Secrets of the Everfree

by PaisleyPerson

Chapter 68: Tall Tale Beach

Author's Note:

A/N: I found an actual role for Doctor Whooves instead of just easter eggs! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Doctor Who, you just need to know that the Doctor is an alien who travels through time and space (usually with a companion) in a time machine that looks like a police box. It’s bigger on the inside. He also has a device called a sonic screwdriver that convieniently does just about anything you could ever need- it picks locks, fixes things, scans, and has a multitude of other purposes (although it doesn’t work on wood). And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the basic rundown of Doctor Who. (A lot of it doesn’t make sense even to whovians, so don’t feel bad if you don’t quite follow.)

Chapter 68
Tall Tale Beach

“We’re here! You guys, we’re finally here!” Spectrum joyously whooped, pointing to the tiny shapes of boats they could see floating on the water.

“Alright!” Hawk Stripe and Winter Green high-hoofed.

“Garble, can you lead everyone south, just outside the town?” Charcoal requested.

“What?! You know there are a whole swarm of changelings right on our tail, right?”

“I know, I know. But we’re going to freak a lot of ponies out if we just land in the middle of town with a hundred supposedly-extinct hippogryphs. I’ll take a few ponies in, give them a head’s up, and come back for everyone else. And besides, it’ll give you guys a few minutes to rest.”

“The town’s barely ten-twenty minutes out,” Fizzle protested.

“You’ve been flying for two days straight,” Charcoal sternly reminded. “Even dragons have to rest.”

“I agree with that statement,” Pierce raised a claw. The others rolled their eyes. He’d been complaining of sore wings for the last two hours. Though no one else had actually voiced complaints, it was evident that everyone was weary not just from flying 48 hours straight but carrying the weight of so many passengers as well.

“Alright,” Garble sighed, obediently folding his wings into a dive. He and the other five massive dragons led the rainbow flock to land in a clear patch along the uninhabited coastline.

“What if the changelings catch up to us before you get back?” Clump challenged.

“Then go ahead and come on in,” Charcoal sighed. “I’ll take Trixie. Hopefully the unicorns will have a barrier set up before then.”

“Those barriers are designed to keep changelings out,” Shift reminded.

“Right... I guess you and Fink will have to come with us before it’s set up. But... in disguise, please?”

“Who would you like me to change into, Charcoal?” Fink asked.

“Uh... I don’t know... could you come up with an original body?”

“I suppose it is possible,” Shift reasoned. His green fire soon engulfed his body, leaving a blue and green-maned pegasus stallion with the temporary cutie mark of crashing waves- an ode to the town, no doubt- behind. Fink also flared up, opting for a black and orange-maned thestral stallion with a fire cutie mark.

“And Shift? I know you don’t want to give us away, but you’re going to look really weird in a blindfold.”

“You can wear my hat, if you like,” Trixie offered, reclaiming the cape and replacing it with her wide-brimmed hat. Shift pulled it as far over his eyes as he could without completely blinding himself.

“Alright. Trixie, Glitter, Spectrum, Shift and Fink are with me. Gilda, could you...?” Charcoal broadly gestured to the weary flock, requesting that she take care of things here. She nodded understandingly.

“I got it,” Gilda winked. She even waited for Bandit and Heckley to climb down from Charcoal’s back and transfer to her before taking off.

“You guys might want to set up some sort of watch system,” Charcoal suggested. “You know, to keep an eye out for changelings.”

“Already on it,” River Rush called as she, Hawk Stripe and Winter Green zoomed past. “Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

“We got it covered,” Hawk agreed.

“We’ll make this quick,” Charcoal promised, starting off with his train. “And Garble? Get some rest, would you?”

“Yes, Mother,” his brother rolled his eyes. When Charcoal looked back, however, he was pleased to find that Garble was taking his advice and curling up for a nap.

“Hey, Charcoal, are you alright?” Glitter rested a hoof on his shoulder, holding him back.

“Yeah, fine,” he shrugged her off. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He knew the answer as well as she.

“I know Pound Cake was your best friend. I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” he flattened his ears and shut his eyes in an effort to block out the painful memory. Regaining his composure, he waved to the rest of his gang. “Let’s move out.”

There was only one unicorn in their company, so to speed things up, Trixie hitched a ride with Glitter Shine. Without the dragons to take them the rest of the way, their travel time was greatly reduced. The trip that would have taken the dragons an additional twenty minutes took Charcoal almost double that. His heart was racing by the time they arrived, fearful that the changelings may have caught up by now. Despite his aching wings, Charcoal’s legs carried him as quickly as they could through the town. Only the disciplined changelings were able to keep up.

“EVERYONE! LISTEN UP!” he called as they tore through the streets, trying to gain the attention of as many ponies as possible. These folks obviously hadn’t gotten wind of the changeling crisis yet, for they stared at the group as though they were crazy. Charcoal finally stopped near the center of the town, climbing atop a random, probably decorative blue police box sitting outside The Unbridled Inn. It would suit his purposes just fine.

“EVERYPONY!” he called out again. He had attracted a small crowd by now, but only a few ponies seemed even mildly interested. Even if this pitiful number believed him, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to persuade the whole town. And they would need everypony’s help.

“HEY!” He let a pulse of fire explode through his hooves, just whizzing over the ponies’ ears. Everyone froze. He finally had their attention.

“Oy!” the door to the police box below him creaked open, and two ponies stepped out. Charcoal didn’t even think two ponies would fit in there. Even stranger was that he recognized them. “Get down from there! You’ll scuff the roof, if you haven’t already singed it!” Time Turner demanded.

“Er... sorry,” Charcoal stuttered, hopping down.

“Charcoal?” Ditzy squinted at him through crossed eyes. “Shouldn’t you be in Ponyville?”

“I was trying to explain,” Charcoal grunted in irritation. “Ponyville’s been taken over by changelings!” he spoke loudly so the rest of the town could hear. Gasps of horror rippled through the much larger audience.

“Changelings, you say?” Time Turner’s interest was piqued. “Please, go on.” Charcoal again turned to the collection of ponies around him.

“Chrysalis has kidnapped all five princesses,” he announced. “As well as the Elements of Harmony. She’s seized not just Ponyville, but also Baltimare and parts of Canterlot and Fillydelphia. She captured their residents and...” Charcoal faltered, horrific memories again seeping into his mind. “She’s turned them into changelings, too.”

This statement received mixed responses from the crowd. Some cried out in despair, horror, fear, anger, outrage, disbelief, or a combination.

“It can’t be true!”

“We’re all doomed!”

“The colt is lying! He must be lying!”

“No, it’s true!” Spectrum desperately put in.

“Lies! All lies!” Time Turner rolled his eyes at the incompetence of the ponies they were dealing with, and brought out a small, cylindrical silver device topped off by a blue bulb. He pointed it in the air, clenched between his teeth in such a way he could still press the button at the bottom. The device glowed and emanated an ear-splitting screech. Even Charcoal covered his ears. The sound also attracted a few ponies from within the hotel, at the front of which came a blue unicorn stallion with a grizzly brown beard and matted hair.

“OY!” the brown earth pony shouted. “Show some respect! This colt not only warned you about the coming threat, but I’ll bet by the Time Lords of Gallifrey that he has a plan.” Time Turner quickly shimmied up to the thestral’s side, and instantly hushed his voice. “You do have a plan, don’t you?”

“I, er... yes?”

“Ah, good lad. That would have looked a mite embarrassing if you didn’t,” he chuckled, lightly draping an arm around his neck. When Charcoal just continued to stare at him, he looked to the colt again. “You might want to explain that plan, now.”

“Er... right. The first part of the plan is pretty simple. We need to set up a magical barrier around Tall Tale Beach to protect us from the changelings. Trixie here has performed the spell before, but she’ll need some additional help to maintain a shield that large. We need every able unicorn to help out.

“The second part of the plan is where things get weird. You’re just going to have to trust me. My mom and dad had this hobby... they liked to research all sorts of mythical creatures: hippogryphs, hippocampi, aponies, you name it.” He looked around at the skeptical faces around him, and realized that he was quickly losing their interest. “The thing is, some of those creatures weren’t actually so mythical.” The crowds finally groaned in disappointment, their hope and faith in the colt lost. Even Time Turner wasn’t sure how to regain their attention.

“Sorry, Charcoal,” Ditzy apologized. “But it does seem a bit far fetched.”

“The lad’s right!” the blue unicorn from the hotel stepped forth. “I’ve seen ‘em with me own eyes! The merponies exist!”

“Enough with you and your babbling, Water Mark!” someone groaned. “Your father’s ship sank in a freak storm. The ‘merponies’ had nothing to do with it!” Water Mark scowled.

“We have proof!” Charcoal spoke up. The crowd stared at him expectantly. “Well... not of the hippocampi, but they aren’t the only ones that actually exist. Hippogryphs are real, too.”

“You’re spouting a bunch of hooey!” someone accused.

“It’s true! We’ve brought the whole flock all the way from the Foal Mountains!”

“If you’re telling the truth, then where are they?”

“They’re with my brother, just south of here. We wanted to give you a head’s up before a couple hundred hippogryphs and six dragons landed on your shores. You’re welcome.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Charcoal felt fire tickling his hooves. As if on cue, a message fluttered through.

“Oh, boy. It looks like you’ll have your proof soon enough. They’re on their way,” Charcoal’s pupils shrank to miniscule dots. “The changelings are on their way.”

“I need every available unicorn!” Trixie instantly took charge of the situation. “We have to set up the barrier!”

“At least one decent idea has come of the conversation,” a unicorn stallion sighed, stepping forward. Many more horned ponies stepped forward, and Trixie began organizing her teams.

“Are there any more thestrals here?” Glitter also called. Only three came forward. “My parents told me once that the thestrals somehow managed to devise magical barriers during the second uprising. I don’t know how they did it, but without unicorns, they must have done it through fire dancing. Let’s see if we can figure out how they did it.” The thestrals nodded and followed her to another corner where they could converse privately. “Charcoal, aren’t you coming?”

“No. I have to find the hippocampi,” he shook his head.

“But you don’t even know where they are! If you’re outside the barrier by the time the changelings arrive...” she bit her lip.

“I know,” he flattened his ears. “But I know they’re out there.”

“I might be able to help,” Water Mark stepped forward. “I’ve seen them before. I can point you in the general direction.”

“Great!” Charcoal almost jumped for joy.

“Ooh, can we come, too?” Ditzy hopefully put in.

“But Ditzy-!”

“You promised me a planet of muffins, Doctor,” Ditzy accused, pointing a hoof directly between his eyes. “Instead, we end up at Tall Tale Beach. Hippocampi aren’t nearly as tasty as muffins, but it’s the next best thing.” She crossly folded her arms and turned away, nose pointed in the air.

“Oh, fine,” he sighed.

“Ooookay,” Charcoal shuffled away. Those two sure were strange. “Oh, and Trixie? Keep an eye out for any unicorns that might be able to help Shift and Fink,” he gestured in the direction of their two friends. Trixie gave a nod of acknowledgement.

“This way,” Water Mark was already waiting for them at the edge of the crowd. Charcoal, Ditzy Doo, and Time Turner ducked after him.

Water Mark wasn’t exactly a young stallion, around his parents’ age, but for an older gentlecolt, he sure was sprightly. It also helped that he knew the roads like the back of his hoof. They had made it off the main roads and to the boardwalk in no time. Even when they had left the path, Water Mark didn’t stop for a second. Charcoal was wheezing by the time they arrived on the small, secluded beach, but then again, he had also been traveling all morning.

“This is where I saw ‘em last,” the unicorn informed.

“Well, we can’t just wait around for them to show up again,” Time Turner pointed out. “It could be days, weeks, months before they pop up here.”

“My parents were on their honeymoon when they first met the hippocampi,” Charcoal spoke more to himself than his company. Water Mark tensed. “They said that they spent most of their time on an island with the hippocampi... Mr. Mark, are there any islands nearby that you can think of?”

“There’s a whole string of them a bit of a ways out,” Water Mark slowly nodded. “We always lose our ships trying to make it out that way, though. But colt, you said your parents were on their honeymoon?”

“That’s right,” Charcoal cocked his head in curiosity. “Why?”

“I think I knew ‘em,” Water Mark turned away in shame at the memory. “They started off stayin’ at my inn, The Unbridled. I’ve ‘bout forgotten their names, though...” he scratched his head. “Bah! She was a gray mare and he’s a brown stallion, a giraffe of a one, though. ‘Bout as tall as Luna herself.”

“Acrylic and Torchwood! That’s them!” Charcoal exclaimed.

“Right you are, son. I do believe those were their names.”

“You helped my parents find the hippocampi?” Charcoal beamed. How fitting that the same stallion would help him now! Water Mark flattened his ears.

“Well... not exactly.”

“Enough chit chat! We‘re running out of time!” Time Turner interrupted.

“Right,” Charcoal turned his focus back to the task at hoof. “So you could take us, Mr. Mark?”

“That I can, lad, but as I said, none of our boats can get close to those islands. The hippocampi always turn us back before we can get that close.”

“We don’t have time to take a boat. We’ll have to fly.” The mere thought of carrying another passenger made Charcoal’s wings feel about a hundred pounds heavier, but the thought of Pound Cake spurred him on. He wasn’t going to let anypony else end up like that.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, lad, but I don’t think you or this young lady have it in you to carry two full-grown stallions across open ocean,” Water Mark pointed out, nodding in the direction of the clumsy mare and the second wingless pony.

“Oh.” Charcoal slumped.

“I can carry us in a levitation hold, but I’m ‘fraid I’m not so talented as some folks. You two will have to steer us,” Water Mark offered. Charcoal perked back up. That wouldn’t take much effort at all.

“Yeah! We can do that!”

“Alright,” Water Mark nodded, his horn glowing the same sea green hue as his eyes.

“Whoa!” Time Turner sought to adjust to a new center of balance as Water Mark’s aura lifted him up. Water Mark looped arms with the stallion, and Charcoal likewise gripped Water Mark’s hoof. Ditzy found a hold on Time Turner.

“Straight ahead, boy,” Water Mark nodded ahead, towards the open ocean. Charcoal took a deep breath. He nodded to Ditzy, and as best as they could, the pegasus mare and thestral colt took off, passengers in tow.

---

“We’ll be gettin’ close, now,” Water Mark called.

“You said that ten minutes ago,” Charcoal grumped, tugging them out of the way of another wave.

“I’ve never seen waves so high out in open water!” Time Turner exclaimed.

“That’ll be the hippocampi,” Water Mark explained. “They’re warnin’ us to turn back.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Charcoal gritted his teeth, using the warm ocean air to soar ever higher.

“There! The first of the islands!” Water Mark pointed to a small swatch of land poking out of the ocean ahead.

“Watch out!” Time Turner yelped as the biggest wave yet reached up to greet them. There wasn’t time to veer away.

“Hang on!” Mark increased the diameter of his levitation bubble, enveloping both Charcoal and Ditzy. The wave crashed over them, but the protective bubble kept them in place. The wave harmlessly passed over the four ponies. Mark released his hold so their guides could continue steering them for the land mass, but another wave rose up. The process was repeated as wave after wave crashed over them, and progress became painstakingly slow. But at long last, the beach appeared beneath them.

“We made it!”

“Thank goodness!” Ditzy exclaimed, easing Time Turner down to the ground. Water Mark released his hold, and all four ponies landed on the soft sand. The quartet took in the tropical paradise around them.

“I think I remember Mom talking about a grove somewhere inland,” he stated.

“Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s go!” Time Turner cheerfully began trotting ahead.

“No!” A fifth voice interrupted the ponies, and they all stopped and turned to the face of a fuming hippocampi. She had a lavender coat and a mane of green and purple that drooped to one side, still dripping with water. Her forehooves dug into the sand and propelled her forward in a sea lion sort of fashion, enormous tail bent beneath her as a third leg. The image of a swirling vortex, a whirlpool, was plastered about where her hips would be if she had hind legs. The mare pushed right up into poor Ditzy’s face, and the wall-eyed mare nervously crept backwards.

“Who do you think you are, barging in like that? You land ponies think you’re entitled to anything and everything. Well, this is our turf, so back off!”

“Incredible! They exist! Look at this, Ditzy!”

“I’m looking.”

“It’s a real, live hippocampus! That’s brilliant!” Time Turner giddily exclaimed, pulling out his cylindrical device once more- he called it a sonic screwdriver- and running it over the mare. “Fascinating!” The mare let Ditzy off the hook and invaded Time Turner’s personal space next.

“I’ve dedicated my life to keeping you land ponies away from this place. I won’t have my perfect track record blemished by the likes of you!”

“Spotless?” Charcoal raised an eyebrow in amusement. He knew this mare. His mother had drawn plenty of sketches of all their hippocampi friends. He just never knew they had been actual ponies until now. “How could you forget about Acrylic and Torchwood, Whirl Pool?” The mare jumped back in surprise, but just as quickly recovered and began interrogating the thestral colt.

“Who are you? They promised never to tell anypony! What’ve you done with them?”

“Cool it, Whirl Pool,” a sixth mare pulled herself from the ocean. This one had a bold orange coat, a blue-tipped mohawk and a hippocampi tail. “Don’t you remember him?” Whirl Pool backed away from the colt to get a better view. Though she scrutinized every inch of his body, no sign of recognition registered on her face. “It’s Charcoal! Charcoal Stormwood! Acrylic’s kid?”

“NO WAY!” Whirl Pool leapt back, attitude changed from suspicion and anger to amazement and surprise in ten seconds flat. “But you were so tiny!”

“That was almost fifteen years ago, Pool,” the mare laughed. “Sorry about those killer waves, by the way. My bad. But the patrol’s gotta do whatever it takes to keep ponies away from this place. We almost drowned your parents the first time they came,” she chuckled at the embarrassing memory. “We tried to be a little more careful with who we turned off after that. You’ve grown so much since we last saw you, I almost didn’t recognize you, though! Your parents stopped taking you to see us, but I knew it was only a matter of time before you found your way back.”

“You... did?” Charcoal awkwardly chuckled, considering the mare he believed to be High Tide.

“Well, it is a major secret to keep from your kids. I figured you’d do some digging of your own at some point, you know, to find out what they were keeping from you. And with your parents researching all sorts of extinct creatures, it must run in the family.”

“I guess you could say that.”

“But I was hoping you’d come with just your family,” High Tide disapprovingly glared at the other three intruders. Ditzy shrank behind Time Turner, and Water Mark was still trying to inconspicuously hide his face.

“I know, I’m sorry,” he apologized, “but I needed someone to help me find you pronto. It’s not just curiosity that brought me here. I- we- need your help.”

“Wait! We should get Current and the others first,” Whirl Pool interrupted.

“Good idea,” High Tide nodded, turning back for the sea. “I’ll go round up everypony and meet you in the lagoon. You take them there.”

“No way! I’m fastest. I’ll go get them, you babysit.”

“Fine,” Tide rolled her eyes. Not that she had much of a choice- Whirl Pool was already diving beneath the waves.

“Actually,” Water Mark spoke, “Charcoal already has history with you hippocampi folk. Your friends will probably be more comfortable if he goes alone. I think the rest of us should wait here.”

“But... hippocampi!” Time Turner whined. Ditzy sharply elbowed him.

“Doctor?”

“Oh, fine,” he disappointedly groaned.

“Fine. We’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Not going to be a problem.”

“Come on, Charcoal. The lagoon is this way.” High Tide held some brush aside for him.

“See you later, then,” Charcoal didn’t want to keep the mare waiting, and ducked after her into the ferns.