the gangway had been unremarkable. Her heavy baggage had hardly squeaked with how plainly she had laid down her steps. She now sat casually on the pier, her still strapped-on saddlebags anchored to the stone and her weighty extra bag dropped besides her without much of a thought. Her head turned this way or that way towards anything which fleetingly caught her dulled interest: a regular inspecting glance at the waiting island stallion who had greeted them, a simple peep down the pier or off towards the resort, a look up at The Seabiscuit and all the ponies draped over the edge still wishing welcome goodbyes. With all the speed of a milk cow chewing cud she swiped her hoof back and forth at the boat's passengers in a return wave before letting her eyes wander again. At one point she even gave a forgettable yawn and gently stretched out some stiffness.

She resembled no more than a tired vacationing pony who had just stepped off of a boat after an exhausting jaunt out at sea.

And that was what was so worrying. The present moment was exactly the kind of time that the usual Pinkie Pie would be ready to erupt with explosive excitement. She'd be bouncing off the walls (if there were any on the pier,) firing her party cannon at random (assuming it was indeed somewhere in that bloated bag of hers,) and letting her mouth gallop away free of any restraints her fun-loving brain would ever dare to place upon it (not that restraint was a quality which anypony natively associated with her.) Now she sat on the pier of their destination, on the very cusp of meeting some brand new ponies... well, that fact alone would have normally driven her blissfully bonkers.

Something had to be done, but for Twilight to try the same approach as she had tried on the boat would surely end no differently. And she couldn't do anything at the moment anyway; not in the open while on the verge of meeting their island hosts.

Fluttershy slumped down, dropping her rear onto the cold stone with a plush plop and silently curling her pink tail around her hooves. Like most of the others, she rested herself even though the light saddlebags she was carrying hadn't really burdened her in the slightest.

Overall she was pleased in a very easy way. A little dent of a smile sat upon her face as she watched the others check themselves over, and readiness perched itself in her blinking eyes as she gave the island a casual glance while she imagined all of the incredible critters who lived there. She shared the anticipation of her friends despite not being of the mood to show it through her withdrawn, wispy voice.

But when there were no eyes upon her, a glum reserve snuck its way inside of her and she leveled an unsafe stare down at the pier's unpolished stone. The unwelcome discomfort lingered, not drifting out through the unnoticeable shuddering of her unspread wings or through the agitated fidgeting of her forehooves. A prickling sensation moved about her body unrestrained, though she did not let it raise any visible clue which could pester the others.

At last she vented some of her insecurity out through an anxious, inaudible moan. Swiping her eyes about to first make sure that nopony was intently watching, she twisted her neck around, quietly flipped open one of her saddlebags, and peeked within. One of her two bags was neatly packed with an assortment of things she could have possibly needed for a variety of predictable and unpredictable animal encounters, but the one she inspected had only her few personal things. Empirically speaking it carried very few items at all: more or less just a few assorted hygiene supplies, themselves covered over with a tenderly folded towel.

But on top of the towel, with nothing else besides or above it, sat the sapphire heart necklace she had picked up two weeks ago. Sitting in her bag it was practically hidden in plain sight. Even with the saddlebag's flap open, the meager contents were so shallowly packed that the sapphire gem caught no serious light and it did not glitter, its silver chain and setting left to grow cold in its loneliness.

Her jaw wobbled skittishly as she reached in and clasped the necklace's chain, pulling it partially out of the bag before stopping. Why had she even brought this thing at all? There wasn't going to be any reason to wear it. Or even any strength to... Really, why had she even bothered wearing it sometimes in Ponyville?

She should have just found the vendor she had bought it from and returned it.

"Hey, Fluttershy! Ready?" Rainbow Dash suddenly inquired from behind the pensive pegasus.

Startled, her neck stiffened and her face shot up. The jerking motion combined with the surprised loosening of her mouth caused the necklace flop into the air momentarily, but the pendent only landed carelessly back inside of her bag, noiselessly denting the towel within. In stumbling haste she brought the flap of her saddlebag back down and sealed it, never once noticing that the commotion had left the chain of the necklace hung over the bag's lip, dangling visibly out even after she had clipped the container shut.

"R-Right. C-Coming...," she replied.

Rainbow Dash spread then snapped her wings once as she arched her back enough to give a satisfying pop in her spine. The rest of the group appeared finished with their short break as well and already the green unicorn stallion was beginning to lead some of them away.

The rainbow-maned pegasus would have been fast to follow along; this pointless waiting had been boring as heck and her own saddlebags hardly needed any care, sorting, or double-checking. She carried little more than some Daring Do reading material, in case of the emergency event of a terrible island experience. However, her path immediately forward was incidentally blocked by Pinkie Pie.

The pink pony was in no rush. Her stuffed saddlebags were strapped on and ready but she was still sluggishly lifting her heavy additional bag up onto her back. When the bloated sack was finally placed it didn't sit right, and the heavy, droopy ends threatened to pull it off her at any moment. Pinkie Pie leaned this way and that way, taking her sweet time to carefully correct the bag's positioning.

It would have been a small thing for Rainbow Dash to have stepped around or floated above the obstacle. But something about the pink pony's lethargic motions, the restlessly sterile way she had picked up her bag and now tried to level it on her back, was utterly arresting.

Pinkie Pie noticed her staring friend while she was still in the middle of steadying her cargo. Displaying an eerie and apologetic smile she took wobbling steps to the side, clearing the path without spilling her unbalanced load.

Slowly starting forwards, Rainbow Dash's body moved on but her head stayed locked on the unusual sight. Her neck twisted rigidly as she passed by, perfectly tracking the bizarrely behaving pink pony with a cautious stare.

"What's up with you?" she finally chose to ask at the last moment. She had gotten so far past that her head was turned back as far as it could go without snapping her neck, and she ground to a halt with a forehoof in mid-lift.

Pinkie Pie only spread larger the corners of her unusual smile, and she moved further aside. The uneven bag on her back faltered and floundered but still didn't fall.

"Right...," the colorful pegasus mumbled. She spun her neck back to its more natural position, planted her hoof down, and continued on.

Fluttershy followed, and after a moment more Pinkie Pie at last had her extra bag seated safely. She dragged her hooves along behind the others, occupying the very rear of the procession.

The group made their way up the pier, lead in front by the island stallion. He was still somewhat antsy: compulsively he peeked behind himself at them, and he most especially stole fast glances at Twilight. However the closer they moved towards the port decks ahead the more he firmed up, even subtly picking up his pace as they neared.

He was nervously absorbed enough in finishing his assigned task that he didn't catch the quiet murmurs of worried disappointment which spread amongst those who followed him as they approached the cluster of unadorned decks, sheds, and huts.

They had gone from a glorious hotel in the heart of a bustling city, to a fine cruise ship that had been more than serviceable even if it hadn't been the undisputed champion of the seas, and now to a small, plain port built from dried out wood and the faintest echoes of life. Each step of their journey had seemed to take them backwards, regressing from the most spectacular vacation splendor to merely being left ashore in some forgettable corner of the world. As if to emphasize the ghostly, remote state of the port, somewhere on one of the dwellings an unsecured shutter clacked against a wooden wall, nudged by a careless wind. For what Twilight had called a 'high class resort,' the first impressions it made were having an extremely hard time keeping up with the rampant desire of imagination.

Twilight bit her tongue and said nothing. When she had first heard of Isla Equufera the manic drive of her own interests had led her mostly towards having researched the island's fascinating history: a little-known, little-visited locale whose prime mystery was the disappearance of its original pony population long ago. She hadn't ever really done anything at all to investigate the details of the much newer resort. Essentially she had just taken the island ponies at their word, accepting without scrutiny the many lauding statements and extolling proclamations that their written communications with her had conveyed. And in hindsight a lot of what they had written had been crafted more like an advertisement than an encyclopedia article.

Oops.

But the trip wasn't a bust yet! There was no reason to lose hope!

They had yet to meet their hosts: the high-minded ponies who had created such an interesting essay prompt for her to begin from; the same ones who selected her extremely well thought out work as the contest winner. Surely such bright ponies knew something about creating a successful resort, even if they hadn't got their port into tip-top shape yet. And, technically, the island retreat wasn't fully finished or even officially opened yet either; it was available only to select clients for promotional trips. Maybe the resort building on the flat beach which had only so far been observed from a distance was at a much more complete stage? Maybe the regiment of rest and relaxation which was presumably planned for Twilight and her friends rose up to the spectacular claims that had been made?

It was entirely possible for looks to be deceiving!

The stone pier widened slightly just as it ended, replaced with three equally wide wooden steps up to a broad and open deck which was effectively the 'lobby' of the tiny port town. Paths shot off of it in many places to many different platforms, running either straight, up, or down, but otherwise there was nothing remarkable about the mostly vacant staging space.

The green stallion bounded up the three steps swiftly. Once at the top he raced ahead of Twilight and her friends. Finally his moment as the center of attention was over.

Trailing behind, the group of friends carried themselves up the steps and onto the deck where they saw a gaggle of ponies waiting for them; a crowd only slightly in number than themselves.

Besides standing together as a group there was little that seemed to unify the island ponies. In every detail they were a wildly diverse collection. From a physical standpoint: palettes of color, every body type, and distinctive traits of ancestry which pointed all over the map. From a more personal standpoint too: they all held themselves up in unique, self-defined ways, and each regarded the arriving guests in their own fashion instead of to the tune of a trained regiment. 'Staff' wasn't a becoming word for the way they had organized themselves. 'Locals' fit better but was still imprecise. Really, they weren't so different from any randomly chosen batch of Ponyville ponies; just a collection of individuals, united by home.

The guiding stallion merged himself into the small, unevenly spaced crowd.

Two ponies were set distinctly in front of the rest, claiming a position of importance. A mare and a stallion side-by-side, they stood uncomfortably close to each other and yet were at perfect ease with their mutually invasive proximity. In fact, it ran even stronger than that: they seemed to unhesitantly reject being anywhere that they couldn't rub up against each other. Surely they were a couple in some fashion or another.

The sire was an earth pony of a crimson color, shaded towards a darker hue but still with a burning tinge. His eyes were very similar but fell much more towards the brighter side of the spectrum, with irises hot enough to virtually glow. From out of the top of his head ran his relatively long mane, a tide of ashen hair that slowly flowed down his neck, great strands rolling over each others as they followed closely to the contours of his neck and upper back. The unstoppable mane even wounds its way around his jutting withers before dying out in tiny, curled licks which resembled miniature flames. His tail was just as long but blasted out less contained, billowing like smoke. He himself wasn't very large at all though. By any measure he wasn't a mountain of a pony but regardless he stood with an identically rigid and powerful bearing to any stone spike of earth. It was a tall quality which gave him great presence in the open light of day but somehow made him into an ominous shadow when darkness floated about. The cutie mark which adorned his flank felt quite natural on him: a crater rim from which poured thick smoke, with cuts of something bright and bubbling hidden under the obscuring clouds of ash.

He wasn't exactly unapproachable, as there was nothing too innately stern about his standing. And his face was more than capable of presenting an eager and soothing smile, as he did not delay in demonstrating for them.

The lady was altogether more inviting however, with an appearance that was as pleasing to look at as it was easy to approach. Thin, happy, carefree eyes offered no remote hint of hostility or danger, showing clearly the sweet wish to be closer to whomever they looked at, and their silver blue shine did half the work of making her so inviting. The shyly golden mane her horn peeked out of began fluffed and curly, a beautiful bouquet of leafy hair sitting upon her head, but it transformed into a smooth, shining waterfall as it streamed down her slender neck. She was slim and limber all over, her incredibly soft pink body pliable in whatever ways were needed to bend in any fashion she wanted without much effort. So too was she in demeanor, seeming so prepared to bend and serve until everything was perfect for whomever she sought to please. There was something so unashamed about her as well, knowing beyond doubt where she stood and fretting not about whom she associated with or what anypony thought of her.

It was the little additions which she bore that cemented her comely appearance. Tied around her loin she wore a long cloth like a skirt; a lava-lava. Smooth, shiny, and silken, its gorgeous floral pattern was dominated by a bright, verdant green upon which lived a rainbow display of flowers, like a painting of an infinite garden. The end hung low over her back half, just above scraping along the wooden deck, and it buried her cutie mark and tail. Only the tips of her tail hair, little whiskers of gentle gold, poked out from under the shimmering cloth. Complementing her choice of attire was a single flower. Tucked in the nook of one of her ears was some kind of geranium in full bloom, with attractive lavender petals spread wholly open.

She was the first to greet Twilight and the others, leaning far enough forward to take a single step with ready energy. The anticipation within her was shared freely through the glimmer of her eyes, the melody of her voice, and the aura her body projected. Only grace and well-practiced manners kept her from exploding in unprofessional glee.

Quickly her gaze jumped between each of them, curious and eager while still searching and discerning. Very swiftly she settled upon Twilight, and she inquired with near complete certainty, "Twilight Sparkle, yes? The student of Princess Celestia?"

Realizing that her lately-harried mindset and her uneven saddlebags didn't lend her the most professional appearance, Twilight's posture stumbled slightly as she hastily tried to respond in greater courtesy, "Yes! Yes, uh, that's me. It's- it's a pleasure to-"

"Oh, no no," the lady unicorn lightly brushed away any worry. With a bending of her knees and a deep lowering of her head, she said, "You're the guests here! It's our pleasure to have and welcome you!"

More she stepped forward, bringing herself a pony's length before the student guest. Her stallion counterpart followed her, sticking tenderly close but still a half-step back to await his turn.

Once again she lowered her face, though very shallowly this time. With a lifted and alert stare that walked across all of the visitors she introduced herself, "I am Venus, and I could not offer you more welcome if I tried."

Inching backwards, color flushed into her face and she leaned on the side her close stallion, rubbing herself completely against him. One of her forehooves shifted and held itself over one of his. Her motions didn't have any of the deliberate softness which characterized her prior words; she was almost vigorous in the way she pressed herself into him. But the steady stallion really didn't seem to mind one bit. He even reciprocated, pushing back with equal force and stroking her body with his own.

The two smiled intimately at each other, and when Venus spoke to introduce him her words seemed distantly caught in his gravity. Never breaking their eyes apart, and with a tone dripping in sweet distraction, she announced, "And this is my dear, delightful, lovely Suvi."

Even through the darkened red of his fur was his captivated blush visible. However he immediately took more firm control of himself. He turned towards the guests, bowed his head respectfully, and more properly introduced himself, "Vesuvius."

Ceasing their affectionate leans into each other, they returned to a form more courteous to (and more conscious of) their freshly-arrived guests.

Vesuvius continued his greeting to them. When he was inclined to he had the ability to put others at ease, with all of his hardened edges resonating a trustworthy calm instead of inciting wary discomfort; being the mountain which guarded the peaceful valley instead of the craggy master which towered over the lowlands. Not shirking politeness in the least he elaborated, "Together we own this small island resort, as well as being the entrusted caretakers of the island itself, by decree of the Island Society of the United Carriaggean. We're very honored to have you here."

He looked intently at Twilight. "We've been hoping to host somepony like you for a long time," he said. Shortly thereafter, his attention snapped back and light remorse drizzled over his face, having caught some error he had made. Glancing over all the guests, he raced to include them, "Ponies like all of you."

Venus quickly picked up after him, relating to the entire group, "We know some things about each of you already, thanks to the very thoughtful and flattering words which your friend was kind enough to share with us." She gave a grinning tilt of her head in acknowledgment of Twilight. "This past week we've been busy taking what we've learned and using it to prepare for your arrival. We want your stay here to be something unique."

At last she broke from her enduring attachment to Vesuvius, taking powerful steps forward without him. Walking past Twilight, she put herself in the midst of the eight friends. Now the focus of the stage between them, the eight could all see each other as they stared into her, and a grandeur filled her as she told them, "We're sure that here..." Her eyes moved from friend to friend, alight with incredible belief. "... on this island..." In circles she turned, looking at each of them and weaving about with absolute control; drawing them in. "... in this very special place..." She stopped her twirls, and her low, gripping voice penetrated each of them. Its mysterious weight sank past any barriers of wondering doubt and brushed against the bells of curiosity. Everyone paid rapt attention to the ringing. "... you're going to have a life-changing experience which you will never forget!"

There were some raised eyebrows; some in awe, some merely impressed, and others lifted with questions.

Leaving her bold claims to settle upon the travelers, Venus began to return to her darling Suvi's side. Each step of her stride still resonated with an assured strength. She sported a devious smile as she went, and she held one eye back towards Twilight and the others.

As she came up upon her counterpart, Vesuvius happily reached his neck out and nuzzled the side of her face warmly, practically kissing her cheek. It was as if the short minute apart had been an extended journey away from which she had finally returned. She was barely surprised by his gesture and immediately mirrored it, indulging in spreading her affection back upon him. Gladly she accepted the delay it caused her in retaking her position.

"Our lives were completely changed by coming here," the stallion spoke to the guests through the caresses he traded with his other half. They finished their fond cuddling, both of them satisfied, and it allowed Venus to turn about so that they could be standing united again. Then Vesuvius highlighted the other patiently waiting island ponies, pointing at them broadly while declaring, "Everypony who has come here has had their lives changed. None have ever been the same."

The troupe of island ponies nodded, or smiled, or spoke small whispers in agreement, or even blushed from the resurgence of triggered memory. All were in tune with the stallion's words.

"You, my friends, have arrived at paradise!" Venus rose her voice high like a herald. Her words were paced exactly, marching out like a practiced speech; these were lines she had long thought on. "This is somewhere we've work hard to craft into a retreat which is unlike anything the rest of Equestria has ever seen. A far away place where the world quiets down and ponies can unearth what dreams are truly made of. Let us show you the way! Let us show that paradise is not just a place... but a state of mind that you too can reach. It is within your heart, waiting for you..."

Vesuvius added, also parading out statements that felt proudly rehearsed and fully committed, "On this island we have discovered something special. Something NEW. Something we want to share with you, and with all ponies of Equestria. I promise you will uncover new ways to connect to others. New doorways that you've never known will open and bring you closer to anypony you care about; closer together than you could ever have believed possible. New depths inside yourselves will be found. Experiences that go beyond anything you've ever imagined!" Steely-eyed, he swore, "You're going to feel things you never once dreamed you could!"

Venus's face lit up, everything about her visage almost brilliant with a heavenly glow, and she invited, "Are you ready? Again... welcome!"

In unison she and Vesuvius gave a deferential bow of their heads, and in a very unpracticed way the several island ponies behind them did the same.

Twilight was suitably impressed, but she glanced around to check with her friends. Everypony seemed to have taken the winding and verbose greeting in slightly different ways but none of them seemed disappointed. At the very least they had been left wondering about just what they will see and do during their time on the island. The earlier vacations their imaginations had created had crumbled under the mysterious hints that had been laid out by their hosts. They all were looking forward to what lay around the next bend, for whatever reasons had gripped them. Even Pinkie Pie, still somewhat dour in her uniquely hidden way, appeared positively affected.

This was not going to be merely a few quiet afternoons on the beach.

Perhaps the theatrics of their hosts had been a little overly grand, with their lofty speeches and their dramatic talk about miraculously changed lives. It was only a vacation at an island resort, after all. But there was something refreshing and relieving about how thoroughly the island ponies took up their own cause. It was unambiguous: these ponies fully intended to accomplish something significant in the next few days. They would give all of themselves for it, pour all of their energy into it, and dedicate themselves wholly to what they were trying to achieve with their small island resort.

That unyielding and high-minded attitude did much to prime Twilight's hope. More than ever, it helped her shut out any doubts and to believe that this trip could be exactly what her friends needed.

"Thank you! I think I speak for everypony when I say that we are feeling most welcome! And very excited!"

The Seabiscuit's foghorn blared, announcing its impending departure.

Comments

[45north]

This resort sounds like a cross between Fantasy Island and The Twilight Zone.

[Pro Wrestling Pony]

I can't tell what's about to happen... either changlings, sacrifice to a volcano, could be some random fucking "we picked you cuz you can help us", or this could just be them all dealing with their problems, instead of being able to relax... I can't fucking tell, and that's good.

Also

"Everypony who has come here has had their lives changed.  None have ever been the same."

At this point I'd be noping the fuck out of there, cuz that's some ominous shit, I don't care how cheerfully you say it.

[wlam]

The writing in this one has been amazingly stilted and artificial altogether, in comparison to the other two. It's more than just a single step down. For all that I criticized about the plotting, I didn't think the writing itself was bad. This, though, makes me feel like slapping you with a copy of Elements of Style while shouting SHOW DON'T TELL, SHOW DON'T TELL over and over. Did you forget how to do dialogue, or why is everything nothing but paragraphs upon paragraphs of narration describing how a character feels about this or thinks about that all of a sudden? I feel like I'm reading a sermon, not a story.